stands in Doctrine exhortation and reproof c. to bring home the Scripture for the instruction of the Hearts and Minds of Men by exposition application catechism and defending the Truth against gain-sayers Phil. You give the whole Preaching Office unto the Pastor Christ It is in him and may ordinarily be performed by him providing his strength and ability can reach to it and other parts of his Office lye not too hard upon him or can be performed to the Churches full edification Phil. But what if it cannot be performed to the Church's full edification Christ Then it is requisite that a Coadjutor or assistant to him be chosen in this part of his Office to wit a Teacher or Teaching Elder who is to wait mostly on doctrinal expository and catechumenal teaching Phil. But this seems not a distinct Officer Christ Though he come into part of the Pastoral or Episcopal Office yet he becomes a distinct Officer for he comes in as a governing feeding Officer attending more particularly on the part of the Office to which he is appointed and chosen for he is to feed the Flock so far as the Holy Ghost hath made him overseer by the call of the Church for their necessary supply Neither doth his Office power curtalize at all the power of the Pastor only acting in conjunction with his Office is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opitulatio a help or assistance taking off part of the burthen from him and such Teachers were set in the Church 1 Cor. 12.28 and such an one is to wait on his teaching Rom. 12.7 Where teaching seems plainly to be specified as a distinct office-work in one called thereto as exhorting in him that is more especially called to exhortation And Teachers are plainly enough named in distinction from Pastors as Officers set by Christ in his Churches Eph. 4.11 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry i. e. Officers for the filling up the ministerial office and edifying the body of Christ Therefore when this Officer is necessary for full edification of the Church in the work of the Ministry then he is to be added Phil. Is there no Officer appointed to take up as a help to the Pastor in ruling and governing the Church For where a Church is large the oversight of the flock in way of rule according to the order of the Gospel will require much labour diligence and wisdom Christ There are ruling Elders or Presbyters called to attend and wait upon that part of the Pastoral Office to take up with him and be helps in Governments I conceive they are to be understood by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12.28 which should not be rendred miracles but ruling Officers or Powers as the same word is rendred Rom. 8.38 Persons in Power the abstract put for the concrete and the gifts for the edifying of the Church first and last are specified under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gifts graciously bestowed among which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gubernationes governing or ruling Gifts Phil. You make then a Ruling Elder a distinct Officer of the Church Christ I do not say that the Pastor or Teacher are not ruling Elders but that when one or both are not able to manage the ruling part for the sufficient edification of the Church there ought one or more to be called into that part of the Ministry and to attend thereto with Diligence And accordingly the Apostle Rom. 12.7 8 9. calls the whole Ministry of the Church Episcopal and Diaconal by the Name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ministry and gives us an account of the several Offices to be attended to the Teacher that attends on Teaching the Exhorter that attends on Exhortation the Deacon that distributes with simplicity the ruling Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that presides in governing let him do it with Industry or Diligence Phil. But is there any Presbyter or Elder that is not teaching You seem to be for Lay-Elders Christ The distinction between Clergy and Laity comes from Rome we own it not in the sence it 's used by no means for the people are the Clergy in the sence of the Spirit of God The Apostle Peter shewing the Duty of Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.3 he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Lording it as Lord-Bishops over Gods heritage 2. They are no more Laymen than the Pastor and Teacher yea I may affirm if they that are ordained Officers of Christ in the Church are made thereby the Clergy then all the Ministers even Deacons as well as Pastors for there 's but one kind of Ordination to all the Officers Presbyters and Deacons 3. We deny not Pastors and Teachers to be ruling Elders neither do we deny that a ruling Elder may speak and teach as occasion requires to the edification of the Church especially in matters that concern his Office in Publick or Private And therefore it 's one qualification requisite to all Presbyters or ruling Elders preaching or not that they be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 and 2 Tim. 2.24 The Elder must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Bishop i. e. a ruling Elder or Presbyter must be apt to teach i. e. so far at least as to be able to give a Word of Exhortation as he is called thereto 4. But the Apostle doth speak very clearly in distributing the Elders into them whose ordinary and chief work is to labour in the Word and Doctrine And such whose more peculiar work is to attend Government though there never wants those that will endeavour to darken and baffle the expressions of Scripture that are clearest to common sence 1 Tim. 5.17 The Presbyters that rule well for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Presiders or Presidents in rule and Government as all the Presbyters or Bishops are in the Church shall be worthy or let them be counted worthy of double honour i. e. by virtue of their Office and well management thereof Let such have greater honour than any aged person that is but an ordinary Brother for he had spoken before of our carriage to aged Brethren and Sisters But such as these we should esteem them for their work sake but especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine the Preaching Presbyters let them in an especial manner be honoured or esteemed Phil. How many ruling Elders ought there to be Christ Christ hath not limited Churches here but left them to walk by the rule of edification The Church may be such as that it may be fully edified by a Pastor or Teacher as the sole Presbyter And there may be little or no use of a distinct ruling Elder till the Church encrease to a greater bigness and when it is encreased the Church may choose one or more according as is judged necessary to it's edification Phil. What if the Church have not a man or men duly qualified for that Office Christ. They may pitch upon a Brother not in Office of
of that since neither doth the Spirit seem to limit to a certain number The Church is to Judge how many are requisite to perform the duties required in that Office according to their present stare and standing yea they may increase their number if they see need requires Phil. Is there any help in this Ministration speciffied by the Holy Ghost Christ Yes and it seems to be pretty plain that there were Widdows or Deaconesses or Matrons who were to do that part of the Office which was not so convenient for men such as to visit the Sick especially Sisters and enquire into their necessities and bring an account to the Deacons if any be without necessary supply for food raiment physick attendance and the like see 1 Tim. 5.5 9 10. And Phabe seems to have been a Deaconess to the Church of Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 Phil. You have spoken to all the fixed Officers in a particular Congregation although there are some who would deny some of these to be distinct Officers yet seeing here is in every Church these Office services to be performed and the Holy Ghost speaks of them distinctly under these two Heads Bishops and Deacons that the Pastor Teacher and ruling Elder all concur to the fulfilling the Pastoral or Episcopal Office for the Churches Edification and Men and Women Deacons make up the Liturgical or Diaconal Office I have received much satisfaction upon this account but methinks I am much to seek about one great concern of Christ and his Kingdom viz. The propagation of the Gospel to the unconverted for which work and service I cannot see how Christ hath provided since the Apostles times for all the Officers you have mentioned are Officers only in and to the Church and so far as men are capable of hearing the Word preached in the Churches they have a converting Ministry but they that are remote must be without a Ministry because there is no Churches Christ Christ hath constituted no stated Officers but in and to a particular Congregation He hath not called and sent any to the work of the Ministry for Conversion in the purest state and standing of the first Churches but from the Churches the first Apostles themselves went out from the Church of Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas from the Church at Antioch so that it is according to the prophesie of the latter days The Law shall go out from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And Christ hath provided a way to send the Gospel to Infidels and unconverted ones for Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they preach except they be sent And though I doubt not but God hath had his way in a providential manner of sending the Gospel into the blind parts of the Earth when visible Churches were hardly to be found through Antichristian Darkness that overspread the Earth yet Christ hath an instituted way of sending the Gospel to the unconverted world For men may have a Call and Dedication to some peculiar work and service to be done for Christ out of the Church viz. To be an Ambassador for Christ to beseech men to be reconciled unto God The Word of the Lord hath providentially been sent to many places as the scattering the Church by Persecution was the occasion Act. 11.19 Of preaching the Gospel at Phoenice Cyprus and Antioch c. and when tidings of these things that were done came to the Church at Jerusalem they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch and afterward he was sent forth again from the Church at Antioch I shall not enlarge now on this point I may meet with it again elsewhere the due and orderly way of going forth to the exercise of the Ministry is by the mission of a particular Congregation by the suffrage and Prayers thereof and he may be called a Teacher such as were in the Church of Antioch and so I distinguish of Teachers 1. Such as are stated Teachers to the Church wherein they are 2. Such that are sent forth to open blind eyes c. To preach to the World men lying in their infidelity Phil. You having given me a distinct account of the several Officers of a Gospel Church I desire to understand how they are made and constituted in an orderly regular manner Christ It can be but by Ordination Phil. What all of them by Ordination Elders and Deacons the Lay-Officers Christ I told you before we own no such Officers but them that are Ecclesiastically so and therefore not Lay-Officers the way of Ordination of ruling Elders and Deacons is the same with that of Pastor and Teacher Phil What by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery it seems to be a mighty prophanation of that Sacred ordinance to apply it to men that are illiterate and have not been at the University Christ Christ did not limit any Ordinances to Literate men and to University men his practice was quite contrary but I pray Sir tell me 1. Where imposition of hands is called Ordination 2. Whether the Deacons had not imposition of hands Act. 6.3 Where any other ordinary Church Officers had imposition of hands And therefore if there had not been some more reason of the Holy Ghost than ordinary for applying it to Deacons whether they should have had it If it was in an ordinary way of Administration and therefore all Church Officers to have it then they have eminent right to it still And then what prophanation is it to apply an Ordinance according to it's first institution Phil. You suggest strange notions about Ordination I must get you to clear them up to me Christ Sir you shall excuse me for the present I shall do it another time I only tell you now that all Church Officers are made by Ordination and ordained alike and that imposition of hands is not Ordination and if the most be made of it it 's but a Ceremony annexed which now is obsolete And that all Ordination belongs to the Church of whom the Person ordained is a member yea if imposition of hands be a necessary Ceremony therein it 's not to be performed by the Elders of other Churches but by the Presbytery or delegated Brethren of the said same Church These things shall be demonstrated to you according to that measure of light which Christ hath given Phil. These things look not only Heterodox in respect of the common sentiments of ordinary Professors of the reformed Religion but contrary to what many yea most of our Learned Divines have wrote and practised but I shall wait till you give me further light into them and demonstration for the assertions you have laid down In the mean time give a brief account of Gospel ordinances instituted by Christ for a Churches Edification Chap. VI. Of Church Ordinances of Christs Institution Christ THe instituted Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ are 1. Preaching the Word 2. Prayer and Praises 3. The Seals of the New Testament 4. The Keys which are the
