his Glory Isa 46.13 and that because they were a Church of his own planting and a Covenant people and for Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the little Remnant sake of Believers that were amongst them and who glorify him indeeed in Truth God bestows his Grace stamps his Image and infuses his Holynesse into men to meeten them for his Temple and Temple-work and then formes and sets them up in his own beauty and Glory in a Church-state that there as a Body compact they may shine forth to his Glory and praise in the World As many glittering daimonds in a gold Ring do shine more gloriously upon a mans hand than a hundred times so many more scattered up and down here and there would do so a company of men which are made pretious stones fitted for a House of God being well and orderly set in a Church-state or in a House of God do shine more gloriously there than many more can do in a single and individual capacity and standing alone to the honour and glory of God 3. God Institutes and builds Believers into Spiritual Houses for his peoples Spiritual profit and advantage that God may there Impart his Loves Cant. 7.12 and communicate his grace Truths and Counsels unto them as to his avowed and publique houshold and family Eph. 2.19 Christ Walkes and God the Father Dwells there the Holy Spirit Speaks to them in an especial and frequent manner Rev. 2.1 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 2.7.11 c. And assuredly Jesus Christ does not walk nor God the Father dwell there empty handed but distributes plentifully of their Love and fullness As great princes where they go and lodge they will give like themselves unto the houshold Servants and much more will God as some can and more may experience The Church-enjoyments of serious holy men are the fairest fullest clearest and strongest of all they have at any times and that because God dwells there as in his holy and delightful Temple and walks there as in his pleasant Gardens and Walks and where God mostly Dwells and Walks and takes most pleasure there he imparts most of his Love and Grace It is said in 1 Kings 8.10 11. That the Glory of the Lord filled the House of the Lord so that the Priest could not stand to Minister because the glorious presence of God was so exceeding great there and his distributions of Love and Grace to Solomon and other Saints so many and great as that the people went home joyfull and glad of Heart vers 66. and in the 2 Chron. 7.16 says God speaking of the Temple mine Eyes and mine Heart shall be there perpetually Now if God did so now that material Temple made of Wood and Stone as to manifest his Glory so much there impart so richly of his Love and Grace to his people and promised to dwell there continually how much more will he do so unto his New-Testament Churches of Believers They shall find that prophetical promise made good to them in Psal 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in his Glory Besides a Church-state is a safe as well as a thriving comfortable state for a Church of Christ rightly and duely formed and made up is a Garden enclosed Cant. 4.12 a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed or barr'd Whilst Wood and Stones lie scattered abroad they may be stollen and carried away from the owner so while Believers walk apart and lie up and down scatteringly they are in great danger of being seduced and lead away from Christ with some of the errors of the wicked and so in measure full from the Truth of Christ 2 Pet. 3.17 but now in a Church-state or formal House of God they are safer and more secure because there they are hedged in with the discipline of Christ there they are watched over by their fellow-members and by the Officers of Christ who are their overseers and watchmen there they are as in the orderly Instituted Family or houshold of Christ in the way and walks of Christ and under the Eye and with the special presence of Christ Whilst an Army of Souldiers walk as single and individual Persons scattered abroad they lie open to destruction by their Enemies but when they are formed up and walk together under officers and military discipline every one knowing his place and keeping it knowing the commands of their General and observing them they are safe and ready to defend themselves and offend their Enemies Particular and rightly constituted Churches of Believers are like an Army with Banners Cant. 6.4 10. marching under the constant conduct of Jesus Christ their Captain General Eph. 1.22 23. Heb. 2.10 4. They are formed and set up by Jesus Christ to be the only Seats and Subjects as of his glorious presence so of his Laws Ordinances Power and Authority that they might receive observe and obey his Laws declare before all men their owning of him for their Lord by their open and publique profession of and subjection unto him as such and that by their distinct and singular following of him in incorporated Bodies they might manifest to all men that they are his Subjects and disciples that they have chosen him for their Lord and King and his Law for their Rule and Obedience that they are not their own but his and that they have taken up in him as in their happiness and eternal Blessedness Col. 2.6 1 Cor. 6.19 20. 2 Cor. 5.15 That they are called out of the World Joh. 15.19 and set apart by his Grace for himself to live unto him and that they have taken upon themselves his holy Yoke and the observation of all his Laws So likewise that his subjects might with one mind and mouth together present their service and homage unto him as their only Lord Head and King For Churches as Churches or Believers walking according to his appointment and direction in Churches are capable of his holy Supper that glorious Pledge and Seal of his Love and Grace to them it is called the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 and says the Apostle to the particular congregated Church at Corinth we being many are one Bread and one Body vers 17. That great ordinance of the Lords Supper is not given to Believers as such only but unto Believers as in a Church-state or incorporated into a Body or Communion together having the name form and order of a Church of Christ and House of God The Israelites were not to permit any to Eat the passover until they became members of their Church Exod. 12.47 48. Neither will Christ Jesus have any to Eat his Supper out of a Church-State where and when they may have it in a Church-State And as was noted before it is observable that almost all the principal Doctrines and Laws of the New-Testament are given and directed unto the Churches or to Believers as inchurched as also Teachers and Ruling Elders are provided for and given
Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult Now that God and the Mediatour have so Covenanted promised and engaged for and in the behalf of Believers that Christ came and finished all the work that the Father gave him to do that Christ hath obeyed and suffered the Father satisfied and well pleased and that Peace Friendship and Reconciliation for men is obtained and that God is faithful who hath promised Heb. 10.23 and that he will not fail to perform the Truth to Jacob and Mercy to Abraham Micah 7. ult is continued and ratified unto Believers in and by the Lord's Supper For there is held forth a clear proof and confirmation of it This is my body that is broken and my blood that is shed or given 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. These are the first objects and matters our faith eyes and fixes on in the Lord's Supper and these are the first things that it seals unto 〈◊〉 us namely that God hath covenanted and promised these mercies upon Christ's dying that Christ hath dyed done the Fathers whole will and finished his work and that God the Father hath accepted his Mediation in our behalf justified his Son Jesus and is well-pleased with him and with us in him that God is faithful who hath promised and that he is able and will perform his promises made to Christ for and given down to us On these things our faith must fix and then this Ordinance of the Supper will confirm them us 2. As the Lord's Supper seals or ratifies and confirms to our faith the truth and reality of the Covenant and promises the death of Christ the faithfulness of God and his being satisfied and well pleased with Christ's mediation for us and that he will perform his Covenant and Promises unto the Heirs of promise so it seals ratifies and confirms Believers interest and propriety in them It ratifies and confirms to their own Consciences that they are interested in Christ that they are Christs and Christ is theirs that they are regenerated and redeemed that their sins are pardoned and their persons accepted in the Beloved Eph. 1.6 7. This Ordinance seals to them the fruits of Christ's death and to the truth sincerity and peculiarity of his grace in them that they are united to him and that he is their head and they are his Members That he loves them and they love him with special and peculiar love This Ordinance seals to them their Adoption and their right unto the eternal Inheritance and it assures them as a means of Christ's appointing for that end that God is their Father and they are his Children that Christ is their Husband and they are his Spouses and that they shall live and reign with him in glory But yet know that though there be a kind of a natural aptness in this holy Ordinance thus to seal the love of God to you as it is Christs Ordinance and instituted by him for this end yet it cannot doth not do it of or by its self or its own power but it seals as an Ordinance in the hand of the spirit or as a fit medium and means whereby and wherewith the holy spirit seals the Souls of Believers It is the proper work of the holy Ghost to seal ratifie and confirm his own work in Believers hearts Eph. 1.13 Eph. 4.30 And this great work he doth especially in and by the Lord's Supper on the hearts of good men For as the matters he seals to are his own works in their hearts so he onely can confirm them to their Faith and Consciences The love of God is said to be shed abroad into our hearts by him Rom. 5.5 and to this he sets his seal and gives in his Testimony Rom. 8.16 namely that he hath shed abroad the love of God in our hearts that God loves us we love him with special love and that he hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 1 Pet. 1.2 He first writes his Lawes and creates his grace in our hearts puts the Lord Jesus into the possession of them forms saith Repentance and all other graces of Christ in them and then he seals ratifies and confirms all to us Cant. 8.6 2. Cor. 1.22 Job 33.16 So that now we know that we are passed from death to life Joh. 3.14 and are sure that we are of God that the Lord Jesus is ours and we are his Cant. 2.16 And can say with Thomas my Lord and my God and with David I am thine and with Paul and others if our earthly house be dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5.1 Thus you see how this Ordinance seals up the love of God and the work of his grace in our Souls And therefore when ever you receive it be sure to look for and expect it and make use of it for though not only for this end and purpose And in order thereunto be careful and diligent in preparing and fitting your selves for the reception of this seal on your hearts and then you need not doubt of your obtainment of it 3. This Ordinance is instituted and given to inchurched Saints to bring the Lord Jesus and them together into the nearest clearest and closest fellowship and communion that can be in this lower state The Lord Jesus and they do greatly love one another and delight in communion with each other Cant. 4. ult Cant. 5.1 Believers in their holy obediential and orderly walking are Christs dearly beloved Spouses and he is their dearly beloved Husband Cant. 2.16 Jer. 12.7 They do greatly love and rejoyce in one anothers company and Society their speeches are pleasant and their countenances sweet and lovely to each other Zeph. 3.17 Cant. 1.4 Cant. 2.7 10 13. Cant. 2.14 There is a holy fondness and a heart-ravishing friendliness between Christ and his Beloved they lye deep in each others hearts and are so knit to one another in warm affections as that they cannot patiently bear each others absence Hence we find the Lord Jesus and his people inviting one another and importunately solliciting each other to come to them yea and proffering themselves and as it were inviting or pressing themselves upon or into one anothers company Cant. 2. â—0 13 14 7. Cant. 4.8 ult Cant. 5.1 Cant. 6. ult Cant. 7.11 12. Rev. 3.20 Joh. 14.21 23. Therefore hath glorious Jesus instituted Churches and gathered up his people into spiritual housholds formed them into holy Societies and made them his walled Gardens Therefore hath he brought them into a holy Band knit them together into bodies and given to them this Feast of fat things this Pledge and Token of his distinguishing love and this holy sign and seal that he may invite and bring them together to take and eat and that himself may come and be with them there He is the matter and the great master of the Feast and he is the King
that comes in to see his Guests and that bids them be merry yea and to eat and drink abundantly with an O Beloved Cant. 5.1 In the last verse of the 4th chapter the Church importunatly invites and sollicites the Lord Jesus to come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits namely when they were congregated together and waiting on and for him The Lord Jesus comes and tells them so Chap. 5.1 I am come into my Garden my Sister my Spouse I have gathered my myrrh with my Spice then he chears them up and bids them welcome be merry and eat and drink not sparingly but freely and abundantly O Beloved His holy Temples and this heavenly Feast are appointed and ordained for his Reception and Entertainments with his Beloved Rev. 2.1 2 Cor. 6.16 There are theâ— most joyful meetings and there do they hold and enjoy the most comfortable and heart-satisfying communion together as holy hearts can and do often experience For this end hath he instituted and for this end should all Church-members receive this Ordinance 4. As it is appointed for Communion between Christ and his inchurched-members so likewise for their Communion among themselves 1 Cor. 10.16 17. Good men have heart-dividing and love-separating lusts self-Interests world and Devil and therefore they need all proper means to unite and knit their hearts together in Brotherly Love Communion Col. 2.2 The Lord Jesus hath commanded and strictly charged his people to love one another as he hath loved them Joh. 13.34 Joh. 15.12 15. and that they love one another with pure hearts fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 That they walk in love and endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace Eph. 4.1 2 3. Eph. 5.1 2. Now in order to the obtainment of it and that Believers may be encouraged to mind and do his will herein the Lord Jesus hath by his own Laws and Authority formed them up into holy Temples and united them into spiritual Societies and given them occasion and opportunity to meet together and feast themselves at his Table at his cost and charges and that as Guests of his own bidding There they may often meet sit down and feed together of his dainties There they see and taste feel and smell and there they may speak of hear him and of his grace and love There they may see that they are all bought with the same price and redeemed with the same blood There they may see that they are members together of the same head and body that they are all Plants of his planting Trees of his watering Subjects of the same Grace and Spirit and the same objects of his care and protection There they may see that they are all bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh and that he hath fellowship and communion with them all That they are heirs together of the grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 and that they are all entitled to an eternal inheritance There they may see that they are all partakers of the same life and that the Lord Jesus hath made the same provisions for the everlasting happiness of all their Souls There they may see that they have the same faith and hope and that the covenant and promises belong to them all That there is a mutual Interest amongst them and that they are concerned in and with each other That they are engaged in one common cause with Christ and that they are not their own but one anothers All which things and considerations are of great use towards the knitting and endearing of their hearts one to another in spiritual love holy peace and Brotherly affection For by their sitting down altogether as one body at one Table of the Lord eating and drinking the same Bread and Wine and by faith the same body and blood of the Lord by beholding and believing their mutual interest in Christ and in all the benefits of his death and that they are all alike invited to the feast and all alike welcomb'd and entertained by their Lord and King they are much induced thereby to love one another to seek desire and rejoyce in the good of each other and to walk together as Heirs of the Kingdom of Glory keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace And likewise in joyning hearts and hands together as one body in celebrating the worship and in magnifying the name and glory of Christ 5. An other great use and end of this Ordinance is to knit and endear the heart to Christ himself And it is a powerful means to effect it He is a most full and glorious Object of Love a most lovely Object indeed He is the fairest of Ten thousands and altogether lovely or altogether loves Cant. 5.10 ult He hath all glorious excellencies in him and is the perfection of beauty Psal 50.2 All ye glories of the Heavens and the Earth of Angels and men are but dark shadows unto this Son of Righteousness The Lord Jesus is most lovely glorious and beautiful in his love and grace to us in his obedience and death for us and in all his Laws and Promises to us But especially his Person is most beautiful glorious and lovely Psal 45. 1 Cor. 2.8 his most transcendant and glorious excellencies will be the eternal wonderment of Saints and Angels and they shall be for ever employed in adoring and praising him He is an Object too high for us now to reach and a Sun too bright and glorious for our dim eyes to behold only some Raies and Beams of his Glory he causes to shine on us and enables us to take them in in some degree Psal 63.1 2. But of all means the Lord's Supper is the most full and proper for the opening and representing unto us unto our faith the beauty glory and loveliness of Christ in his love and grace in his death and sufferings There we may read wonderful Stories and see glorious Mysteries indeed There we may read and see his love and grace to us streaming forth by his heart blood and there we may see the greatness freeness profitableness purity sweetness and the transcendant excellency of his love and loveliness There we may see the eternal Fountain of love and the inexhaustible-Treasures of his heart of his grace and kindness opened and running down to us and there we may see a bottomless Sea of mercies and affections discovered There we may read Christ loving us and giving himself for us unto an accursed death Gal. 2.20 Gal. 3.13 And Oh! my Brethren what an attracting Soul drawing heart-knitting object of love is the Lord Jesus represented to be to us in that Ordinance It is a Glass that represents and shews us nothing else but love and Christs loveliness It is an Ordinance that Preaches and Seals love to Believers and thereby provokes enflames and drawes out their love to him Love will be drawn and not driven and what drawes it into warm and strong Acts but lovely persons
when we meet let our coming together be for the better and not for the worse Surely I think it is your Duty to give me loving Visits as well as I you and that when you come you shew a readiness to spend our Time and improve our Visits to the profit of our Souls unless the meeting be designed for other business The strangeness of some is no small burden to my spirit and I know not how their Consciences do dispence with such Omissions How can we think that such do really Love one another who regard not each others Company nor though they live near together will vouchsafe to give them a Visit in a whole year together For true Love inclines to Communion free and open-hearted Society together and it is so far from being burdensome to true Lovers so to do as that it is their delight Church-members are bound in duty to give their Teachers friendly Visits to encourage them in their Works and to get some good from them to their own Souls They should come and propound Cases to them that concern their Faith Practise Peace and Comfort and declare to them their Soul troubles and temptations and likewise their profit and gettings by their Ministry They should open unto them their Soul-wants and Spiritual diseases that so they may know the better how to suit their Ministry to them and apply words in season to their Conviction Instruction and Comfort For the Priests Lips should preserve knowledge and the People should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts Mal. 2.7 Mark it It is not said that they should always or mostly go to their People but that the People should seek to them Thus the Disciples came to the Lord Jesus with their Cases And truly Friends you would greatly rejoyce my heart if I might see the same practised by you in a holy and serious manner I do assure you that you should be very welcome to me and I shall most freely afford you my help and give you what assistance I can And I do further request and entreat you that when I come to visit you that then I may find you ready to entertain me with some profitable discourse that may better us in the Inner man for that is the best Entertainment I desire or expect from you and it is that which I am sure will turn to the best account now and at the last day These are some of my reasonable requests to you for my self which I hope you will not deny me 2. I have a few requests to you for God and your Head and King the Lord Jesus Christ 1. That you would still remember how you have received him as your Lord Jesus Christ and so walk ye in him Col. 2.6 Examine the Foundation you stand upon and take not up with Reformation without Regeneration and real Vnion with Christ by Faith It is to be feared that too too many Church-members sit down short of Christ a new State and a thorow change of heart that they content themselves with their being in the Churches of Christ the use of Ordinances and with their Church-priviledges We read of five Foolish Virgins in fellowship with five Wise Virgins and we read of bad Fishes in the Nets with the good of Tares growing amongst the good Wheat and of Hypocrits in the Kingdom of Heaven the Churches which Christ shall gather out and cast into the fire Matth. 25.2 Matth. 13.47 48 49 50. Isa 33.14 Take good heed that none of you be such You have past the Test of mens judgments and they take you for true Saints in their Char table judgments but you may be notorious Hypocrites for all that and you must pass under the Infallible Tryal and Judgment of God too who can and will make a true Judgment of you Therefore do you endeavour to know your own States by serious and diligent search 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 You may be Members of a true Church of Christ and yet not be true Members of Christ you may be Vnited to his People in Church-fellowship whilst you are Strangers to Christ And know that if you are Hypocrites in the Churches you are an Abomination to him you defile his holy Temple and his Soul abhors you But I say if upon your serious tryal of your selves you find indeed that you are new Creatures and have really received Christ the Lord on his own terms then do you walk in him and worthy of him Col. 1.10 Own him Trust him Love him Obey him Subject and Live to him as to your Head Lord and King Receive and walk by his Laws and Rules only and give him the Honour and Glory of his Headship and Authority over you in and by your so doing Luk. 6.46 Remember that you are the Servants of Christ bought with a price even the price of Christ's Blood that you should be his Servants and Subjects therefore be you not the Servants of men in his matters and concernments 1 Cor. 7.23 2. Do you stand up and be Zealous for and in the cause of your Lord and King Rev. 3.19 You are redeemed to it Tit. 2.14 and your Head expects it from you Keep your hearts with him and for him and suffer no Stranger no Lust Self or any Creature to Vsurp and Possess his Throne in you Shew your Zeal against all Intruders and fight them off when ever they assault you or attempt to get possession of your hearts Be you Zealous for and in his pure Gospel-worship and Ordinances for and in upholding sanctifying and celebrating of them in the Church 3. Encourage and promote the Interest of Christ in each others hearts and to enrich one another with the Truths and Grace of Christ as much as you can for it is your duty so to do and you will thereby please and glorifie him 1 Thes 5.11 Jude 20. You should labour to augment encrease and nourish the Graces Comforts and Experiences provoke strengthen and stir up one another to Love Trust Fear Honour and Serve Christ more and better For this is the Will of God concerning you 1 Thes 5.18 4. Honour Christ by reproving your sinning-Brethren and endeavouring all you can to hide it from the knowledge of others and to restore them with a spirit of meekness not suffering sin to rest upon them Gal. 6.1 Lev. 19.17 Lift them out of the ditch of Sin whereinto Temptation hath cast them and that with all possible secrecy and privacy for the honour of Christ and your Brethren and for the good of their Souls who have sinned Sin especially in Church-members carries Reproach in its mouth on Christ his Ways and Temples and therefore by the same Argument and Reason and for the self-same cause that we are to honour Christ and prevent all Reproach to his Name Gospel and People we should hide each others sins as long as possible and there is hope and endeavour privately to heal offences and
his Gospel-Ordinances in Obedience to his Holy Will for his Glory and their own Spiritual profit Rom. 1.5 6. 2 Cor. 8.5 Heb. 3.1 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.21 22. 2 Cor. 4.6 1 Pet. 2.9 Eph. 2.1.5 Col. 2.6 2 Thes 1.5 This Church so united and built is called a Church a House a Temple Habitation of God and Jesus Christ and they own it as their own call it by their own Names and confirm it with their Presence in it And as such a Church it is the proper seat and subject of all the Gospel-worship and ordinances of Christ in the world as will appear in the other Chapters and therefore I shall not insist on it here Onely take these sew hints of this Church along with you 1. It is an Instituted Church of Jesus Christ namely a Church of his own appointment and erection of his own making and forming according to his own will and pleasure by his own Authority and Approbation 2. The materials or persons constituting this Church are said to be holy persons called out of their old worldly state of death blindness and unbelief unto the knowledg that is the saving knowledg of Christ and his will and unto the Obedience of Faith 3. The Instruments that call them and work them for this state and that is the Word and Spirit of Christ 4. The form of this Church namely their own free special and voluntary agreement among themselves giving themselves to the Lord before each other and then to one another by the will of God entering into a holy band or Engagement to live and walk together through divine assistance in Love peace and in the celebration and practice of all the Laws worship and ordinances of Christ in the Church in obedience to his holy Will 5. The ends of their so doing namely the Glory of Christ and their own spiritual profit These are some of the chiefest things to be observed in this definition of an Instituted Gospel-Church All which I shall through God's help prove and demonstrate hereafter under several heads 2. Quest Of what Extent should an Instituted Gospel-Church be or how many persons should it consist of Answ It should be formed of so many persons as may capacitate them to perform all necessary-Church Acts in pursuance of Christ's Laws and Rules by which the Society ought to walk Mat. 18.15 16 17. and of no more than may conveniently meet together in one place for the celebration of all Gospel-Ordinances and the Edification of the whole Church Now How many persons precisely are requisite to make and constitute such a formal Church I cannot determine but undoubtedly there ought to be such a number as may orderly and regularly deal with and proceed against a delinquent-member according to that Rule in Mat. 18. And as the Church should consist of so many so it should have no more persons in it then as was said may comfortably and conveniently meet or assemble together for the worship of God and profit of the whole Church in one place and that 1. because they are one congregation by their own consent and agreement and so ought not to devide and separate themselves one from another in the worship and ordinances of God but there at the same times with one heart and one mouth glorify God Rom. 15.6 2 Because the whole Church is bound at all times excepting extraordinary cases to wait and attend on the administration of their own Officers by virtue of Christs Law Heb. 13.17 enjoyning them so to do and also by virtue of their own engagement and relation they stand in to them 3 For their own comfort and edification in the Church and ordinances of God This is one of the great ends of Churches and the worship and ordinances of God there namely the profit and edification of all 1 Cor. 14.3 31. But how can it be unless they can all hear and joyn one with another in the ordinances 4 Because a Church ought to observe ordinances and worship God as a Church and not as or under the notion of single and individual Believers but as an united Body and society they must all at once and in the same numerical duties and ordinances in one place joyn together as with one Heart Mouth Mind and Judgment designing aiming at and carrying on the same holy Ends in all the worship of God Therefore a Church of Christ may not exceed such a number of members as may conveniently meet altogether in one place 1 Cor. 5.4 But I shall not enlarge on this head CHAP. II. Shewing that a particular Church of Believers is of divine Institution 3. QUestion Whether particular Churches of Believers be of divine Institution or whether they be of God Answ They are appointed and Instituted of God by Jesus Christ which will appear in or by these particulars First The Scripture tells us that the Spirit is the former and builder of them The Text is clear for it in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit vers 22. These are the words of Christ by Paul unto the particular congregational Church of the believing Ephesians as is clear in the 20 Chapter of the Acts 27 28. Rev. 2.1 Where the Lord Jesus calls them a distinct Houshold Church or Body of Saints gathered or joyned together in his name for his glory the celebration of his worship ordinances and appointments I say Christ stiles them a Church and speaks to them as a Church and distinct Body or house of Saints from all other persons or Churches whatsoever and this Church was not formed and built by man but by the will power light and direction of the holy Ghost therefore the particular congregational Church of Ephesus is called the House of God 1 Tim. 3.15 and the Church of the living God in the same vers and the distinct particular Churches are called the Churches of God 1 Cor. 11.16 2 Thes 1.4 2 Cor. 1.1 and the Churches of Christ Rom. 16.16 Act. 20.28 And the Lord added to the particular Church at Jerusalem such as should be saved Act. 2. vlt. The holy Spirit by the appointment and with the consent and Authority of God the Father and Christ his Son who is also God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 prepares materials for a Church and then he joyns them together and makes them a holy and glorious Temple or Church of God Eph. 2.21 22. and Chap. 5.27 So that we have enough to confirm this Truth viz. that particular Churches of Believers are of God in this one particular namely Because God himself is the former and builder of them Mat. 16.18 Isa 43.21 Secondly It further appears by the Lord 's owning of them promising and vouchsafing his presence with them which he would never do if they were not of his Institution and appointment But now the Lord declares his owning of and promises his presence and abode with them as his Churches Jesus Christ doth not only by
