much impression upon me and fix'd me with more Resolution to adhere to the Church for I knew they were old Professors and as cunning Shifters as I was or I could be in matters of Religion I thought my self now but a fool to them seeing they had studied and practised this Point so thorowly and condemned a narrow throated Conscience for one of the worst things in the World for a Wise man it was fit only for Religious fools But I told them if I did keep my Church I would hear some or other that preached Salvation by Jesus Christ and if I found such an one I would go near to move my Family and come up to London so I took my leave and went away paying my Dish Christ And did you go to hear the man or men they directed you to Phil. Yea I 'le warrant you and with a greedy appetite and there was a great crowd of Whiggs many of which I knew when they would not have gone to Church for a great deal sed tempora mutantur nos c. Christ And what was the Subject he was upon Phil. Eph. 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins c. He insisted on the dead state of the Natural man shew'd how all the Imagination of his Heart was evil he could not of himself do any good Rom. 3.12 and backed his Doctrine with so many full and plain places of Scripture that my mouth was fully stopped and my Heart became guilty before God I said with my self Blessed be God I hope some men in the Church have got the cue of the Gospel I hope all have not abdicated the thirty nine Articles from their Pulpits I went in the Afternoon to hear a man much commended too and he was on that Text Mat. 16.26 What will it profit a man c. And he described the excellency and worth of a mans Soul so well shewing nothing could be a valuable ransom for it but Christ and decried the world at such a rate especially when it comes in competition with the Eternal welfare of the Soul that my two great bulwarks were battered down in a manner in one day and Christ even ready to take possession I saw now I was but a poor undone wretched wicked condemned creature and that I had hitherto sold my Soul to preserve my Estate Whereupon I retired my self to my Lodging and spent much time in Prayers and Tears and resolved now if God would give me strength I would slip into a Conventicle which accordingly I did next Sunday where I heard a very awakening discourse upon Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse Whereby I understood the desperate Condition I was in in Relation to the Law which he opened exceeding well Whereby the Law came Sin revived and I died Rom. 7. After this I made a shift to get into a place where I heard a worthy man preach very lively and clearly on Act. 16 31. whence he opened the Nature of Faith and shewed how it saved viz. Instrumentally by closing with and laying hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ for Justification and Sanctification and how Christ was made Sin for us and bare the Curse After this I began to savour the preaching of Jesus Christ and found my Soul more refreshed with one of these Sermons than with an hundred others I heard also from Acts 4.12 There is no other Name under Heaven given whereby we can be saved and from Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come c. from Joh. 14.6 I am the Way the Truth c. It would be endless to acquaint you with the precious discourses that I have since heard in London when I came up especially from the time of Liberty and what warmth of Love was wrought in me to the Lord Jesus Christ with some measure I trust of a true and lively Faith that through the strength of Free-grace I hope I shall be a Christophilus now all my days but I must tell you one thing that the Devil is a Conventicler too as well as a Son of the Church for I see many very loose persons there for hearers and not a little false Doctrine deliver'd in many of them Christ These things always have and will be as for prophane hearers I dislike not that for there is then the more matter for a converting Ministry to work upon and as for false teachers they were many in the Apostles time as Paul and Peter tell us in their Epistles This should not discourage you But be faithful to the Death and you shall have a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Phil. I hope by the help of God I shall but I will tell you there is one difficulty I cannot get over yet and that is this I have heard you say it 's the Duty of a Believer to follow Christ fully to deny himself and take up his Cross and to add or joyn himself to some Church which I have not done any otherwise than to partake sometimes with the Church of England and sometimes at a Meeting which I am much dissatisfied in for many weighty reasons not to be now insisted on That which keeps me at this day is my great Ignorance of and Estrangedness to the order of the Gospel I being not fully satisfied whether Christ hath instituted any Stated Gospel Church and if he hath where among all your different perswasions in matters of worship it is to be found I wish you would be pleased to give me the clearest account you are able in brief of your perswasion and practice in these matters Christ Sir I shall chearfully endeavour it but that things may be more clear and plain to your understanding I pray make your enquiries of the points you would be resolved in and your objections as they occur Chap. I. Of the Church Catholick CASE II. Phil. I Pray Sir what doth the word Church import Christ Church or Kirk is but an abreviation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the proper idioms of Languages English and Scotch it signifies the House of God and hence our places of publick assembling are called Churches in Conformity to the Jews of old who called the Temple the House of God according to which Christ speaks Mat. 21.13 there being a Levitical Holiness ascribed to it which Holiness of places hath ceased with it and the Gospel Church is made only of living stones Heb. 3.8 1 Pet. 2.4 though when we in England speak of a place for publick assembly we call it a Church not that any wise Protestants do take it so in a proper sence but Metonymically only as for others they think and speak after the Papists Phil. What do the Greek and Hebrew words import Christ They always signifie an Assembly or Congregation there was two words used for it in the old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both signifie
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
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