Inventions whereby also all Antichristian Abominations over-spread the whole face of the Christian World Phil. But did not Christ give other Ministerial Officers to his Church Christ The Officers which Christ placed in his Church for Edification were Extraordinary or Ordinary but both Pastoral for they that are called Elders and set for Doctrine and Administration in seals and Government I call justly Pastoral for feeding the Flock comprehends both in the true sence of the Spirit of God Phil. Who were the Extraordinary Officers Christ They were Apostolick and such who were not succeeded after the first Churches were planted but by ordinary Pastoral Officers and these were Apostles and Apostolick helps in the performance of their Office-charge Eph. 4.11 and were Prophets and Evangelists and were extraordinarily furnished with the gifts of the Holy Ghost and Power for the propagation of the Gospel and plantation of Churches but at the disposition and direction for the most part of the Apostles as all other church-Church-Officers as well as Churches were during their lives Phil. And our Bishops say they succeed the Apostles and all other Ministers are subordinate and subject to them Christ They may as well say the Pope succeeds Peter for it 's plain they were extraordinarily sent and inspired and therefore could not be succeeded but by such as were extraordinarily assisted as they were which hath been none or ordinarily and such are Presbyters and no others The Charasteristick Notes of the Apostles were 1. That they were to be such who were ear and eye-witnesses of Christ from the Baptism of John to the time of his taking up Acts 1.22 viz. of his Ministry Miracles Resurrection and Ascension 2. That they should be extraordinarily inspired by the Holy Ghost for the revelation of the mind and will of Christ since which none ever were 3. To have the gifts of Tongues and working Miracles 4. That they should have the charge of the Churches for the plantation direction and government of them every Apostle having the charge of all Churches in every Church whatever power was afterward ordinarily in each Church And though a Bishop now in an Apish imitation by a pretended plea of Succession would lay claim to power over many particular Congregations yet each Bishop is not allowed power in another mans Diocess And as to the former characters where's the Bishop can with a shew of any just pretence lay claim unto them Phil. What were the Prophets that accompanied and assisted the Apostles in their Ministry Christ Of this sort it 's said Acts 13.1 there were certain Prophets and Teachers I suppose not much differing one from another in respect of the extraordinary Mission and Qualification being Church-Members of the Church of Jerusalem on which the Holy Ghost fell in the appearance of fiery Tongues whereby they were furnished with Preaching Gifts and those of Tongues in order to the propagation of the Gospel in all Nations and to whatsoever People they came Jew or Gentile and went forth for this end in subordination to and by direction of the Apostles And the first time we read of the Travels is Acts 11.19 occasioned by Saul's persecution some of them men of Cyprus and Cyrene who when they had passed through other places Preaching came at last unto Antioch and spake unto the Grecian Jews Preaching the Lord Jesus Christ the effect of which was the believing and turning of many unto the Lord. These by the command of the Holy Ghost laid hands on Paul and Barnabas but we read not that they baptized or did perform any other Ministerial Act if that were one Probably they might convey the Gifts of the Holy Ghost on others by imposition of hands too Phil. What were the Evangelists Christ They were extraordinarily called to assist the Apostles also in Preaching the Lord Jesus Baptism and planting Churches with Ordination of Officers in them Philip Preached and Baptized and wrought Miracles Acts 8.5 12 39. But did not convey the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost they were bestowed by the prayers of Peter and John as the laying on of hands verse 15 16. and Philip is called an Evangelist Acts 21.8 Timothy was an Evangelist 1 Tim. 4.5 and Assistant to Paul in his Apostolick Function and he did lay on hands Now as to this that Philip did not and Timothy did I judge these secondary Apostolick men acted not as the Apostles by a general Commission but by the immediate particular dictates of the Holy Ghost or by the mediate Commands from time to time given to them by the Apostles to whom they were assistant and subordinate in their Actings there were some which we call Evangelists from their writing the History of the Gospel two of which were primarily Apostles viz. Matthew and John Mark and Luke might be Evangelists in the other sense Phil. Who were left the Pastoral Officers in the Church at Jerusalem upon Christ's Ascension Christ The whole Ministerial Office in that Church was left and placed at first in the Apostles both Pastoral and Diaconal and either of the Apostles might have presided but that by consent it may be grounded on the words of our Saviour Mat. 16.19 Peter took the Chair viz. the orderly management of the Keys That the diaconal Office was in the said Apostles at first is manifest from the account we have Act. 2.4 5. of the Members bringing their possessions and laying them at their feet to dispose of as a Church stock and from the reason given by the twelve to the multitude for the choice of Deacons they finding the serving tables to be to great a Burthen to them upon such increase of the Church Afterwards also as the necessity and state of the Church required there were Elders or Presbyters chosen distinct from the Apostles which appears from Act. 15.23 And it 's most plain the increasing and multiplying Officers in the Church was according as the necessary reasons thereof did arise from the increase or otherwise which necessities by the Holy Ghost breathing through the Apostles were provided for and supplied Chap. V. Of ordinary Officers Phil. WHat Officers do compleatly Organize a particular Congregation Christ Pastoral and Diaconal so that Pastor and Deacon do make a Church compleatly Organiz'd but through multiplication of a Church or for other reasons there may be good ground to chuse coadjutors in each Office aforesaid for the encreasing the Officers of one kind or another that the Church may be edified Phil. What is the Pastors Office Christ The Pastors Office is to feed the Church as the flock of Christ over which the Holy Ghost hath made him an overseer or Bishop Which Pastoral feeding consists in Gospel Preaching administration of Sacraments and Government In the last respect more especially he is called a Bishop or Overseer Act. 20. Phil. What do you mean by Gospel Preaching Christ I mean a right dividing of the Word of God according to the revealed Will of God and it
admit such to Communion which are under the censure of another Church or disorderly withdrawn from it signification being made thereof 3. There is Communion of Churches in mutual advice and counsel which should be maintained by Elders frequent assembling and meeting together for this end and purpose 4. By sympathizing with each others Poverty and Afflictions by relieving and supporting as much as possible such as labour in this kind And this is a Communion in giving and receiving as the Apostle calls it Phil. Is there not a Communion of Churches in the office power of the Elders v. gr for one Pastor to administer the Lords Supper in another and for the Elders of one or more Congregations to ordain Elders in another Christ Officers have a peculiar relation to the Society that hath called them and there only they are such and that society only can constitute and ordain them and there only they can exercise their particular Office charge As a Pastor can administer the Lords Supper only in the Church to which he is overseer neither the ruling Elder can govern nor the Deacon hath power to distribute any where but where he is a Deacon or hath that Office charge committed to him for if the Officer of one Church were thereby made an indefinite Officer to all it would soon bring confusion to all and the Elders of one Church might excommunicate in another Phil. I thank you Sir for this brief account you have given me of your Church Order As for the Ordinances of Christs institution I think all reformed Churches own them more or less and the Romanists themselves in their way though with innumerable Superstitions and Idolatrous additions And for the Church Officers you insist on methinks I see there is something analogous to them remaining in our parochial Churches which hath been handed down from the primitive practice through Antichristian Darkness As in some of our Parishes we have the Parson as Pastor the Assistant in Preaching as the Teacher the Church Wardens as ruling Elders the overseers of the Poor as Deacons and though these labour under many abuses now and irregularities by Popish corruptions yet it shews that these are the Officers that do fully answer the necessity of a Christian Congregation and that if it be large none of them can well be spared Chap. VIII Of Letters of Commendation and Discommendation Phil. BEfore we break up this conference I pray inform me of the manner of translating of a Church Member from one Church to another I have heard some say there is no difference between Letters of recommendation and of dismission Christ I have told you a Letter of recommendation is but a Certificate under an Elders Hand that such an one is a Church Member and orderly walker in order to his free admission to occasional Communion with other Churches it need not be a Church Act. 2. It 's not in order to the parting with a Member 3. It need not be directed to any particular Congregation 4. When Members of each Congregation are well known to one another they are needless as the Apostle saith of himself 2 Cor. 3.1 2. we need not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letters of Commendation to you Phil. I pray in what form doth a Letter of Commendation run Christ It may be in these or such like words To the Churches of Christ and their respective Elders to whom these presents shall come Grace Mercy and Peace c. SEeing God by his Providence hath called this our Brother A. B. to be conversant in places remote from us for a time and that he may reap the comfort of Christian Communion in Gospel Ordinances in any places whither he is lawfully called and where any Church of Christ is planted by vertue of Communion of Churches These are to certifie that this our Brother A. B. is under no censure but in actual Communion with us hath walked in all Christian and Holy Conversation as becomes the Faith and Order of the Gospel to the great honour of Christ and our rejoycing Wherefore you need not doubt to give him the Right Hand of Fellowship in occasional Communion whensoever he shall desire the same We greet you well in the Lord. C. D. Pastor Phil. Is not this sufficient for to translate a Member to another Church and make him an actual Member there Christ No this makes him not a Member of any one Church more than another 2. Here the Church to which he belongs gives up no right in him Neither doth any Church act pass to that purpose or is desired by him The end of this is but to be a Testimonial to other Churches that they may know him to be a Church Member and one under no censure but approved and therefore that no other Churches may scruple to admit him to their Communion as occasion shall require Phil. I pray then how do you write a dismission some dismiss Members but to no Church Christ It may be wrote with these or such like expressions as the matter requires for in some cases variation is required Phil. What are those cases Christ I will tell you Some dismissions cannot be wrote with so great commendation as others may some departing Members giving considerable cause of offence in their carriages toward the Church and Ministry before and in their asking dismission Phil. How do you write a dismission wit◠commendation Christ A dismission with commendation may be after this manner and it must be directed to a particular Church To the Church of Christ in such a place to which the Reverend Mr. L. P. is Pastor Grace Mercy c. Dearly beloved in the Lord WHereas F. D. a Brother in fellowship with us hath walked in all good Conscience and Holy Conversation as becometh the Gospel and his profession continuing stedfastly in attendance on all the Ordinances of Christ in this Congregation And now having consulted us and given us reasons why he apprehends it his duty to ask his dismission Which reasons being duely considered by us and approved as satisfactory we think it no less our duty to grant his said request and do hereby dismiss him unto you discharging him from his nearer relation and obligation unto us and commit him to your particular watch and care desiring you to receive him in the Lord and that you will be every way helpful to him to promote his edification and comfort For which Spiritual ends we commend you and him with you to the word of his Grace who is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified Subscribed by the consent and in the name of the Church of Christ at K. by A. N. Pastor Phil. But what kind of dismission can you give without commendation Christ There must be some in every one and charity allows us to give some commendation to a Member that stands under very dissatisfactory circumstances which we hope proceed from his infirmity only and therefore can say
that joyns to the Church doth primarily and professedly joyn themselves to the Lord in Church Communion And the immediate declared event of this Exhortation of Barnabas was that they joyned to the Lord in Church fellowship and became a Church ver 26. See also Act. 16.5 2. It appears to be the duty of every Believer to joyn himself to a particular Church from the Nature of Conversion it is the turning the whole man unto God in all the ways and appointments of Christ wherein he is to be found but Church fellowship is a Divine Institution where God is to be found joyned with and submitted unto as is abundantly manifest from the currant of the Old and New Testament This seems to be the meaning of the Apostle when he doth beseech the Romans ch 12.1 by the Mercies of God to present their Bodies i. e. their Persons to give up their Persons by presenting them to or before the Lord viz. in Church Communion a living Sacrifice of thanksgiving Holy and Acceptable unto God which is your reasonable worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be rendred your word service or worship the word is used for the Word of God 1 Pet. 2. Or a service of Words As new born babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Word the Milk or Milk of Word So that the Exhortation of the Apostle seems to be made to Believers to devote and dedicate themselves unto the Lord in Church fellowship by a Covenant or Obligation of Words being called their service of Words viz. their explicate word the Presentment or Devotement of themselves unto the Lord according to Hos 14.2 This Dedication or Devotement is lively signified in Baptism wherein every Believer doth federally oblige himself to Father Son and Holy Ghost and thereby doth both bind himself to joyn unto the Lord in professed Subjection to all his Ordinances and doth shew it Sign and Seal it before the Lord. And every adult one that professeth himself baptized and doth not actually joyn himself unto the Lord in Church fellowship doth practically deny his Baptismal Dedication wherein he is devoted to be a living i. e. visible lively Sacrifice of thanksgiving in his Person and all his performances unto the Lord. 3. That Believer that joyns not himself in Church Society falls short of many great ends of his professed high and holy Vocation for we are called according to Gods purpose of Grace to be a choice Generation a Royal Priesthood a People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for a peculiarity i. e. unto God for his special visible service to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices of a true Gospel Nature acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ ver 5. Wherein the Virtues of Christ are shewed forth or declared ver 9. Not only perceived in our selves but shewed forth in Practice and Profession and this is or can be no way so much as in Gospel instituted worship wherein a Believer comes unto and is built up in the Lord Jesus Christ as a living Stone The great reason of squaring a stone is to be laid in the building as the end of squaring the Stones in Mount Lebanon was to lay them in Solomons Temple a Type of a Visible Gospel Church Such I doubt not but the Holy Ghost means by the Apostle Peter saying Ye as lively Stones are built a spiritual House ver 5. and so the Apostle Paul Eph. 2.20 21. Again the Lord Jesus doth declaredly design that Believers should be visibly separated from the World to come out in the way of Gospel Communion from all unclean things and Persons 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. From all Heathenish Antichristian or false unwarranted worship and from Communion with professed Vnbelievers and enter into a solemn explicite Covenant with the Lord without doing of which they answer not the end of their calling in Christ Lastly our Calling is not only to be the Lords singly but conjunctly with the Saints and redeemed ones to a mystical Relation to Christ in a Community of the Elect and called ones which is answered by us as in our inward and spiritual so by our external and visible joyning our selves to the Society of the faithful to serve the Lord in one Body with them for we are called to the Peace of God that rules in our Hearts in one body Col. 3.15 i. e. with other Saints and Believers and therefore are to walk worthy as it becometh this vocation not only as to Moral Duties but instituted worship Eph. 4.1 c. Phil. 1.26 Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ and this in our Order and stedfastness of our Faith in Christ Col. 2.5 4. There are Duties to be performed by every Believer by Virtue of his Relation to Christ as such which cannot be done but in a way of Church Communion for he is obliged to observe what ever Christ hath commanded Mat. 28.20 And how great things hath Christ required to be observed in a way of Church Communion as the exercise of Brotherly love Heb. 13.1.1 Joh. 3.11 And he there refers to our Saviours express command Joh. 13.34 The Obedience to which lyes in the sensible Expression thereof as it appears by what follows Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one for another i. e. In outward visible acts And the Apostle speaks of the â—ommunion of Love fellowship of the Spirit Bowels of Mercy sameness of Mind c. Phil. 2.1 2 3. Love is a Grace that gives Life to all acts of Communion it flouâ—isheth and branches it self in the most lively manner in a Society and Societies are for the sake of it Destroy love and not only the ends but the very bond and Life of a Society comes to nothing There are great commands of Christ that we are not capable of obeying him in but in Church Communion As frequent assembling together provoking one another to love and good works Heb. 10.24 The remembrance of the Lords Death frequently in the Lords Supper And this is to be observed in a Body or Society of Believers See 1 Cor. 10.16 17. I might instance also in all Duties that concern brotherly watch Pastoral watch each Officers duties by their respective places and Members to them all Discipline actively or passively considered Christs Church Institution Ordinances and Statutes are those which are principally intended by David Psal 119. And such were those that Zechary and Elizabeth walked in blameless Luk. 1.6 5. Every one that supposeth himself in a state of Grace should use all endeavours required by Christ and means instituted by him for growth in Grace Now that Church fellowship and Ordinances are instituted by Christ for growth in Grace I think no sound Christian will go about to deny Believers are exhorted or commanded to grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 And that Churches and their Officers and Ordinances are appointed for that end which we are to abide stedfast in the use of
Coetus or Congregatio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condixit so that it 's taken for the solemn assembly gathered together at Gods appointed time or for the assembly at the appointed place viz. the Tabernacle and therefore the Tabernacle of the Congregation which Congregation was the Church of old Act. 7.38 Ecclesia in the New Testament is taken for any assembly though rude and riotous Act. 19.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not used v. 37. where our Interpreters use our English word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ought to be rendred robbers of Temples Heathenish and Jewish but it is mostly used for and appropriated to a sacred assembly as Mat 18.17 Act. 2.47 Ch. 8.1 Ch. 11.26 1 Cor. 1.2 c. Phil. What do you say then is a Church of Christ in the most comprehensive sence Christ A Church of Christ is a Congregation of Saints associated in Christ Jesus our Lord Eph. 3.21 In the Church in Christ Jesus Phil. Why do you say associated Christ Because a Church is not a transient and occasional Congregation but fixed and a joyned Society by Union and Communion with Christ and one another 1 John 1.3 and because the Saints are the members of Christ and he is the Head they are said to be gathered together always in Christ Jesus really or professedly they are gathered unto him by way of insertion mystically or Politically they are gathered together in his Name or Authority Phil. Then a Church comes under various considerations Christ Yes Sir it doth but the Church of Christ is properly but one as he is the one Head and only so the Body is but one 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the Body is one and hath many members and all the members of the one Body being many are one body so also is Christ i. e. Mystical Phil. I pray be as distinct as you can upon the several considerations of this one Church of Christ Christ I will you know the most comprehensive consideration of the Church of Christ is under the name of Catholick and there are two Articles in the Creed called the Apostles that express our Faith therein 1. I believe the Holy Catholick Church 2. I believe the Communion of Saints which two words Holy and Saints denote the Matter and Form of this Church that it is Saints in Christ Jesus it is a Holy Church made up of Saints and then that it is comprehensive of all Saints And lastly That the formal nature of this Church consists in a certain Union and Communion for the latter always implys the former Phil. But is there not particular Churches do you not call every single Congregation a Church Christ. Yes we do so but that you may have the right and distinct notion of it we must duly weigh the Catholick Church as to its Relation to Christ its Head The Catholick Church is to be considered as to its mystical and political standing in Christ In respect of its mystical standing these things belong unto it 1. That it is the general assembly or collection of real Saints Heb. 12.23 ye are come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Catholick assembly and Church or Congregation of first born whose names are written in Heaven This is the Heavenly Church to which he saith Believers in the Gospel days are come to which Church Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant is the Head of influence and to which all Saints as such are spiritually knit and with whom they have Communion and in him one with another 2. The Church in this sence is it which Christ hath purchased and are effectually partakers of all his benefits Eph. 5.25 26 27. to it belongs Election Redemption Effectual Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification and Glorification John 17.9 10 11. Rom. 8.29 30. 3. Here in this respect the Church is said to be Catholick in relation to individual Saints only it 's not Catholick as a genus comprehending many species of Churches but as a totum integrale comprizing many parts and all have a coordinate standing in subordination only to Christ their Head yea they all conduce to the making up of Christ Mystical one body being members in particular 4. This Mystical Body is to be considered according to its manner of existing secundum modum existendi and that two ways 1. In its Militant State or Standing or in its Triumphant in Viâ or in Patriâ In its Militant State it comprehends all the true believers in the world existing at the same time whether they are visible by professing or not the complement whereof are all the Saints actually glorified or the Spirits of just men made perfect And this distinction is only of the Church in respect of the different state in the enjoyment of Christ in the way of Communion in Grace and Glory the difference is only gradual and no more the Union is the same 2. It is to be considered in its Invisible and Visible standing The Church's Invisible standing is wholly in respect of that inward spiritual Relation which the Saints have to Christ and one another It s Visible standing is in professing Saints that are real members of Jesus Christ Phil. I Pray Sir give a right understanding of the Church in its relation to Christ as a Political Head Christ Thus Christ is to be considered as King and Law-giver to his Church and People and he governs his Church either immediately by his ruling Spirit in the heart of every Member of his Body whereby they are influenced Eph. 4.4 There is one Spirit one Body one Lord c. Or he governs mediately as a Politick Head and that is only so far as the Church is visible and professing and as such he hath given Immunities Laws Officers Ordinances for establishment of Visible Polities Societies or spiritual Corporations And here we are to observe diligently these things 1. That under this consideration the Catholick Church is most large and extensive for it comprehends all credible Professors though not real and all actual Church-Members though secret Hypocrites Ephes 3.15 Of him the whole family is named in Heaven and in Earth i.e. real and professing 2. That the Church so far as it 's capable of Visible Communion and Fellowship is the subject of Christ's mediate Political Rule and Government and that is only in particular Congregations to them he hath given his Word Ordinances and Officers and to no other for he suited them to particular Societies neither hath he substituted any Officers or Ordinances to the meer mystical standing of the Church 3. All the Instituted External Worship though it be given to the Church in its visible standing which it hath in particular Churches yet it is for the sake of the Mystical Body for the edifying and building it up by the Means of Grace Eph. 4.12 13 and for the multiplying it by calling in the Elect. 4. In this sense and acceptation as the Catholick Church being a Political Body of all
Saints mystically and immediately under Christ their Head so this Political Body shews it self and becomes visible in some particular parts there-only which are called Visible Churches and are under a mediate Rule and Government of Christ and in this respect the Catholick Church comprehends particular Churches as some distinct parts and parcels thereof Phil. Then I suppose your apprehensions are that there is a Catholick Visible Church which is the next and immediate subject of all Officers and Ordinances Christ Mistake me not I have not said so as yet I say the Catholick Church becomes in part visible in particular Congregationâ—s and they are the immediate subjects of visible Ordinances and Officers which are instituted and placed therein for the edification of the Mystical Body of Christ Phil. But is not the universality of Saints Militant the Catholick Visible Church of Christ on Earth Christ The universality of Saints on Earth doth not constitute a Church in a visible standing for many are Believers that as yet make not themselves visible by profession 2. They are not nor can be bound together in visible Union and Communion That which makes a Catholick Church is a Catholick Bond of Union and Catholick Communion which is only mystical and invisible but there is not nor cannot be a Catholick visible Bond for as they cannot appear in one visible Congregation so they cannot be bound to walk together in Fellowship nor can have visible Communion as one Church in the same individual Administration if they profess the same Faith preach the same Word pray alike c. yet this makes not one particular Church 3. If there be a Catholick Visible Church then it must have Catholick Visible Officers every Officer must relate to the whole Church every ordinary Officer must be Officer to the whole Catholick Visible Church and there had need be a Visible Pastor Pastorum over them all 4. All Visible Members of the Catholick Church are not therefore Members of any Visible Church with Ordinances for they must be supposed to be Members of the Catholick Church before they can be made Members of a Visible Church with Ordinances 5. A Visible Church is Organized with Officers to the whole Church and not to a part of it A Pastor Elder Deacon are Officers to the whole and who will say a Deacon hath as much power in all the Churches on Earth as in the Church to which he is constituted he may as well say so as say a Pastor hath 6. If Christ instituted a Catholick Visible Church it was under the Old Testament or under the New but he did neither for there was but one Particular Congregation under the Old and Christ left but one when he ascended Chap. II. Of a Particular Church Phil. I Pray Sir come now to the main thing I aim at viz. to the true nature and constitution of a Gospel Particular Church Christ You mean such a Congregation as is the immediate subject of all the Ordinances and Offices of Christ's Institution where every Believer is bound to wait upon God in Gospel Faith and Order for the glory of Christ and his own edification Phil. Such a Church I mean may not a National Church be it Christ By no means it 's no Church but such whose Members may all meet together in one place for Communion in all Ordinances for so the first Church at Jerusalem did the greatest for ought I know that ever was since and all other that we read of in Scripture since If any comprized all the Saints in the Nation Province or Territory they all assembled for frequent Communion in one place under the same Officers We read of no Particular Church in Scripture but what was Congregational for the National Church of the Jews which was the only one of that kind which ever was in the World of God's Institution was Congregational for all the Males came to the Temple and before to the Tabernacle three times a year to appear before God to worship in acts of Communion therefore it was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation Phil. I am pretty well satisfied now from the weighty arguments I formerly heard from you though my thoughts through prejudice passed lightly over them then that all National Diocesan and Parochial constitution of Churches was merely from Man if not from the Man of Sin which latter I see cause enough to suspect But I pray give me a plain description of a particular Gospel Church Christ With all my heart Sir a Particuler Gospel Church is a separate company of Visible Believers with their Seed or Saints associated together in special bond of Union for the enjoyment of Communion with Christ and one another in all the Ordinances of Christs appointment for their edification Phil. You say the allowed matter of this Church is Visible Believers what understand you by a visible Believer Christ I mean one that makes a credible profession such an one as I am bound by all the rules of Charity to believe he is a true believer on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and I do not say 1. That it is necessary that therefore he be no Hypocrite for so he may be and I not know it 2. Neither do I say that his meer professing makes him a Church member for they in Act. 2. believed before they were Church Members and professed their Faith which gave them right of claim Yea there are many have right of claim and do profess but do not seek to joyn to a particular Church and it cannot be without a voluntary offer and subjection to the Order of the Gospel Phil. What is required to a credible profession for the due satisfaction of a particular Church of Christ Christ The Tree cannot be known to me but by the Fruits see Mat. 7.17 18 19. chap. 12.33 Luk. 6.44 the credible fruits are therefore Holiness of life and profession of Faith It 's required there be visible holiness of life Phil. 1.27 Let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel i. e. both the Doctrine and Order of it And this lies in negative and positive holiness appearing in the conversation 1. Negative that it be without blame Eph. 1.4 Phil. 2.15 1 Th. 5.23 2. A meer negative religion in respect of grosser and more observable sins is no more than what many a Carnal man may attain unto there must be the practice of positive duties required and not merely moral in justice and mercy but such by which a Christian is more peculiarly distinguished from Moral Heathens such as family duties of reading the word and daily prayer those of a more publick nature as constant attendance on the word Preached sanctifying the Lords day free distribution to the necessities of the Saints and a manifest readiness on all occasions to follow Christ as his disciple in all things Tit. 3.8 ch 2.11 12. yea in suffering Phil. But what more profession is needfull besides this visible practical walking is not this enough