evil spoken of 13. Be sure to make good and perform all your peremptory promises to men and take heed and beware of breaking them or failing and disappointing men of their just expectations from you for that also will be scandalous and offensive 14. Take heed of taking into a marriage-bond such as are apparently in an unbelieving and carnal state and condition For that also is very offensive to holy serious men although some make light of it 15. Take heed of idleness and slothfulness in your Callings For that will prove a pernitious and scandalous sin to others and your own souls too 16. Take not up a Report against one another that is scandalous nor give an ear unto Tatlers and busie-bodies nor be you busie-bodies in other mens matters your selves For if you do you will give great offence These are some and but some of the scandalous evils that you must carefully avoid as a duty that you owe to God to your Brethren and to your own souls I could have named many more but I find these the most common amongst Professors Now as you must avoid these and other evils mind and practise the said Duties as Church-Members one to another so you must seriously mind the manner reasons and ends of doing them also The reason of your so doing must be the will of Christ your Head and King because he hath so commanded you And the principle of all you do must be love to him and to the souls of your Brethren The ends must be to please honour and exalt the Lord Jesus and to profit and benefit your Brethrens souls and maintain the Credit and Reputation of the Church and the Worship and Ordinances of God therein and to preserve Peace and Purity among your selves The manner must be thus namely wisely dutifully chearfully obediently freely willingly humbly holily seriously diligently sincerely and perseveringly For you should be as careful of doing your Duties to men in a right manner as you are of performing your Duties immediately to God so I can but mention these things because I have exceeded my intentions in others The Lord God bless them to you all CHAP. VIII Of the Ordinances and Worship of God in a Gospel-Church Quest WHat Ordinances of Divine Worship hath God given to and appointed for a Gospel-Church to be observed by them Answ First walking together in constant Cordial Communion and Gospel Order in a Church-state in Brotherly love peace and oneness of spirit in the frequent and joynt Celebration of all the worship and appointments of Christ is certainly an Ordinance of Christ and their Indispensâ—ble Duty as hath been already shewed Believers may not enter their names among Christ's Disciples and then take liberty to do what they please omit or neglect their place and duty there when and how they will and content themselves with having their names enrolled in a Church come among them and go from them at their own will and pleasure No but it is the will and Ordinance of our Lord Jesus that they should constantly and conscientiously in obedience to his holy will abide and continue there holding Communion or Fellowship together as a united and entire body or spiritual Corporation and joyntly with one mind heart and soul observe and celebrate his Ordinances and Worship Heb. 10.24 25. Acts 2.42 44 46 47. Rom. 15.6 1 Cor. 1.10 Secondly Preaching and hearing the Gospel It is true that this is not a special Church-Ordinance or an Ordinance appointed for and given to Churches or to Believers exclusive of all others For it is the great Ordinance of God for the converting quickning and bringing sinners to Christ Rom 1.16 1 Thes 1.5 By this Ordinance God conveys his special Grace and the spirit of Grace into sinners hearts By it he opens blind eyes unstops deaf cars enlivens dead Souls and convinces carnal men of sin Righteousness and Judgments Acts 26.18 Joh. 5.25 Joh. 16.7 8. And by it he turns them from the power of Satan unto God and works them to and for his own use makes them Vessels of Honour and translates them out of the Kingdom of darkness and the Devil into his own Kingdom Col. 1.13 The great Ordinance of Preaching and hearing the Law and Gospel is given and appointed to make fit and prepare sinful men for Membership with Christ his holy Gospel-Churches For until they are moulded and qualified by the word and spirit they are no way capable of either considering what condition all men are in by sinful nature namely dead blind filthy vile hateful enemies to God Children of Satan under the Law the curse and wrath of God strangers to and ignorant of God Christ Grace Duty and Gospel-holiness But although hearing and preaching the word of God be an Ordinance of God to others namely such as are not en-Churched to prepare them for that State and the Duties and Priviledges thereof yet I think it may be called a Church-Ordinance also For the Lord Jesus hath by his soveraign Authority set this Ordinance in his Gospel-Churches and committed the Preaching of it unto men there namely to such as he is said to impower and send to give unto and set among them for the work of the Ministry 1 Cor. 12.28 Acts 20.28 Eph. 4.10 18. Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 5.17 The Ministry of their Pastors and Teachers is their own Ministry and these Officers being given to them by Christ and set in his Churches for their sakes they may call the Ordinance their Ordinance such Officers theirs and their Ministry theirs as having a peculiar Relation to them which is one of the Churches peculiar priviledges and which they ought highly to prize and bless God for Now as some men are gifted impowered and sent out by Christ to convert and turn men to Christ who may not have any Relation to Churches as their Pastors or Teachers so there is the special and peculiar Ministry of Pastors and Teachers given to and set in the Churches whose work and business lyes there and but occasionally else-where to other men Take heed sayes the Apostle to the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God Act. 20.28 The ends of these Officers and their Ministry in the Church is not intended for the calling and regenerating of Church-Members for as was shewed they must be effectually called and regenerated before they can be meet Members of a Holy Temple of God but to build up and carry on the work of Grace in their hearts holiness and fruitfulness in their lives and walkings towards God and men To confirm and establish them in the Truth and Faith of Christ which they have received and to instruct and enlighten them further in all Christ's and their own souls concernments This Ordinance of God is intended and designed by the Lord Jesus and it should be so used and managed by all Teachers and Hearers continually to carry on the work of Grace to convey
by the Apostle Peter in his first Sermon after the coming of the Holy Ghost on him and other of the Apostles in Act. 2.39 when he was about the setting up of Churches and Church-Order Laws and Ordinances among them sayes he Repent yee and be Baptized why for the promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call which is the same for substance given before to Abraham And Paul told the Galatians Chapt. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham is come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ This Ordinance of Baptism is of meer Institution and made known to us in and by the Gospel The Light and Law of nature knows nothing of it neither are we bound to observe it but upon the command and appointment of Christ which is sufficient for us and we need no further warrant for our observation of it Fifthly The Lords Supper is clearly another Church-Ordinance And indeed it cannot be rightly and orderly administred and received but in a regular Church-state we never read of any Believers that received it or any Officers that administred it after Christ's ascension but as they were congregated en-Churched em-bodied and formed into a holy Temple but we read of Churches celebrating it as at Jerusalem Acts 2. Corinth 1 Epistle 11. and elsewhere We find the Institution of this Ordinance in Matth. 26.26 27 28. Mark 14.22 23 24. Luk. 22.17 18 19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 to the end In this last Scripture we have many weighty things of and concerning this great Ordinance 1 The Institution its self 2 The time when the same night in the which he was betrayed 3 The Institutor namely the Lord Jesus 4 The manner of it 1. The Lord Jesus's own practise He took blessed brake and gave the Bread and said take eat this is my Body 2. By commandment this do ye in remembrance of me 5 Who should received it and how persons should be qualified and prepared for the reception of it 1. With light and faith They must be able to discern the Lords body the ends and use of the Ordinance and to make suitable and pertinent application of all to themselves 2. They must be able to examine themselves and actually to do it and be in a state and practical fitness and readiness to meet Christ in it to thank and praise him and to shew forth his death until he come 6 The danger and peril they are in who eat and drink and use this holy Ordinance unworthily 1. They are guilty of his Body and Blood 2. Of their own damnation 7 We are informed of some of the sad effects their unworthy receiving of this holy Ordinance had on some of them for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Sixthly Singing of Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs is another Church-Ordinance or Institution of Christ Eph. 5.18 19 20. Col. 3.16 Mat. 26.30 Mark 14.26 This is a spiritual Ordinance and Duty yea it is a heart-warming Soul-refreshing Spirit-raising and grace-quickning Ordinance To the well performance of it much special grace and diligent exercise of it as also the spirit of grace is necessary Much wisdom and spiritual understanding life and vigor care and watchfulness is requisite sincerity and faithfulness spirituality and heavenly-mindedness is needful for our acceptable observance of it to God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 14.15 Col. 3.16 Eph. 5.18 19 20. It is true that all men ought to sing praises and thanksgivings unto God for it is a natural and moral duty and it is as true that none can rightly holily and acceptably do it but such as are partakers of the grace and spirit of Christ and that the Lord Jesus hath instituted it and made it a Church-Ordinance And as or because he hath instituted and made it one of his Gospel-Ordinances for his Churches that therefore they ought so to observe it Sevently Holy discourses and heavenly conferences among the members of the Church is another Church Ordinance which all are bound to mind and practise as they have ability and opportunity for the observation and celebrating of which they should seek for occasions and seasons to meet together and endeavour to promote it and when they have them in their hands to use and improve them to the glory of God and their own mutual profit and that because it is their Lords Ordinance for their good The neglect of which is doubtless one of the procuring causes of those witherings languishings and most dreadful decays in grace and woful back-slidings which are so notoriously evident among Church-members This useful profitable Ordinance was once in esteem much accounted of by Believers but it is now almost laid aside forgotten by them it was their delight but now their burden They made happy earnings of it to their Souls but now they fancy that they have no need of it that there is neither duty nor priviledge in it But however it is and shall ever be an Ordinance of God and their observation of it their priviledge and duty Jude 20. Building up your selves in your most holy faith 1 Thes 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do See also vers 14. and Heb. 3.13 Heb. 10.24 25. Mal. 3.16 17. Church-members must take heed that they meet together for the better and not for the worser as the Apostle told the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.17 that they so improve their occasional and determined meetings as to profit and better one another This holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ should be seriously frequently diligently spiritually and sincerely observed of all Church-members And if they shall so observe and practise it in obedience to his will and with holy designs and aims namely to please and honour God and to profit and better their own and each others Souls they will find it an exceeding profitable Ordinance to them for the promoting and carrying on the grace and interest of Christ in their hearts and it will be an effectual means to encrease love one to another unite their hearts and endear affections God will bless and empower it in your dependence on Christ and his free grace to keep your Consciences awake your Affections warm and your hearts ready to every good work Eightly Church-Discipline This Ordinance is instituted and appointed for the Churches regular and orderly walking for the preventing and curing disorders in them and there is as much need of this Ordinance and Institution as of any other as experience shews And it should be seriously minded and considered wisely and diligently observed and practised in the Church as much as any other Ordinance of God therein There is no Church in the world but is subject to disorders and too many irregularities because the Lusts Temptations and carnal Interests of some of the Member are strong and impetuous which causes many distempers and disturbances in the
it is a Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance for and respecting spiritual things 3. The Institutor of it and that is Jesus Christ him to whom the Father had committed all power and Authority and into whose hand he had given all things Joh. 3.35 Matth 11.27 Matth. 28.18 I say it is an Ordinance instituted by Jesus Christ himself Matth. 26.26 27. 1 Cor. 11.23 For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you this do ye in remembrance of me And mark it it is an instituted and a positive Ordinance and duty not a natural or moral one It is not founded on or put in and among the moral precepts or natural Laws of God but it is meerly an Institution of Christ appointed for and given to his inchurched members and none else And therefore it is not an Ordinance for and the use of it a duty incumbent on Unbelievers and persons dead in sins while they remain in that condition but 't is only appointed and intended for Believers in their orderly walkings with God All men as they are reasonable Creatures are bound to pray to God and to hear his Word preached because they are though not meerly and only so Ordinances and duties of moral worship and not meerly of divine Institution as Baptism and the Lords Supper are but all men are not so bound to participate of the Lords Supper and water Baptism 4. It is said that this Ordinance is appointed for and given to inchurched Saints that is that persons in Christ may and they only can partake of it in the way and order of the Gospel For although their relation to Christ and interest in the Covenant of Grace gives them a fundamental right unto it yet it is their orderly walking together in Church-fellowship under the discipline of Christ the care inspection and government of his Church-Ministers that gives them an immediate and orderly right unto it For we never read of any of the Apostles or other Ministers in their days that did or were allowed to receive it but such as were inchurched That it was by the Apostles direction administred and received in the Churches we often find but never that it was so else-where or by Believers out of a Church-state Acts 2.42 ult Acts 20.6 7. 1 Cor. 11.23 24. compared with 1 Cor. 1 2. And Paul tell the Church at Corinth That the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ the Bread that we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 17. 5. The Matter of this Ordinance is Bread and Wine Luk. 22.19 Matth. 26.26 1 Cor. 11.23.24 Mark 14.25 Matth. 26.29 It is true that it is but carnal matter and that which is common food among men but it is more than Bread and Wine by Christ's Authority and Appointment when they are set apart by the word of Prayer and by Faith dedicated and sanctified to this use and service in the name and by the Authority of Jesus Christ Quest Why is this Ordinance called the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10.20 Ans 1. It is called a Supper because it was instituted and celebrated at or about Supper-time The Lord Jesus chose that time rather than another as of his Soveraign Authority will and pleasure who may make appoint and change times and seasons as he will so likewise with respect to the Paschal Lamb or the Passover and the time of the Israelites eating thereof which was done in the Night Exod. 12.8 and also that he might abolish and put an end to that Ordinance at that time of its observation by setting this up in the place and room thereof 2. It is called the Lords Supper 1. Because he did personally and immediately institute it administer and eat it himself Matth. 26.26.27.29 2. Because it is appointed and ordained by him to be a constant memorial pledge of his Death and Sufferings Luk. 22.20 But more of this anon 3. Because it is to be received and celebrated in his Name and to his Glory 1 Cor. 11 2â— We read of several things called by his Name as his Day or the Christian Sabbath Rev. 1.10 The Laws and Commands of Christ are so called Joh. 15.10 So likewise we read of the Table and Cup of the Lord 1 Cor. 10.21 So are the Churches and the Teachers of them called by his Name for the reasons before mentioned Quest What is the nature use and end of the Lords Supper or wherefore is it instituted and given to inchurched Saints as it appears it is Ans I shall answer this question in many particulars only in the general I may say that it is instituted ordained and given to the Churches for Christs glory and their spiritual profit 1. But more particularly 1. To be to them a constant sign and memorial of Christs Death and Sufferings for them We are exceeding prone and very apt to forget the Love of Christ and what he hath done and suffered for us which should be matter of shame and sorrow to us But the Lord Jesus in his great love and care to and of his Churches hath provided proper Remedies for these Maladies and hath appointed his Gospel and the Preaching thereof and also Baptism and the Supper to keep alive in their minds and hearts his Death and Sufferings and to be continual signs tokens and memorials of them unto their Souls Rom. 4.11 Luk. 22.19 1 Cor. 11.24 25 26. And as God told Noah Gen. 9.11 17. This is the Token of the Covenant which I have made between me and you I do set my Bow in the Cloud and it shall be for a Token of the Covenant So says Jesus Christ I have entered into Covenant with God in your behalf and in your names to dye and suffer the shameful Death of the Cross for you to redeem you from all Iniquity Tit. 2.14 to wash and cleanse you from the guilt and filth of sin to reconcile you unto God and make you acceptable to him Eph. 5.25 26. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Eph. 1. This I have done for you I took your sins and guilt your death and punishment on my self by assuming your Nature and substituting my self in your stead and I have paid your Debts made you Righteousness 2 Cor. 5. ult have brought you nigh to God by the Sacrifice of my Life And you may not forget it but have it still in your eyes and hearts Behold I have given you this sign token and memorial thereof Here you shall see by Faith your great high Priest sacrificing and offering up himself to attone divine Justice to appease the wrath of God and here you may see how I was
may know in measure how dearly He loved us and how dear we have cost There we may see our sins Pardoned persons Accepted God Reconciled and Well-pleased there we may hear him saying Deliver them out of Prison for I have found and accepted a Ransom Surely there is not a more powerful means in the World to produce and provoke to Repentance yea pure Gospel-Repentance in Believers than the Lord's Supper is For here are presented to us all the greatest and strongest Gospel-motives to unfained Spiritual and Gospel-Repentance to melt soften the heart It is Love Grace the hopes of Pardon and Acceptance and of being sanctified and saved that provokes and produces Repentance unto Life not Fear and Dread of Divine Wrath and Vengeance Not the bare sight and Conviction of Sin and the Apprehension of future punishment no but 't is the sense or hope at least of our persons being loved and accepted into favour with God and of our being acquitted and justified through the blood of the Covenant that doth it 9. To stir us up to Admire Adore and Praise the great and free Love and Grace of God and Jesus Christ our Lord. They do in and by this Ordinance set off and commend their free eternal and distinguishing Love and Grace unto Believers and thereby give them occasion of Praising Admiring and Adoring it These are some of God's Holy and Gracious Ends in appointing this Ordinance for and giving it unto them and these and what-ever other uses and ends there are of it should be diligently sought out and understood by all Believers And being sound out they should be carefully diligently and faithfully aimed at and pursued by them Well then do you joyn Issues with God aim at and carry on the holy Ends of Jesus Christ in this Gospel Ordinance and by your so doing you will please and honour him and greatly profit your own Souls Quest What are the necessary qualifications and preparations of all worthy Receivers of the Lords Supper or what is required of and ought to be found in them Ans There qualifications and preparations are two-fold 1. A State qualification or worthiness 2. A habitual and practical or actual fitness 1. A State-worthiness or qualification which in brief is this or consists of these two things 1. Regeneration 2. Vnion with Christ by Faith 1. Regeneration or a New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 This is absolutely necessary as to Salvation Joh. 3.3 5. so to fit and qualifie men to and for every good work Without Regeneration or being Born again we cannot Believe Repent or Obey the Gospel in a right and acceptable manner Without this change of Nature we cannot love God nor fear God we cannot know him rightly nor worship him Spiritually Joh. 4.23 24. Phil. 3.3 for we cannot Worship him with Reverence and Godly fear until we are partakers of the Divine Nature and of his special Grace to do it withal 2 Pet. 1.4 Heb. 12 28. In our Unregenerate States we are blind and dark Eph. 5.8 Dead in sins Eph. 2.1.5 Enemies to God and Strangers to the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.10 Eph. 2.12 We are Carnal and Vain Hard-hearted and Impenitent Sinners and are shut up in Unbelief Yea we are Haters of God and the power of Godliness and excessive Lovers of Sin and the World and altogether voyd of the Love of God and of real love and pitty to our own Souls Now then it is absolutely necessary that we be Regenerated and Created in Christ Jesus unto good Works Eph. 2.10 for till then we are utterly uncapable of doing them according to the Will of God How then can we receive and partake of the Lords Supper worthily until we are Regenerated and made New Creatures How can we discern the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11.29 and how can we understand the mystery and take in the profit of Christ his Death to our Souls until we are taught of God How can we receive it in Faith and in Obedience to his Will until the Grace of Faith be formed in our hearts and until our hearts are bowed and melted by Grace into the Holy Will of God How can we Worship God and Celebrate this Ordinance with lively hearts whilst we are dead in sins And how can we apply the Seal to that Grace which we have not Therefore I say it is absolutely necessary that all that receive this holy Seal be Regenerated and made New Creatures For how can that Ordinance feed and nourish that which is not in Being namely the New Creature 2. They must be Vnited to Jesus Christ by Faith also They must be in him and have relation to him as living Members to their Head 2 Cor. 5.17 Col. 2.6 Christ must be theirs and they must be his by Faith or they cannot claim him as theirs nor receive any benefit by his Death for else how can they joyn with Christ in his saying Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you 1 Cor. 11.23 24. But I must hasten 2. They must have an habitual worthiness or meetness for the right Receiving and due Celebration of this Ordinance likewise I mean a holy and spiritual ready and accurate frame and disposition of heart to for it they must have their Sight Faith and Love ready in act and exercise or they are not cannot be meet partakers of the Lord's Table It is not only necessary that they be in a State of Justification and Regeneration but they must be also in or qualified with a habitual frame posture and disposition of heart to receive and celebrate it to the Glory of Christ and profit of their own Souls Tit. 3.1 Their Hearts and Graces must be ready fixed and tuned for the work that they be not to seek of them or at a loss concerning them when they should honour Christ with and get the Seal of the Spirit to them Psal 57.7 Psal 108.1 Psal 112.7 This habitual meetness or worthiness qualification or preparation call it which you will is a matter of great weight and moment especially in this matter and therefore you must labour all you can to obtain it 2. There is a practical and actual meetness and preparedness for the worthy and acceptable receiving of the Lords Supper also That is there is something more than ordinary to be done by them in order to their worthy participating of it This practical preparation I shall briefly present to you in some particulars 1. You must examine your selves 1 Cor. 11.28 But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup. And here 1. You must examine your States and try if you be in the Faith or no If you are indeed at least in a well grounded hope and perswasion in a justified and regenerate state and condition 2 Cor. 13.5 2 Pet. 1.10 and to know whether the Lord Jesus and his special Grace be formed in your hearts Gal. 4.19 This must be effectually done
pursuance of these and other holy ends I have written some of the matters that I preached to you and have made them ready for your eyes to read and behold them your judgements and understandings to judge of them and for your hearts to receive and embrace them and that upon your desire I have done it as you know They are your matters and therefore to you I do dedicate and commend them because I love you and if you give me encouragement I could willingly spend and be spent for you 2 Cor. 12.15 Brethren I grudge not at any pains and endeavours cares and labours I have taken and expended on you or yours for I think that all that I can do for you is too little I do heartily wish I could be more serviceable and profitable to you and the more you shall encourage and strengthen my hands to serve you the better I shall do it I have taken pains to write this Book or to compose and set forth the matters contained in it as well as I could had I been able I should have done it better But however it be done be you sure that the matters discoursed of are of great weight and moment to you You will find but little in it of man human frailties excepted but therefore I hope you will find the more of God and Gospel-Truth there For the Truths of God shine forth more gloriously when they appear in their naked native beauty and simplicity than when they come to us cloathed with humane Eloquence and with the Rhetorical flourishes of mens wits They are such glorious things in their own nature as that they are never more powerful on and acceptable to holy gracious hearts than when they are represented to them pure clear and entire in their own words and language stript of humane Ornaments and Garnishes My design was not to commend my self but the real the holy and acceptable will of God not to shew you what any men think or judge of these matters but to shew you what the Holy Ghost thinks and speaks of them I expect severe censures from others because far better mens works do usually meet with them but I hope to meet with none from you for love will cover a multitude of weaknesses in those whose aim end and design is good in any good work and you cannot but judge that mine was good in this good undertaking You put me on the work and I hope you will find nothing but Truth and plainness in it and cover my infirmities with a mantle of charity judge that I have performed it as well as I could for Christ's my own and your sakes and conclude that I have not wilfully knowingly or carelesly failed in any part of it Now it is prepared for you and brought to you by a hand of love I hope you will take the pains to read and mind it to understand and practise the duties contained in it and although the form of it as made by me may not have your esteem and consideration yet do not fail to give the matter of it it 's due Respects and acknowledgment let your Head and King his Truths and wayes have their dues from you as also your own Souls and you will greatly gratifie the Authour who is your real friend In this Book I have shewed you in several Chapters 1 What an instituted Gospel-Church is 2 That particular Congregational Churches are of Divine Institution 3 Of what materials they should be constituted and formed 4 What is the form of such Churches or how fit materials should be joyned together and made a formal house 5 The several Officers of a Church with their calls qualifications works and duties 6 The duties of Church-members to their Officers 7 Their duties to one another 8 Their Church-priviledges and advantages 9 I have shewed that all Believers are indispensibly bound to joyn themselves to some Gospel-Church if they can 10 What the Ordinances are that God hath given to his Churches 11 How all Church members ought to walk towards God and men and what Evils and Temptations they are subject to or in danger of 12 I have spoken somthing of the Lords Supper and of many other things and matters of great moment as you will find in your reading of the Book throughout As that Church-members ought not to break off from the Churches to which they are joyned but in extraordinary cases I have not yet done but shall present a few Requests to you for my self my God and your own Souls and which I hope you will not deny me but freely grant me because you will find them very reasonable Requests and such as do nearly concern you and your God as well as my self 1. I do earnestly entreat and beseech you for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake and for the love of the Spirit to do all you can and are bound in duty to do to encourage me in my work strengthen my hands under my weights and burdens and help me to run my Race and finish my course with joy 1 Cor. 9. Act. 20.24 and avoid whatever may justly discourage tempt and provoke me or that may weaken my hands grieve and sadden my heart unfit indispose me for in my work duty with you For if you do not avoid it you will tempt and provoke me to sin and hinder me in my work and duty And my sin will be your sin my loss your loss and my sorrow will be your sorrow at long run I can appeal to God that I seek desire and endeavour to do you good in whatever I do or propound to have done for or among you and therefore when you neglect to come to the worship of God and keep your place and when you neglect to set forward any good work in the Church for the honour of Christ and the profit of the whole you do discourage me and tempt me to sin and the like you may do many other wayes which for brevity sake I shall not mention Only this one namely by your non-proficiency under the means of grace which will be my great Affliction because I dearly love you Your serious conscientious and constant attendance on the administration of the Ordinances of Christ with me your growing in grace and profiting by them your readiness to help and assist me in promoting and carrying on of good works in the Church and standing by me in the Lord's work will exceedingly comfort encourage me in my Ministerial work And pray consider if it be not your duty and the will of God you should so do Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as that they may do it with joy and not with grief why why says he that is unprofitable for you Oh! give me your helping hand and do not load and burden my work but endeavour to make my work easie and my life comfortable to the utmost of your
power 2. Pray for me Heb. 13.18 and that with all possible importunity and constancy For the more you do so pray to God for me the more profitable he will make my labours to your Souls Pray for me in your Closets and wrestle with God for me for you especially you who walk with God may do much for me in your Closets I do remember you in mine Oh! let me be remembred by you in our Closets also For a stock of Prayers of hearty believing fervent Prayers kept a-running one for another will bring in a great Revenue of grace from Heaven to us You cannot expect that I should Preach warmly profitably and powerfully to you unless you so Pray for me Therefore in obedience to the will of God and for your own profit do you continue in fervent Prayer unto God for me Entreat him to pour out much of the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit upon me fill me with Ministerial gifts and make me an able Minister of the New Testament That God may give me the door of utterance and enable me to speak as I ought to speak Eph. 6.20 That God may work in me whatever is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 fulfill in me all the good Counsel of his will and the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in me and by me Oh! Pray for me that I may be kept faithful to Christ and you that I may labour and not faint run and not be weary that I may be able to bear up under all Burdens and Temptations and be able to overcome and conquer them all That I may rightly divide the word of Truth and administer the holy Ordinances of Christ according to his will so as that he may be magnified and your Souls profited That my heart may stand clear off the World and that I may not be taken and entangled with any snares and that I may perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and for whatever else you may rationally judge I may stand in need of as your Minister 3. I do request you that if at any time you do certainly see and undoubtedly know any failing or miscarriage in or by me that you will speedily seriously meekly humbly and as you ought to do enform me of it It is your duty to do so if you do it as you ought and may do it I shall through grace assisting receive it thank you and bless God for it and account it my mercy But I shall desire you to take heed and beware of these three evils towards me in this matter 1 That you do not fancy and make evils or miscarriages for me and then charge them on me as mine when in truth they are not so It is a very dangerous thing to condemn the Righteous and justifie the wicked as you know Prov. 17.15 and it is most dangerous and abominable in the sight of the Righteous God to condemn or falsly to charge his Embassadours because they stand in his stead bear his Image of Authority and do his Ministerial work in his Churches And yet how common is this evil among Professors as I can testifie 2 Do not take up a Report from others against me and take it for granted because you hear some Professors of the good wayes of God tell you so For the World yea and the Churches also are too full of slanderous and back biting Tongues They are not aware of this evil but hug and embrace it in their bosoms practise it without fear and commit this abomination with both hands as the Prophet speaks Remember that Jesus Christ hath strictly charged you in 1 Tim. 5.19 that you do not so much as receive an Accusation against an Elder under two or three witnesses and that on their certain knowledge of the Fact not upon their conjectures and feigned Circumstances For God is very curious and tender of their good Names Credit and Reputations and he knows and all wise and holy men do know that they are more obnoxious to the Envy and that they lye more open to the wrath and hatred of men than other men do Therefore I say God hath set a higher mound about their good Name for their security than about others 3 Do not take up my real or supposed miscarriages and spread them before others Oh! my Brethren let not this filthy devilish wickedness be found in you let not others hear of my faults before I do my self be not you Back-biters and Whisperers against him who loves you so much as that he could spend and be spent in the service of your Souls and who seeks your good all he can Requite not his love to you with such mischief and wickedness against him for the Lord's sake You may do him much wrong thereby but you will much more wrong Christ and your own Souls And let none of you think that Jesus Christ is an idle Spectator of what you do herein that he observes you not or that because you imagine you intend him no hurt in what you say of him that therefore he will hold you guiltless No no be not deceived for God will not be mocked what a man soweth that shall he reap Gal. 6.7 God doth not say you may speak evil of his Ministers or other men if you intend not to hurt them thereby no but he deth expresly forbid you to back bite or speak of their evils though real at all behind their backs until they prove incorrigible and have rejected your reproofs and endeavours to convince and convert them Levit. 19.16 17. Jam. 4.11 Tit. 3.2 Rom. 1.30 31. Psal 15.3 2 Cor. 12.20 But in truth this excuse or pretence is but a carnal blind and diabolical delusion to shut the eyes of men and harden their hearts against the evils of it that they may commit it with the more peace and satisfaction that neither men nor their own Consciences may reprove or controul them and cry shame on them for their sins and that they may not be obstructed or any way impeded in their doing of that wherein they find pleasure Neither indeed can they prove that they do not hate them or intend their hurt For it is infallibly certain that they do not really love such and that they are prejudiced against them and do not in truth seek their good For can I perswade any reasonable man by the rules of Reason that I love him and seek his good in the dark as to him by doing or speaking that which experience shews will inevitably tend to his hurt to his shame and reproach and to the alienating of others affections from him Well then tell me of my real faults to my face that I may mend and do so no more for that is the Will of Christ Matth. 18.15 4. I do request you to Visit me and let me have your good Company as often as conveniently you can and