Wine poured out signifie the Body and Soul sufferings of the Lord Christ they are exhibited in this Ordinance in a lively manner to our thankful remembrance of Gods and Christs love to us therefore by the ancients called the Eucharist 2. Hereby our acts of Faith are renewed and our Faith greatly strengthned in the love of God to us in the Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ for us in his Death and Suffering for our present Justification and Sanctification and Future Glory 3. It is a sign and Seal of our Union to and Communion with the Lord Jesus Christ and to one another our Communion together by a common participation of Christ our Head in his personal Excellencies and mystical Communications as also our Communion in him one with another as a mystical and visible Politick Body 4. It is a visible Testimony and Profession of our mutual love and Obligations therein as members one of another 5. There is a sweet Communion in each others Gifts and Graces in order to edification and growth in Grace Phil. To what Church Officer doth the administration of this Ordinance appertain Christ It appertains to the Pastoral teaching Office for the Seals are teaching Ceremonies by way of Instruction unto us for increase in Faith and Love and by way of Consolation and Confirmation in our right to Covenant Benefits and Priviledges And hence it belongs primarily to the Pastor that is principally called to the whole Office of feeding the flock for Christ the great Pastor first administred it And secondarily to the Teacher who is called to bear a share with him in his Teaching work which is feeding the flock with wholesome Doctrine and administring such instituted signs and seals as tends to the Confirmation thereof unto their Souls and Consciences and therefore where there is actually Pastor and Teacher it may for the ease of the Pastor that part of this Labour may be born by the Teacher as well as that of teaching And in case of the Death of the Pastor the whole pastoral charge as to Teaching and Administring falls upon the Teacher unless the Church think meet to choose another Pastor Phil. But I pray what do you think of the practice of our Minister and if I mistake not some Non-conformists use it still viz. for the Administrator or Administrators for I have known several at the same time in one Congregation to go about from Person to Person and deliver the Bread and Wine into the hand of each repeating as oft the Words of institution Take eat c. Take drink c. Christ I take it to be an unscriptural usage for Luke 22.17 Christ said Take this and divide it among your selves And if it be said that is spoken of the Passover Cup it makes not against us for in the same manner as that Cup went about did also the Bread and Wine that followed And we have no ground to suppose that he delivered the Bread with the Words This is my Body take eat nor the Wine c. any more than once Again it 's plain that this practice came from Rome from that blasphemous Heresie of theirs that the Bread is the very Body of Christ after Consecration of the Priest and therefore not to be touched by the Communicant but put into his Mouth by the supposed sacred Hands of the Priest Therefore it hath the same Idolatrous Original as Kneeling in receiving hath nourisheth much vain Superstition in the people makes the Ordinance most tedious and troublesome if not too Comical Phil. You mention Kneeling methinks that seems to be a comely gesture enough in so solemn and sacred an Ordinance though I confess I am not for imposing of it Christ I need not tell you the reason and ground of that Innovation viz. From the Idolatrous worshiping the Bread And I need not tell you that the posture in receiving was not so from the beginning but after the eastern manner of sitting at a Feast It is not proper or comely to kneel at a Feast which is for a sociable rejoycing Kneeling is a posture of prostration in Prayer but this is a distinct Ordinance from Prayer though it be blessed by Prayer The Prayer is over when the Element is distributed and then our business is not to pray but to feed in a Feasting Sacramental and Spiritual manner Neither is the practice of some Communicants to be commended who after the Element is blessed by the Prayers of the Congregation betake themselves to their particular private prayers before they eat or drink it 's a new Consecration as if the Element were not sufficiently consecrated Or as if they were to receive in an act of Prayer Whereas now they are to receive their spiritual food to the satisfaction of their hungring and thirsting Souls with rejoycing and gladness of Heart making it the Bread of Consolation and cup of Salvation praising the Name of the Lord. The Nature of receiving clearly appears from this that it is a Feast of Remembrance and therein for spiritual Repast Nourishment and Consolation and it appears in that the distribution of the last Element ends with a Psalm or Hymn of praise before we arise from the Table and therefore to be performed in the same posture we were in when we received the Cup and we use not a kneeling posture in singing Phil. I have read many considerable Arguments indeed against this posture in receiving which gives ground to suspect there is too much of Superstition in it and that it was derived from Rome but I have not before considered what you say of its great disagreement to the very Nature of the Ordinance the Act of receiving being a distinct duty from praying and therefore I believe many that profess to more Knowledge in these things than I do do they know not what in betaking themselves to private Prayers when they should be exercised after another manner and so do unduly mix one Ordinance with another or thrust out one spiritual duty by another I am glad you mention it to me I hope it will be matter of good instruction to me in my practice for the future Christ I am glad to find your Heart so moulded by the Grace of God that you are ready to receive the impression of Truth It was otherwise not long ago Phil. I think the next Head of Church Ordinances which you mentioned were the Keys I pray speak to them Christ. By Keys I mean Church power of opening and shutting It is a Scripture Word but Metaphorical A Key is used in respect of spiritual Knowledge or in respect of Power In respect of Knowledge Luke 11.52 In this respect Peter had the Key of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to him as an Apostle as is spoken by our Saviour Mat. 16.19 Being the first Apostle instructed by God to open the door for preaching the Gospel unto the Gentiles Act. 10. But this Key tho' first turned in exercise by Peter was given to the rest of the