Religion But where this hope is you usually see how ready men are to speak of the Grace of God to Friend and Neighbour why not to a Church or its Officers that may bring their Relation to the Church You see how naturally in our discourse but now you fell into this when I took but occasion to ask how you came so suddenly in love with the Lord Jesus Christ you gave me a very full account of the Grace of God towards your Soul Phil. Why is it no more than such a poor account as I gave you but now alas I could have said a great deal more concerning Gods wonderful gracious dealings with me but that I hasted to this discourse with you about Gospel Church and Order which I have long wished for I had thought your members must have prepared some set speech in such exact form and manner as some men can do But alas how many good honest Christians cannot express themselves but they can tell you in their plain way of speaking what they were Drunkards Lyars Scoffers Debauched Adulterers Blasphemers c. And one will say God cast me down under the sence of sin by awakening my Conscience by such a Word or such a Providence and I began to think how I was in hastning to eternal destruction he will tell of the great struglings he had with Satan the World and his Company to hold him fast in his sinful ways he will tell you what good tidings to him the Revelation of the Free Grace and Love of God to Sinners was And how thereby his Heart was drawn forth to Faith in his blood and obedience to all his commands he will tell you the Sermon and places of Scripture some at least of the most remarkable which were made most effectual for his Souls benefit and advantage If this be all you stand upon I think none that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious will make any scruple of it As for my own part I could be willing to make it my frequent discourse to any faithful Friend in Christ to declare to him what God hath done for my Soul and should look upon it as the best entertainment he could give me to hear the like from him And I know not why any one should question the doing it to a Church of Christ where so many faithful ones labour under the sence of their own sins and weaknesses as well as a mans self Christ I find bashfulness is a great hindrance to many in some especially Women it is from their Sex and the natural temper of many of both Sex there is no remedy for them but to pray against it and for Church Officers to deal with them in all Tenderness and Condescention supposing still that there is much of the Grace of God and sence of Sin in them which is not expressed by what shews it self Again others are ashamed some upon this account viz. to tell the World how wicked and vile they have been others afraid they shall be rejected and that would be a great disgrace to them As to the first sort I say Churches do not stand upon this that every one should particularize the individual Sin that he hath committed it may be some of an heinous and enormous nature it is enough that he specifies the sence of the greatness of the sins he lived in in General unless he finds it for the honour of God and the good of others to declare what a wicked wretch in this or that kind he hath been which the world and his acquaintance knows as well as he and in that respect it is necessary for the honour of God and Paul did so that great Apostle I was a Persecutor c. And how often doth he aggravate his sin and magnifie the rich Grace of God that called and saved him That great notorious sin of his known to all he declares often to the Churches and others Then as to the declaring our Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in his great and precious Promises there is no reason any should be ashamed of it unless a man be ashamed the World should know he is willing to be saved and not eternally perish Rom. 10.10 11. The Apostle anticipates this Objection when he saith with the Heart man Believes and with the Tongue Confession i. e. of that Faith is made unto Salvation it immediately follows for the Scripture saith He that believeth on him shall not be ashamed i. e. To confess with his Mouth what he believeth in his Heart As for Confession of particular secret sins it is not expected by the Churches they have no such custom to require it but leave it to the wicked practice of the Romish Priests in Auricular Confession Phil. You have given very good satisfaction in this point for I have heard many that are not acquainted with the way of your Churches object this very strenuously as if your Ministers took upon them the practice of those Wicked Varlots who make Confession a stratagem to creep into acquaintance with mens secrets for their own advantage But I would have you answer the other objection that many are afraid they shall be rejected and I will tell you too many are loath to bewray their own ignorance and unacquaintedness with the things of God Christ As for such who fear they shall be rejected they are of two sorts 1. Such as are lifted up in themselves and put on Religion more for the applause of it than for the love of it these have not learned Christ for they know not how to deny themselves and therefore it 's better they stay off than offer themselves till their Hearts be enclined to love Christ and his commands more than the applause of men And these have usually one of these reasons for their fears first Either that they have lived in some known scandalous sins that they cannot give any sufficient grounds to others to believe they have thorowly repented of by a manifest Reformation and such had better forbear offering themselves till their Friends and Acquaintance observe some evident change in them Or it is by reason they fear as you say they shall bewray their Ignorance in the things of God if that be the reason it is much better for them to discover their Ignorance than to remain in it being the enquiries upon this account into mens Knowledge it is only in the great and weighty points of the Gospel without acquaintance with which a man cannot believe unto Salvation by Jesus Christ Besides what danger is there of publick disgrace If the way of the Churches be known no unprejudiced Christian can think there is any for if a man offer himself to joyn to a particular Congregation he goeth to the Pastor or Elder and acquaints him with his desire who will if he think there be reason first enquire of his knowledge in some great fundamental points wherein finding him grosly defective he gives him Information and desires him frequently
are Members and capable of being judged by it so it is here Christians meet and agree together to walk in Church fellowship and what do they promise solemnly to God and one another to give up themselves to the Lord and one another to walk in all the ways ordinances and appointments of Christ Now I find this is that which is called adding to the Lord when a people first joyn themselves to Christ in Church fellowship and so the first gathering the Church at Antioch is expressed for Act. 11.19 some scattered upon the persecution by Saul men of Cyprus and Cyrene I doubt not but Prophets inspired at Pentecost Preached to the Grecian Jews the Lord Jesus Christ v. 20. and the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number turned unto the Lord v. 21. Upon the tidings of this success Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem who was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and of Faith And much People were added to the Lord i.e. they by mutual consent gave up themselves unto the Lord Jesus Christ they turned to the the Lord by Repentance by the Preaching of these first comers But now the Spirit tells us the success of Barnabas his coming and it was upon his exhortation of them thereto v. 23. and when he was come and saw the Grace of God which had prevail'd unto conversion he rejoyced and exhorts them all with full purpose of Heart i. e. with sincerity and resolution 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to joyn themselves for constancy unto the Lord in Church fellowship afterward when Paul comes v. 26. he finds them a Church and as such abides among them for an whole year for it 's said Paul and Barnabas assembled themselves with the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preaching to a great multitude many of which were not yet of the Church and that this adding or joyning to the Lord is entring into the Church obligation is manifest also from Act. 5. where it appears upon the signal Judgments that Ananias and Sapphira fell under v. 13. of the rest such Hypocrites as they none durst joyn themselves the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to cement and unite into a Body it 's used for joyning to the Church of Jerusalem Act. 9.26 and 1 Cor. 6.17 in the same sence And it 's said here v. 14. Believers were the more added to the Lord which must be by some visible overt act whereby they became Members of the Church after believing for it cannot be meant of their mystical joyning to Christ by believing for then the Antithesis would not hold between them that durst not and them that did In the same sence is the adding a Member to a Church which is joyned to the Lord Act. 2.41 47. there they were first visible Believers then added to a society by some overt solemn act and therefore said to be added to the Church It would be too long in this way of conference between you and me to evince this Truth particularly from the method that God used in the constituting and maintaining a visible Church from the beginning to look back but as far as Abraham how he and his family and his seed became a Visible Church it was by explicite obligations and overt acts in binding them by Sacrifice I might mention the several express obligations that Church came under from time to time in Moses time at Horeb Joshua's the Judges Samuel's especially David's and the rest of the Reforming Kings remarkably by Josiah and after the Captivity in Ezra's and Nehemiah's days And that this was not a dispensation peculiar only to the Old Testament State and standing of the Church is manifest from Isa 56.3 4 5 6. for there God speaks of the priviledges of the Gospel Salvation which was near meaning the Gentile by the Son of the stranger and by the Eunuch any other excluded from the priviledges of the Church of the Jews and incapacitated by Levitical uncleanness these saith the Lord being Believers and joyning themselves to the Lord the words used in the acts and taking hold of his Covenant shall have a place and a name in my house i. e. to be Church Members and have right to all Church Priviledges And this is that bond of the Covenant which the Prophet Ezekiel foretells that the Great and Gospel restauration of the Jews should bring them under Ezek. 20.37 of which the Prophet Jeremiah chap. 50.4 5 6. and Zech. 2.10 11. I refer you in this matter to that clear discourse that the Learned Mr. J. Cotton hath upon this subject in his way of the Churches of N.E. Pag. 59 60 61 c. where you may receive full satisfaction in this point if what I have briefly spoken be not enough You may read also Mr. J. Davenport's power of Congregational Churches his answer to Mr. J. Paget where he shews pag. 27. that this Covenant obligation is the formal cause of a Church and sheweth the nature and evinceth the necessity of it to a Churches being as likewise Mr. Hookers survey chap. 4. page 45. Phil. Sir I thank you for discovering these authors to me I have heard of them that they were Reverend Pious Learned Men who suffered much for the Testimony they bore against our corruptions prejudice for a long time hath kept me off from reading the works of such men but I pray Sir give the heads of the Arguments they insist on for it Chr. 1. Believers are under Church power this way or quatenus Believers If quatenus professing Believers then where ever they come the Church and Officers there may challenge power over them as Members this will be denied by most till they voluntarily submit themselves it may be some will come for Church priviledges but will not admit of any Church power for their Reformation to be administred towards them 2. They argue from all Civil Societies of that nature and Marriage it self cannot have a formal being without mutual compact and agreement so there is a mutual relation that all Church Members stand in one to another and all of them to their Officers and their Officers to them and reciprocal duties to be performed these cannot be performed or will not without mutual consent and obligation 3. They argue from all the Metaphors whereby a Church is described a House and Temple is bound and pin'd together a natural body hath all the Members knit together by joints and bands it 's represented as a City compact Rev. 11.2 Eph. 2.19 and what City can become enfranchised but this way and manner 4. It 's no reason any should challenge priviledges of a Society without they be subject to the orders and rules of walking 5. If this be not but Members may come in and out as they please without obligation Churches have no power to keep themselves pure by Admission or Excommunication for as a Member can come at pleasure so he may depart 6. Lastly the practice of the Primitive