much is given much is required and expected and you know how to apply it to your selves 8 Consider what you shall be hereafter and what is now preparing for you in Heaven You have your Race to run and you have a great prize to win 1 Cor. 9. You have a Wilderenss to go thorow and a Heavenly Canaan to possess You are now to fight the good Fight of Faith 1 Tim. 6.12 and you shall be Crowned in the end 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Now you are to Sow in Tears that you may Reap in Joy and now you are to sow and gather Fruit unto Eternal Life Joh. 4.36 and hereafter you shall Reap Life everlasting Gal. 6.8 Your Head and King is gone to Heaven to take possession for you and make ready Mansions of Glory for your Reception and Entertainment Joh. 14.2 3. He will not fail to come again in glorious State and Triumph to fetch you home unto himself and to present you spotless and glorious before his Father with exceeding joy Because he lives namely at his Fathers right hand in eternal glory you shall live there also and you shall be ever with the Lord Joh. 14.3 19. Math. 25.32 33 34. 1 Thes 4.16 17. Eph. 5. Jude 24. You are now of the Church Militant shortly you shall be of and with the Church Triumphant You are intitled to an Eternal Inheritance and shortly you shall be put into the peaceable and joyful possession of it as soon as you are of full Age. Your Names are now enroled among the general Assembly of Believers and Church of the First-born written in Heaven Heb. 12.23 But it will not be long e're you shall be taken in among that Heavenly and Glorious Society where you shall see and know as you are known 1 Cor. 13. 1 Joh. 3. Oh that you would now apply these things unto your selves and rejoyce in the faith and hope of them 1 Pet. 1.8 Oh that you would be looking for and hastening to that blessed Hope and glorious Appearance of your great God and Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2.13 2 Pet. 3.12 Oh that you would be stedfast and unmovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult Now is your working-time hereafter you shall have a rewarding and resting time The one is very short the other Eternal Oh consider how fast your glass is running out and how near you may be at your Journeys end how gray hairs are coming on you and what a great change Death will shortly make among you The Lord Jesus is at work for you in Heaven and you lye deep in his heart and dearest Affections He will send you many Love-Letters by the holy Spirit that shall ravish and greatly rejoyce your hearts if you carry your selves dutifully to and walk pleasantly before him He will open the richest Treasures of his Love and Grace unto you and cause his fountain of pleasures to flow in upon your Souls and after a little while he will instate you into and give you an Eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Oh that I might so run as to obtain so Preach Walk and Minister unto you as to make you fat and flourishing in the House of God and approve my self a faithful Steward of the mysteries of God to you Oh that you who are Ruling Elders and Deacons and are honoured with noble Works and Offices in his House would carefully diligently faithfully and profitably mind your work and do your duty there and that all the Members would mind and practise their works and duties also O what a happy and renowned Church would you then be and what peace you might obtain to your selves thereby Oh! what advantages and opportunities have you all to honour Christ convince the World profit your own Souls and be useful to one another which I do once more entreat you to consider and lay to heart and so walk as to obtain the ends of your Church-state and priviledges And in order thereunto pray read this Book over and over again and that with a single eye and unprejudicate minds Read and ponder welâ— what you read Read and pray for a Blessing from Heaven on your hearts and Read that you may know and practise your Duties therein held forth not that you may find matters to cavil at and except against Receive and use this Book as a Pledge and Testimony of my true and unfeigned Love Respects to you an evidence of my Cordial desires and intentions to promote the everlasting welfare of your Souls Brethren I call Heaven and Earth to witness That in all my ministrations to you in all my writings and doings for and with you I do heartily earnestly and unfainedly seek and design your present and eternal Good your Peace and Vnity your Comfort and Holiness your Growth and Stability in the Grace and Truths of Christ and that you may be a Glorious Temple of God and a Church of Renown for Fruitfulness and Spirituality for Peace Concord and true Holiness Oh! how do I desire it and long to see it And know that what is wanting in my Ability to do you Service shall be made up in Diligence Love and Faithfulness while I live And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are Sanctified And shall remain for ever Yours in the Lord Jesus to Love and Serve to his power S. F. ERRATA Candid Reader Thou wilt find many faults committed by the Press which I do entreat thy Wisdom to Correct and thy Charity to pardon seeing they are not the Authors The chief are these PAge 17. line 2. read suffragia p. 20. l. 19. f. either r. other p. 29. l. 34. f. now r. own p. 41. l. 17. r. rooted p. 44. l. 9. f. that r. yet p. 45. l. 5. f. if r. that p. 63. l. 12. put out with p. 64. r. Chapt. 4. p. 88. l. 35. r. gravity p. 121. l. 18. r. and p. 124. l. 34. f. them r. you p. 145. l. 31. r. back-bite p. 150. l. 32. after in r. and p. 177. l 8. r. have p. 201. l. 1. r. handed p. 226. put cause out of l. 7. and r. it in l. 9. p. 236. l. 14. f. in r. about before to r. is p. 238. l. 6. f. and r. as p. 243. l. 2. r. and p. 249. l. 7. r. careless p. 258. l. 1. r. and p. 270. l. 1. f. to r. for p. 271. l. 35. f. but r. for p. 308. l. 10. f. of r. and p. 310. l. 11. after and put in that p. 314. l. 23. r. the l. 35. f. continued r. confirmed p. 315. l. 19. r. to p. 320. l. 9. r. smell A GOSPEL-CHVRCH OR GOD'S Holy Temple A brief Discourse of A New-Testament CHURCH from Ephes 2.19 20 21 22. Now therefore ye are
his Spirit prepare and fit men for this state build them up and stamp his own and his Father's name upon them but also he dwells in them and makes them his walks palaces and places of his delight Here says he will I dwell for I have desired it Psal 135.14 yea these Churches are his chosen and most pleasant habitations Psal 132.13 where he rests and reposes himself v 14. and that for ever not to look on or visit them now and then but to rest himself and dwell there for ever not for a few days but for ever And in Rev. 2.1 the Lord Jesus tells the Church at Ephesus that he walked in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks which were the seven distinct particular and congregational Churches Rev. 1.20 and in the 2 Cor. 9.16 says he I will dwell in them and walk in them that is in the particular Church at Corinth Now particular congregational Churches are of God or Men but they cannot be of mens devising and setting up because God owns them and confirms them with his presence desires and chuses them for his Rest and dwells in them continually with delight and complacency and therefore they must be of God for the great and holy God will not own the devices of men in and about his name and worship but abhorrs and loaths them condemns and rejects them as filthy and abominable things Lev. 10.2 Sam. 6. and much less will he delight and rest in them Thirdly That particular congregational-Churches of Believers are of divine Institution is further evinced and confirmed by the constant and universal practice of Believers in the Apostles daies for no sooner were any Jews or Gentiles converted to Christ but assoon as they had opportunity they joyned to or congregated into Churches So Acts 2.41 42. it is said that they were daily added to the Church vers 47. and Acts 5.14 This is evident in the places where the Apostles preached amongst the Jews and Gentiles and the Gospel was received that assoon as a number were converted they congregated as being the first work they were to do after they had received Christ Jesus the Lord. Col. 2.6 and ever after they were called Churches of Christ and Temples of God a multitude of them you read of in the Acts Epistles of Paul and in the Revelation And what they did therein was by the doctrine and advice of the Apostles and according to what they taught them from and in the name of Christ 1 Cor. 11.23 2 Pet. 1. ult Now what they did and practised by Apostolical direction and with the approbation of Jesus Christ hath the binding force and power of a divine precept 1 Cor. 11.1 Heb. 6.12 It was the universal practice of the primitive Saints to joyn themselves to some Church of Christ insomuch that we can hardly find any one of them continuing out of a Church-state any time after their conversion We seldome read in divine histories of any believers but what had relation to one Church or other planted and watered by the Apostles or Evangelists 1 Cor. 3.6 By which said universal practice we may conclude that particular Churches of Believers are of Gods owne Institution For the Saints of God durst not do then as many dare do now namely to live in the willful neglect of so great a Duty and priviledg the love and fear of God and the will of Christ easily perswaded them to give up themselves unto Christ in universal obedience unto his whole revealed will And they could not congregate and joyn into Churches nor abide and worship God in them in faith and obedience unless they had known that what they did therein was the will of Christ and their duty Fourthly This Truth is further confirmed by the Laws Rules and Orders that Jesus Christ hath given to his Churches as Churches and not as to individual and single Believers Almost all the Epistles of Paul are written for and directed to Believers as inchurched and incorporated into bodies and distinct congregations and he directs his Epistles to them under the stile and Title of Churches To the Church of God which is at Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 and To the Church of the Thessalonians 1 Thes 1.1 In which Epistles are all the Laws Rules and Orders for all the members of the Churches walking and practice contained which shall be afterwards opened when I come to speak of the duties of Churches and the Epistles of Paul to Timothy are written and sent to him to direct him how to behave himself in the House of God and to shew him what his work and duty was in the Church 1 Tim. 3 14 15. So other Epistles are given to the Churches that they might know how to behave themselves in that state and Relation There are Rules and Laws for their faith and Love and orders for their walkings and practices There they are Instructed and taught how to carry themselves towards God the Father and Jesus Christ their Head and Ruler towards their Pastors and Teachers and towards one another as fellow-Members There they have laid down their particular works and duties towards God and Men and shewed how they should perform them as also motives and encouragements to move and quicken them to diligence and faithfulness in the practice of them And although all sorts of duties are there laid down and commanded namely such as respect other Relations and Capacities as of husband and wife parents and children c. yet the chief and great end matter and scope of them are intended for them as Believers in a Church-state and Relation as will further appear when I come to speak of the special and particular duties of Church Members as such Now then if God hath given his Laws Rules and Orders unto Churches or to Believers as in a Church state and condition for their holy and regular walking towards God and one another as in that relation then undoubtedly particular congregated Churches of Believers are of God and of divine Institution For surely the holy and jealous God would never so far own and priviledge the devices and Institutions of men in matters that so nearly concern his worship and Glory as to dignify them with his holy Laws and Ordinances as he hath done to his own Churches that are of his own Institution and appointment Fifthly This Truth is further ratifyed and confirmed by the Officers he hath given to them for their well-being ordering and managing of Church-affairs and concernments in his name for his glory and their profit These Officers are specified and enumerated in Eph. 4.11 1 Cor. 12.28 Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 Tim. 5.17 and elsewhere as in Acts 20.17 c. And they are not given by men but God authorized impowred by him to act and officiate as such in the Church 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set them in his Church And Acts 20.28 says Paul to the Elders of the Church at Ephesus Take heed to your selves and to the
Church over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad pascendam Ecclesiam Dei to feed the Church of God And in Eph. 4.11 he that is Christ vers 10. gave Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry vers 11. And as they are given authorized and sent of God or set by him in the Churches so he hath allotted and appointed them their several distinct works and businesses there and charged them to take heed and see they do it as he appoints Acts 20.17 18. Rom. 12.7 8. Heb. 13.17 1 Tim. 5.17 and takes special care about their qualifications for their work 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. yea he gives and bestows Gifts and abilities himself on them for the Churches sakes that they may be able ministers of the New-Testament not of the letter only but of the Spirit and promises to be with them himself in all their endeavours to discharge their Trust and perform their works Eph. 4. Rom. 12. Mat. 28. vlt. and will bless and prosper their labours to his Glory and the Churches benefit Now assuredly God would never have made such provisions for Churches of humane Invention and setting up he would never so far own the works of mens hands without his mind Authority appointment and therefore seeing God hath provided and set Officers in them appointed them their works qualified fitted them by his Spirit promised to be with them particular Churches of Believers must be of divine Institution of God not of men Sixthly This further appears by the order and discipline Christ hath appointed and required to be observed and practised in his Churches He hath appointed and given Officers unto them as before-said and to them hath he committed the use exercise and power of the Keys to open and shut his door to execute his Laws and to manage his concernments and houshold-affairs therein namely in his Name and by the Authority he hath given them for that end and purpose and he hath charged the Churches to Obey and submit themselves to them in the Lord in the exercising of their power and Authority in his name to his Glory and the Churches profit according to his direction Heb. 13.7 17. 1 Thes 5.12 These Officers or Elders have the power and Authority of Christ in their hands to correct offenders to instruct admonish and reprove and in case of obstinacy to cast them out or remove them from their membership in the Churches which the Churche's suffrage and upon Repentance to receive them in again Mat. 16.18 19. 1 Cor. 5.4 5.7 12 13. 2 Cor. 2. The neglect of which Christ reproves the Churches of Asia for Rev. 2.14 20. And as the Churches have by their Elders the orders and discipline of Christ with power and Authority to use and exercise the same so each particular Church hath power to chuse and appoint Officers for themselves namely such as they judge the Lord Jesus hath appointed and fitted for them such as he offers and presents to them and gives a place and interest in their hearts Acts 14.23 Acts. 6.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quumque ipis per susfragia creassent per singulas Ecclesias Beza a Church may Authoritatively do that which Believers cannot so do in a single and individual capacity as Believers but they may as a congregated Body and as an incorporated society who have voluntarily given up themselves and engaged to one another to Jesus Christ by the Will of God to submit to walk together by the same Laws and Rules of the Society or Corporation These have not singly but joyntly as a Corporation the power and exercise of discipline When ye are come together deliver such a one to Satan in the Name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 5.4 and if he will not hear thee tell it to the Church c. Mat. 16. So then if Christ hath given Rules laws and power of order and discipline to particular congregated Churches of Believers then they are of divine Institution And indeed spiritual discipline cannot elsewhere be rightly exercised Seventhly This Truth is further confirmed by their names and honourable Titles God the Father and Jesus Christ his Son calls them by their own names and so owns them for their own Churches 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are So 2 Cor. 6.16 And as Jesus Christ honours them with the high stile and Title of his holy Temple so also his Habitation Eph. 2.22 and his Houshold Eph. 2.19 as also the Houshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 And further he intitles them his Churches or the Churches of God and Christ and golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 11.16 2 Thes 1.4 And that in allusion to the old Temple and Candlesticks thereof which were of his own appointment Moreover a particular congregated Church of Believers is called the House of God 1 Tim. 3.5.15 Heb. 3.5 6. and Christ his Walks Rev. 2.1 These were particular Congregational Churches that he thus owns and honours with such Titles viz the particular Churches of Ephesus Corinthians Thessalonians Eightly Believers as inchurched or incorporoted Bodies are spoken to by name the great dis overies made of Gods purposes and intended works in the latter daies are directed and given to them by the Spirit Hence it is often said in the Revelations he that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches which were distinct incorporated Bodies and Societies of Believers Rev 2.7 17 29. Rev. 3.6 13 22. The Holy Ghost reveals to them the rice name nature and works of Antichrist what he should be and what he should do from whence he should come what he should do to the Churches Temple and beloved City of God and what his end should be There he describes the New Jerusalem and Church-state of Gods People and what he would do with and for them There they are shewed largely and abundantly the care and Love of Christ to his People of the warr and conflicts that shall be between the Dragon Beasts Whore false Prophet and Jesus Christ and his followers as also the Issue of all as you may find in that book of the Revelations All which shews that particular Churches of Believers are of God For the Holy Spirit would never own the Inventions of men so farr as to make known to them such great things as he there declares unto the Churches Ninthly If particular congregational Churches had not been of divine Institution but of mens devising then surely Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit would have sharply reproved them for their setting up their posts by God posts as he did the Jews Ezek. 43.8 and as he reproved them for their miscarriages in their Church-state Rev. 2.3 and the Corinthians and Galatians c. But we never find them reproved or
dreadfull end of the Tares Matth. 13.38 39 40 41 42 43. which were the Hypocrites that by the Devils instigation crept into the Churches as in the 2. to the Galatians 4. c. Matth. 13.38 39. It is true that such were and will be in the best Churches let their Guides do all they can to prevent it because they cannot make an infallible Judgment of persons states as was said and it is as certain that they are Vsurpers and ought not to be there For although they are by Gods providence permitted to creep in yet be sure they are not there with his approbation and allowance they are not all Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 for saith God to all the uncircumcized What have you to do to take my Covenant into your mouth seeing you hate Instruction and cast my words behind your Back as all Hypocrites do Psal 50.16 17. and Christ says that such as will not have him to reign over them and Hypocrites be sure will not shall be destroyed Luke 19.27 Now either the Churches of God should consist of Saints and sincere hearted Believers or of formal hypocritical professours as all are that are not prophane men or real Saints for all sober men will confesse that open prophane and debauched persons ought not to be accounted Church Members while they continue such not of Hypocrites because they are the most loathsome and abominable persons in the sight of God as may be seen at large-in the 23 chapt of Matth. from the 13. vers to the 35. and Christ tells us that publicans and harlots should go into the Kingdome of God before them Matth. 21.31 And therefore they should and ought to be sincere-hearted Believers and none else I do not say that Churches should account such for Hypocrites and reject them as such because they do not certainly know them to be sincere Saints who offer to joyn in fellowship with them but I only say that Hypocrites have no right unto neither ought they to presse into the Holy Churches of Christ for all the New-Testament Churches should consist onely of New Creatures and real Members of Jesus Christ 2. That all Church-members ought to be sincere hearted Believers appears by the high Titles that the Lord Jesus gives unto the Members of his Churches in the Scripture He calls them not his Copper but his Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 So David describes the Spouse of Christ Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Gold So they are called Saints holy Brethren and Beloved elect and called dear Children of God and called into the fellowship of his Son Rom. 1.7 Col. 3.12 2 Thes 2.13 Eph. 5.1 Heb. 3.1 And the Apostle Paul tells the Church of the Thessalonians that they were such to whom the Gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance and hence he concludes that they were the Elect of God 1 Thes 1.4 5. and he tells the Philippians that God had begun a good work in them and would perfect it and that not in a few but in all of them chap. 1.5 6. And the Church at Corinth is called the Spouse of Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 and the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 6.16 as also the Holy Churches of God and of Christ as you heard before and that the Church of Ephesus was formed into a Holy Temple of God and made his Habitation by the Spirit Eph. 2.21 22. And the Church at Rome wer the Children of God and joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8. And Peter says that they were lively stones built up a Spiritual House and a Holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 and Paul tells the Ephesians that they were the Lords Sealed ones that they had the Spirit of God which had Sealed them up unto the Day of Redemption Eph. 1.13.4.30 Now these glorious things that are spoken of the Cities or Churches of God Psal 87.3 such honourable Titles belong not unto meer formal professours but only unto the real members of Christ not unto those that have a name only but to such as are so indeed and in Truth 3. A third Reason is taken from the ends of Churches or the ends of God in Instituting and appointing them I 'le name a few 1. They are said to be built by the Spirit for God Eph. 2.21 22. that is for God to dwell in them and walk in them to rest and repose himself in them as in his holy Walkes Gardens houses and Temples 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev 2.1 Psal 132.13 14. For the Lord hath chisen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Oh! that all Church-members would seriously mind this and in Zeph. 3.16 17. it is said In that day speaking of Gospel-times it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and unto Zion let not thine hands be slack The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with Joy he will rest in his Love he will Joy over thee with Singing As men refresh themselves and delight to be in the House of their dear and hearty Friends and Relations so doth God in his Churches and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride so doth God over in his own Churches Isa 62.5 Now then if this be one of the holy ends of God then surely they must be Churches of holy persons not of Hypocrites for God hates and abhors their presence and services Isa 1.13 16. Isa 66.3 Prov. 15.8 2. They are intended and erected by his Spirit and Authority for his Glory in the World When great Men build stetely Houses it is for their honour and Glory and to distinguish themselves from others so when God builds himself a Spiritual House it is for his Honour and Glory to distinguish his People from others Solomon tells God that he had built God a House to dwell in and also for his name 1 Kings 8 13 19. which he did by the Lords appointment and direction so God appoints and sets up particular Holy Temples by his Spirit for his name and Glory that they should be to the praise of his glorious Grace and be the living Witnesses to his Name Truths and Ways that they should be the Habitations of beauty and Glory of fame and renown in the World and be the lights therefore and that with one heart and mouth they should glorify God Rom. 15.6 Golden Candlesticks in Princes Courts are set up for their glory as suitable to their state and dignity so doth God erect and set up his Golden Candlesticks the Churches of Believers for his glory as having a resemblance of his state and dignity and it is Gospel holinesse that becomes his House fore ver Psal 93.5 The Messengers of the Churches are said to be the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8.23 God calls the Church of the Jews
to the Churches and there the Lord Jesus comes and observes how they are received and obeyed Rev. 2.23 5. God hath Instituted and formed up Believers into Churches that he may feed and nourish them there as his flocks that he may water them as his Gardens support them as his Houses order and govern them as his Familys Housholds and that by his Spirit Ministers They are appointed to water them 1 Cor. 3.6 7. to feed and nourish them Act. 20.17 23. 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3. and to rule govern and take the over-sight of them Heb 13.7 17. 1 Thes 5.12 They are to teach and instruct them to warnand caution them to reprove and exhort them to comfort them and build them up with the milk and strong meat of Spiritual sound Doctrine 1 Cor. 3.1 2. Heb. 5.12 13 14. and that by their speaking unto them as to their own flocks and peculiar Churches and charges from and under Christ the Truths of Christ in Love they may grow up into him in all things Eph. 4.15 So also for Believers regular and orderly walking Col. 2.5 God is a God of Order and he loves to see his People walking orderly and regularly conforming themselves to his Laws and Government And if earthly Governours by the Light of Nature are careful to set up and give unto their Subjects Laws and Orders for their regular and orderly walking and love greatly to see them so to walk under their Laws and Government in their Cities and politick Bodies how much more careful is Jesus Christ to set his People in order and method and how pleasing and delightful must it needs be to Jesus Christ to see his Subjects walk orderly and regularly in his Cities and Spiritual Bodies that are of his own appointment These are some of the ends of God in instituting and erecting of Churches Many other might be named and insisted on but that I may not exceed my Intentions Fourthly The Churches of Jesus Christ must consist of new-Creatures and sincere-hearted Believers Because they can and will answer and prosecute these aforesaid and such like holy ends of God in and by his Churches I say these can and will because they are fitted and qualified in measure by the grace and Spirit of Christ to aim at and effectually to prosecute these holy ends of God but so cannot others neither would they if they could because they have not the saving Knowledge nor practical Wisdome of Christ in them they are strangers in Heart to Jesus Christ and the Power of Godlyness All others at the best have but a name to live but are dead at the Root Rev. 3.1 Matth. 8.22 neither are they made a willing People to joyn Issues and comply with the holy ends of God Psal 110.3 because God hath not by reason of their wickednesse and obstinacy wrought in them to will and to do as he hath in his peculiar people they are not yet wrought by God for this self same thing as real Saints are Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 5.5 they are not renewed in the Spirit of their minds after the Image of Him that Created them as Saints are Col. 3.10 But now real and peculiar Believers are fitted and framed moulded and pollished by the Holy Ghost for their growing up into a holy Temple in the Lord Eph. 2.21 and so by the constant and promised guidance and conduct of their living head Jesus Christ with their Spiritual qualifications they are enabled to answer and perform the great ends of God in erecting and building them up in Churches When a wise man builds a House he will propound some ends to himself in his so doing and accordingly he will make use of and lay in such materials and so form and build it as that it may effectually answer his ends if he be able Now if he build it with hay and stubble or with rotten wood althought it may stand a while yet be sure it will not stand long nor answer his ends So the great master builder who is the Alsufficient and only wise God propounded great and holy ends to himself in Instituting and building of Churches and Temples and these such as should irrefrustrably be obtained notwithstanding all possible contingencies Interveniencies whatsoever for says God my purpose shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Isa 46.10 I will build Churches and Temples for my Glory to dwell in them and walk in them to have peculiar Love homage and service from them to have their free hearty and chearful obedience and Respects that I might enrich them with my Grace build them up in Faith and Godlyness delight in an refresh my self with them make them a praise in the Earth and Glorify the Houses of my Glory Isa 60.7 That there I may set my ministery and Officers and that among them I may set my Laws Rules and Ordinances But hypocrites and formalists will never answer nor prosecute these ends as I found by experience among the Old-Church-Members of the Jews I cannot look for it nor expect it from them for they are a people of an other Spirit they slight my Grace and reject my easy yoke and therefore they shall not be honoured with membership in my Churches in my particular Gosspel Churches but if they creep in as many will do I will loath and abhor their presence I will root them up cast them out and that into everlasting fire for whatever they profess to be yet I know that they are not for my Turn and will stand me in no stead there but to provoke me to wrath with their Hypocrisy and make fuell for the fire of my Jealousy Therefore my New-Testament-Churches shall be built only of Holy and Spiritual materials not of dead but living Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.1.5 such as my Word and Spirit shall pollish and prepare for that work and Service that so by them I may obtain my Holy ends and carry on my great designes I know that my peculiar People will receive submit unto and obey my Laws that they will Love and honour me that they will shine as lights in the World and that they will give me kind and cordial entertainment and that will cleave to and not forsake me Therefore they shall be my Churches Fifthly Because all the Laws Ordinances and Works of Church-Members are holy Spiritual and Heavenly They are such as the natural Man understands not cannot discern what they are and that because they are such and they that are not taught of God savingly and powerfully to understand and make a Judgment of them do think and Judge of them carnally and vainly 1 Cor. 2.9 end But Believers have them written in their Minds and Hearts beforehand they have them not without Book I mean they have the same Laws of Christ written in the books of their hearts which they find in the Bible Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 11. Heb. 10.16 by which they are capacitated and in some measure enabled to
