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
Doctrine the commandments of men I was much startled at that Text once by an able Preacher slipping in a strange place into a Conventicle where no body knew me who did open and apply that place notably I wished in my mind some of my acquaintance had heard him but that was not a day for such as I and them to be seen at a Conventicle Christ Sir I shall now most gladly comply with you in the command you lay upon me but I pray Sir how came you so in love with the Lord Jesus Christ you may remember how in your familiar discourses with me at your Table you would take occasion a little merrily to descant upon my name and say it was a marvelous Puritanick name sure thy Father was a great Puritan Brownist or Anabaptist Phil. Sir I remember it very well and I am convinced I did very ill in it to jest with spiritual things for I find now I had as good have joked on the name Christian for indeed he is not worthy of that name who is not a friend of Christ and such I desire to be and hope through the free grace of God I shall be for ever hereafter and oh that through the Word of God and the effectual operation of his Spirit I may be made wise unto salvation and then my name will not only be Philomathes but Polumathes Christ Amen It is my hearty desire and prayer to God for you that you may be saved and always hath been since I knew you but I pray how came you all of a sudden to be so great a friend unto Christ as I hear you now profess to my unspeakable rejoycing Phil. On a sudden no no man it is not on a sudden God hath been longer dealing with my heart than you or any one hath known of though you hear of it but now It would be too long to acquaint you with the dealings of God with me the many convictions of conscience that I have wrestled with and at last through the prevailing power of Sin and Satan palliated with some Religion or stifled with merry companions or by resolutely casting off convictions from reading the Word from hearing it from the good Education my good Parents gave me for indeed to tell you the truth they were Puritans and I the Lord forgive me an Apostate wretch from the Principles I was instructed in however all was palliated under the name and carriage of a prudential man convictions from the conversation of good men from the sins of prophane ones that I was often an eye and ear-witness of convictions from the preaching of our Parson that preached against some sins that he was too too much guilty of I was convinced it was my duty to do as he said not as he did but all this while I was in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity whatever I or others thought of me for I knew not Christ and tasted no true savour of him I had something of a form of godliness but no power my Religion such as it was was a meer slavery to me the world and the lusts of my own heart kept me a slave to the Devil Christ When do you think those bonds began first to be broken and how Phil. Truly it was by the Word of God for when I considered some places of Scripture such as Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing c. Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth it wrought upon me to look out a little in my prudential way after good Preaching that I might find the gates of Wisdom And I would hear some of the ablest men of our Church especially when I went to London and truly I heard many notable discourses for Eloquence and Learning and they seemed for to make a great jingle in my imagination for the present but no impression on my heart that remained very lean still And the main substance of their discourses was usually to cry up our Church for the purest in the world and natural Religion and the power of the natural man's free will to the imbracing the things of God the Doctrine of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience and in the hearing of those Doctrines I was so far from profiting that my heart told me still while I heard that I sufficiently knew by mine own experience that they preached Lies and that they caused the people to err such as are spoken of Jer. 14.14 23.25 26 32. Ezek. 13.8 9. 16.29 22.28 I pitied the poor Souls that sate constantly under such teaching and resolved to give them off and betake my self to Conventicles but my covetous heart in love still with the world was too hard for me for there was danger yet in it whereupon I talked with some Whigs that were not so strait-lac'd but that they would hear good Preaching in the Church and Common-prayer too if need were but would shake their heads and make great complaint of the Publick Ministry In brief I find they were sick of my disease though I liked them the better for it then they told me of a man or two which the Whigs that had been affrighted from Conventicles had smelt out and went to hear but they are say some reckoned but Phanaticks in a Mask the true Sons of the Church hate them with a perfect hatred quoth I it 's no matter for that I will hear them what they say if it please God Indeed I was so dissatisfied in the preaching of some of their London Dons that I had rather hear our Country Doctor which I look upon as more orthodox and was just resolving to leave the Church and venter it at the Conventicles No say my honest Latitudinarian Whigs as true Blues for the Peoples Civil Rights as any in the world but since I find them meer bogglers at the Interest of Christ and there are some N. C. Divines that give large measures to their consciences too but no more of that don 't do any thing rashly consider you have a plentiful Estate God be thanked and you have a Wife and many Children it becomes you to mind the main chance these are but Punctilio's of difference between the Church of England and the Dissenters the great danger is of Popery let 's all combine against that and not let Protestants break one another by these small Indifferences We confess we are troubled at this Devil of Persecution that is broke out in the Church but we think too they are a sort of imprudent rash People that will be cast into Prisons and ruine their Estates and Family's for non-compliance in indifferent things in which cause we believe they could not justifie themselves to die There are many things indeed should be rectified in our Church but you know our Articles are very sound and as for the Prayers and Ceremony's they are as our first Reformers and Martyrs left them These things being spoken at a noted Coffee-house for Whiggs took
to repair to him for the more cherishing all good desires and affections in him till he arrive at a competency of knowledg but all this while doth not make him known to the Church so that his infirmities are not blazoned abroad in the World in the least by this way of proceeding Phil. My Friend I pray inform me what you intend by a separate Society and can you justifie separation you know how it 's cryed out against by most learned Divines Ch. Therefore I put in that word because I am sure Separation is a necessary adjunct that doth belong to every true Constituted Church of Christ nay is there any that doth pretend to be a Church of Christ that doth not separate more or less doth not the pretended Church of Rome separate from Turks and mere Pagans doth not our Church of England separate from Rome and why Either because some say it 's no true Church others because it 's corrupted in Doctrine and Worship though a true Church and thereby justifie their separation from it And may not other Churches upon the same ground separate from the Church of England either because as some will say it 's not a true constituted Gospel Church but Antichristian or because as others will say they allow it to be a Church of Christ but polluted in Doctrine Worship Manners both as to the Ministry and People and therefore to be separated from for the enjoyment of a purer Church State and Communion Again the Church of England in her Catechism teacheth separation and solemnly vows it Infants in Baptism Promise by the Sureties or Vangers to forsake the World the Flesh and the Devil What is this but separation And if this were practised as it is promised the members of the Church of England would be a separate people Lastly there is nothing clearer than that a visible Church of Christ ought to be separate 1 Pet. 2.9 What is a choice peculiar people a holy Nation to shew forth the praises of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light but a separate people a Holy Nation in a world lying in wickedness a people called out of a dark world into marvellous light as the Church of old in Goshen had marvellous light while Egypt was in darkness and the praises of Christ thus separating themselves they shew forth in the Churches And what can be opposed with any evidence against that plain and full place to this purpose 2 Cor. 6.14 be not unequally-yoaked together with unbelievers ver 15. what part hath he that believeth with an unbeliever i. e. a visible unbeliever it ought not to be rendered an Infidel as if one sort of unbeliever only was meant for it 's the same Word every where else and v. 14. rendred unbeliever but our English Divines render the word Infidel insinuating that none but Turks and Pagans were to be understood by this Text that we are required to separate from But the Text is most express that it is from all visible Unbelievers The Temple of God is the Gospel Church the fellowship is Church fellowship therefore he bids us come out from among Unbelievers and from all false worship and be separate v. 17. and then God Promiseth to be their God to dwell with them c. I shall add no more at present on this point though much more might be said Phil. You have fully confirmed me in this point I pray tell me whether there be any that are not actual believers that are Church-members Christ All Church members come in upon the right of a Visible Profession but it follows not thence that all Church-members are actual believers for many Hypocrites come in upon the right of Profession but are not actual believers Again Infants and Children of believing Parents come into Churches and are justly made and called members upon the right of Profession but it is of their Parents not of their own Personal Profession neither are they actual Believers their Profession is in the Parents their Covenant Obligation is in the Parents the Priviledges they are capable of is belonging to them by virtue of a Promise wherein they are concerned with their Parents and primarily for the Confirmation of the Parents Faith and secondarily in order to the Salvation of their Children But a little more of this when I come to Baptism Phil. I pray Sir proceed then to speak to the Visible bond whereby this Church Society is bound together Christ I hinted before that Churches are denominated from their bond of Union as from their Communion from Mystical Union and Communion the Church is called Invisible from Visible Union and Communion it is that Churches are called Visible It 's thus in any civil Corporation and Society every man doth not come and partake of the Priviledges of it at his pleasure and leave it when he please no not every one of such a Profession qualified according to the Laws of the Society none but such as being qualified comes and lays claim to his admission on his qualifications wherein to be approved he puts himself upon the Test being approved he immediately enters into a mutual bond or obligation he promiseth by Oath or otherwise to submit to the Laws of the Society they admit him a member to partake of all the Priviledges So it is in Visible Churches which are so many particular Societies that have given up themselves to Christ and bound themselves to walk together in a visible submissionto constant waiting upon Jesus Christ in all his Gospel Institutions and Appointments and it 's requisite this obligation be explicite because first The Church Society is visible and explicite such therefore must the bond be 2. The Profession of his Faith is explicite such therefore should his obligation be to future walking 3. As no man can be a member of any Society constituted by voluntary consent without he voluntarily offer himself so none is governable there by the Laws of it without such an obligation and otherwise the Government of it would be wholly precarious for a man cannot be a subject duely unless a man be a slave and under compulsion to any society but by natural as a Child to a Family or voluntary submission and obligation as here 1. All societies of this nature do justly expect and demand that a Man be true to them and submit to their Laws if he will have protection and partake of their Priviledges Phil. But they say you have no Scripture grounds for this Bond or Church Covenant as some call it Christ It might be enough to say that a society must be encreased the same way as it is made at first and that after Members must be joyned upon the same terms on which the first embodied and associated together but there is no incorporate society but joyn together at first by mutual agreements under some Charter for enjoyment of some priviledges and submit to the prescribed Laws thereof and on these terms
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-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
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