Churches seems very clear as hath been touched but suppose it had not been so clearly expressed I know not out if God institutes a Society or other thing what ever is necessarily required to the very nature essence of the thing without which it would inevitably be destroyed ought to be done the general rule in such-cases ought to lead us to the practice of duty in all those particulars that must necessarily attend obedience thereunto Phil. But if this bond of visible obligation be the formal Cause of a Church then there is no true Churches but such where it is which seems to be hard Christ How far the Lord Jesus Christ will own a people professing themselves a Church and how far he will dispense with their failures and defects in matter of order especially while it hath been in the Antichristian Wilderness he himself only knows Much hath been done by Christ undoubtedly in the latter times of that great Apostacy in the days of Reformation and that he hath had his true Churches all along it 's not to be questioned but that for the most part was in a mystical not a visible organical standing and in many congregations where the Word and Sacraments have in some measure of purity been administred in respect of the matter of the Congregation visible Saints and the manner of administration freed from Romish Pollutions and humane Inventions we will not deny but there may have been a true though not right regulated Church of Christ without this express and solemn obligation it is implicit and such as is to be supposed as intended by their practice in attending and constant waiting upon God in all the Ordinances of his appointment in one assembly or congregation especially in that great Ordinance of Communion in the Lords Supper wherein they seal their union in one body 1 Cor. 10 17. And undoubtedly a people that is congregated having explicitely chosen their Pastor or implicitely subjected to him and received this Sacred Ordinance from his hands are bound to abide as a society mutually related one to another in constant and frequent Communion by the nature of the Ordinance it self But the coming of a Church thus together 1. Is far short of the order of the Gospel 2. The generality of communicants of this sort do not apprehend themselves hereby bound to one Congregation more than another and their Ministers look not upon themselves bound to one People more than another any more than for external emolument taking themselves to be Ministers to the Catholick Church and so may administer the Sacrament to as many people as they Preach to here or there without designing a peculiar flock to take charge of So that their Churches are occasional most times and but for a while during their pleasure to administer to them 3. Such a Congregation is not at all governable though as to priviledges so called they take and leave as they please yet for their disorders miscarriages and sins they think themselves not accountable to any And so liable to no censure and therefore though we would go as far as possible in allowing the Right Hand of fellowship to professing Protestant Congregations yet we cannot do to all promiscuously but may undoubtedly use the judgment of discretion therein so as we be careful we do not by our practices in this and other cases nullify the appointed order of our Lord Jesus Christ and pollute our Communions Phil. I pray what is the manner of a Peoples first entring into a Church State Christ I will tell you the usual manner of them in N. E. and other places who have chosen to practise most agreeably to Gospel order when a competent number of professing Believers living within a vicinity desire to joyn together in a Church State having good knowledge one of another and having solemnly sought God together for help and direction in this weighty matter they appoint a day for it and acquaint Churches with it that their Pastors or Messengers or as many of other Churches as please may be present at the time After spending some part of the day in such solemn duties as concern the matter in Hand they do declare the dealings of God with their Souls one after another then or before one being chosen by the consent of all to preside for order sake this day it may be some Brother upon whom they have their Eye for a Pastor he then declares in the name of all there now intending to associate naming each of them at which they are standing the speaker addressing himself to the Pastors and Messengers of other Churches present after this or the like manner Brethren you are Witnesses of that great and solemn obligation that we are entring into that we may have a name and a place within the Walls of the House of God together with you and may have but the Honour to be reckoned one of the least of the Tribes of Israel We therefore here upon mature consideration and chearfully do give up our selves with Children to the Lord Jesus and one another promising in the strength of the Lord to subject our selves to all the Commands and Institutions of Christ in the Gospel and continue stedfastly in fellowship one with another to the Glory of him that hath called us and our mutual comfort and edification and do accordingly receive each other in the Lord and cleave to each other in Brotherly love and mutual subjection according to God These words whether more or less to the same purpose may be used only to declare their professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ in Faith and Order Accordingly one of the Pastors or Brethren of other Churches stands up in the name of the rest of the Brethren of other Churches there present and declares their joyfulness and gladness of Heart to see their Faith and Order and accordingly doth reach out unto them the Right Hand of Fellowship with holy wishes and desires that as their Foundation is laid in Christ Jesus so they may be Edified in him walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost and be multiplied See Cotton's way to the same purpose Phil. Sure this practice looks very much as becomes the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ But what is the next thing to be done Christ Now the next thing is to Organize this Body with Officers in order to due administration of Ordinances Chap. III. Of Church Officers Phil. HAVE they power within themselves to choose their Officers Christ They must undoubtedly have the nature of the society is such that they must have it for they associate not themselves by the Command or Power of Man but of the Lord Jesus If none hath power over them but the Lord Jesus alone none but himself by their own free act can constitute a Pastor over them 2. The power of chusing their Officers is one of the subordinate ends for which they do associate because they will not
be imposed upon in this kind 3. This power naturally grows up with and is inseparable from all free societies gathered by mutual consent unless they be limited by their Charter in this kind or be so false to themselves and successors to give away their Priviledges as many have done to Antichristian and Usurping Powers 4. Thus you see Officers were chosen by common suffrage Act. 1.23 ch 6. Act. 14.23 it should be read that when they had constituted Elders by common suffrage or lifting up of Hands in every Church so that it was the usual way The Apostles or their substitutes one or more might be present to encourage or direct but the People ordained by choice Phil. Doth their Power reach to call whom they will into Office Christ 1. So as he be qualified for them and the Office they call him to as the Holy Ghost requires they are to be very observant of the rule of the Gospel for that is their Charter by which they associate and by which they do act 2. They are hereby limited to chuse men out from among themselves Act. 6. Phil. But what if as yet they have none duly qualified among themselves Christ They may then invite qualified men that can be spared from other Churches with the leave of the Church or Churches from whence they invite or call them Phil. Doth such an invitation or call of one that is a Member of another Church or Non-Member to any Church make an Officer Christ No it is but in order to the making such an one an Officer for he must be incorporated as a Member before he can be chosen and constituted an Officer It is so in all civil societies of the like nature an Office is Power and Priviledge which none can enjoy in any society but the Members thereof unless he come to it by force or usurpation Phil. How many may be a sufficient number to begin a Church Society some say two or three agreeing in this kind is a sufficient number from Mat. 18.19 20. Christ They misunderstand the place who say so for the two or three there may be understood of Women as well as Men and are capable of performing the Duties which our Saviour there intends But the Holy Ghost allows them no Office unless of Deaconesses no ruling Office or Power of suffrage in Election and therefore if all of them be such or but two or one they cannot constitute a Church for the ends Christ hath appointed it It 's plain the words of our Saviour they are only to encourage a Church Duty and the regular gradual proceeding therein in case of private offences arising between Brother and Brother And promiseth his Presence with And Blessing upon the smallest number that are found to exercise themselves in agreement to perform any duty required of them in their capacities for the Honour of Christ and in this case for the Restoration of a fallen Brother See Cottons Way As for the exact number that may begin a particular Church the Holy Ghost hath left it indefinite only it is easily to be supposed that spiritual reason and Christian discretion must be our guide that there be such a number as is consistent with the Nature of the thing the greater the better And that we begin not a Church with so small a number as may render the institution of Christ absurd and his Obedience unto his commands therein impracticable Phil. I perceive then you allow not women any power in the Church they are members and incorporated in the same body by mutual obligation to Communion with the Brethren why have they not equal power with them Christ Women are members and very useful and profitable many ways in their Graces and Gifts and capable of performing any admonition between one another according to Mat. 18. for it belongs to mutual watch required of all members indefinitely But our Lord Jesus Christ hath excluded them from all acts that are not suitable to their Sex in respect of Modesty and the state of Subjection that they placed in to the man 1. They are not Ministerially to teach nor speak authoritatively 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women keep silence for it s not permitted to them to speak but to be under obedience Not but there may be occasion for a Woman to speak in way of obedience as to speak in answer to Questions asked her as at admission to answer in giving a reason of her Faith when asked in case of offence to answer for her self if accused or to witness for or against another But to do any ministerial act in teaching or to speak in the management of any act of power or judicial proceeding it belongs to the men and not the women 2. They may not exert any power of the keys so much as by publick giving their suffrage or vote for this reason 1 Tim. 2.12 I suffer not a Woman to teach or usurp authority over the man but to be in silence viz. In the Church it 's plain by the Text and Context that the Apostle treats of the Womans carriage in the Church and that it ought always to be in a way of Submission and Subjection not with Rule and Power for such a carriage is Usurpation of that which belongs not to her the Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where else used in the New Testament and seldom in other authors a thing is said to be authentick when it 's legal true and right it 's used of writings when approved and so of witnesses and authority that there is no ground to contradict the one or question the legality and just right of the other therefore this kind of Power is denied to the Woman the Translators render it well by usurping Authority where any assume Power or Authority to themselves that belongs not to them there they usurp it the Apostle saith they have no authentick Power i. e. Just and belonging to them neither shall exercise any regularly in the Church of Christ Phil. I am satisfied that God never intended any ruling Power to Women in any Societies but in Families over Children and Servants and there not over their Husbands therefore not a decisive supream Power unless Providence remove their Husbands But if they should have an equal suffrage with men in civil or ecclesiastick Societies they must certainly then have exercise of Power over the men so far as they carry their share in the Majority But I confess it seems odd that members of the same Body each challenging an equal membership should not have all the same power Christ There is nothing absurd in it at all because Christ hath so appointed and if we look but into natural Bodies to which the Church is compared for there are some members that are ruling as the Head so the faculties of the Brain and Soul and others are ruled as Tongue Hands Feet and the whole Body consents to it and each of them consents that the ruling Power be in the