understand receive love and rightly obey the Laws and Ordinances of Christ without The Laws says Paul is Spiritual Rom. 7. and a real sound Believer is called a Spiritual Man 1 Cor. 2. Their Laws are Holy and Spiritual their works and businesses in a Church are so likewise John 4.23 24 Eph. 5 19. Col. 3.16 and a particular congregated Church is called a Holy-Temple and Spiritual House Eph. 2.21 1 Pet. 2.5 They have a Holy God who is a Spirit to Serve and Worship a Spiritual head to believe in and obey and Holy and Spiritual Work to do in their Church-state and therefore they had need be Holy and Spiritual Persons not without in profession only but within in Truth Almost all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ are committed to them and God expects his principal and choicest Worship from his Churches and they are all above and beyond the reach of carnal Men. God first makes Spiritual Men and then with them he formes Spiritual Houses and then as such he gives them Holy Laws and Ordinances and spiritual work to do and requires them to do it as spiritual Persons and Churches Christ doth not form them into Churches as reasonable men but as good Holy and Spiritual men and suits his Laws to their Capacities and States as at first he framed and suited them to his Laws Christ calls his People into Churches and incorporated congregated Bodies that they may as such receive and practice his spiritual and Holy Church Laws and Ordinances for his Glory and their good and they are spiritual Laws and Ordinances for spiritual men and therefore only such should be Members of Christ's Churches For what shall Hypocrites do in the Holy spiritual Temples and Churches of God and what use will they make of Christ's Laws and Holy Ordinances but to defile and polute them and eat and drink their own Damnation 1 Cor. 11. Sixthly Because the separation between Saints and Sinners begun here in this Life by the Lords calling men out of the World and forming them up into Holy Temples for himself is the beginning of that everlasting separation that shall be in the great day of Christ his appearing between the Sheep and the Goats Matth. 25.31 32 41. or at least a shadow and resemblance of it for the comfort of the Saints and terror of the wicked Says Christ hereafter I will come in Glory set upon my Throne before me shall be gathered all nations and then will I seperate them on from another as a Shepherd divideth this Sheep from the Goats 31 32. and then I will say to the Sheep come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you and to the other go ye Cursed into everlasting sire 34.41 Now because you wil not believe me nor what I say in this matter see what I have begun already in it you see a few seperated from you in this world before your eyes and formed up into Holy-Temples for me and this is not their own Work or done of themselves or of their own minds and carnal apprehensions or singular proud notions and Opinions as you falsly charge them no but this thing is done of me I will own it as my own Work for I have commanded them to separate and have called them out from amongst you who continue still in your Infidelity and unregenerate States John 15.19 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. 2 Tim. 3.5 and bid them congregate together as my peculiar People and become my Spiritual Houses and Churches and I have by my Spirit made them willing and moved their hearts to do so as you see them do I own them and will stand by them in it for it is not so much they that have separated themselves as it is I my self that have done it and what they have done therein is in obedience unto me and that to convince you of the Truth of my Word for as certainly as you see these my People now separated from you so I will at the last day make an eternal seperation between them and you unless you repent and become my People in Season And as it is intended for the conviction and terror of the wicked so also for the comfort and confirmation of Believers for by the Lords separating them from the World and building them up into Holy-Temples he gives them a notable pledge and earnest of the assured and promised difference of that great and everlasting discrimination seperation that shall be between them and the wicked Now good men are apt to think that because all things seems to happen alike to all as Solomon speaks that there is no difference or very little between the wicked and them although there is indeed a vast difference upon many accounts between them now and so are apt to be discouraged in their duties and walkings but to chear them up and support their Spirits here says God is a very great distinguishing difference and a pledge of a greater between you and the World I have called you out of the World and brought you near unto my Self I have seperated you already from the Lions and Goats and made you my formal and publique habitations and Holy-Temples which is your honour priviledg and dignity I do not say that all that are not of such or such particular Churches are Goats or unbelievers no I cannot entertain such a thought in my Heart for as I think and fear that there are many hypocrites crept into Churches so I believe that there are many gracious Persons which to their own losse and Gods dishonour do live out of Church-fellowship so their are others that would joyn with them but cannot and others can but will not But I say that Jesus Christ will have his Churches made up of Saints only and not of such as shall be everlastingly seperated but of such as shall live and reign with Jesus Christ for evermore in the Church triumphant and that for this reason among others because it may comfort and confirm the Saints in their hope and walking with God and convince and terrify the wicked Seventhly The Churches ought to be built of Believers and regenerate persons because they may continue and stand fast in all Storms and Tempests and hold out unto the end as being built upon the Rock Jesus Christ For whatever Church is builded upon the Sand and not upon the Lord Jesus and by the Authority and help of his Word and Spirit will not stand long because it wants a bottome to bear up its weight They must all be built upon the Rock and chief corner-Stone the foundation that God hath laid Matth. 7.24 25. 1 Cor. 3.11 Matth. 16.18 the Lord Jesus tells us that upon this Rock that was himself and the Truths that Peter had confessed will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now Hypocrites are not built upon Christ for if they were that great promise of perseverance would belong to them and
then the stony Ground would be in as good and safe a condition as the good Ground but the contrary is apparent Matth. 13. and Matth. 7. But it is certain that they are not built on Christ by faith but are vocted in themselves and build their vain hopes on a sandy Foundation Job 8. Matth. 7. and in many other Scriptures is manifest Therefore if there persons are not built on Christ their Church-state is not but upon the Sand. Hence then it follows that only sound Believers are built on Christ and so they are the persons only that Christ will have built up into Holy-Temples because the Churches that Christ builds he himself says he will build upon himself that they may stand inpregnably in all weathers and that is only of such as are united unto him by Faith and have chosen him for their only Rock and Foundation by a lively Faith and not of such as do secretly reject him Obj. If it be said that the Text in Matth. 16. speaks of the invisible Catholick Church I Answer And I am speaking too of the Members of the Catholick Church and say that all particular congregated Churches of Believers are or ought to be such as are united unto and built upon Christ by Faith and that these ought to congregate and become Churches of God and none else and that according unto the directions of the Gospel of Christ and then if they be indeed such that promise in Matth. belongs to them and they shall be secured by it as well as the Catholick Church although they be formed up according to Christs his Institution into particular congregational Churches And although after they are thus formed they may be broken in a Sense and scattered as the Church at Jerusalem was Act. 8.1 yet they are still secured by that promise and have communion with each other in Faith Love tears and Prayers in Judgment and affection The Lord Jesus suffers in name and Glory by the fall of his Churches or such as pretend to be so as he that built his house on the sand is called a foolish man by Spectators Matth. 7. and if Churches should be so built either for want of a good Foundation or good matter or wise and carefull cementing and forming up the materials how greatly will the Wisdom and care of Christ suffer by the Tongues of his Enemies because such Churches took upon themselves the name of Christ and pretended to be his people and to walk by his Laws And as the fall of them will be a Reproach to Christ so it will be matter of grief and scandal to the weak Members of Christ also whether they were in or out of those Churches thus fallen and it will greatly harden the hearts of Sinners against the good ways of God and cause them to think that there is no reality in his Gospel Religion and therefore Christ cannot endure to see his houses fall to the ground but takes care that all that he builds by his Word and Spirit be so built and secured as that the Gates of Hell shall not overthrow them nor by any means prevail against them to destroy them and that because they are founded secured supported by his promise and Spirit I might produce many other Reasons for the proof and confirmation of this Truth that none but real Believers ought to be formed up into a Church of Christ As concerning the priviledges and promises that belong to a Church of Christ There are many of them which may be spoken of on an other head which are two high and glorious for the Inglorious professing Hypocrities and therefore they must be entayled only on the true heirs of them viz. the living Members of Christ and Children of God Hypocrites who refuse to have Christ on his own Terms and who preferr their Lusts before him and their own Righteousnesse before Christs and daily make him a Lyar 1 John 5. have nothing to do with them There is a little Remnant called out of the World to whom they do onely belong and they and only they may claim them as their own Again because only Believers are Christs willing subjects such as have freely put their necks under his Yoke and given up themselves in universal obedience to him and that have heartily chosen him for their Lord and Governour and his Laws for their Rule and practice But it is well known that all other men do reject him and yeild obedience unto the Devil and their Lusts They will have the Lord Jesus bow down to their Terms but they will not come up to his They say as those in Joh. 6.60 this is a hard Yoke who can bear it and therefore although we will professe him that we will not have him rule over us And therefore he doth not call them to partake of the Children of the Kingdomes Bread or to his true Subjects priviledges and Blessings whilest they continue such Moreover only true Believers are Clean and Pure all others are unclean They are strangers to him and his People unwashed and uncircumcized in Ears and Hearts They are not Justifyed nor Sanctifyed nor purged from their uncleannesse by the blood of the Lamb and therefore they may not come near to or touch the holy things of his Church which are holy pure things and sanctifyed unto the holy use of his enchurched-members I would not be tedious and therefore shall wave all further consideration of this matter although I could multiply Reasons to prove that only real true Believers should be Church-Members But I shall speak a few words for the removing of an objection advanced against this Truth which is this But we read of Tares in the field amongst the good wheat good and bad fishes caught in the neet of the Gospel and brought into the Kingdome which is the Church of God as also many evil members in several of the Congregational Churches mentioned in the Scripture and therefore Churches may consist of good and bad men All this may be true and yet the Truth insisted on not at all touched or weakened thereby It is true if there were evil members in those Gospel Churches and they proved evil Members indeed and great afflictions to blessed Paul and the good Members of them But what then ought they to have been there or were they known to be such indeed to the Apostles and other good men when they admitted them were they there by Christs call and with his approbation and allowance although he permitted them to creep in among his People Now unlesse it can be proved that they ought to be there that they were admitted when known to be such as afterward they appeared to be that it was their duty and priviledge while such and that Christ approved there being there I say until that be proved by the word of God we must conclude that they were Vsurpers and had nothing to do in the Churches of Christ I do not discourse of who were in the
Churches but who ought to be there Not who thought themselves worthy and crept in of their own accord but who Christ called there and came in in obedience to him I am sure they were not welcome to Christ or his People the Apostles wishes such were Cut off Gal. 5.12 and exhorts Believers to withdraw from them that walked disorderly 2 Thes 3.6 and to turn away from them 2 Tim. 3.5 to mark and avoid them Rom. 16.17 and the Lord Jesus gives in charge to his Churches that they prosecute his Laws against disorderly Church-members even to the casting of them out of the Church in case they repent not Mat. 18.17 and threatens the evil Members of the Churches of Sardis Laodicea severely Rev. 3. and therefore surely if they were Hypocrites he would not have found them there to dishonour his name and grieve his People as they did And as for the instances of the Tares and bad fishes brought into the Kingdome of Heaven no more can be said for the justifing them in what they did than of the other before minded and answered and the same Answer will refell these two likewise But if you mind it you will find that the Tares there if meant of Persons and not of doctrines which is a question are said to be the Children of the wicked one and he that sowed them was the Devil vers 38 39. So that these Tares or Members were not of Jesus Christ his bringing there but of the Devils and who will say then that they ought to be there Will Jesus Christ have the Devils hand and help to enlarge his Church or will he accept and approve of such persons for his Church-members to help forward the building of his holy Temple for the habitation of God that are chosen and sent by the Devil As for others it is expresly said vers 37. that he that soweth the good Seed is the Son of Man and in opposition thereunto it is said his Enemy the Devil sowed Tares in the same field which was hurtfull unto the good seed Therefore as I said before that Hypocrites are not called nor sent by Jesus Christ into Churches but by the Devil which is a good Reason against their being there And to what purpose are they there but to grattify the Devil and their own Lusts to afflict and grieve if not corrupt the good Seed to dishonour Christ and encrease their own misery As to the good and bad Fishes there need no more be said concerning them then that Hypocrites and rotten hearted men will croud into the Churches of Christ amongst his good People but they ought not so to do for they are not called to come because they are of Satans Kingdome of darknesse and have no part or portion with the true Children of God and heirs of his Kingdome So that I think there hath been enough said as to that namely that none ought to be Members of Christs particular Churches but real Believers And now I should proceed to speak of the form of a particular congregated Church of Christ but that I think it necessary to speak a little unto two Questions first 5. Quest What fitness or qualifications should Believers find in themselves for their own satisfaction before they enter into fellowship become Church-members or joyn themselves as members to some Church of Christ Answ First they should have a well grounded hope of their Regeneration or new state in Christ that they have seen their need of Christ singled him out by grace and chosen him upon his own Terms that they have received a measure of his anointings Grace Spirit light and Life and that they are accepted in the Lord Jesus that they have put off the Old Man and put on the New and are renewed in measure by the word and Spirit after the Image of Christ I say they should have at least a well grounded hope For many gratious hearts have such a hope that have no assurance who hold their Title and claim to Christ and Heaven but had never the seal of it on their hearts or if they ever had it they have by their own carelesness lost it and so have only hope left And this indeed will hold their Souls in Life by the Spirit though not in comfort and satisfaction Heb. 6.19 and the Apostle tells such that they are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 and that they are the Children of hope which puts them upon that great and Noble Work of purifying themselves as he is pure 1 Joh. 3.3 and stirs them up to perfect holynesse in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 As faith that precedes it doth Act. 15.9 This Hope is not a dead but a lively hope it is not idle but operative and working it is active and laborious in purging out of Lusts and getting in of Holyness and Grace 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Joh. 3.3 as a sound special Faith is Jam. 2.18 And the Apostle tells us that it is an Anchor of the Soul both sure and stedfast Heb. 6.19 so when God promises mercies unto his People he tells them that he will give them a door of hope Hos 2.15 which hope is Christ in them Phil. 1.27 And therefore if you have this Hope you are in a happy State and ought to joyn your selves unto some Church of Christ give up your selves in universal obedience to Christ and wait in a house of God for his Seal and the full assurance of his love to your Souls But more particularly and briefly I desire you to examine your selves and see how you can answer these few Interrogatories try your selves effectually and throughly by them 1. Can you say indeed that you do seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to see and be more deeply and powerfully convinced of your own vileness and sinfulness of your own weaknesse and wretchednesse and of your wants and nothingnesse and that in order to your deep and Spiritual humiliation and self debasing that you may be more vile in your own eyes and Jesus Christ and free grace more precious high and honourable more sweet and desirable that your hearts may be melted into Godly sorrow and that you may be moved thereby to abhorr your selves and repent in Dust and Ashes Job 42.5 6. 2. Can you say that you do seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to believe in Christ and to receive and accept him upon his own Terms such as you find in Mark 8.34 Luke 14.26 27 28. and elsewhere Do you so desire chuse and endeavour to have him with his Yoke and Cross Matth. 11.28 29. and do you so Deny your selves of your sinful self and righteous self and worldly self and supposed able and powerful self and all other carnal and Spiritual selfs that Christ may only be exalted that you may be nothing in your lustification and Salvation but that Jesus Christ and free Grace may be all and in all things Col. 3.11 Phil. 3.7 8. do you desire chuse
and endeavour the having of Christ upon the hardest Terms and do you desire c. that all may go for Christ his Person his Blood and Righteousness his Grace Love Life and Spirit for the pardon of your sins and Justification of your Persons that you may be found in him not having your own Righteousnesse but the Righteousnesse of Christ by Faith Phil. 3.9 and do you go and present your selves naked and as condemned Sinners to him and to God the Father in and by him that you may be cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ and that God may pardon justify and accept you for his sake only 3. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to have Christ Jesus for your Lord and Ruler too Col. 2.6 that he may Rule in you and over you and that your Lusts and your selves your Interests and your all may be subject unto him and be all at his command and disposal continually Is Christ the Lord as acceptable unto you as Christ Jesus the Saviour and are you willing to obey him and subject to his Authority and Lordship as well as to be saved by him Would you have him destroy your Lusts make an end of Sin and bring all under his Obedience 4. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour never to sin more but to walk with God unto all well pleasing continually Col. 1.10 and do you pray earnestly that God would work in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 that you may in all your waies honour and glorify him as the end of your living in this World 2 Cor. 5.15 Would you indeed live to the praise of his glorious Grace and be an Ornament unto his Name and Gospel and would you be fruitful in every good Word and Work Are these things the Scope aim and intendment of your hearts and Souls in some good measure and degree daily in duties and Ordinances and at other times 5. Do you seriously and heartily chuse and desire communion with Christ and do you indeed and in truth endeavour so as to obtain it and keep it do you so seek for it in the way of Gospel obedience and in observing your duty and keeping Christs commands and do you prefer it before and above earthly carnal things do your hearts breathe and pant after it and are you willing to deny self and carnal Interests to get it Are you glad when you find it and sad when by your own carelesness you lose it doth it when obtained quicken your love to and zeal for Christ doth it warm your hearts and cause them for a time to run your race in Gospel obedience cheerfully doth it lead you unto and lodge your hearts in Christ and doth it oblige and bind them faster unto him and doth it stir you up to thankfulnesse 6. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to be filled with Gospel sincerity towards God and men and had you rather be sincere and real hearted towards God than seem to be so towards Men had you much rather have the Praise of God than of men and to be approved of by him than extolled by men Is it your care aim and endeavour to carry your selves sincerely before him and to approve your selves unto him under the fear conviction of his all seeing Eye Is it the great thing you mind and aim at in your profession and practice namely sincerity and uprightnesse of Heart do you make conscience of drawing near to God with it and to season every duty with this divine Salt do you indeed desire chuse and endeavour to be after Gods own Heart as David was and Nathaniels indeed in whom is no Guile although you cannot get clear nor rid your selves of all Hypocrisy as you should Is Integrity and uprightnesse of Heart in your Eye resolutions and Intentions and is all Hypocrisy hateful and abominable unto you do you love sincerity and labour after it indeed Are you afraid of Hypocrisy and do you watch and strive against it as against an Enemy to God and your own Souls and are you grieved indeed when you find it in you 7. Do you desire and chuse Jesus Christ for the great object of your Love Delight and Joy and do you find him to be so in some Measure do you desire and endeavour to make him the object of your strongest and warmest affections and to love him Sincerely Heartily Spiritually fervently and constantly and do you express your Love to him by keeping his commandements and doing the things that are wel-pleasing in his sight Joh. 14.15 1 Joh. 3.22 Are you grieved and afflicted in Spirit because you can love him no more and do you earnestly pray unto him to Circumcise your hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 and to Shed abroad his love into your hearts by the Holy Ghost that you may love him as you should Rom. 5.5 Are you glad and do you rejoyce when you find your hearts Knit to him in love and is it your trouble when it is otherwise with you doth his Love and Lovelyness attract and draw your hearts to him and doth the Love of Christ in your hearts move and draw you to obey his commands Is it so indeed do you find it so sometimes with you 8. Is it the desire choice and endeavour of your Hearts and Souls to have all sin purged out of your Hearts and to have them filled with Christ Grace Truth and Holyness and do you hate your sin watch and arm against it and endeavour to keep it under do you indeed aim at desire labour and strive to be holy in Heart and Life and conformable unto Jesus Christ in all things Are your Lusts your heaviest Burdens and your greatest afflictions and do you intend and endeavour their utter ruine and destructions will no degree or measure of Grace satisfy you but you must and will be perfect to the utmost as Christ is Are you so much concerned with Christs honour your Souls holyness and happiness as that you dare not knowingly sin against them for a World or do in word or deed directly or indirectly by omision or commission that which may dishonour grieve or wound them Are these things so indeed 9. Have you a measure of Spiritual knowledge and discerning of Spiritual things do you a little understand the nature and concernments of a house of God and the work and duties the priviledges and enjoyments thereof and what you have to do there have you studied and learnt these matters and do you in measure understand them and can you make a right and competent Judgment of the ends of God in Instituting and erecting of Holy Temples and Spiritual Churches 10. Do you intend purpose and resolve in the light Life and power of Christ to seek for and endeavour unfainedly to obtain and prosecute the ends of Church fellowship when you shall be accepted among them and do you desire and aim at the
holy ends of God in desiring Communion with them As 1 To enjoy God and hold communion with him in all his ordinances and appointments 2 To worship God there in Spirit and Truth and give him your homage and service in his house 3 To shew and declare your subjection and obedience unto him and to make a publique and open profession of him before men 4 To receive of his Grace to enrich your Souls with his fulnesse and to be sealed by his Spirit unto the day of your Redemption 5 That you may walk orderly and beautifully and shine as Lights in the Churches and in the world before Saints and Sinners 6 That you may be established in the Truth live under the watch and care of Christs Ministers and of fellow Members that by their inspection and faithful dealings with you you may be kept from and brought back from sin to God by their wise Reproofs and holy Instructions 7 That you may yield up your selves in Universal obedience unto Christ and do all things whatsoever he commands you that you may have the right use and enjoyment of all your purchased priviledges and be secured against the Gates of Hell Are these and such like ends in your minds and hearts in your walking in Church-fellowship and can you find the forementioned mark or signs of Grace in you in measure though not so clearly and fully as you would Why then I may boldly and humbly tell you that you are fitted and qualified for Church membership that you are called and invited into the house and Temple of God and that you are indispensibly bound to answer to the call of God and say behold Lord we come unto thee and will freely without delay thankfully without grudying humbly without pride with mourning and rejoycing enter into thy Courts joyn with thy Churches and grow into a holy Temple to thy Praise and Honour We will no longer slight our great priviledges neglect our great and indispensible Duties or walk disorderly as we have done but we do now willingly come and offer our selves unto thee and to enter into a solemn engagement to be thine to walk in all thy ways and do the things that please thee I say that Church priviledges are yours the doors of Gods house stand open for you Christ stands at the door and waites for you he invites you to come in sit down at his Table and you shall be most freely and heartily welcome to your Lord and his people And know that it is your unavoidable and indispensible duty to enter into his house 5. Quest Ought a Church of Christ especially the Guides thereof to let in any that professe the name and waies of Jesus Christ and offer themselves unto them or ought they not to try and prove them first whether they are rightly qualified by the grace of Christ for full membership with his people if so then what are the qualifications they should look for and find in them for their own satisfaction which they admit into the holy Temple of God Answ 1. It is certain that all that professe the name of Christ and his waies ought not may not be admitted into the Lords holy Temples because many if not the most of them are very Ignorant of Christ and his ways and notorious scandalous in their Lives as sad and wofull experience shews 2. It hath been I think sufficiently proved before that not any but real-hearted sound Believers are fit materials for a house and holy Temple of God and if so then a Church or the Guides thereof may not admit any into it but such only as they judge by the word of God and their own charitable discretion are such indeed although 't is possible they may be Hypocrites but they may not admit them if they groundedly know or think them to be such For if they should admit such against their knowledge they betray their Trusts and defile Christs holy Temple by taking in such persons as they know or ought to know Christ would not have there And that they ought to try and prove persons that they may know their worthinesse and fitnesse before they admit them in is clear in Acts 9.26 and because Christ hath committed the keys of his Temple unto them to take in and put out according to his will and Appointment Moreover he blames Some for suffering Tares if meant of persons to be sowen in his Kingdome and not endeavouring to prevent and keep them out Matth. 13.25 says he while men Slept the Enemy came and sowed Tares that is while such as should have kept the Temple Gates shut against them to have kept them out were negligent and carelesse of their duty for they should have done all they could to have kept out the Devils seed for what agreement hath the Seed of the Serpent with the Seed of the Woman the Rebells with the true Subjects of Christ or as Paul saith what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.14 3. As to satisfying qualifications in persons desiring admission into Churches I say that when they have been well tryed and are found in the Judgment of Charity such as Christ hath received and competently qualifyed for Church membership they ought to receive them in the Lord Rom. 14.1 Rom. 15.7 1. If they can make forth and declare unto the Church their at least seemingly Regeneration Conversion Repentance and Faith in Christ their knowledge of Christ and his ways Laws and Ordinances of their lost and perishing state in Sin and by reason of it and their sincere desires and Resolutions to become the Lords and to walk with him unto all well-pleasing in all his ways 2. If they are sound in the Faith of the Gospel I mean in the chief and principal Doctrines and Truths thereof although they may be ignorant of or err in lesser matters If they have some distinct knowledge and Faith concerning these and other such Truths and matters contained in the word of God As of the state and condition wherein man was first created How he lost that holy and blessed State and the misery he brought himself and all his posterity into thereby Concerning themselves that they are by nature Children of wrath dead in Sins and Trespasses and condemned to eternal Death That they are Enemies to and at enmity with God That they have neither will nor power by nature either to will or do that which they ought and is pleasing to God That they have forsaken God and are under the Curse of the Law and that they are the Children Subjects and Servants of the Devil World and their own Lusts That God left not all men in this State and condition but provided an all-sufficient Remedy namely Jesus Christ and that by an Everlasting Covenant entered into with Christ in the behalf of men before the Foundation of the World Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 Prov. 8. and that in pursuance thereof he elected and gave some to Christ that he might
save them and that of his meer Grace and Love Joh. 6.37 40. Joh. 10. Joh. 17. Eph. 2.4 That God the Father gave and set his Son the second person in the Trinity to mediate peace between God and Men and to reconcile men to God by his active and passive Obedience That Jesus Christ gave himself and became a propitiation for their Sins That he assumed our nature and took it up into a personal Union with himself whereby there are two natures in one Person by which he was made capable of his Mediatorship That he being God-man in one Person took upon himself our guilt and punishment obeyed the whole Law of God that men had broken and did always do the things that pleased God That when he had finished his active obedience he became obedient unto the death of the Crosse to the wrath of God and curse of the Law Gal. 3.12 Phil. 2. That he really dyed and was buried lay in the Grave and rose again the third day and after forty days he went up into Heaven and sate down on the right Hand of God and that he will come again to Judge the Quick and Dead That he is King Priest and Prophet A King to give Laws unto men and command their obedience to them to rule and Govern his Subjects and to reward the obedient and punish the disobedient That all power in Heaven and Earth is committed unto him and that he is coequally and coeternally God with the Father and holy Spirit As a high priest he dyed and made Atonement for the Sins of his People and sits in Heaven to make Intercession and appear in the presence of God for them Heb. 7.25.9.24 That there are three persons in the God-Head but one God That the Holy Ghost is eternall God was sent into the World came from the Father Son for the elect sake that it is he that regenerates Persons works effectually in their Hearts applies Jesus Christ and all his benefits to men and savingly Convinces his Elect of Sin Righte ousness and Judgment Joh 3.5 Joh. 16.1 8.13 14 15. That all that rightly Believe in Christ shall be saved but those that believe not shall be damned and that all that believe in Christ must be careful to do good Works That Believers are made righteous with the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and that they have none of their own to commend them unto God That God hath made Jesus Christ unto his chosen Righteousnesse wisdome sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 and that they are made the Righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5. ult That God imputed their sins to Christ and imputes the blood and Righteousnesse of Christ to them and that they are justified thereby and not by inherent holynesse and Righteousnesse That God Loves Pardons Justifyes and Saves men Freely without any respect to their good Works as any cause thereof but all the moving cause without himself is Jesus Christ and his mediation That the Ground and reason of their obedience and doing Good works is the revealed will and pleasure of Christ commanding them and the ends of them are to expresse their thankfulness to God for his Grace and Love to please and honour Him to meet with God and enjoy communion with him to receive of his Grace and the good of many promises To shine as lights in the World and be useful unto men to declare whose and what they are and to lie up for a reward in another World to keep their Lusts under and their graces in use and exercise and to manifest their Respect and Subjection to Jesus Christ his Authority and Law That the Law for the matter of it as qualified by Christ is the Rule and Law of all obedience that all are bound to yield obedience subjection to it That there shall be a Resurrection of the just and unjust That Regeneration is absolutely necessary to Salvation and that without it none can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 2.3 5 7. That the Scriptures of the Old and New-Testament contain and hold forth unto men the whole revealed will of God and are sufficient to make the man of God perfect thorowly furnished to every good Work 2 Tim. 3.16 17. and that whatsoever you are to believe and do is contained therein and that it is the ground of their Faith Hope and Practice That Jesus Christ hath instituted and appointed many Ordinances of Worship for his own Glory and his Peoples profit and that all are bound to observe and waite on God in them That all persons are indispensibly bound to mind and carefully to observe the principal manner and end of all their duties and to see that they be right holy and Spiritual indeed and not please themselves with the matter of duty without them That no men can serve God or do any acceptable work unto him until they are regenerate and put into a state of Grace These are some of the matters of Faith that they should rightly in measure understand and believe that are admitted into full membership in the Churches of Christ And these and other Truths must not be notionally lightly and in the general known and believed but heartily powerfully and particularly not for others but themselves or else their faith and knowledge will no way profit their Souls to Salvation 3. They must be qualified also with blameless conversations Their Conversations must become the Gospel Phil. 1.27 or else they are not meet for membership with Gospel-Churches Carnal walkings will not suit spiritual Temples For they will greatly pollute and defile them stain and darken their beauty and Glory Therefore they must not be brawlers or contentious Persons they must not be coveteous and worldly minded vain and frothy Persons They must not be froward and peevish Persons neither must or may they be Defrauders or such as detain others dues carelessy from them nor such as slight the worship of God in their Families or are carelesse of Governing and educating them in good manners and the things of God They may not be such as are known to neglect duties and ordinances in their times and seasons or to have vitious families through their neglects nor any other such kind of persons whose stinking Spirits and conversations are odious to God and his People And therefore whatever their profession be they may not be accepted or received into the holy Temples of God until they have repented of these or any other hateful and scandalous evil in their carriages and walkings 4. If they are such as have chosen the Lord Jesus Christ for their King and head given up and made over themselves to Jesus Christ to live in him and to him have singled him out and set him apart as it were to be the object of their trust Love and delight of their service and obedience If they have chosen and closed up with him upon his own Terms as they hope renounceing and rejecting all their own
at all for if they are as a Common without any bounds or property as they must be if not fixed and tyed some where how many absurdities will unavoidably follow As first while they are in this moving and wandering condition they are not a House or Temple of God but scattered Stones and Timber and so cannot bear the name and honour of a Holy Temple and Church of God 2. They cannot whilest in such a condition be called owned or accounted a Holy Church and Temple of God either by God or Men. 3. Neither shall they have neither indeed can they expect or look for Church-blessings and priviledges or claim the Good of the promises made to Saints as a formed fixed Temple or House of God as that God should dwell walk with amongst them as he hath promised to do in his Churches and Temples 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 2.1 Eph. 2.22 Neither can they orderly participate of the Lords Supper for that Ordinance belongs to the fixed housholds of God not to scattered Saints occasionally meeting together as Saints only without any tye or obligation one to another and to their Ministers that should Minister it unto them these and other priviledges they cannot claim while they walk irregularly and disorderly 4. They make the ordinance Institution of particular Churches null and void and of no force and vertue at all and so Christ hath Instituted and appointed them in vain that they are of no use profit or concernment unto Saints For it will inevitably follow I think that in case their loose walkings without any fixed order or obligation on each other to live together as a distinct houshold or Family of God be the condition wherein they should live and walk that then they have found out a better way to live and walk in for the glory of God and their own profit than Jesus Christ hath done and so they do practically controul him and in effect say that they are wiser than Christ the Wisdom of God for they have found out a more pleasing and profitable way for themselves than Christ appointed and instituted for them so that Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost might have spared their pains in that matter so the Institution and the Love Wisdome care and Authority of Christ in that case are all thrown down to the ground 5. There can be no Discipline orderly or profitably exercised amongst Believers while in an unchurched state and condition For how can offended persons after the first Second Admonition tell the Church of an offending person his Sin and obstinacy and of their dealings with him to bring him to Repentance as commanded Matth. 18.15 16 17. if there be no fixed Church to which they do belong and how can the cause be heard and the offender dealt withall according to that charge by the Church when there is none What power have any Believers one over another but by their mutual consent and engagement one to another to give and take Reproofs and Admonitions to and of one another or how can they call Offenders to an account and require their attendance and subjection to their executing the Laws of Christ upon them unlesse they are a formed Body and by virtue of their joynt Relation not as Believers only but as united and engaged Believers to one another in that Society The Rulers of a Corporation may not exercise Authority or execute their Corporation Laws on such persons as have no Relation to them although they are the Kings subjects as well as those that are incorporated Neither may a thousand persons in a place exercise Jurisdiction over each other because they live and often converse together Neither have many Believers such power over each other while they walk as so many single individual persons without a Church-relation to one another as they might have in a Church-relation as the forementioned Text evinces Besides 6. The officers or Ministers of Christ will not be able to discharge their work and duty unto them while they walk loosely and disorderly For how can they watch and feed them as their own particular Flocks and charge unless there be a fixed Relation between them and they know where to find them which they cannot do unlesse their flocks be tyed to them and have mutually chosen each other as was said before the officers are to administer in the name of Christ unto them in an especial manner and they are to wait on and submit to their regular ministration Church-Officers must officiate in the Church and all must know and work within their own bounds and to their own charge So the Elders of the particular congregated Church at Ephesus were charged to feed and watch over that particular Church as their own peculiar flock and charge Acts 20.17 28. and so were the several Angels or Officers of these other Churches mentioned in the Revelations all which are called Churches which had matter and form And besides these evil consequences there are many other that I could name if it were needful and time would permit which would sufficiently evince the Truth pleaded for Now I shall proceed to shew how Believers should by the Holy Ghost form up themselves into a Church-state or Temple of God for his Glory and their own profit and Spiritual welfare or what the form of a Church is and wherein it lies Shew them the form of the House and the fashion of it and the goings out thereof and the comings in thereof and all the forms thereof and all the Laws thereof and all the Ordinances thereof Ezek. 43.11 First the persons intending to joyn themselves together to become a Church or Temple of God for his Name and Glory and the Spiritual good of their own Souls and for the orderly celebration of all the Lords appointments and worship in a Church they should be satisfied in each others fitnesse that they are such as Jesus Christ hath received Rom. 15.16 and Regenerated Joh. 3.3 wrought and made ready for it 2 Cor. 5.5 that they are united to Christ by Faith and sanctified to his use Members of Christ and heirs of the Kingdom I say they should be satisfied in a charitable Judgment that they are such that so they may take each other and have their hearts kint to one another in Spiritual real Love as such and so have confidence in and of each other that they will live together as such in their Church-state God would not have an Oxe and an Asse draw together in ore Yoke neither will he have visible Saints and Sinners joyn together and build him a Gospel-Church or holy Temple to dwell in What have the uncircumcized to do in the Lords Holy Temple with the circumcized If Gods house must be a holy Temple yea holynesse to God Isa 63.15 then it must consist of and be formed of holy persons for unclean and unholy persons cannot make a holy spiritual house for his glorious presence Therefore such as
joyn together into a Church-state ought to know as well as they can and be satisfied of the fitnesse and meetnesse of each other as well as each person of himself for these and other Reasons that might be named Secondly When a competent number of Believers are well satisfied in and of each others sitnesse to build a holy Temple for God they should meet together and solemnly present themselves before God humble themselves and acknowledge their own weaknesse ignorance and unworthynesse for although they may be in a sense meet and worthy yet because of their indwelling Lusts and actual Trangressions they may see matter enough in and by themselves to cry out as Isaiah did we are unclean and unworthy and to ask pardon and forgiveness of God so also to tell God what they are about to do and entreat him to send forth his Light and Truth into their hearts and by his holy Spirit to lead assist and guide them in the right way according to this promise Psal 25.12 Psa 61.8 Joh. 16.13 For although they may have as they have a plain and perfect Rule before them to guide them in this weighty matter yet they may want light in their hearts to walk by it clearly and exactly as they ought to do which the holy Spirit that hath made them willing by his power Psal 110.3 will supply with his light upon importunate asking it Thus Ezra did when concerned in Temple-work chapt 8.21 and it is prophefied by David that when God should build up his Church he would do it upon his peoples prayers Psal 102. And as they should pray for light and counsel in their hearts from the holy Ghost who is and will be owned and accounted the chief Agent in the work of building Gospel-Churches as in preparing Materials making them willing guiding and directing them in the work so that God would vouchsafe them his presence own and blesse them in their Church-state ratifie and confirm the labour of their hands and prosper them to his Glory their own edification comfort 3. When this is done and their hearts are warmed with the presence of God and their minds enlightned with the Spirits Beams of Light shining in upon them in answer to their Prayers and their hearts thereby faster knit to each other in Love as to the living Members of Christ then they should declare to each other their free full and cordial acceptance of and satisfaction in one another expresse to one another their real hearty and joynt Resolutions purposes and Intentions by the help of God to live and walk together as a Church of Christ in the celebration of all the ordinances of Christ in the Church and engage covenant and promise to take upon themselves the practice and observation of all the Laws of Christ and duties one to another in that state and Relation taking hold of the Covenant of Grace accepting the Lord Jesus for their Lord Head and Saviour resigning up themselves unto him and professing their unfained subjection to him and all his Rules Laws and Orders and that they will submit themselves one to another in the fear of God Eph. 5.21 as he hath commanded them And which may be confirmed to one another by giving each other the right hands of fellowship Gal. 2 9. This I take to be the formal constituting cause of a Church or Temple of God and I know no other but some there must be and I think to this agree several Scripture-instances that if rightly understood amounts to as much as aforesaid Thus the Israelites became a Church God propounded to them what he would have them observe and do and accordingly the whole congregation received what was said and engaged to do and observe what God required of them Exod. 24.3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the Lord hath said will we do so Deut. 5.27 Exod. 20.19 Deut. 29.9 14. This was freely and voluntarily done by them and thereby they became a Church and were solemnly admitted unto all the worship and priviledges thereof and God accepted and approved of what they had done Deut. 5.27 28. Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say c. and we will hear it and do it And the Lord heard the voice of your words when ye spake unto me and the Lord said unto me I have heard the voice of the words of this People which they have spoken unto thee They have well said all that they have spoken And the like proceedure we find amongst them after they had corrupted themselves and their Church-state broken their solemn engagement and departed from God and upon conviction of their so doing and of their duty to God and one another they return to God and renew their Church-engagement Ioshua 24.16 to 27. vers So in Asa his daies 2 Chron. 15.10 to 16. v. and Ezra 10. and Neh. 9. and 10. chapt And somewhat like to this we find in the New Testament 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God And the Apostle minds the Church at Corinth of their professed Subjection unto the Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 which it seems was solemnly done at their congregating and enchurching for then is the time of doing it solemnly and publiquely for the satisfaction of one another when they openly and avowedly take upon themselves by mutual consent and agreement as an incorporated body the observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ together To the same purpose also is that passage in Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him The Apostle writes to them as a particular congregated Church and tells them that they had received Jesus Christ the Lord which was solemnly done in all probability at their embodying And this seems to be spoken of in Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And to the same purpose in Jer. 50.4 5. And indeed it is clear to me that the nature of the thing requires it were there no Scriptures to countenance it For they are as hath been said called and compared to Houses Temples Corporations Cities Families and to voluntary not meer natural Relations they must of necessity be knit and formed into such a State and Relation by their own free choice and engagement to live and walk together as such And this action of Believers is of and by the Lord in Act. 2.41 it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were added and in vers 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord added namely to the particular congregational Church at Jerusalem So that upon the whole I infer that Believers ought so to joyn themselves together into Churches as hath been shewed which I
hope I may affirm and assert without reflection on or offence to such as are otherwise minded if any such there be that fear God Believers being thus built and formed together are now become a holy Temple of God and are accordingly owned by him as such and now they are the seat and subject of all the Laws and Ordinances power and Authority that Jesus Christ hath given to and for his Churches use and benefit I mean they or this Church so formed and built have all these essentially though not formally until Christ set one or more teaching Elders in it for the orderly using and managing of that his power and Authority given to the Church Yet I say I think that it doth essentially reside in them as the first subject of the Keys for I find the keys given unto them for the use and behoof of the Church Matth. 16.18 19. which said power of the Keys cannot be given only to Peter nor unto the universal or Catholick Church that it should use them as such for that is impossible but they were given to particular Churches as formed up of Believers namely to such as could have matters brought to and be received and heard by them from an offended Brother Matth. 18.15 16 17. and such a Church is here meant as had power to deal with a sinning member in case of obstinacy and therefore the Catholick Church as such is nor there intended Now this Church spoken of hath power to elect and call such persons out from amongst themselves to use and exert the power and authority of Jesus Christ already given them and Ministring to them in the Name of the Lord as they judge the Lord Jesus hath fitted qualified for given to and sent amongst them and invested with Authority and abilities for their Good I say they have power to elect and call such to office power over them in the Lord and that they ought with all convenient speed after they are built up to do it because till that be done they cannot orderly and regularly administer or receive the Seals of the Covenant for all cannot exert and exercise that power that doth essentially reside in themselves as a Church neither can any private Member while such and therefore it must be done by Officers or one in Office that is called set apart and wholly dedicated to the work of the Ministry amongst them Therefore they may and ought to look out from among themselves and call to Office such as they judge Christ hath sent them Act. 6.3 Act. 14.23 CHAP. V. Shewing what Officers Christ hath appointed for and given to his Gospel-Churches and what are their Offices and works in a Holy Temple of God 7. QUest What officers hath Jesus Christ given to the Church Answ The Lord Jesus hath by his Sovereign Authority given to his Church Pastors and Teachers Ruling Elders and Deacons All which Officers are invested with different power and entrusted with different works in the Church Now the Teaching-ruling Officers have several names and appellations given them according to the particular parts and branches of their work in the Church As Pastors Teachers Elders Bishops Guides All these names are given to the same Persons and Officers in the Church Sometimes they are called Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 sometimes Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Pet. 5.1 sometimes Bishops or Overseers Act. 20.28 sometimes Guides Heb. 13.7 17. and they are of the same sort order and degree their work office and power the same for although they have different names in sound yet not of work power and Authority in the Church The persons are the same their office power and authority the same and their work the same The Scripture doth no where give one ordinary teaching Officer more power and Authority than another or set one sort of Teaching Elders over another sort nor give them distinct and different work to do in the Church but so as that whatever power or work a Bishop hath in the Church to exercise and do the same hath an Elder or Pastor also Hath a Bishop power and authority to command and Teach so hath an Elder too hath a Bishop I mean one of Christs making the ordering of Church-matters and managing the discipline thereof so hath an Elder also 1 Tim. 5.17 for they are the same Besides Teaching Elders the Lord Jesus hath given and appointed meer ruling Elders to his Church also for the well-being peace and establishment of the Church and to assist and help the Teaching ruling Elders in looking after taking care of the concernments of the Church called Helps 1 Cor. 12.28 and they are expresly called Ruling Elders distinctly from the Teaching ruling Elders 1 Tim 5.17 and Helps Governments in 1 Cor. 12.28 and in Rom. 12.8 it is said he that ruleth let him do it with diligence and distinguisheth them from Treaching Ministring and exhorting Rulers for Teachers have the power of rule and discipline as well as the meer ruling Elders in 7 8. verses And the Apostle speaks not there of different Offices in the same persons though that is a Truth but of different persons and Officers for says he let the Teachers wait on their Teaching Ministring and exhorting that is as it is their great and principal work as indeed it is and therefore to ease them a little of the ruling part of their work and that they may the more fixedly and chearfully attend unto and perform that other part of their work namely to teach and Minister in the Church the Lord Jesus hath appointed some to attend only ordinarily to the work of ruling to keep all in order in the Church and therefore charges them to do it with diligence Rom. 12.8 Besides these the Lord hath given Deacons to his Church also Act. 6. 1 Tim. 3.8 to 14. vers and Phil. 1.1 for another kind of work namely to attend Tables to look after the poor and provide for them to dispose of the Churches distributions and charity for the profit of the whole and relief of the poor of the Church 8. Quest How ought Pastors and Teachers to be qualified or what is required unto their right constitution and officiating in the Church as such Officers Answ First They must be furnished with Ministerial Gifts for their work namely such as Christ promised and ascended up to Heaven to give unto men for the work of the Ministery and which he received of the Father for them even then when he gave all things into his hand Joh. 3.35 which are absolutely necessary for all that take upon them the great work of the Ministry and the care and charge of Souls or to oversee and edifie the Body of Christ These Gifts are spiritual which they receive not from men but from Christ their Lord who sends them as his Stewards into his houshold to give them meat in due season Matth. 24. as his servants into his vineyard to dresse prune and order it to keep and
water it for his use that it may bring forth fruit to his Glory And intending to imploy and make such use of them there he enriches all that he sends with his own Ministerial Gifts Eph. 4.8 10 11 12. When he ascended up on high he led Captivity Captive and gave Gifts unto men He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things And he gave some Apostles and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Here is an account of his Gifts and the person receiving them and also the end for which To the same purpose the Apostle speaks in Rom. 12.6 and 1 Cor. 12. as you may read there at large from the beginning to the end Where you have an account of the several Gifts themselves which are called Spiritual vers 1 2. The Authour or immediate Doner of them 7. as also the end of the Spirits giving them unto men and the place where they should be exercised and laid out 7 28. and in other verses there These Ministerial Gifts are not given to all Believers because they are not intended nor called to the work and Office of the Ministery in the Church but they are intended and given to them whom Jesus Christ sends into his Church and enclines the Churches hearts to call and accept them for their Officers and Ministers Secondly As they must be gifted with ministerial Spiritual Gifts so they must be graced also with special saving Grace for the spiritual and evangelical discharge of their Ministerial work in the Church or else they will never be able Ministers of the New Testament although they may be of the Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 They must be called out of darknesse into the marvellous saving light of Christ 1 Pet. 2.9 and be the Children of Light Eph. 5.8 before they can hold forth indeed the light of the Gospel and grace of Christ unto others They must be first taught of God themselves before they can spiritually teach others and be tutored in Christs School before they will be wise Builders up of the Body of Christ in the Mysteries of his Kingdome Mark 4.11 They must first have the Spirit of God in their own hearts to make them wise unto Salvation before they can make others wise unto Salvation They must not learn their Lessons without in mens or Gods Books but they must also experience and be able to read the Gospel within that they preach to others They must first learn and be acquainted themselves with and in the right way to Heaven before they can be good Pilots and Guides of others thither They must first be quickened and enlivened themselves by with the Life of Jesus before they can claim a right to the Ministry of Christ in his Church or hold forth and rightly communicate the word of Life to others Many think that Grace is not necessary in a Minister or for the Ministry where are ministerial Gifts and as they say a blamelesse conversation but surely the special Grace and Spirit of Christ are the only necessary and useful things if I may so speak for the fitting and qualifying a Gospel-Minister a Church-Officer and Guide But undoubtedly it is a mistake for how can they bring out of their Treasury things new and old for the profit of men if there be none laid in A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things Matth. 12.35 And men cannot gather Grapes of Thornes and figs of Thistles Matth. 7.16 And what are Hypocrites but such Are they not in darknesse and doth not the Lord Jesus call the Scribes and Pharisees and Doctors of the Law Fools and Blind notwithstanding their great Gifts Are not all unregenerate and gracelesse persons ravening Wolves although covered with Sheeps-skins and doth not Christ caution his Sheep against them and charge them to take heed and beware of them Mat. 7.15 And when Christ sends forth labourers into his Vineyard says he to them I send you forth as Sheep in the midst of Wolves Matth. 10.16 Christ doth not say I send forth Wolves in Sheeps cloathing to convert nourish and build up my Sheep unto eternal life Moreover Ministers must not only preach to men from the head the subject of meer Gifts but from their hearts also from strong affections tender bowels of compassion and sincere Love to Souls which they cannot do until they are made new Creatures holy and gracious men For how can they love and pity others Souls who have no love and pity for their own and how can they affectionately perswade men who know not experimentally the terror of the Lord 2 Cor. 5.11 How can such open the Mystery and spirituality of the Gospel unto men who were never taught it themselves and how can they so preach the Gospel of Life who are yet dead in Sins themselves as to enliven others Therefore all the Ministers that Jesus Christ impowers and sends into his Churches in special love and mercy he first graceth with his special light life joyns and unites them to himself and puts some of his own Image Nature and qualities upon them before he sends them or will be with them and blesse them Can or will such take care of the Church of Christ as such to water and break the Bread of Life unto them who take no care about their own Souls nor care what becomes of them And if Jesus Christ will have none but real hearted Believers and living Members of his Body in his Churches as hath been shewed then certainly he will not allow or approve of Gracelesse and unregenerate Guides and Overseers in them and if his Churches are holy Temples appointed for his presence and residence his Glory and delight as they are as hath been shewed then assuredly he will not have carnal and unbelieving Stewards in them to manage all the affairs and concernments of them And if all his Laws and Ordinances which he hath given to his Churches be holy and spiritual as they are and Church-Officers I mean the Pastors and Elders are to be his mouths to them and the Churches mouths to him and to administer his holy and Spiritual matters and things in his Name to his Glory and the Churches Spiritual profit then surely they ought to be holy and spiritual Men. For will he own such for his Ministers as have no acquaintance with him or Relation to him who have no peculiar love for him nor dependance on him who have not hearts to obey him and make him the great end of their work and who never received the Truth in the love of it into their own hearts Will the holy and loving Head and Husband of his Church set over them Christlesse lifelesse and gracelesse men as all unregenerate persons are who neither
20. And there are many Reasons for it I will but name a few 1 Because the work they have to do is the Lords not their own and what have they to do to medle with it until their Lord calls sends them otherwise he may say unto them friends what do you here in my Vineyard about my work and concernments did I call or send you hither or rather did you not come upon your own will and pleasure 2 Because the Churches in which they work are the Lords and he will have his own appointed and designed servants in his own families and housholds and none else he alots and appoints the several works of his servants and the places where they shall work and leaves it not to their own wills choice but as directed and guided moved and carried forth by him As God sent Paul to the Gentiles and Peter to the Jews so doth God now send such a man to such a Church and another to another Church to administer there and if the great Lord and Master should find such a Servant here as he did intend for an other place how will he answer his being out of his own place 3 Because their going forth and labouring in the Vineyard must be obediential Acts. They must do it not because it is their own will and choice but the Lords and that in obedience unto him And how can they do that except they have some good assurance that the Lord hath sent and called them How can they obey the voice of the Lord when they are not well satisfied that they have heard and felt the Lord speaking to their hearts in answer unto prayers 4 Because they must go forth and labour in dependence on and expectation of him to be with them to help and assist them to blesse and prosper them to crown and succeed their endeavours and to provide for them Now how can they do so unlesse they know that God hath sent and imployed them in his work 5 They must go forth and labour in hope and expectation of divine acceptance also For God hath promised to accept the commanded work and service of his people in obedience to his holy will Therefore they must know that they are doing of or about to do their Lords work when and where he would have them 6 Because they are promised a reward and they ought to believe and look for it onely in the way of their duty and no where else And how can any expect a reward for doing that which for ought they know is not their duty at such a time in such a place in such a way 7 Because they ought to blesse thank and praise God for imploying them in his so great work and service 1 Tim. 1.12 which they cannot do unlesse they are sufficiently satisfied of the Lords calling them to it Tenthly As they should be satisfied in their own Souls of the Lords calling and sending them into his Vineyard so the Church to which they are sent should be satisfied of the same likewise and they should find great and real acceptance in each others hearts The Church should own and receive them as sent by and from Jesus Christ unto them to do his work and administer his holy Laws and Ordinances to them and that as great and promised mercies and blessings for their good Their union communion and Spiritual Relation must be founded in Love and strong affections one to another and grounded upon real satisfaction in and cordial acceptance one of an another as married together by Jesus Christ and so make one intire body and Temple These are no light and insignificant matters but very great and weighty matters indeed They put themselves into each others hands and become one anothers in the Lord in which state and condition they must abide and live together until the Lord shall separate them by some extraordinary providence For till then they cannot part one from another nor leave each other no not with mutual consents at their own will and pleasure because they were joyned together by the will of God as the chief and principal doer of it and therefore no lower will and power can dissolve the knot then that which at first did knit it These Ministers must go and take up with the Church as sent to them by Jesus Christ and the Church must own and receive them as Christs choice and gracious gift unto them And therefore they should be fully satisfied in each other and find deep real Love cordial acceptance and room in one anothers hearts resolving to live walk and continue together in Love and Faithfulness and in the constant practice of all duties to God and one another before they do unite and engage together in a Church-Relation For if they do not become one Holy Church and Communion upon the account of Jesus Christ his joyning them or calling them to own accept and chuse one another in that Relation If they be not congregated and united together by and upon the principle of Gospel-Love and Affection and if they enter not into and continue in that state and Relation Union and Communion together in pursuance of the will and call of Christ and in obedience to his command they are never likely to continue long together in peace and comfort to have God dwell in and walk with them or to thrive and prosper They may be able to make a comfortable Judgment of the Lords calling and joyning them together in love and mercy thus or by these things First if the Glory of the Lord Jesus their own Spiritual profit and edification lay deep in their hearts and are their great and only ends in their uniting and joyning together 2. If they have unfainedly and importunately asked counsel and conduct of God committed the whole to his choice and disposal to make up or hinder the match between them as he pleased and did indeed resign up their wills and concernments wholly unto his Wisdome and Sovereign pleasure to order and determine them and for them as he should think fit in order to the said ends and in their Prayers together and apart have stood in an even ballance waiting and expecting what the Lord would say and do in the case to and for them 3. And if after they have so done they find their hearts more and more enclined and knit one to another though still with a free and holy submission to the Will of God and they find providence working for them without by removeing obstructions and making the way plain for them I think they may comfortably conclude that God hath sent and called them to joyn themselves together and become a holy Temple in the Lord. For when all these things do concurr and fall in as it were together undoubtedly it is of God and by his special ordering and direction It was God that set up those holy ends and designs in their hearts It was God that stirred up and moved