Head so it is in Bodies Politick Phil. I pray Sir where do you place Church Power Christ The Power that is in a Church is Christs but it is acted in and by the Church in ecclesiâ mediante ecclesiâ The Church is entrusted with it as an associated or embodied company of Believers for the Key of Government was given to Peter and the rest primarily as believing Disciples and associated followers of Jesus Christ Secondarily as Ministers and lastly as Apostles extraordinary Ministers And that the Power of binding or loosing is primarily in the Society as such without the consideration of Officers appears 1. Because the Church hath the essence that is the matter and form of a Church without Officers and therefore the power of it for it admits the definition of a Church and can act as a Church 2. That body which by mutual agreement of it's members gives it self a being will not deny it self that power and priviledge which conduce to it 's well being or integral perfection such is a Body Politick especially a Church of Christ 3. A Church considered only in it's membership is the first subject of Christs power for the exercise of it because they can immediately after they are associated before they have chosen an Officer admit more members they can also admonish and excommunicate a corrupt member out of their body for all such societies have an innate power of increasing themselves and of purging themselves 4. An associated or incorporate Body not yet organized hath power to consult it's bene esse and make it self an integrum Organizatum a Body furnished with Officers as well as Members and therefore can confer Office Power where there was none before now there is Power in that body whatever it is that doth confer Office Power 5. If there were not a Power in the Church as a Body Politick it would be wholly devested of it whenever it were deprived of it's Officers by Death as it often is but it is not because it can proceed to another choice Phil. I pray Sir what kind of Power is this is it legislative or executive and where doth it lye that I may know what you understand by the Keys Christ Christ is the only Legislator and in that respect his revealed Will is the Key of David who openeth and no man shuts and shuts and no man opens And in this respect he doth not communicate his power but in respect of execution he doth deligate his Power to Churches and Officers to act in his Name And this is no other than a decisive Power exerted in the Church according to the rule that Christ hath given This decisive power passeth always upon matter of fact committed by a particular member or to be done by the Church in admission or rejection of members or in choosing of Officers This decisive power consists in opening and shutting the doors of this spiritual house and I call it the key of Government for such is the nature of a Key to open and shut a door now this key of decisive power is the unanimous suffrage of the brotherhood or where that cannot be had it must be the Majority or else there could be no end of some differences in such Societies Phil. Then the keys being this decisive power and lying in the fraternity there needs no Officers at all Christ It is one thing to be a key and another to have the management of a Key Christ gave Peter the key but did not make him the key as a Church Officer any otherwise than as an Apostle and as other Apostles were who had all decisive Church-power in themselves to exert as occasion required but for the most part they acted by the management of the Church Key as Peter in the choice of Matthias Act. 1. and of Deacons Act. 6. and Paul in casting out of the incestuous Person Phil. A key is a dead thing and cannot open or shut without a hand to manage it Christ In a Politick body where the members are intelligent Agents it is not a dead thing the Subjects of it being rational creatures voluntary free agents and living stones and the indispensible Law of self preservation is a justifiable reason of acting in this kind though they do not act in so orderly a manner as they desire being as yet uncapable for it But Christ having instituted Officers in his Church for the more orderly and comely management of the keys they are upon the Terms of congregating bound also to choose them Officers of his appointment to whose prudent care and watch the management of the decisive power is committed by Jesus Christ through the hands of the people and to them Parents Officers the Church doth subject themselves in the Lord. Phil. That is they now give up their power to the Pastor they choose and the decisive power remains no longer in them but they are divested of it Christ It is one thing what a people do de facto and another what they may do de jure It is too true that through Ignorance or being imposed upon by men of name many Churches do give away their Power or suffer it to be wrested from them by usurping Officers such as Diotrephes who will be the Keys as well as have the management of them but this is not to be de jure for 1. The decisive power being the Key and this the suffrage of the majority they break the key or change it by putting the decisive power into the breast of the minority which is a single persons or a few at most 2. They cannot devest themselves without destroying the very formal nature of the Society for as their first being ariseth by common consent so their continued acting must be 3. If they give up this power they part with their freedom and are at the mercy of one man and they set up an Arbitrary Government 4. They cannot exercise that power which they have given up and then in case of Male-administration who shall say to Archippus take heed to thy Ministry that thou fulfil it c. for it may so fall out that a Church may see reason to deal with an Officer and to excommunicate him from his Office Relation and Membership too 5. What a condition is such a Church in that doth so For if a Pastor or ruling Elder will be corrupt how many ill members at least such as are offensive to the Church may he take in and how many good may he cast out as Diotrephes did 3 John 9. 6. What Christ hath jâ—â—ned together none should separate but Christ hath conjoyned Office Power and the Church Power The Officers are for the due orderly honourable and solemn management of the Church Power not for the taking of it away Officers are no addition of Power to a Church but for the better administration to edification and advantage and in obedience unto the Lord Jesus Christ and subordination unto him And so far as they are
entrusted and authorized by the Lord Jesus Christ the Members are to obey and submit themselves unto them Heb. 13.17 Phil. You seem to give away all the power from the Officers to the People and make the Officers insignificant Christ I say the power is wholly in the People before there is Officers and when there is Officers they have not given away their power but retain it in conjunction with their Officers I mean as to the decisive power or key for letting in and out it is the Officers and Brethren Though the authoritative management of Church rule as to declaration of the mind of Christ the prudential ordering matters and presiding in all cases belongs to Officers The management of our civil rights in England is a great illustration in this case We chuse to be judged by our Peers in matters of Life and Estate as to matter of fact the Jury adjudges the decisive power is committed to them and the Judge doth but preside in the Court and see that all things be legally and orderly managed declares the mind of the Law unto the Jury and then delivers the Sentence of the Law as the Jury finds the fact So it is in Churches the Officers for rule have as much power in a Church according to the nature of that Constitution as a Judge or a Mayor hath that sits on the Bench to hear and determine civil concerns Phil. You have greatly satisfied me now that as our Constitution is the best in the World were it not abused for judging civil concerns so I believe such a Constitution of a Church must needs be the freest from exception For 1. A people cannot be offended at such a judgment as is passed by themselves for who would a Member of any Society be freer to be tryed by than his Peers And the Apostle blames the Corinthians for seeking a decision in doubtful cases of civil matters out of the Church 1 Cor. 6.2 2. And as for Church Officers I think the most judicious would not desire an absolute power in themselves to lye liable to the many censures of men and the odium that would be cast by reproachful Tongues upon their most righteous and upright proceedings Christ If the matters of the greatest concern in civil affairs as to Life and Estate be tryed by twelve honest neighbours of ordinary Morality scarce so much many times and all men usually acquiesce in it how much more ought we to be satisfied that all Ecclesiastical debates should come to decision as to matter of Fact by the judgment of so choice a community as a Church of Christ is or should be Phil. But ordinary Christians are to seek in many great and weighty matters of Faith Order and cannot determine where the Truth lies it is fitter for Divines to judge Christ I distinguish between matter of Fact and matter of Law The Churches decision is of matter of Fact as to matter of the Law or the mind and will of Christ it 's the Pastor or Elders place to inform them and if they are not satisfied therewith it may be carried as a case to advise upon with other Churches or Elders Phil. I have little farther to object against the principles of Order which you have laid down only one thing which is I confess of no great weight to me I have heard some Church-Members say they joyn to this or that Church only because of the present Pastor yea that they joyned to the Pastor only not to the Church and when the Pastor dieth they are at liberty to go whither they please Christ This proceeds from the Ignorance Corruption of many Members who are not or will not be rightly informed in the Principles which they would seem to profess This is so absurd a thing that the asserters thereof would be ashamed of it in civil Societies of such a Nature Doth any Man joyn himself to the Master or Wardens of the Company only or to the Company it self when he is made a Member Officers are changeable either by the fundamental Constitution of the Society or by Death and if this were so then all Churches were dissolved upon the Death of their Pastor Besides the terms of admission into Congregational Societies speaks plainly otherwise that they give up themselves to Christ and the Congregation put themselves under the Office watch and the watch of each Member are admitted by the common suffrage of the Church therefore such things as these are but some of the Wiles and Subterfuges of Satan which loose-spirited and Principled Members make use of for the shaking off the Yoak of Christ Phil. But when a case falls out to be determined by the decisive power of the Church after due debate as supposing the choosing of an Officer or in the Key of rule in admission or exclusion of a Member and the Fraternity or the Elders and Fraternity divide into a Major and Minor part what should the Minor do Christ It is by the known Laws of the Society to acquiesce in what is done by the major part as that which is the Churches act or else it 's not possible to maintain any Societies of that Nature yea they must fall Butif a particular Member or more will not acquiesce in the Churches Act as he is not fit to continue for the Peace and Order of the Church so he may peaceably depart at the same door he came in at to another Church by an express dismission Phil. What if he will not ask such a dismission but withdraw from Communion and reject it in a kind of defiance and continue incorrigible therein Christ Such an one ought to be dealt with in form and manner as in some scandalous sin of another nature for such an one is herein scandalous Besides he is incorrigible whereupon the Church is to proceed against him as such an one he appearing to others but a man of Belial which is an ungovernable person for so the Spirit speaks 2 Cor. 6.15 What fellowship hath Christ with Belial viz. a lawless person that is not fit for any Society especially of the Church he will not bear the yoke of Christs Government Chap. IV. Of Officers extraordinary Phil. I Desire you will now acquaint me what are the Offices and Ordinances which Christ hath Instituted in his Church Christ The Officers Instituted by Christ are Pastoral and Diaconal viz. Bishops and Deacons Phil. 1.1 Phil. Are not Presbyters and Bishops distinct Orders Our Church makes them so Christ Nay the Scripture make Presbyters and Bishops the same there 's no difference between them For a Bishop is but an Overseer of the Church so is every Presbyter or Elder see Acts 20.28 and there he is no more than an Elder to a Particular Congregation Phil. How comes it to pass that our Bishops are exalted so far above Presbyters in Office and Benefice Christ From the corruptions of the pretended Church and Ministry viz. through Ambition Covetousness and Human
another Congregation and call him to it And why not as well as to call one to be a preaching Elder that is a Brother of another Congregation for all Church Officers should be taken out of Churches and first made Members of that Church wherein they are to serve Christ in Office before they are solemnly set apart thereto Phil. What reasons may a Church be moved by to choose a ruling Elder or more Christ If there be a Brother aptly qualified and can attend it there need be no dispute about it though the Church be but small it may be much Comfort and help to the Pastor and tend to much Edification of the Church 2. The Church may see reason to chuse ruling Elders from the great encrease and largeness of the Church that the management of this part of the Pastoral Office lye not too heavily upon their Pastor 3. The Church may see reason for it because their Pastor qualified it may be with much of Grace Preaching Gifts and Learning may not be qualified with a Spirit of Government and it is very seldom that men of retired studious lives have so great an insight into the right ordering of Politick Affairs A man may be a great Mathematician but yet an ill Seaman not know how to work or stear a Ship so well as a Masters Mate or a Boatswain There is in spirituals as well as temporals a skill in practice to have the senses exercised by reason of use as well as a Knowledge and Understanding of the rule Phil. What is the Office-work of a ruling Elder Christ To have a special regard to admissions to make good enquiry after the Faith and Holy Conversations of such who offer themselves to Church Communion to propound them and bring them to the Church 2. To make inspection into the lives and conversations of actual members frequently to visit them to rebuke any seemingly walking as not becoming the Gospel to enquire after the reason of members absentments from Communion to exhort them to frequent assembling together for mutual edification to comfort the afflicted to support the weak to visit the sick to inform the ignorant c. 3. In all matters of admonition and censure to hear and prepare matters for the Church before hand that there be nothing done in Confusion and in Disquietment of Mind in the Church but with all meekness unanimity and authority in the Name of the Lord Jesus Phil. You have shewed that the Ministerial Offices of the Church are Pastoral or Diaconal and have shewed that the Pastoral or such as belong to the Pastoral care are Exhortation Teaching Administration of the Seals Rule and Government according to all which parts of a Pastors Office the Holy Ghost hath provided affisting Officers and helps such as Teachers and ruling Elders to the full edification of the Church I pray speak now something of the Deacons Office Christ The English word Deacon is derived from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Minister or one that serves Christ and his Church in Office it is used for any Minister at large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Deaconship is applyed to the Apostleship it self Act. 1.17 25. or to a part of their Ministry as it was at first Act. 6.4 It is applyed to any particular service of the Church Act. 11.29 ch 12.25 And Paul applyeth it to his whole Ministry as an Apostle Act. 20.24 Rom. 11.13 ch 15.31 2. Cor. 6.3 But it hath it's peculiar application to that