their hearts so to pray and wait Psal 10.17 Rom. 8.26.27 or they could never have so done it It was God that enabled them to lie down and submit their wills and judgments to his It was God that enclined their hearts to one another and that knit them together in Love so as to chuse and accept of each other in that holy Relation and it was God that made their way plain before them And now what hinders why they should not freely unite and joyn together in the Lord and walk together as heirs of the Kingdome Eleventhly All things and matters in order to their Union and Communion together and becoming a house or Church of God and walking together as Officers and Members in that State and Relation being thus prepared and made ready for it They should now appoint and mutually agree to set apart a day to perfect and compleat what is so well begun And first they should call in the help and assistance of some other Church or Churches especially the Elders of them if they can that they may see and be satisfied of their proceedings and give them the right hand of fellowship Gal. 2.9 and assist them in the solemn setting apart of their Elders and help them with their Prayers 2. They should seek the Lord by fasting and prayer and entreat him in an extraordinary manner to be with them guide and direct them bless and prosper them in their proceedures and in an especial manner for the Elder or Elders they are about to chuse and in the Lord to set over themselves to feed them and take the oversight of them That God would give them a double portion of his Spirit and furnish them more abundantly with his gifts and special grace and make them able Ministers of the New-Testament That God would knit their hearts so fast together in the bond of love as that they may for ever live together in hearty love and peace and that they may freely constantly and chearfully perform their respective duties to one another according to the will of Christ And this being done they should now proceed to chuse and set apart their Elders I mean the Church should appoint one of their Brethren to express and declare that they have and now in a more solemn manner do elect and chuse out such a person or persons from among themselves Acts 6. to be their Elders and Teachers to rule seed watch over and Minister to them in the name of the Lord as persons fitted and sent to them by Jesus Christ for that end and purpose as they humbly judge and further they may declare that they do thankfully and cordially receive and accept them for their Elders as the gift of Christ unto them for those ends and services And when the said Elders are thus chosen and set apart as also ordained then they may declare their hearty acceptance of the choice and of the Church as their charge And for their mutual satisfaction and strengthning their hope and expectation of and confidence in each other as also for the faster knitting the Church and Elders together I think it convenient if not necessary that they do mutually promise and covenant to one another before God and men that they will really and unfeignedly perform their respective works and duties one to another Namely such as Jesus Christ requires of them according as he requires And when these things are done it may be convenient that the Officers or Messengers of other Churches that are present do declare that they approve of what is done by them and own them as a Church of Christ and their Elders now set over them as the Elders and Officers of Christ Now that the Church Congregated by the will of God have power to chuse and approve of all the Officers that Jesus Christ hath given them hath been shewed before and therefore I shall say nothing of it here but proceed Quest What is the work of Pastors Teachers or Elders in a Church of Christ or for what ends and purposes hath Christ set them there Answ First Their work is and they are set in the Church by Jesus Christ to Preach his word and to open and make known his mind and will unto them and as they have opportunity and ability to reveal the whole Counsel of God Acts. 20.27 28. They are to Preach the word of God not their own or others fancies and conceits and that diligently sincerely frequently and faithfully 1 Pet. 2.2 2 Cor. 2.17 Prov. 27.23 Acts. 18.25 Math. 24.45 This they must do in season and out of season 2 Tim. 4.2 They are to feed Babes with Milk and men or grown Christians with strong Meat Heb. 5.12 13 14. 1 Cor. 3.1 2. That is to Administer and apply suitable and proper Truths to them according to their capacities and conditions They must earnestly beseech and entreat as they see occasion 2 Cor. 5.20 2 Cor. 6.1 Reprove and rebuke Transgressors with all Authority 2 Tim. 4.2 Tit. 2. ult They are to comfort the feeble-minded and support the weak 1 Thes 5. They must study the Word and their Churches Souls cases and conditions that they may rightly divide and present unto them seasonable food and physick cordials and corrisives for they will need all 2 Tim. 2.15 and thereby make full proof of their Ministry 2 Tim. 4.5 This they must do publickly and privately as they have opportunity and ability and that with all possible patience wisdom and meekness 2 Tim. 2. ult Secondly As they must so attend to their Preaching work in the Church so likewise to their ruling work They have the Office power of Preaching and ruling from Christ not from the Church or any other persons whatsoever for they only elect call and set them apart to the exercise of that Power and Authority that Jesus Christ hath given them all which they are to exercise and make use of in the Church for their spiritual benefit and the glory of Christ That they have the power of rule as well as of labouring in the word and Doctrine is clear 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they namely such as have the ruling power also who labour in the word and Doctrine Which said ruling power consists in requiring attention in charging commanding appointing rebukeing and reproving in calling together the Church and dismissing them in requiring speech and silence in ordering and disposing of matters in the Church in an authoritative way examining matters and calling persons to an account and in admitting Members and executing the Laws of Christ on offenders in the Church c. 1 Tim. 4.11 2 Tim. 4.2 Titus 1.13 Tit. 2.15 Math. 24.45 To this part of their work office and power they must attend in the wise seasonable exercise of it as occasion is or may be offered without this authority of ruling from Christ they will be but lame Ministers and never able to carry on
as they do for their own Souls and that not as Believers only but as their Teachers and spiritual Fathers also Certainly this is one great part of their work and business and therefore they may not neglect it but are bound to be diligent in it in secret and in publick when present with them they must bless them and the word and seals ministerially and that by virtue of their place office and power in the Church 1 Cor. 10.16 Numb 6.23 24 25 26. Thus blessed Paul was much in the practice of namely in presenting the Churches cases to God and wrestling with God for them Phil. 1.9 Col. 1.9 2 Thes 1.11 Wherefore we pray alwayes for you So Col. 1.3 1 Thes 3.10 Seventhly Resolve doubts and cases that trouble any of the Members of the Church when they are presented to them if they are matters worthy consideration They must study cases of Conscience and such doubts and scruples as may arise in the hearts or heads of their people that they may be ready to apply some satisfying Medicine unto them They are to study persons and their cases and maladies as well as the Scriptures for they must alwayes be able to apply and rightly to use a word in season to weary troubled burthened Souls as well as to Preach publickly and promiscuously to all from a studied composed subject This work of Teachers in the Church is no light ordinary matter it will shew what they are and try their learning and abilities for their work more than any thing else It is a special gift of God and an evidence of an able spiritual Physician indeed who can find out spiritual Diseases of mens Souls and readily apply proper Remedies to them that can rightly speak a word in season to him that is weary Esa 50.4 and comfort the feeble-minded 1 Thes 5.14 The Lord Jesus and Paul were much exercised and imployed in this work and so should Teachers now as occasion is offered For the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and the people should seek the Law at their mouths Mal. 2.7 They are given to the Churches to be their spiritual Nurses and Physicians for the cure and health of their Souls and therefore they must administer Physick and Cordials unto sick and pained Souls in private as well as in publick Eighthly That they may discharge their Ministerial work as becomes the Ministers of Christ They must exercise themselves in reading and studying They must give themselves to reading and studying the Scriptures the works and providences of God as also their own experiences and they must read search and endeavour all they can to know the states cases conditions and wants of their own particular flocks that they may make full proof of their Ministry 2 Tim. 4.5 Divide the word of Truth aright 2 Tim. 2.15 Speak words in season to all sorts especially to weary and burthened Souls Esa 50.4 And that they may both save themselves and those that hear them 1 Tim. 4.16 Ministers of the Gospel must be continually lying in as well as lying out they must furnish themselves with Grace Truth and Experiences that they may Communicate unto others out of the good Treasure of their hearts Their hearts heads and lips must be filled with varieties of Divine and Heavenly matters that they may freely and readily impart of their receivings to every ones needs Mal. 2.7 Their Lord and Master charges them to give attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4.13 To Meditation 1 Tim. 4.15 And to study 2 Tim. 2.15 They must search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 Hold fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 And inspect their people Pro. 27.23 2 Tim. 4.5 Acts 20.28 They must not look for immediate Inspirations nor to be furnished with all needful supplyes from Heaven for the discharge of their office and Ministerial work in the Churches of Christ by the spirit but in and by their diligent use of Gods means God that appoints and promises the end appoints and directs us to and in the use of the means leading to the obtainment of that end The end directed to in and by the said means is the supply of Grace Gifts and all necessary and profitable ministerial abilities for such as Christ puts into the work and office of teaching and ruling in his Churches Therefore they may not divert to or take up with any other Imployments that may any way impede or hinder them in or of the aforesaid duties But in case of necessity Ob. But did not Paul work with his hands and labour in other businesses and exercise himself in worldly and secular matters after he was engaged in the work of the Ministry And if so why may not other men do the same as well as he 1. You saw before what ordinary Elders ought to do and are bound to attend unto in their places and offices namely to give themselves wholly to the work of the Ministry which they had received in the Lord Col. 4.17 That they fulfill it that they attend to Study Reading Meditation Exhortation Doctrine 1 Tim. 4.13 15. 2 Tim. 2.15 2 Tim. 4.5 And that they wait on the Altar 1 Cor. 9.13 2. Examples must not be taken and advanced against precepts Paul was an extraordinary Officer or Minister his work and power was every where where the Lord called him to Preach he was not a particular fixed Elder or Pastour to one single Church neither was he bound or necessitated to attend to reading studying c. as ordinary Ministers are Moreover Paul and other Apostles had their office power their abilities and furnitures for their work immediately from Christ in an extraordinary way and manner which ordinary officers now have not 3. Paul laboured not with his hands or neglected his Ministerial work but when necessitated thereunto and the Apostles at Jerusalem Act. 6. tells us That it was unreasonable that they should leave the word of God and serve Tables 4. Ordinary Pastours or Elders of Churches do find that their so attending to their work in their Studies as commanded absolutely necessary for the discharge and well performance of the work their Lord hath given them to do and experience shews beyond all contradiction that the most studious holy Ministers are the most powerful and profitable in their Ministry 5. The great and rich provisions that God hath made for them in their faithful attendance to their work in the Churches fully proves and declares what they should do and attend unto God hath commanded their Hearers to provide carnal things for them yea to Communicate to them in all good things that they may attend on their work and wait at the Altar without distraction Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.6.15 Rom. 15.27 Ninthly They must be eminently holy and righteous in all manner of Conversation They are Lights and therefore they must shine as such in the World They are the Salt of the Earth and therefore they must be of savory Spirits and practices Matth. 5.13
14 15 16. Ministers of the Gospel are given for and commanded to be examples to their Flocks 1 Tim. 4.12 1 Pet. 5.3 They are indispensibly bound to imitate their Master and to teach lead and conduct them in holiness to Heaven as well by their walkings and Conversations as by their Ministry that they may safely and comfortably follow them Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 1 Cor. 4.16 2 Thes 3.7 Surely such as Christ hath set in his Churches to feed nourish comfort strengthen instruct and build up his people to conduct lead and guide them in the way of Gospel-holiness to everlasting happiness should be singular in practical Godliness themselves They should be singular in knowledge faith patience self-denyal Goodness meekness charity humility tenden-heartedness faithfulness and usefulness in the World They ought to live out their own Doctrine and confirm it by conforming their carriages words and actions thereunto They must be clear of all Vices and eminent in all Vertues that they may adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour in all things and encourage men to follow their steps For they are not set in the Churches only to teach and verbally to Minister to them but to be Patterns of Piety also Tit. 2.7 They must carry themselves gravely soberly wisely seriously and holily towards and before all men that those who seek occasion against them may find none but on the contrary they may be convinced of and report that God his fear love faith and spirit is in them of a Truth 1 Cor. 14.25 And as they must seriously mind and practice the matter of their work and duty or what they are to do and set in the Churches for so they must carefully mind the manner of it too 1 In all their Ministrations and Walkings they must regard and have their eye on their Lords will and appointment Teaching them to observe what ever I command you Math. 28. ult They must not impose their own Wills and Dictates and thereby make themselves Lords over God's Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 They are the Servants and Stewards of Christ not to make Laws for and impose them on his Houshold but to acquaint them with their Master's Laws exhort and perswade them to keep and observe them as he commands and to execute them on Offenders 2 They must be diligent and constant in their Work They must not be Loyterers but Labourers be examples to their Flocks by shewing all diligence and faithfulness in their work Act. 18.25 1 Tim. 5.17 Prov. 27.23 3 They should attend too and perform their work readily willingly and chearfully not grudgingly 1 Pet. 5.1 2. 1 Cor. 9.17 They must be apt to Teach â— Tim. 3.2 and willing to Communicate If all Believers should so perform all their works much more should Ministers They should account their Ministerial work their priviledge not their burden and carry themselves accordingly in it 4 They must alwayes have in their eye the ends of their work and office and prosecute intend and design them with all Gospel sincerity They must not take their office on them nor do their work for filthy Lucre 1 Tim. 3.8 1 Pet. 5.2 nor to honour and exalt themselves but to honour please and serve Christ their Lord and to profit and edifie his people and that with all possible integrity and uprightness of heart 2 Cor. 2. ult For if these ends be not upper-most in their eyes and hearts in their desires choice aimes and intentions in their Ministrations it is certain they are not called of Christ nor qualified for Church-work and they shall not prosper in it be owned and blessed by him nor profit his people Thus briefly of the work and duty of teaching Elders or Pastors to the Churches over which the Holy Ghost makes them Overseers Now I shall briefly shew you the work and duty of Churches to their Pastors or Elders who faithfully and diligently labour in the word and Doctrine among them CHAP. VI. Wherein the Duties of Church-Members to their Pastours or teaching Elders are clearly opened and declared from Scripture Q. HOw ought Church-Members to behave themselves towards their Pastours or teaching Elders or what are their works and duties towards them Answ It is the will and appointment of the Lord Jesus the King head of his Churches that they should carry and behave themselves towards them in heart and practise as to his Ministers and Embassadors who come to them in his name by his Mission Authority and Commission with his Gifts and Grace upon his Errand and Business as also for their Souls profit They bear his Image wear his Livery do his work and serve his Interests in the Churches And therefore he that slighteth or despiseth them slights and despiseth him and his Father too Luk. 10.16 and he or they that receive them that love honour carry it well to them because they are his sent of him Commissioned and qualified by him to serve and honour him in the Churches they do thereby receive honour and love Christ himself Gal. 4.14 They receive honour and love Jesus Christ in and by receiving honouring and loving them as such and whatever good they do them or whatever respect they shew them as such the Lord Jesus takes it as done to himself Matth. 10. ult Matth. 25. Therefore all Church-members ought to carry and behave themselves well towards them and amongst other things in these particulars 1. They ought to love them I say to love them and that with all cordial tender affection They must not love them as they do other Saints of God only but they must have singular love for and shew special love unto them as Christs Embassadors and their Ministers 1 Thes 5.12 13. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem very highly in love for their works sake They must be loved on several accounts 1. As good men and living Members of Christ and so we are to love them as fellow-Brethren as we do other private Members 2. It is the will and appointment of Christ that they be loved as his Embassadors and Commissioners as his Stewards and Officers gifted and sent forth by him about his concerns in his Churches to do his work and business and as representing him by officiating in his Name by his Authority and doing his Message 3. They ought to be loved as your Ministers Guides Feeders and Overseers as sent unto you from Christ and dispensing the bread of life and the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to you declaring the Counsel of God and administring his holy appointments to you for your present comfort establishment and growth in grace and for your eternal happiness hereafter esteem them very highly in love for their works sake These are some of the Reasons why they should be loved more than any other Believers namely because
they are sent Authorized Graced Gifted and qualified by Christ do his work represent him stand in his stead 2 Cor. 5.20 and as they are his Ministers for good to you Well then mind your duty and the will of Christ in this matter and love them sincerely and heartily strongly and fervently fruitfully and constantly for they love you study pray and labour to do you good And know that if you do not love them you do not love Christ whose they are whom they represent and serve And if you hate slight and despise them you do hate slight and despise Christ himself in them Secondly It is the will and appointment of Christ your duty to honour and respect to reverence and esteem them in their faithful diligent discharge of their Trust and performance of their work amongst you They are the Embassadors and Commissioners of your great Lord and King and sent by him from Heaven to you as was shewed 2 Cor. 5.20 Eph. 4. and that about most high and honourable work yea the highest work and service that Creatures are capable of in this World They come from and are sent to you by the King of Kings from Heaven and therefore they must be honoured They are his Embassadors and Commissioners and therefore you must honour them They are sent and come to you as with his Image of Authority so of Grace Gifts and Holiness and therefore you must honour them They are sent by Christ to you on and for the service of your Souls and therefore you must honour them and they represent Christ and stand in his stead to you and therefore you must honour them They do give up themselves to be your servants and thereby do honour you 2 Cor. 4.5 and they chearfully serve the interest of your Souls as your spiritual servants and therefore you must honour them Christ requires you to esteem them and that is not all but to esteem them highly yea very highly too 1 Thes 5.13 and therefore you must do it Christ will not suffer you to slight or despise them no more than Kings will endure that any should slight or despise their Embassadors If you have low base thoughts of them in your hearts you slight and despise them If you slight and despise their labours and administrations you despise them If you villifie and speak slightingly of them behind their backs and devulge their supposed or real weaknesses you despise them If you carry your selves saucily and imperiously before their face in words deeds or deportments you slight and despise them and if you controul them and disregard their Judgments Censures Admonitions or Reproofs you slight and despise them when you turn a deaf ear to their Counsels Instructions and Exhortations you slight and despise them and when you disregard their power Authority and their exercise thereof in the name of Christ you slight and despise them In these and many other wayes and instances Church-Members do not only neglect their indispensible duty of honouring their Teaching-Elders but they do slight and despise them also And they do not only slight and despise them but as was said the Lord Jesus his Laws Image work and Authority also For he that despiseth you despiseth me says Christ Luk. 10.16 And by these and such like slighting and contemptible words and carriages towards them they do greatly provoke and discourage them they weaken their hands and distract their minds and so hinder them in their work They are honoured by Christ and honourable in his eye and he strictly charges and commands his Churches to esteem them most or very highly and to give them double honour 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and Doctrine Give says the Apostle to every man his due fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Rom. 13.7 It is their due by the Law of Christ and he expects you should give it to them not as they are such or such men but as his Embassadors Ministers c. Thirdly It is the will and appointment of Christ that Churches should pray for their Pastours or Teaching Elders and that in a more than ordinary manner and measure I mean more than they do or are bound to do for others 1 Thes 5.25 Heb. 13.18 Rom. 15.30 you must be earnest and importunate wrestlers with God at the Throne of Grace for them that God would pour out abundance of his holy spirit on them and by his teachings quicknings and anointings make them able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter only but of the spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 That they may open their mouths boldly have the gift of utterance and speak the Truth sincerely clearly impartially and constantly make known the mystery of the Gospel Eph. 6.18 19. Col. 4.3 That they may be kept from Snares and Temptations or be enabled to encounter them and with the Sword of the spirit to overcome and conquer them and that they may be eminent shining lights in the world That they may be able to divide the word aright diligent in and faithful to their Trust That they may be wise zealous and glorious Patterns of Piety all Godliness and be kept unspotted of the world and that they may abound in all grace gifts works of holiness and righteousness That they may Preach powerfully and profitably and in all their wayes words and carriages adorn the Gospel of Christ Tit. 2.10 That they may be found in the faith of the Gospel and hold fast the profession of the faith without wavering Preach sound Doctrine clearly plainly and closely Tit. 2.1 and in all things approving themselves the true Ministers of Christ That God would give them the spirit of Discipline and Government for the order and well being of the Churches and the orderly management of their concerns and that they may in all things walk by their Lords Rules and aim at design and uprightly intend his glory and the profit of his people and all others that hear them There are many reasons inforcing this duty on them to your Pastours I le name a few 1. Because it is the will of God that you should do so as the aforesaid Scriptures shew 2. Because they stand in need of your earnest prayers If the Apostles themselves did stand in need of the Churches prayers much more must ordinary Teachers need them Their work is hard and difficult who is sufficient for it 2 Cor. 2.16 Their discouragements are many and great and their Temptations many strong and powerful They have mysteries to unfold continually and they have stronger Temptations to grapple with all than others have therefore they should have your strongest and most importunate prayers Little do Churches know what they see feel and experience in their work and therefore are apt to imagine that their Teachers have an easie and sweet life of it and stand in little need of their assistance But surely they
are mistaken for there is no work in the world so full of care and trouble as a consciencious Minister is nor any that requires more diligence circumspection watchfulness and faithfulness than his They work and labour in Divine Mysteries and they work for Christ and Souls Their matters lye above the reach of carnal and meer rational understandings above the reaches of humane Arts and Sciences and they are alwayes consulting and conversant about new matters and things Oh what need have they of the Churches prayers 3. Because the Churches profit and Souls benefit is much concerned in their Teachers Administrations For God ordinarily speaks to the Churches hearts through or by their hearts as well as by their mouths The more they have of Christ Grace Truth and the Spirit of Christ the more powerful spiritual and profitable they will be in prayer Preaching and in all other Ministrations unto them Act. 14.1 Fourthly It is the will of Christ and their indispensible duty to know obey and submit themselves to their Teaching Elders or Pastours Authority Teaching Government and to all their regular and orderly Ministrations in the Lord. The Church owes them subjection and obedience and that as they are set over them by Christ and by him made their Teachers and Rulers and sent by him to take the charge and oversight of them and to Administer his holy Ordinances to them in his name for their good Heb. 13.7 17. Remember them that have the Rule over you or are Guides unto you as the words also signifie Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Without Government and Governours power and Authority Laws and Orders and without subjection and obedience in and of the Members of all sorts of Corporations and Societies of men in the world whether civil or Ecclesiastical they will be but confused Routs and Babels There will be can be nothing but confusion and every evil work as James speaks Chap. 3.16 If they are Rulers and have Authority from the Lord Jesus to appoint order and command as 't is clear they have or they are but shadows or cyphers 2 Thes 3.4 6. 1 Tim. 4.11 Tit. 2. ult then they may yea they ought to appoint order and command as they see occasion for the profit and well being of the Church in pursuance of their work and trust And if so then the Church and all the Members thereof are indispensibly bound to yield all free hearty willing and chearful subjection and obedience to them without grudging quarrelling or irregular gain-saying that is they are to eye the will and authority of Christ in and expressed by them and so to conform to it as it is Christs not theirs They must obey them not as gifted men but as the Embassadours Ministers and Officers of Christ and it is Christ and his will and Authority in them that must be the object of their obedience and subjection The neglect whereof is when through carelesness or wilfulness no less than disobedience too yea Rebellion against the Lord Christ himself Luk. 10.16 17. Col. 3.23 24. Great was the love and care of Christ as the head and King of his Churches in providing Lawes Rules and Orders as also in Authorizing and sending some to execute them for their spiritual good and his glory And therefore when Church-Members do slight neglect disobey and practically despise them they do thereby slight contemn and despise the love care and Authority of Christ and Christ accounts it so although those teaching Rulers are not Apostles but ordinary Officers as Luk. 10.16 17. shews when the Lord Jesus went to Heaven he gave gifts to men viz. Ministers and Ministerial abilities to them for the work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints c. Eph. 4.10 11 12. Then he delegated his Ministerial power to men promised to provide such for his Saints and to furnish them with his own gifts yea to be with them himself unto the end of the world Math. 28.18 19 20. Wherefore then the Churches of Christ should receive submit to and obey them in a sense even as Christ himself as they are Authorized gifted granted and sent by him in and about his message work and service in all their lawful commands and appointments and regular Ministrations in and for the Churches He that receiveth you receiveth me says Christ of the 70. Disciples he sent to Preach Luk. 10.16 Math. 10.40 And Paul commends the Galatians for receiving him as an Angel of God even as Christ himself Gal. 4.14 15. and the same Apostle charges Titus to speak and act in the Church with all Authority charging all the Members also not to despise or slight him for or in his so doing Tit. 2.15 If not to despise or slight him then to honour submit to and obey him as Christs and their Minister Well then do the Elders or Pastours of Churches carefully mind and diligently labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5.17 then all the Members of Churches are bound to obey them to submit to and wait on their Ministry and not despise them and it by deserting and withdrawing from it in whole or in part But more of this anon 2. Do they appoint meetings or call their Churches to assemble together for the celebration of any Ordinance of God or to consult about the matters and concernments of the Church for their profit and Christs glory they are bound in duty to do so excepting in extraordinary cases that hinder them as they will answer the contrary contempt to Christ at their peril They must not look on their practical conformity to it as an indifferent matter and stay at home or come at their own will and pleasure but actually obey such a call or summons as Christ's not dispute it but obey it not in the pride of their hearts disdain it but readily and chearfully subject to it Obey them that have the rule over you for they watch for your Souls Heb. 13.17 and be sure when they appoint such meetings it is for the Churches advantage 3. Do they appoint or require speech or silence in the Church or any good Orders and Rules to be observed and kept in the name of Christ and by his Authority they are bound to obey them without loading them and obstructing their proceedings with Jangling disputes and oppositions And as in these so in all other matters wherein the honour of Christ the profit of the Church or any Members thereof consists Rulers must see that they command and appoint order and rule wisely and faithfully and keep close to their Commission design and carry on Christ's holy ends in all and as they must rule well so all the Members ruled by them must obey well too And when both do their duties in their places the Lord Christ is
honoured and pleased and all the Church are or may be profited and edified and peace and truth promoted But on the contrary all confusion disorder and disturbances will necessarily follow as sad experience hath abundantly proved in this Land It is a clear and certain truth obvious to all men that if some must rule others must obey And if some are appointed and commanded by the Great and absolute Soveraign to Rule and Govern well then it must of necessity be the indispensible duty of others to submit and obey well All according and in obedience to the Authority and Soveraign will of their Great Law giver the Lord Jesus Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves is as indispensible a duty as any you have to do which I could abundantly confirm by many Scripture Reasons had I room in this Discourse to enlarge on it Fifthly It is the will of Christ and the Churches indispensible duty to simpathize with their Teachers to help and encourage them to strengthen their hands and comfort their hearts and to do all they can to forward them in their work that they may fulfil their Ministry and do their whole duty with joy and not with grief â—ol 4.17 Heb. 13.17 For whatever you do for or against them you do it for or against Christ himself whose Embassadours and Officers they are to you 2 Cor. 5.20 They have his Image of Authority stampt on them and are sent to you by himself about and employed in his work amongst you They labour toyl and sweat to serve and promote the interests and concernments of your Souls and they make it their business to do you all the good they can yea your happiness and welfare is much wrapt up in theirs And therefore when you burden and discourage them you hinder your selves of profit and when you comfort help and encourage them in their Ministerial work you further your own happiness thereby This is clearly intimated by the Apostle in Heb. 13.17 before mentioned Obey them that have the Rule over you for they watch for your Souls that they may do it with joy and not with grief Now mark his Reason why because that will be unprofitable for you The meaning is the better you carry it towards your Teachers who watch for your Souls and the more profitable you are to them the more profitable they will be to you the more useful and comfortable you are to them the more useful and comfortable they will be to you We say it is encouragement that makes a good Oratour and much more doth encouragement from Christians make in a sense good Ministers There is a great deal of difference between working under discouragement and encouragement discouragements from Christians do as it were unhinge Ministers and cause them to Travel in pain like Porters with pressing heavy burdens on their backs Their unkindnesses do greatly cumber and distract them trouble and perplex them discompose and deject them they exceedingly weaken their hands and sadden their hearts and even make their lives a burden to them And that because the true Ministers of Christ do so intirely and heartily love their people as that had they encouragement from them they could freely spend and be spent for them 2 Cor. 12.15 and they do expect a great deal of hearty love and kindness from them again as well they may for that Christ requires it of them towards their Ministers and they spend their time and strength in their service and concernments yea and when they called them to take the oversight of them they engaged so to do But now being disappointed of their so reasonable expectation they cannot but lay it to heart and cry out of wrong as Paul and Jeremy did To prevent which the Lord Jesus charges and strictly enjoyns all his people to see they carry themselves well towards his and their Ministers 1. By avoiding whatever may grieve or trouble them 2. By giving them all possible encouragements 1. Would you encourage and strengthen your Teachers in their work then attend on their Ministry and Ministrations seriously dutifully conscienciously and constantly The neglect of your so doing doth greatly discourage them sadden their hearts and weaken their hands The liberty some take which Christ never gave them to withdraw as they please from their Ministers and rambling up and down here and there as they please either from their prejudice pride ignorance or giddiness of spirit or from a wanton lavish vain spirit from their itching cars as Paul speaks 2 Tim. 4.3 or from the Devil is exceedingly hurtful to them as well as to the Souls of such Transgressors So likewise when they come to their Administrations unseasonably or untimely and do there carry and demean themselves carelesly indifferently and unreverently they cast a stumbling block before them and cause great offence to them Therefore you must attend on their Ministry as on Christs and your own Ministry seriously timely conscientiously diligently freely dutifully and constantly when they Preach and Administer for that is your duty and the contrary is your sin which in time will find you out For you by your so doing walk disorderly scandalously irregularly and contrary to the charge given you Heb. 10.24.25 not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is You walk out of your folds and prodigally run out of the place where the providence of God hath set you and commanded you to abide and worship him in until he do by some extraordinary dispensation call you off you expose your selves to great danger and tempt the holy Spirit to withdraw his Divine influences from you and I dare peremptorily affirm that while any do so they are back-sliding from God and God is going off from them that they shall never thrive nor prosper in Grace nor have any Ordinances blessed to them and though their wanton disorderly wayes seem right unto them yet they lead to death Prov. 14.12 Moreover such neglects in Church-Members tends directly to the breaking of the Churches of Christ and all good Order Peace and prosperity in them and to the bringing in of all irregularities and confusion to the great scandal of the Gospel dishonour of Christ offence of the faithful and to the breaking of their Ministers hearts Which certainly will have bitterness in the end although it may be pleasing to the offenders a while Oh! how grievous must such courses of Church-Members needs be unto their Pastours who have prayed studied and laboured to make good provision for them to comfort and build up their souls in Christ and that in hopes of finding them there in a readiness to receive it when they come to hand it out to them and then shall either find them gone or else there in an irreverent and careless manner This pierces their hearts and deeply wounds their poor Souls But on the contrary when they see their flocks seriously reverently seasonably and constantly keep their
what they please 2. Be tender of your Ministers good Names and endeavour to preserve them in Credit and Reputation to the utmost of your power as you have opportunity For this is the will of Christ and your duty If you are charged to honour them and highly to esteem them for their works sake 1 Tim. 5.17 1 Thes 5.12 13. as aforesaid then you are bound by the same Laws to keep up and maintain their honour credit and reputation among your own selves and with others and not hear them villified slighted and contemned by Back biters behind their backs while you are lookers on and hearers of it and hold your Tongues and speak not for their vindication as too many do But rather joyn with them and justifie such wretches by their silence and connivence if not positively fall in with them then shew their indignation against them respect to honour of and zeal for their Ministers and their Ministry It is well known that when their good Names suffer the Ministry of Christ in their hands suffers with them and proves a great hindrance to the Gospel and we cannot be ignorant of Satans devices and his industry and design to obstruct the Gospel and the profit of Souls by stirring up evil Tongues to blast their Reputation who labour in the Gospel And the more faithful diligent sincere and successful they are the more industriously will Satan by his evil Instruments pursue them with Reproaches That so their labours may be rendred useless Witness Jeremy Paul yea Christ himself who were exceeding faithful diligent and useful in the World to men Yet how were they bespattered with evil Tongues and rendred unworthy Inhabitants of the World And the same Spirit is still working and like Instruments ready to do the same work against your Ministers now Therefore you must do as Peter did Acts 2.12 13. when he heard the mouths of men open against them namely stand up stoutly for their vindication and sharply reprove their Back-biters and wicked slanderers and by no means give them any encouragement by your harkning to or silence at them Christ vindicated Joshua against the Devils accusation and Reproaches Zach. 3.1 2 3 4. so do you your Ministers But especially do not you who are Church-Members receive or entertain an accusation against your Teachers at all behind their backs nor under two or three credible witnesses before their faces nor be Whisperers against or Back-biters of them your selves one to another For that is such horrible wickedness as God and their Lord and Master will most certainly revenge and arise in due time to plead their cause against you although he may seem to wink at it for a time And know that if your Ministers know not your doings yet God takes special notice of them and will declare his abhorrence of them to your shame and sorrow at last Blessed Ezekiel had his Whisperers and Back-biters by the Walls unknown to him but God detected them Ezek. 33.30 31 32 33. read the words at large They were a Generation that carried it smoothly and fairly to his face but cruelly snarled at him behind his back and set their venomous Teeth in his flesh as too many Professors do now deal with their Teachers Many Church-members do greatly please themselves now with talking to one another against their Teachers behind their backs and blame them for this and that and so wipe their mouths and say they have done no evil They can with delight hear them villified receive and entertain false accusations against them from their bitter Enemies yea and report what they have heard to others also and bless themselves in their so doing But let such know that they have done very abominably and unrighteously and their sin will assuredly find them out in Gods time The Lord Jesus charges you that you receive not an accusation against an Elder under two or three witnesses 1 Tim. 5.19 and yet they dare do it upon the back-biting accusation of one malitious Accuser God charges you to honour your Ministers and to uphold and maintain their Credit and Reputation in the Church and World for his name and Gospels sake and the good of Souls But you dare stand by and by your silence countenance their back-biting Reproachers while you hear them discredit and dishonour them and that which is yet worser you give your positive consent to their wickedness and joyn Issues with them by receiving crediting and entertaining of what they say God peremptorily charges you not to Whisper against back-biters nor speak evil of any man nor be a Tale-bearer Levit. 19.16 Tit. 3.2 Jam. 4.11 Eph. 4.31 2 Cor. 12.20 and particularly of Teaching-Rulers Exod. 22.28 Act. 23.5 But you dare to do it as it were in spight of God and your own Consciences of and against your Elders Oh! let your Ministers good Names be of great esteem with you and near and dear unto you Be you very cheary and tender of them and do not in any way by any means either by Omission or Commission dishonour or discredit them For by your so doing you disobey the will of God and dishonour him and declare that you hate your Ministers although you pretend to love honour them that you contemn them although you pretend the contrary never so much Yea you are guilty of real Murder as I have abundantly proved from Scripture in a book entituled The evil Tongue tryed and found guilty c. 3. Visit your Ministers often and be not strange or strangers to them for that will much discourage them in their work There is a near Relation between Pastors and their Churches which calls for frequent visits and your frequent visits if free and voluntary and the fruits of your love to them and esteem of them especially if well improved will be very refreshing comforting and encouraging to them If they are freely willing to give you loving and profitable visits then so should you to them your Elders love your Company and glad to see you free and open hearted in your converses with them about your concernments when seriously and meekly managed and the contrary is very grievous and offensive to their Souls For how can they think you love and esteem them when you will not vouchsafe it may be to give them a visit in a whole year together or how can they believe you profit by and value their labours when you are so exceeding shy of their Company and strange in your carriages towards them your voluntary visits might be improved to great profit to both and I am perswaded that the neglect of this is sinful and not a little detrimental or injurious to their Souls As their work will not permit it so 't is unreasonable that your Teachers should alwayes go to you if they will speak with you Therefore you should come to them as well as they go to you Well then encourage them by your so doing and you will reap the profit of it as
well as they Let your love to them and esteem of them be seen in this as well as in other expressions of them For it is your duty so to do as it is your duty to forbear whatever may discourage them and do all you can to encourage and forward them in their work But be sure that your visits be not in vain but to spiritual profit And that they are indeed the fruits of your cordial love to and esteem of them or else they are no better than painted Images and whited Sepulchres and you will appear to be no better than Ezekiels hearers were to him who with their mouths did shew much love but their hearts were of another mould Ezek. 33.30 ult 4. Stand by them and help to bear their burdens when you know them and they require your assistance Bear ye one anothers burdens and so fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6.2 If you know them fall into or under any Sin or Temptation set your hand to lift them up again If they fall under afflictions help to bear them for them Be like the good Samaritan in this matter Luk. 10. and not like the cruel Priest and Levite who saw the wounded man lay weltring in his blood and crying out of his wounds and left him to shift for himself 31.32 verses no but shew your selves good Samaritans who simpathized with and actually helped him in his distress according to his need If your Ministers must simpathize with you and help you in your needs then you must do the same to them Shew bowels of love and pity to them and set your hands and shoulders too to help them under their Sins Temptations and other Tryals and Afflictions and if possible to lift them out of them Are they reproached help to bear their burdens Are they persecuted by men help to bear their burdens And do the like in all other weighty cases for them Oh! how many are there who pretend highly for Heaven but care not what becomes of their painful Ministers Who can hear of their troubles and sorrowes and Galio like care for none of these things nor seriously mind whether they sink or swim but like Pauls pretended friends who when they saw him in deadly danger forsook him 2 Tim. 4.16 and left him to stand or fall by himself 5. Blame not their Ministry to one another especially behind their backs neither slight and undervalue their gifts graces or any of their endeavours and labours in and for the Church although they may not in all things suit or please your humours thoughts or opinions For they are bound in their Administrations to please Christ and follow their own light and judgments their perswasions and consciences in all things for the Churches edification and not to walk according to the judgments will and pleasure of their Church-Members either in their Doctrine or Discipline And those Churches that will impose their own apprehensions and opinions on their Pastors or Elders and load them with burdens of work and duty which the Lord Jesus never commanded them are in their so doing no less than Tyrannical-Usurpers over them For if Elders may not impose any thing or matter on the Churches but the yoke and will of Christ much less may the Churches impose their own opinions on their Elders We say that it is too hard a matter for any man to please all men and experience shews that it is as hard a matter for any Elders of Churches to please all their Members but that one or other will be offended at this another at that and then divulge their dislike of this or that in them unto others and endeavour to bring them into dislike of it also And then to make it their business to tattle and talk of it one to another until they have run themselves into further mischiefs Therefore Ministers may no further seek to please their Churches then in and by their so doing they may please Christ their Lord. And what that is I should think that their Elders should understand as well if not better than they Paul sought not to please men but God in his Ministry Gal. 1.10 Some Professors do delight themselves in this evil work namely in seeking matters and making faults against their Elders and then possess others with their own inventions and if they do not gratifie and please them in all things they shall be sure to please them in nothing All their works are blame-worthy in their account But as this shews that they are acted by a Spirit of Pride and prejudice against their Elders so they do thereby declare their own folly and lay open their own nakedness with a witness yea they dishonour Christ hinder the profit of their own and others Souls by their so contemning his and their Ministry and greatly grieve and stumble their Teachers and cause them to walk up and down with sad hearts Therefore do you take heed and beware of this evil for the Devil will tempt you to it that he may hurt your Souls afflict your Teachers and hinder the Gospel you should commend and esteem whatever is their vertue whatever you may see lovely in them and if you see any defects or unavoidable weaknesses in them to cast a mantle of love over them and by all means endeavour to keep up in each others hearts a due esteem of and respect unto them and their Ministry that the Gospel be not hindred but furthred and encouraged by your means 6. Joyn with your Teachers and that by affording them your Concurrence and utmost assistance in their endeavours to promote good things in for the good of the Church and do not hinder or load such overtures designs and endeavours of your Ministers by your absence groundless disputes or by your sullen silence there When they propound any matter to you for your profit and the welfare of your Souls the peace and prosperity of the Church or the benefit of others then weigh and ponder well the reasons which they give for what they do or desire should be done or omitted by themselves or the Church or altogether and if you cannot null and answer them or bring better for the contrary then you should quietly thankfully and peaceably accept of theirs acquiesce in them and encourage them in their design and not put difficulties in the way by some singular notions of your own Do as Nathan did when David propounded a case to him and told him that it was meet God should have a house built for his Name and Worship and gives him some reason for his proposition Nathan replyes Go do all that is in thy heart 2 Sam. 7. He saw it a most reasonable and useful an undertaking and freely complyed with David and encouraged him to go on and proceed WHy should not you comply with your Teachers when they design and propound some good work to be carried on for the glory of Christ and benefit of his Church or other men and
why should not their reasons be soberly and humbly considred of by you and oblige you to practise unless you can null them and with peace and meekness propound better to them for their satisfaction It is sad when Members of Churches shall be so highly conceited of themselves and their own Notions as that they shall despise and turn as it were a deaf ear to all the reasons of their Elders and delight in being singular from them and their fellow-Brethren in Church-matters and in contending for Victory rather than for Truth This ought not to be For it makes Church-work tedious spoyls the beauty and loveliness of it yea it marrs the Harmony of Church order And this is dishonourable to Christ and the Church and exceedingly grievous to your Teachers who do unfeignedly seek and aim at your good in all and dare not do otherwise for fear of offending Christ their Lord. 7. Encourage them with your Purses also For it is the will of Christ that you should do so They labour for your Souls and spend their time and strength to do you all possible service in their places and capacities and therefore it is most reasonable that you should labour and provide for their bodies They spend for you and therefore you should spend for them They are Shepherds do watch over and wait on you their Flocks And I appeal to any indifferent Judgment if it be not a most reasonable thing that they should live by the milk of their Flocks surely Paul yea the Holy Ghost thought so 1 Cor. 9.7 8. and therefore have declared it for our Learning and practise It was Gods Ordinance under the old Testament and it is ratified and confirmed to men under and by the new Testament also namely that Ministers should be honourably and comfortably maintained by their Congregations The Great God took special care about it and made provisions for their maintenance assoon as he had ordained and set them up and appointed and set them out their work And God strictly-charged his people to see that they did not at any time forget or neglect the Levite but pay them all that he had set out and appointed for them and that then when by reason of Age or other impediments they could not Minister to them and for them as well as when they did Numb 3.6 to the 14. vers Numb 16.9 10. Deut. 26.2.15 vers Deut. 10.8 9. Numb 7.1 2 3 4 5. Deut. 12.19 Deut. 14.26 27 28 29. Deut. 18.1 9. Now Gods care of and goodness to his Embassadours did not dye with the Ceremonial Law but he hath continued it under the Gospel and therein straitly charged his people to provide for them according to their abilities God commands his people to communicate to their Teachers in all good things Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that Teacheth in all good things And in 1 Cor. 9.14 The Apostle assures us that it is not of men but a real and unchangeable Ordinance of God now by and under the Gospel For says he so hath God ordained that they that Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel Mark it is ordained God hath made it a Statute Law that cannot be altred neither may it be transgressed under pain of Gods high displeasure And the Apostle argues by the Spirit the justness and the undoubted reasonableness and righteousness of mens so doing and that the evidence of meer Reason and the Dictates of natural Conscience without either written Law or Gospel will abundantly prove and undeniably conclude this Truth against all opposition whatsoever 7.10 verses And proves that it is not matter of gift or charity as it is to give to men in distress to whom we are not endebted nor related but that it is debt and justice or a due debt in strict Justice and that by a threefold Law viz. The Law of Nature the written Law of God in the old Testament and the new Law or Gospel as in this 1 Cor. 9. from the 5. to the 15. vers he evinces so in Gal. 6.6 and Rom. 15.27 And says the Apostle in 1 Cor. 9.11 v. If we have sowen to you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things As if he had said alass These are but light small and low matters that you give us for our pains and labours in comparison of what we do for and dispense to you Your carnal things that you impart to us for our bodies are not comparable to our labour pains and care to impart spiritual Riches to your Souls And therefore if you grudge at your parting with yours to us know that you grudge us small and very inconsiderable things in comparison of what we distribute to you This is another of your works and duties to your Teachers You must therefore do it and that 1. Chearfully and willingly not grudgingly heartily not hypocritically and indifferently dutifully and in obedience to the will of Christ not as an arbitrary thing that you may or may not do at your own will and pleasure Constantly and perseveringly not for some time onely And see that your ends be right in it namely to encourage your Ministers propagate the Gospel to profit Souls to serve please and honour the Lord Jesus and that in the right performance of your duty to Christ his Ministers you may enjoy the good of the promises and the blessings of all Christs Ordinances administred by them But that I may a little more inforce this on your Consciences be pleased to consider First That your Ministers are appointed commanded and they do wholly attend on Christ and the service of your Souls They are said to wait at the Altar 1 Cor. 9.13 and commanded to give themselves wholly to their work of Teaching Ruling Reading Meditation Study and Exhortation that their profiting may appear to all that they may rightly divide the word of Truth and that by so doing they may both save themselves and them that hear them 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. 2 Tim. 2.15 They must Preach the word in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 1.2 Feed their Flocks and take the care and oversight of them Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.1 2. And therefore you must take care of their bodies on whom they attend For you see that they may not cannot follow other Employments to get Bread because they are commanded to do other work for you the greatness difficulty of their own proper work necessitates them to wait on and attend to it with all diligence Therefore you ought to provide for them all suitable supplyes because they cannot may not do it themselves 2. Consider that you are plainly and peremptorily commanded and charged to Communicate to them in and of all your carnal things as you heard before And therefore you are by Christs Authority and revealed will indispensibly bound to do it and that without grudging or gain-saying For a plainer
and a more Indispensible dury is not imposed upon you who are able in the Gospel and therefore you cannot plead ignorance for the breach or neglect of it And if you do not obey your God and King in this as well as in other things how can you be called obedient Children 1 Pet. 1.14 and how shall Christ commend you as he did Zachary and Elizabeth for walking in all his Commandments and Ordinances blamelesly Luk. 1.6 Or how can you expect that Christ should say unto you well done good and faithful servants You have done that which was your duty to do when you know that you lived in the wilful neglect of a known and easie duty 3. Consider that God takes special notice of your doings and carriages towards his Embassadors and your Teachers He is privy to all your wayes and will abundantly reward all your kindnesses and unkindnesses to them and that because they are his and yours Therefore be careful to demean and carry your selves towards them so as that the Lord Jesus may say to you well done good and faithful Servants you have been kind and good respectful and dutiful to my Ministers and to me in them And therefore I will recompence all your work of faith and labour of love to them For what you did to them as they were my Ministers you did to me I take all as done to my self enter into the joy of your Lord. These are some and but some of the Churches duties towards their Pastors or Teaching-Elders For although I have been larger on this head than I intended yet I forbear speaking any more lest some should think I say too much CHAP. VI. Of meer Ruling-Elders and Deacons of their Office Work and Power in the Church How they ought to do their Work and for what ends they are set in the Church As also the Churches duty to them with the necessary qualifications of such Officers Quest WHat other Officers hath Christ appointed for and set in his Church or Churches in the New Testament besides Teaching-Elders Answ The Lord Jesus hath set in his New Testament-Churches Ruling-Elders and Deacons Ruling-Elders or Elders whose chief if not only work is to rule in the Church and to help to Mannage the Discipline thereof with the Teaching-Elders seems to be warranted in the Gospel The Texts that speak most clearly in the case are in the 1 Tim. 5.17 Rom. 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 In Timothy they seem to be expresly distinguished from Teaching Ruling-Elders Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine This especially refers to such Ruling-Elders whose work and main business is to Teach and who are especially therefore worthy of double honour for that they have a double work and Office namely Teaching and Ruling But the first part of the words speaks of meer Ruling-Elders who in the faithful diligent and conscientious discharge of their Office and Trust in the Church are counted worthy of double honour and ought to be honoured and respected as such by the Church not as they are Elders but Elders who mind their business and perform their work well and faithfully as becomes Stewards of the house of God In the Romanes the words are these He that Ruleth with diligence In the 6. and 7. verses we have the Apostle speaking to another sort of Officers namely Teachers whose greatest work is to Prophesie Minister and Teach And therefore says he let such wait on that part of their work Then he comes to another sort of Officers and these sayes he are to Rule with diligence Not to attend to Teaching as the others were to do but to Ruling and that with diligence whereby he distinguisheth the one from the other and shews that they are distinct persons and Officers from the Teachers before mentioned In like manner the Apostle seems to me to point out this sort of Office and Officers in the 1 Cor. 12.28 God saith he hath set some in the Church first Apostles Secondarily Prophets Thirdly Teachers then Helps Governments Now what should these helps Governments be as here and elsewhere distinguished from teaching Ruling-Elders but this sort of Ruling-Elders I am speaking of For as every Church of Christ needs Teaching so also Government and Discipline for their order and well being But because the Teaching Elders cannot attend continually to their Ruling work because their Teaching and Ministring other Ordinances diverts them from it so often as need requires therefore hath God set in his Churches meer Ruling Elders that they as Moses his 70. Elders may help to bear the burden and assist the Teaching-Elders in the Discipline and Government of the Church And therefore they are in the Corinths joyned to the Teaching Ruling-Elders and also in the Romanes and they are expresly called Helps Governments for that they are given of God to help their Teachers or Pastors in the Government of the Church And truly it hath its weight with me namely the necessity of such Officers in the Churches to help their Pastors in the Government thereof For as Satan is more busie and vigilant in the Churches to cause disorders therein than in any other Societies of men So there is the more need of diligent and careful Government and Inspection to keep all in order And as was said before the Teaching-Elders cannot so constantly attend to the work of Discipline because of their other work as need requires therefore there is a kind of nenessity of meer Ruling-Elders to help and assist them in the well Ordering and Governing the Church Thus we see that there are such Officers and such an Office in the word of God Quest For what ends hath God set Ruling-Elders in his Church and what is their Office Work and Power there Answ Although the Scripture seems to speak but little of thiâ— matter namely of their work use and ends for which they are set in the Church particularly yet if it be clear that such an Office and Officer distinct from the Teachers are given to and set in the Church by the Lords appointment and that they are Authorized and Empowred by Christ to Act and Officiate there in his Name then I say it is certain they have their special work to do there for they are not set there to have a Name and signifie nothing else but they have their work there as such which they are diligently to attend unto for the benefit of the Church and the glory of Christ their Lord. Now what their work and business is I shall search out and discover as well as I can and that with all possible brevity First then they are expresly called Ruling-Elders or Elders that Rule in the Scripture 1 Tim. 5.17 Now what doth their Name and Office signifie and imply but that they are to assist their Teachers in the orderly Government of the Church as was said before And I think their work lies chiefly in these