Ministry which tends to the supply of the Churches and Saints necessities by way of distribution of Collections made to this end and purpose to whosesoever care it is committed and such a service Paul saith he undertook on the behalf of other Churches 2 Cor. 8.4 which is called the Deaconship of this Liturgy 2 Cor. 9.12 rendred the administration of this service Now we find as Office titles of large significancy are brought down by the Holy Ghost to denote a single particular Office in the Church as Apostle Pastor Bishop Presbyter c. So here the word Deacon is often used for all sacred Ministry Liturgy or Service is a Title put by the Spirit of God upon this Officer in the Church who is called and set apart to the Liturgy or service of the Church in this way of Administration by distribution Phil. When was the first Institution of Deacons Christ It was Act. 6. an Apostolick i. e. as much as to say a Divine Institution and it 's not amiss to observe the reason ground of it it was to ease the Apostles in that great burden that lay upon them when those that were converted sold their possessions and brought the Mony and laid it down at their feet and it was to be given forth again for an equal and necessary support to every one as need required This was too great a charge and burthen to the Apostles and likely afterward to be unto ordinary Pastors and hence they institute this Office of Deaconship and therefore is also a more remote Office of Assistance unto the ruling Episcopacy but being very distinct in nature and kind from that sort of Ministry wherefore the Apostles speak after that manner Act. 6.1 4. That the Church should choose them fit men for this daily care and trust and they would betake themselves to the Ministry of the Word and Prayer Phil. What ground have you for this Officer in the Church Christ. The very nature of such a Society as a Church requireth it and I take it to be a very good ground for an Office when it 's founded upon the well being of a Society and it 's ordinary necessities do require it But the Holy Ghost is most express upon this account that the Church of Jerusalem by the appointment of the Apostles chose such Officers for the necessary service of the Church And that they were afterward stated Officers in other Churches appears from Phil. 1.1 And the Apostle Paul doth expresly call their Ministry an Office 1 Tim. 3.10 13. As the Word is rendred and ought to be by our Interpreters Their Qualifications and Encouragements are also very particular v. 8.9 10 13. See Rom. 12.8 He it to be grave sober exemplary in Faith and Holiness c. Phil. What is the Office of a Deacon Christ. The Holy Ghost calls it serving of Tables the Lords Table and the Tables of the Saints in a faithful collection and distribution of the stock of the Church which is given for the maintenance of Ordinances Ministry and relief of the Poor which ought to be done with Simplicity Prudence and Chearfuâ—â—ness And of which they are accountable to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church let that word Chearfulness be observed because many are apt to murmur at this Office as a burden to them Phil. How many Deacons are there to be Christ There were seven in the first Church of the Gospel but there have seldom Churches arrived to the bigness
Churches exercise of it's power 1. In Election of Officers 2. Admission of Members 3. Translating Members to other Churches Admonition and Censures 5. Contribution for the support of Ordinances Ministry and necessity of the Saints 6. I may add unto this Holy Conference for mutual Edification These are given either as peculiar Priviledges to the Churches such as the Seals and Keys of Discipline or primarily though for the Conversion and in order to the Salvation of others but for the sake of the Churches for their Multiplication growth and Confirmation in Grace Phil. Speak to these Gospel Ordinances particularly as to the distinct Nature End and Use of them Christ 1. The Preaching of the Word comprehends 1. The reading of it frequently in the Church 2. The opening and expounding of it 3. The applying it unto the Consciences of Saints and unbelieving Sinners according to the true intent thereof by Instruction Reprehension Exhortation Direction Consolation in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit 4. By the instilling and promoting the knowledge of God in the Mysteries of the Gospel by Catechizing Children Youth in such a way and manner as may conduce most to the enlightning their understandings in and bringing over their affections to the things of God in their tender years Phil. Sir I doubt in the last thing mentioned many if not most of your Churches have been too defective Christ I grant it and fear the next Generation will have great cause to complain of us for the Children of Church Members do manifestly grow up in Ignorance carnality and looseness little care is taken of most religious Parents and less by the Churches to educate them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord all or the chief of Parents care is how to provide well for them in the World Besides every way of Catechizing will not answer the end to learn a Catechism meerly by rote and a preaching upon it will make no more impression on their Ages than other preaching there must be care to instill in to their understandings by little and little in a plain and familiar way of discourse with them as they are able to receive if a great deal of Water be flusht on upon a narrow-mouth'd Bottle very little or none will go in but you may by a small stream and gradually fill it Ignorance in Religion is destruction of Religion it hath been the mother of all false Worship and Error in Doctrine and it 's evident it is the cause for the most part of the disorders in and among Churches Phil. To what Officers doth the ministration of the word in Churches belong Christ To the Pastor and Teacher if there be any they being the Preaching Elders that labour in the Word and Doctrine The Pastors work in Preaching seems to lye most in dealing with the Consciences and Affections of the hearers whether for Conversion or Edification The Teacher insists most on the enlightning the understanding by doctrinal Truths Catechising Argumentation and Conviction of gainsayers Rom. 12.7 8. If one Officer according to the present circumstances can perform his Office to the full edification of the Church in all these things it 's well if not then both are requisite as hath been spoken And the word is to be so preached as hath been said 2 Tim. 4.2 3. Eph. 4.12 Act. 2.42 the Apostles doctrine is the word that is to be Preached and to be attended on by us Phil. I look upon prayer and praises ab be great Church Ordinances as well as duties of a Universal nature to all and individual persons in private and secret Christ It is a solemn Church Ordinance expressed either way in publick prayers or in praises not only in the Prayers of a single person the mouth of the Congregation but in Psalms and Hymns That prayer is a Church ordinance and a duty to be performed frequently in the Church service see Act. 1.14 These continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication so Act. 2.42 no other Ordinance can be duly administred without it Phil. I think there is no Christians but hold that Prayer is a Church Ordinance but I have heard some except against singing of Psalm in Metre as we do Christ That singing Psalms is an Ordinance of the Church I think is plain 1. That singing Praises to God with an audible voice was practised in the Apostles times by the Apostles Act. 16.25 2. That they are to be sung in the Church at the most solemn Ordinance of the Lords Supper is without dispute Mat. 26.30 Mark 14.26 3. That singing with words of Psalms and Hymns at the same time making melody in the Heart is recommended to us Eph. 5.19 so Col. 3.16 teaching and admonishing your selves so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred and not one another for thus Interpreters have rendred the same word your selves Eph. 5.19 in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Odes in Grace singing in your Heart to the Lord. From both which places singing Spiritual Psalms and Hymns for instructing and quickning a gracious Heart sweetly and affectionately carried forth in them is highly recommended to us by the Spirit of God And that it 's a duty to sing in conjunction with others appears by what was practised by our Saviour and his Disciples at the institution of the Lords Supper that they Sang an Hymn And by Paul and Silas in Prison but what the Holy Ghost sayeth expresly he expects of us Rom. 15.6 that you may with one Mind and one Mouth i.e. with sameness of Words and Heart glorifie God Phil. Some may say this is to use forms Christ A. 1. Tho' it be to use a form in Singing it 's not an imposed form but freely taken and chosen no more than the Ministers Text is imposed 2. A form allowed or enjoyned by the Spirit of God may and ought to be used as the words of institution in administration of the Seal of Baptism or of the Elements in the Lords Supper 3. The nature of the thing requireth that it be premeditated that the Singing be melodious i. e. orderly not with confusion and not in absurd dissonies Phil. But some are against singing in mixt Congregations Chr. They may as well be against publick Praying in mixt Congregations Doth not he that Prayeth endeavour to use such expressions as most may joyn with him in So he that propounds a Psalm or Hymn endeavours to suit it to the Congregation where and the time and occasion when it is to be sung It 's due to God from all his creatures to praise him it 's his Saints only bless him but it 's not in our power to judge the heart of him that joyns in a publick duty and if it be to be performed publickly as Praying and Preaching we are not to hinder any that will joyn with us if they are not upright in one or profited by the other the sin lyes on themselves to answer for it Phil. Which be the Seals of
Apostles at the same time and with them to all faithful Ministers There is another Key of the Kingdom of Heaven which is in the Church of the Gospel viz. The Key of Power which is either of Supream Church-power and is the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ which is Soveraign Absolute Legislative and therefore called the Key of David which he alone hath Rev. 3.7 And there is the Key of subordinate Power which is delegated by Christ unto his Church and therefore given by Christ unto Peter and the rest of the Disciples as his associated Church on Earth to which he himself was Pastor and to which he administred as such the Lords Supper The twelve Apostles had this Key given them as such in that for their time they had all Church Power committed unto to them did exercise it as occasion required as to Constitution of Officers receiving dismissing or excommunicating members But there being none in Succession unto them this Key of Power can be found no where lodged but in a particular Congregation built on the Faith which Peter in the Name of the rest professed Mat. 16.19 Phil. But the great Question is where the Power of the Keys lyes in a particular Congregation whether in the Fraternity or in the Eldership Christ I call the decisive Church Power the Key and say it lyes in the Majority as in all Societies that arise by mutual Consent or Agreement But I distinguish between the Keys and the management of them for a Key is dead and opens no door if there be not a hand to make use of it So that in an Organized Church the orderly managing and making use of the Churches Power lyeth in the Elders But if the Church be not Organized they are guided by a common rule of self-preservation and using all means to procure their well being they act by common consent as they came together in the Name of Christ till they be duely Organized with Officers And therefore they admit members or excommunicate if necessity require as they may before they have Officers But having chosen Officers the orderly way of proceeding is by the authoritative Power of the Officers in management of this Key which is the decisive Power Hence I distinguish between a Churches acting pro necessitate and pro regula ordinis Phil. What part have the ruling Elders viz. the Pastor if there be no more or if there be the ruling Presbyters that take part with him as assistants in admitting of a Member Christ The Elder or Elders work is 1. To speak with the party that desires admission propound him to the Church and upon mature deliberation cause the decisive Vote of the Church to pass upon him Whereby he is received or rejected If received the Elder declares the sence of the Church and doth solemnly in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church enter into a mutual obligation with the said Member saying You are here now to give up your self and Children if he hath any to the Lord and this Congregation promising as Christ shall help you to walk and abide in and with this Church in all Gospel Conversation according to the rules of Faith and order of the Gospel submitting your self to the watch of the same and promise to bring your Children to the Ordinances of the Church educating them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Likewise adds I do in the Name of Christ and this Congregation give you the right hand of fellowship and receive you in the Lord promising to perform all the duties toward you that are required of us in order to your Edification as Christ shall enable us Phil. Hath an Elder no more part in the decisive Power by Vote than an ordinary Brother Christ Though the Elders Judgment is usually hearkened to and sways many times much with the Congregation giving light unto them from the Word yet when a matter comes by Vote to be determined his Vote is but single as another Brothers and therefore we say this Key of decisive power is in the Fraternity though the orderly management thereof and authoritative declaration thereof in the Name of Christ belongeth to the Elder Phil. In what other Cases is this Key made use of Christ In letting shutting out and turning out of Members 1. In Letting out or translating Members from one Church to another when upon good reasons a Church Member desires to change his or her Communion and asketh a Dismission it is granted by the suffrage of the Church approving his reasons for it Phil. Is there any Scripture ground for a Dismission may not a Church Member not chargeable with any scandalous Sin go away to another Church without a Dismission Christ No! For it will cause Confusion in the Churches and God is the God of Order and not Confusion as in all the Churches of the Saints Besides it 's contrary to the Nature of such Societies and the obligation by which the Members stand mutually bound together in one Body And Christ hath provided as well the orderly departure as stay of Church Members The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Rom. 16.1 should be rendred statuo constituo in coetu vobiscum I dismiss to you for tho' our translators render it I recommend yet it should more rightly be rendred I dismiss or place in Church fellowship with you and so all the Apostle speaks afterward are terms of a dismission These Paul needs not he being an Apostle and having had a Seal of his Apostleship among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are commendatory Letters with Dismission 2 Cor. 3.2 Phil. What then are your Letters of Recommendation Christ A Letter of Recommendation is but a Certificate under the hand of an Officer that this or that Brother or Sister is a Member of such a Congregation walking blamelesly and as becomes the Gospel that when any Brother or Sister comes to other Churches in their travels they may make no scruple to receive them to occasional or transient Communion but transfers not any as Members to another Congregation Phil. How is the Key used for Exclusion of a Member Christ A Church Member is excluded or put out of Communion by Himself or by the Church and either amounts to Excommunication for Excommunication is the putting one out of the Communion of a particular Congregation which is done when a Member doth disorderly withdraw and divide himself from the Church Communion obstinately refusing to be reduced to his place and duty in the said Church This is an usurpation of the Key of Power and separating of himself and I call it Indirect Excommunication because he divides himself violently and schismatically upon which the Church is to reassume the Key and shut the door of Communion upon him either by a direct Excommunication which is the regular way and may be justified from express places of Scripture such as Rom. 16.17 18. Or else if this way of Discipline will not be born Judicially to
over to Satan is as much as our Saviour by whose Spirit the Apostle enjoyns the use of this word expresseth Mat. 18. that such an one should be accounted as an excommunicate Person was by the Church of the Jews or as one out of that Churches Communion viz. An Heathen or Publican for such the Jews would not eat with and condemned our Saviour for so doing There are but two Kingdoms in the World Christs and Satans who is called the Prince of the World that ruleth in the Children of disobedience i. e. the Sons of Belial men that will not come under the yoke of Christs Government and with such Christ can have no concord in his Church 2 Cor. 6.15 And therefore to be put out of the Visible Church as a Child of Disobedience an incorrigible person hardened in sin and to be returned into the World as one that hath no right to the Childrens Bread And this is to be a means to humble him and bring him to shame and godly sorrow so that his flesh a Gospel expression for sin which is corrupt affections and lusts may be destroyed and that his Soul may be saved in the day of Christ And the consequent behaviour required towards such an one abundantly shews it that intimacy of familiarity is not to be kept with him 1 Cor. 5.11 And that such a Person is to be put away from Communion in this manner as to all sacred things peculiar to the Church ver 13. And what doth the Apostle intend 2 Thes 3.14 but the Excommunication of one that is unruly that he may be ashamed for it is setting a mark upon him that others may withdraw from him to his great shame but yet ver 15. to take all opportunities to admonish him in order to his recovery Phil. What rules are to be observed in the Denunciation of this solemn Sentence Christ All the rules of Christ according to the Nature of the offence being private or publick ought to be observed that all due deliberation be used and tenderness towards the offending Brother before the case be put to the suffrage of the Church That being passed and the Offender convict as guilty and ripe for censure the sin is to be laid open with all the aggravations thereof Then the nature of the Sentence and the true end and intent thereof shewed Solemn Prayer is to be made by way of Humiliation to the Church and Supplication for the Conviction Repentance and Humiliation of the Sinner that the Ordinance may obtain it's true and best effect upon him Lastly The Sentence is to be denounced solemnly in the Name of Christ by a ruling Elder if any if none by the Pastor and then the Ordinance is to be concluded with Prayer of Gods blessing of it unto the Sinner for his return and for the Church that God would preserve it from Impurities Apostacies and Decays in Grace and that the fall of this Brother may be a warning Example that He that stands do take heed lest he fall Phil. Is there not a lesser Excommunication which an offending Brother may be tryed with before you proceed to this great and tremendous one Christ There is with some that which they call Suspension but I know no ground for it from the word for a man that is an adult Member hath right to all Ordinances or not and right he hath still till he be duely convict and sentence passed upon him And I know no Power that any Church or Officer hath to debar him from any Ordinance of Church Communion till he be excluded judicially in the Name of Christ Phil. You are ready to receive an Excommunicate Person again upon credible manifestation of his Repentance Christ There ought to be great readiness to receive a repenting and returning Sinner with all Tenderness Compassion and Commiseration but with a due regard to the Honour of Christ his Church and Ordinance to endeavour to get as much satisfaction as may be concerning the Truth and Sincerity of his professed Repentance not only by manifested remorse but in some Cases by experienced Reformation Phil. You were saying that one that is an unjust divider from the Communion of the Church ought to be excommunicated by a direct Excommunication Christ I do verily believe it 's the mind and will of Christ and though our Churches that are now but in a declining state as to matters of Order will not receive it yet Churches have practised it and whenever the Churches flourish they will practise it My Reasons are briefly 1. That it is Schism of the highest nature being the actual dividing of a particular Congregation and there is no other Schism spoken of in Scripture that in the Church of Corinth was but Factions tending to this Division else the Apostle would have given command to excommunicate the causers thereof as well as the incestuous Person For the contentions and factions that had a tendency thereto they were highly rebuked 1 Cor. 1.11 12. ch 3.3 1 Cor. 11.18 2. What way is for marking and withdrawing from a Person but the Sentence of Excommunication Rom. 16.17 1 Thes 5.14 2 Thes 3.14 3. It 's a most scandalous Sin to Jew Gentile and Church of Christ nothing stains the Honour of Christ more in the Congregation 4. It 's a root of bitterness that infects many and ought to be plucked up by censure if it cannot be cured Heb. 12.15 5. To excommunicate such a person is no wrong because he hath excommunicated himself he hath but what he sought after and hath done 6. It 's fit such an one should be excommunicated judicially because he hath by usurpation excommunicated himself and the Church 7. It 's plain it 's a sin and such an one wherein he heareth not the Church and therefore to be made as an Heathen and Publican 8. It 's a gross breach of his Covenant at entrance into Church Communion Phil. Speak something now of the fifth Head of Ordinances which is Contribution to the support of Ordinances Ministry and the necessity of the Saints Christ Contribution on these accounts are manifestly the Office charge of the Deacons to call the Church to it's Duty in this kind and to take care for the faithful distribution of all Collections of this Nature and to give account thereof to the Church They are herein the Churches Stewards it 's fully manifest from the first institution of that Office Acts 6. and by their necessary qualifications spoken of 1 Tim. 3.8 Now the reason of this Office and Ordinance is not only the Gospel Institution which from the places forementioned are without dispute but from the Nature of the Church Society it self No Societies if but civil can be supported according to their Nature without charge and there are many charges necessarily required to support a Church Society for a Ministry must be maintained 1 Cor. 9.9 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 5.17 18. Gal. 6.6 Luke 10.4 Likewise there is charges as to places for the Church
to assemble and meet in The Primitive Churches assembled in upper rooms of ordinary Houses Act. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they went up into an upper room And Paul preached in his own hired house Act. 28.30 31. The Churches were at the charge of hiring places to meet in and so have been ever since the Profession of Christian Religion they are built or hired There are Elements for the Lords Table which are matter of charge There are the Poor to be supported and relieved And that it was the practice of the Churches to have frequent Collections for these ends and purposes is beyond all dispute 2 Cor. 9.1 1 Cor. 16.1 2. The time and manner for making these Collections seems to be left to the prudent Consideration of each Church as may be most agreeable to it's circumstances though Paul seems to intimate to the Corinthians that the first day of the week when the Church assembleth is a suitable and meet time for it As for the administration of other Ordinances of Christ and the proportion that every one is bound in Conscience to give to all such occasions of Contribution is from time to time as God hath prospered him and the manner specified He that giveth with simplicity he that sheweth Mercy with chearfulness Rom. 12.8 Phil. You seem to add one thing more to be observed and practised in Churches as an Ordinance of Christ for Edification the frequent assembling of the Church for Prayer and Conference Christ Whatever may have a manifest tendency to Edification is undoubtedly required and is to be practised in a Church of Christ This assembling of the Church all together or in parts or neighbourhoods doth undoubtedly do so and if there were no other place of Scripture to be pleaded for it that is enough to encourage it Mal. 3.16 17. But the Apostle seems Heb. 10.24 25. to lay frequent assemblings in this kind as a great charge upon the Churches of Christ And we find that there was a practice of this nature frequent in the Primitive Churches when Brethren spake by way of Exhortation in Conference one with another and it was called prophesying 1 Cor. 14.3 4 5. And it 's plain that it was but speaking and praying in this manner of the Brethren for the edifying of the Church and to this practice doth the Apostles discourse 1 Cor. 11.2 3 4 c. seem plainly to look Phil. How were those meetings for Conference or mutual Edification managed Christ It was by Brethrens speaking one after another not several talking of spiritual matters in the same roomin divers Companies as it was before that the Apostle corrected that disorder 1 Cor. 14.29 But the regular way of carrying it on is that one speak at once and the rest judge viz. That a practical question be propounded and two or three or more speak briefly in answer thereto one after another if that an Officer should be there or one appointed in chief to Judge to review the Consonancy to Truth of what is spoken then Let others submit thereto according to the light brought 1 Cor. 14.30 CHAP. VII Of Communion of Churches Phil. IS the Supream Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical in every particular Congregation Is there none Superiour to appeal to Episcopal or Classical Christ None but Christ himself For all Churches are coordinate in Power one with another nextly and immediately under Christ neither hath Christ constituted any Officers with Apostolick Power over many Churches Phil. But what if matter of difficulty arise ought not Elders of neighbouring Churches to assemble and decide it Christ There are two sorts of things wherein matters of Controversie do usually lye 1. There may be a case in Thesi which to understand the Mind of God clearly in is of great concernment to the Church and if the Pastor and other Officers cannot sufficiently satisfie the Mind of the Brethren then it 's requisite to consult other Churches and Elders who when they give their Judgment in the Case it is no further binding than it carries the light of Truth with it for no Elders can impose any rule of practice upon the Churches and their Judgment hath no more force than Ministerial so far as carrying the Authority of Christ in his declared Mind and Will Here then it 's very necessary and requisite that in matters of greater and weightier concern other Churches should be acquainted and consulted Other things are referrible all to matter of fact in elections admissions translations and exclusions And here the Church is the supream Judge and none to be appealed to Why should not a Church of Christ be as able to judge in any case of this Nature as well as a Jury in Civil Affairs to whose Judgment as to matter of fact our Lives and Estates are left daily Therefore if we hold the distinction de jure de facto this matter of the Jurisdiction of Churches will be clear In cases de jure a Church can be led only by the best light they can have and the more the better and knowing this they have a foundation to proceed upon in matter of fact whereupon the binding and loosing lyes in themselves Phil. What if a Member or Minor part of a Church think themselves wronged upon the supposed irregular proceedings of the Majority Christ He or they may complain to another Church That Church is to hear what the Sister Church saith in vindication If it satisfie not nor is convinced of it's error then another Church i. e. the Elders with Messengers thereof to deal with the offending Church And if it hear not then the case is to be brought before the vicinity of Churches All which finding this Church justly chargeable with sin and incorrigible therein agree to declare Non-communion with it which is virtually an Excommunication for the rule of Churches dealing with each others is of the same nature as that Mat. 18. where a rule is laid down by our Saviour for the orderly proceeding of one Church Member with another Phil. What if an Elder fall under offence in a Church is it in the power of that Church to deal with him as with an ordinary Brother Christ There is no doubt of it the Jurisdiction is in the Church as to Officers who are Brethren as well as to others and the manner of proceeding is the same but an accusation against an Elder is not presently to be received it must be clearly evidenced by two or three Witnesses Again in such cases it 's good for the Church to proceed with the advice and approbation if possible of other Neighbouring Churches and Elders Phil. Wherein consists the practical part of Communion of Churches Christ 1. A concurrence in principles of Faith and Order 2. In giving each other the Right Hand of Fellowship As 1. In receiving each others Members unto transient Communion as due occasion requires 2. In dismissing Members to each others or receiving Members orderly dismissed 3. In refusal to