Ten things 1. In looking after the Conversations of such as propound themselves to joyn with the Church that the Church admit not any scandalous persons amongst them That if they are such they may be debarr'd and kept out if otherwise together with other qualifications they may be received in This I judge to be one part of their work For certainly it is one part and end of Church-power to keep the Church clear from scandal and offence And they may and ought to do it Authoritatively and not as private Members may do it only 2. In the absence or upon the desire of the Pastor they may admit or take Members into the Church or rather take them into Church-Membership by giving them the right hand of fellowship and shewing them their duty and priviledge in a Church-State And herein they represent the Church and act Authoritatively therein for them This is another part of their Office VVork and Power And it requires good abilities to do it well and to purpose 3. They may when need requires command speech and silence in Church-meetings for the preventing of Disorders and disorderly Members in their words and carriages and they may authoritatively and publickly admonish and reprove such in the face of the Church which private Brethren may not do 4. They may in some cases with the consent of their Pastor or Teacher if at home call and assemble the Church together for the preventing of some apparant evil or promoting of some good thing or work in the Church Or in case the Pastor shall knowingly neglect to do his duty in the case or cases aforesaid doubtless the Ruling-Elders may and ought to do it and the Church ought to obey their call For they do it by the Authority they have from Christ for the good and benefit of the Church But this may not be done by any Member that is not an Elder but in the want of an Elder And when they are assembled together they may authoritatively propound the causes and ends for which they called them there and require their assistance 5. Their work is to inspect and carefully diligently wisely and faithfully to look after the walkings and conversations of all the Members of the Church This is the chief part of their work They are not only to take cognizance of what is brought to them by others Reports but to enquire after them They are bound by virtue of their Place and Office to see if the Members keep close to Church-meetings and reverently attend them and if they do not to Reprove Admonish Exhort them to Teach and Instruct them That they may know their duty be convinced of their sinful neglects repent of and amend them and that by their good Counsels and Exhortations they may be provoked and encouraged to and in their work Ruling-Elders should in this matter as also in comforting the afflicted and speaking words in season to him that is weary be able and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to Teach 1 Tim. 3.2 as well as the Pastors The one more privately and particularly and the other more publickly For as the Deacons work is to look after the wants and corporal concernments of the Church and provide for the poor and the Teachers to mind and look after the concernments of their Souls and make provisions for them according to their needs So Ruling-Elders have their work namely to look after the manners of all the Members of the Church To encourage and strengthen the hands of the Tractable and Obedient and to reprove convince and perswade the Disobedient that they may do what they ought 6. And therefore they should often visit them and see how they do and how they walk what they want and wherein they need their assistance and helping hand and when they know it to hold it out unto them freely and readily Certainly Elders should be intimately acquainted with their Congregations and with their walkings also For if any miscarry through their default or neglect the guilt will lie at their Doors and the Lord Jesus will require it at their hands Oh! that Elders would serioufly consider it and lay this matter near their hearts and suffer it to penetrate and pierce their Consciences and that they would consider in good earnest wherefore they are set in the Church and for what ends they have Rule and Discipline put into their hands That under deep Convictions they may be induced to discharge their work and perform their Trusts mind their Duty and prosecute the ends of their appointment that God may be well pleased with and bless them own and delight to use them for his glory in the Church and that they receiving benefit by their wisdom diligence and faithfulness may rejoyce in and bless God for them 7. They must take up Controversies and endeavour to end strifes and debates in the Church when such evils happen which are found too frequent through the Pride and prejudice of our hearts and the Temptations of the Devil who is a great Adversary to the Peace Beauty Order and Prosperity of Churches Ruling-Elders must not suffer any quarrels or contentions either in publick or private either between a few or many but presently interpose their VVisdom and Authority to decide and reconcile the causes and persons and set all in joynt again For such evils if let alone will prove like Cancers in the body and encrease to more ungodliness as the Apostle speaks Therefore the Elders should enquire into them and search out such as did the wrong began the strife and such as they find are adicted to take up prejudices against and foment debates with their Brethren and correct the offenders and releive the wronged and oppressed as they see cause There must be no Hammer no knocking heard in the Temple of God And wee to them who give occasion for strife and debate and to such as do improve occasions in such a manner also so likewise to negligent and careless Elders who do or may know these evils and yet let them alone or seek to heal them in a slight manner as if they had nothing to do with them or were not indeed much concerned in them But surely this is one of your great works as you have the power of Rule and Government in your hands for the good of the Church And you may authoritatively take up Controversies and require the Members of the Church to hearken to you And you may do Christ and the Church great service in this matter Therefore mind it in good earnest 8. Their work is to assist and encourage the Teaching-Elders and to promote and set forward the Gospel in their hands They must stand by and stand up for their Teachers and not suffer them to be wronged obstructed or discouraged by any so far as they can prevent it by their power and wisdom Do any back-bite them Rprove them Do any slight or contemn their Ministry Reprove them shew them the
and Authority only that you must observe and walk by 3. Diligently you must exercise your power with all possible diligence Rom. 12.8 He that Ruleth with diligence That is he must frequently attend to his Ruling-work and what he doth therein he must do with all his abilities He must be earnest and fervent in it and set himself to it as to his work and business He must not be slothful negligent or careless in it as if it were an indifferent thing no but he ought to be diligent and fervent in Spirit serving the Lord in what he doth Rom. 12.11 The negligent servant shall be beaten with many stripes Luk. 12 47. They should be diligent to know the state of their Flocks Prov. 27.23 For although they I mean the Church are not the Ruling Elders Flock as they are the Teaching Ruling Elders yet they are in a sense their Flock and charge to watch over them and inspect their manners and walkings 4. Readily willingly and chearfully They should be like the Teaching-Elders in this also 1 Pet. 5.2 Taking the oversight of the Flock not by constraint but willingly not as Lords over Gods Heritage but examples to the Flock It is sad indeed when they look not after them nor mind their work and Office in the Church but when they are constrained and as it were forced to it by their Teachers and cannot for shame but do something then but somewhat unwillingly coldly and indifferently as if it were a small thing or a matter by the by and which they would not trouble themselves about could they handsomely evade and pass it by They grudge at it and account it their burden not their delight But surely it should be their delight to serve Christ and his Church and they should most readily willingly and chearfully do it 5. Conscientiously and Dutifully The will of Christ and their duty their work and opportunity to do good should lye deep in their hearts and powerful on their Consciences and what they do in the Church in pursuance of their Trust and Office-power for the Lord Jesus and his Church they are bound to do it upon Choice conscientiously and dutifully and that because it is their place work and duty by virtue of Christ's Authority who hath for these ends set them in the Church appointed and enjoyned them such work and service there for his glory and their good They must not only bear Rule but they must Rule well too for those ends or else they are of no use and service there Now how can they be said to Rule well as commanded unless they use and exercise their Office-power so namely wisely diligently readily and willingly chearfully conscientiously and dutifully according to the Laws and Rules of Christ their Lord 6. They ought to exercise their Authority and use their power in the Church with much love tenderness meekness impartiality and sometimes as need requires with severity too They must not exalt themselves and carry it in a Lordly manner towards their Brethren because they have Authority over and may command them But they must see that they temper their power and the exercise and use of it with love tenderness humility and meekness They should so carry themselves in all things as that on the one hand they be not slighted and despised and on the other hand envied for their haughtiness They should so behave themselves in the house of God as that they may give occasion to all to think that they love them and respect their good in all they do So likewise they ought to be just and impartial in their proceedures towards all and not respect persons in Judgment but the merit of the cause And in case of necessity when they have to do with stubborn and obstinate persons they may and ought to be severe in dealing with them when they cannot otherwise prevail on them to convince humble and reform them Jude 22.23 7. And in all their endeavours ways and practises in the Church they should intend design and aim at the union peace holinesse comfort and prosperity of the Church the honour of Religion encouragement of the Gospel and the Glory of Christ All which blessed ends they should wisely zealously sincerely seriously industrously and faithfully prosecute and with all their might strive and labour to obtain and by all means and that with much patience and perseverance in the use of them hope and pray seek and wait to accomplish in the Lords time They must not make one or two attempts to reconcile differences rectify disorders disswade from Sin perswade to Duty to heal wounds and encourage to Repentance and so leave it without looking after the Issue and the success of their labours but they must follow on their work until the ends be obtained They as well as their teaching Elders must look well to their herds Prov. 27.23 They must see that they rule well and with diligence 1 Tim. 5.17 Rom. 12.8 and that they approve themselves faithfull Stewards to Christ and his Church in all their proceedings and make full proof thereof Quest What are the qualifications of ruling Elders or how should they be qualifyed for so high and honourable work and office in the Church Ans I shall briefly name some of their necessary qualifications and but some of them and such as are indeed necessary for them without which they cannot will not rule well nor be profitable to the Church First They must be qualified with Spiritual Gifts and special Graces with a considerable measure of divine Wisdome and Spiritual understanding They should be not only real Saints but eminent Saints too They must not only have peculiar Grace but be strong in Grace also Surely they ought to be well furnished with the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit that they may go in and out and walk in the Church as shining Lights be able to judge and discern cases and persons and make a sound and true Judgment of the things and matters they may be called to judge and determine They must not be Novices in the knowledge of Christ his Law Gospel the Rules by which they must walk but they must have the Word of Christ to dwell in them richly in all Wisdom Col. 3.16 to help them in their work They cannot rule well unlesse they do understand and can speak well nor unlesse they are well acquainted with their Office Work and the Rules thereof They ought to be sober grave and serious Persons and not of vain light and frothy behaviour in their spirits carriages They should be of prompt ready minds and spirits for their work and not of dull lumpish and heavy Tempers For if they are such they will not act upon choice freely but by constraint and that will render them unprofitable and undesirable to the Church They should be men of blamelesse lives and spotlesse conversations and they should be men of warm and lively affections abounding in Love zeal and fervour of
Spirit They ought to be men of Courage fearing God like Moses his 70 Elders Exod. 18.21 and be free from notorious and apparent Coveteousness and worldly mindednesse They should be eminent in humility and meekness and in other Graces of the Spirit and they should be men of pitty compassion of bowells and mercies as the Apostle speaks They must not be angry passionate persons or men of sower froward and peevish Spirits and carriages for these abominations will very much blemish them and cause prejudices in the minds of Observers They must not be Tattlers Medlers nor Busy-bodies in other mens matters neither should they be slothful negligent or careless of their own These are some of their necessary qualifications Quest What are the Duties of Church-members and how ought they to demean and carry themselves towards their Ruling Elders Ans When they do rule well and use their office power diligently faithfully and profitably for the peace wellfare and prosperity of the Church the encouragement of the Ministry propagation of the Gospel and the honour and Glory of Christ as they are indispensibly bound to do they are worthy of double Honour Love and respect from the Church and they ought to give it to them heartily and sincerely in obedience to Christ who injoyns and requires it 1 Tim. 5.17 as also for their work and office sake and for the Lord Christ his Sake whose Officers they are whose Image they bear and whose work and service they do and are employing themselves in They must have not only simple honour love and respect from you but double They must have much more then any private brethren have when they rule well and that upon a twofold account 1. As they are Christ's and your Elders and Officers and in a sense do represent the Lord Jesus Christ to you in and by their work and office-power in the Church 2. As or because they rule well and use their office-power for your profit and benefit Do they carefully diligently and industrously attend to and follow their work and seek your good then remember that you owe them double honour love and respect and see you give it to them Moreover Church-members should yield them their chearful subjection and obedience to all their Lawfull commands and appointments for their good and give them all possible encouragement in their work and not weaken their hands and make their work heavy and burdensome to them but do all they can to make it easy and sweet to them that so they may do it with Joy and not with Grief You should also pray importunately for them that God would make them able willing and faithfull to and in their work and blesse and prosper their labours with success Do they mind their work and labour for your good why then it is most reasonable that you should mind them and give them their dues that they may be encouraged in their work and diligence by your duty to them In a word you should carry your selves towards them in all things as to Spiritual Magistrates and Christ's Officers to you for your Good As Paul speaks of civil Magistrates Rom. 13.4 for says he they are God's Ministers to thee for good so your ruling Elders are the Ministers of Christ to you for good Therefore behave your selves towards them and do for them as such Not as they are Elders among you but as they are good Elders to you and such as rule well for your profit Do they rule well mind and attend to their work and duty Why then love honour and respect them as such Do they labour with and take pains among you and are they diligent serious and faithfull in their office then pray much for them blesse and thank God for them acknowledge accept and esteem of them carry your selves submissively obediently to them strengthen their hands and encourage their hearts to and in their work and do all you can and ought to do for them Do they walk holyly humbly wisely zealously and fruitfully do you follow their examples imitate their steps and as much as possible write after their Copy and by so doing you will honour Christ and comfort them Quest What other Officers hath Jesus Christ set in his Church Ans Deacons The Lord Jesus hath in his great love to and care of his Church appointed and given to them this sort of officers also for their comfort profit and well being and they need them likewise For as the Teaching Elders may not attend mostly to their ruling work but to Study Reading Doctrine and Exhortation and then not to serve Tables Act 6. so the Ruling Elders leave their work to attend two which is not to serve Tables neither but to look after other Church-matters and concernments as you heard before And therefore I say that Deacons are necessary and usefull Officers in the Church and are distinguished from other Officers by their name and work there The Institution of this sort of Officers in the Church as also their work use and qualifications we have an account of in Acts 6.3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 3.8 9 10 11 12 13. Phil. 1.1 so that we see there is such an Office and such Officers are appointed for and set in the Church Quest What manner of persons should deacons be or what are their qualifications by divine Appointment Ans They must be men of honest Report full of the holy Ghost and wisdome Acts 6.3 They must be grave not double-tongued not given to much wine not greedy of filthy Lucre holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience Even so must their Wives be grave not slanderers Sober Faithful in all things Ruling their Children and their own houses well 1 Tim. 3.8 9 11 12. These are some of the necessary qualifications of Deacons in the Church You that are Deacons mind these things and consider seriously if you are so qualified for that Office in the Church of God If you are not so qualified humble your selves before the Lord entreat him to qualify you with his holy Spirit and labour in the use of all good means to obtain what is yet wanting in you for the well and profitable performance of your work as becomes such Officers in a holy Church of Christ's Quest What are the Deacons works in the Church Ans In general their work is to serve Tables Acts 6. But more particularly 1. They are to provide for and distribute to the poor of the Church according to their necessities Act. 6. and not to suffer any of them to want through their negligence And therefore they ought to enquire what poor there are in the Church and what their wants are and accordingly to supply them In order to which they should receive the Churche's contributions and wisely consider if what they do receive from them will supply the wants of the poor and satisfy other emergencies in the Church And in case they do not to acquaint one of the Elders that
he may speak to the Church to augment their stock that so they may have enough to supply all occasions as need requires 2. They should not only look after the poor to get money for them from the Church but to ease the Church they should see that such as can work and so help to maintain themselves do so and such as can work but will not if any such be to reprove and admonish them and untill they do set to work and endeavour to live and provide for themselves as well as they can to detain all supplies from them that their wants may provoke them to labour But in case there are any poor in the Church that would labour and not be chargeable to the Church but cannot get employment the Deacons ought to do their utmost from time to time to get them work and to give them all the encouragement they can therein And by their so doing they may be servicable to the Church and to the poor who would live by the labour of their own hands if they could find employment and who are as loath to be burdensome unto the Church as they are that they should be so 3. They should often visit the poor and see how it is with them encourage and comfort them and do all they can to strengthen their hands and refresh their hearts under their poverty and the Temptations that attend it Doubtless poverty hath many great and strong Temptations and therefore the poor have need of their supports kindnesses and encouragement to bear up their hearts from sinking despondencies Surely Deacons have more to do for the Church and the poor thereof then to receive contributions and send it by others now and then to such as want when they are required so to do What need is there of such qualifications as the Gospel requires in them for their doing of that If they have but eyes and common reason they may do their work if that be all without any of the aforesaid qualifications But their requisite qualifications do declare sufficiently that they have other work to do in the Church for which they must be so qualified But when men have once gotten the name of an Office they take up with that but seldome or never mind endeavour to know and do the work of their office They must be even driven to mind it and angry if any tell them of their neglects Surely such officers have a sad account to make and contract much blame shame and guilt on their names Souls and they must repent in Dust and Ashes and even shed Tears of blood for their Sin if ever they be Saved Yea the straits wants and Temptations of the poor which are occasioned by the Deacons neglects will cry out against them and condemn them Oh! Sirs remember whose Officers and Stewards you are and for what ends you are set in the Church consider your ways what you ought to do what you do and what you leave undone 4. They should provide conveniencies for the Church to worship God withall and see that the Church suffer no detriment by any of their neglects 5. Their work also is to see that the Church perform that part of their duty to their Teacher or Pastor namely to give him his due of subsistance according to that charge in Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9. Rom. 15.27 and to collect it for him To provoke the negligent and exhort such as are backward to their duty Their work being as was said to serve Tables this must needs be a part of it And it is well known that this work of the Church and Deacons is necessary for the upholding and encourageing of the Ministry These are some of the Deacons workes in the Church to which they should attend with all possible wisdome diligence and faithfulness as their work and businesse For God will require an account of them how they have carried themselves in the Church and performed their work there Quest What is the duty of Church-members towards their Deacons in the Faithful and conscientious discharge of their duty and trust Ans They should love and honour them as Christ's and their Officers and give them all encouragement in their work They must not load and burden their work by discountenancing blaming or penuriousness towards them or by distrusting them and speaking contemptibly of them But they should chearfully confide in them and pray importunately to God for them that they may be enabled to do their work and faithfully serve Christ and his Church in their place as they are bound to do Surely brethren Christ cannot endure to see any of his Church-Officers who act and serve the Church faithfully from from and under him and by his Authority and appointment to be slighted undervalued and discouraged But it is his Will that they should be loved honoured and respected for his own and their work and Office sake and that they should find all possible encouragement from you The neglect of which is Sin and disobedience against Christ's Laws and Authority and your shame and losse CHAP. VII Of the great indispensible duties of Church-members amongst themselves or to one another in a Church Relation Quest WHat are the duties of Church-members to one another Ans There are two great ends Christ Jesus had in his Eye in appointing and ordaining such a near Relation union and communion for and among his people as a Church-state and relation is First To capacitate and enable them to perform their respective dutys and works 1. to God 2. To men or to one another Secondly to encourage them so to do and that with greater ease freedome order and satisfaction than otherwise they could do By virtue of their near Relation to and intimate acquaintance with one anothers persons faith principles and conversations they can worship or glorify God together with one mind and mouth as commanded Rom. 15.6 and walk together with God in all his ways in the same mind and Judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 which else they could not so well do So likewise to perform their respective Duties to their Officers and mutual duties to one another as brethren united together in a holy Band for those ends and purposes Their duties to one another as Brethren and Sisters enchurched and knit together in one single and individual Corporation under the Laws and Lordship Rule and Government of their only Head and Law-giver the Lord Jesus are all laid down in his Gospel for them and made their Duties only by his appointing and commanding them to be observed and practised by all Church-members and in all their observations of them they must have a choice and singular respect to his holy Will and Soveraign Authority in them without which their doing of them are not acts of Obedience to him but the products of their own Wills and Pleasures Now then we will enquire into them endeavour briefly to bring them to light and present some of them to you who desire
to know and obey them in Truth First The first and greatest is love love and spiritual Affections are the holy Cords that tye the hearts souls and judgments of Believers one to another This is that which together with the fear of God makes them avoid all things whatever may give just offence or Administer griefe to one another and that which provokes them to follow after the things that make for Peace and the things that tend to Edification Love is the Bond of Peace Eph. 4.2 3. 'T is that which together with Divine light and truth causes Church-members to draw together as in one yoke and unanimously as with one heart and soul to design aim at and carry on mutual and common good in the Church Phil. 2.1 2. 1 Cor. 13.5 Without this love one to another they cannot will not Cement nor long abide and live together as a Church in Peace and Unity nor promote any good work among themselves without heart knitting-love one to another in the fear of God they will receive and entertain Jealousies and Suspicions one of another and put the worst construction on whatever is said or done and they cannot walk together comfortably and profitably to and with one another where and when they are entertained Therefore it is absolutely needful and necessary for all Church-members to be firmly United and constantly joyned together in cordial love and charity which is the Bond of Perfectness to and in all other Duties Col. 3.14 God highly commends and strictly commands this love one to another and puts it into the hearts of his peculiar People that they may do what he commands 1. God highly commends it wherever he finds it in Act and Exercise 1 Thes 4.10 And indeed sayes he ye do it towards all the Brethren Col. 1.4 8. 2 Cor. 8.7 1 Thes 1.3 to which Duty and to manifest his high approbation of it God hath promised a great Reward Heb. 6.10 2. God commands it and vehemently exhorts to and urges it on them almost every where in the Gospel Oh! how importunately did the Lord Jesus enjoyn it and frequently press it on his Disciples when he was on Earth Joh. 13.34 A new Commandment give I unto you what is that new Commandment why that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another And in Joh. 15.12 17. This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you That is take the Pattern of my Love to you for your love to or in loving one another I have and do love you 1 with great love Joh. 15.13 so do you likewise 2 My love to you is free without any desert in you let yours be free love without carnal Respects one to another also 3 My love to you is real hearty and unfeigned So let yours be to one another also Rom. 12.9 1 Pet. 1.22 4 My love towards you is an exceeding fruitful love I loved you so as to labour toyl sweat and dye for you I loved you so as to humble and debase my self for you and all to do you good so must you love one another with a fruitful profiting love For as I have loved you so you must love each other 5 My love to you is a pitying sparing and forgiving love a forbearing and tender hearted love so must yours be to one another likewise Col. 3.12 13. 6 I love you with a warm and fervent love so do you love one another with pure hearts fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 7 I love you with a holy spiritual love not as you are Men and have reasonable Souls but as new Men who have my Image stampt on and my holy Nature in you and as you are made perfect by the comeliness and beauty that I have put upon you Ezek. 16.14 2 Pet. 1.4 So do you love one another with a holy spiritual love namely because you are a lovely and a holy People unto me 8 I love you with a constant and unchangable love and that with a notwithstanding all your weaknesses yea unkindnesses to and unworthy walkings before me Whom I once love with a special and peculiar love I continue to love for ever Joh. 13.1 And I have engaged that not any thing shall separate you from me and my love Rom. 8. ult Thus you are bound to love one another even as I have loved and shall alwayes love you And as the Lord Jesus commanded and enjoyned this by the word of his own mouth So likewise by his Apostles They do frequently and vehemently urge and press this Duty on Church-members every where and back all their Commands from Christ with most strong and cogent Arguments Rom. 12.9 Rom. 13.8.9 10. Eph. 4.2 15 16. Eph. 5.2 1 Thes 5.8 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 3.8 1 Joh. 3.23 Chap. 4.7 These are a few of the many places where you may find this great Duty enjoyned on Believers and Church-Members which they are indispensibly bound to observe and obey And therefore God sheds this love into their hearts and Teaches them to improve and use it in loving one another 1 Thes 4.9 Rom. 5.5 For he gives his People and enables them to do that which he commands and requires of them and therefore the business of such Stewards is to use their Trust well and all lies on their diligence and faithfulness in Stewarding of it as good Stewards of Gods Grace Oh! That Church-members and all other Christians would seriously sincerely diligently and constantly mind and practise this great and indispensible Duty to one another in all their wayes and doings and not lay it aside as a little useless or indifferent matter which they may neglect and dispense with the omission of at their own will and pleasure Secondly As we are indispensibly bound to love one another as you have heard so we are as peremptorily absolutely and indispensibly bound to walk lovely and encouragingly towards one another that by our unlovely and unworthy walkings we lay not stumbling-blocks in the way of love or discourage such from loving us by our unlovely carriages as do conscientiously aim at and endeavour so to love us as Christ commands them to do But that our Behaviours be such in all things as to invite all to love us as holy humble and blameless Saints and Brethren in Christ Very many Professors expect much love from their carnal and spiritual Relations and are greatly displeased at them if they fancy they are denyed it and cast the blame on them whilest they mind not care not how unlovely and discouragingly they walk and carry themselves towards them But believe it the Lord Jesus expects and he hath made it their Duty to walk lovely towards one another as well as to love one another Church-members are bound to love one another as holy spiritual and lovely Objects which they cannot do unless they see or have good grounds to believe them to be such indeed When they walk carnally how can they love
them as spiritual Heavenly persons and when they walk and carry themselves proudly in their Words and Deportments how can they love them as the meek and humble Members of Jesus Christ If their love must be holy and spiritual then undoubtedly the Persons or Objects of it must be such also For is it possible or doth God require me to love a Proud Churlish Touchy Peevish and Cross-grained Professor as much and with that complacency I can or may love an humble sweet meek and patient one Can I or is it my Duty so to love a sowre crabbed contentious and quarrelling Relation as a peaceable quiet affable and courteous one Is it possible for me to love a vain frothy worldly Professor and one who cares not how unlovely undesirable yea and in many things how contrary he walks to me and my love as I do or may do another Professor who is Spiritual Grave Serious and Heavenly surely we cannot love persons as holy spiritual humble useful and Heavenly persons are to be loved unless they appear to be so in their words deeds and carriages towards us neither doth God require us so to do Therefore we ought to be as careful of and see that we walk lovely towards one another as to love one another that so we may as much as possible provoke and encourage each other to love one another Heb. 10.24 and remove out of the way of love all such stumbling-blocks as may any way Impede or Obstruct it that so we may encourage all to love us really strongly sincerely fervently holily spiritually and constantly freely easily and that with delight and complacency For otherwise as it will be most absurd and irrational for us to expect it from them so it will be impossible for them so to love us And by our own contrary walkings and carriages we wrong our selves of their love to us and tempt them to sin against God and injure their own Souls We shall grieve their hearts and tempt them to withdraw their love and kindness from us and thereby offend God grieve and vex his holy Spirit and by little and little to withdraw his loving Countenance from us Thirdly Christ hath charged and strictly commanded all Church-members to live in Peace to be at Peace among themselves and to follow Peace with all men and as much as in them is to live peaceably with all men Oh! how often and with what vehemency doth the Lord Jesus and the Holy Ghost by the Apostles press enjoyn this Duty especially among Church-members every where in the Gospel see some Texts Psal 34.14 1 Pet 3.11 Rom. 14.19 2 Cor. 13.11 1 Thes 5.13 Heb. 12.14 Eph. 5.3 And the Apostle tells us that God hath called us to Peace not only to the Peace of God in our own Souls and amity with him but with one another 1 Cor. 7.15 such walkings and carriages one to another when in love and Obedience to God are pleasing to him but strife discord and contention and such like practices are most hateful and abominable to him Pro. 6.16 17 18 19. These Six things doth the Lord hate yea Seven are an abomination to him And what is the Seventh why sowing discord among Brethren This wickedness is so hateful to God as the words cannot sufficiently declare his abhorrency of it Hence we often find the Holy Ghost by Paul earnestly dehorting Church-members from all debates strifes and contentions one with or against another especially in their Church-meetings Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory and vers 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings Rom. 13.13 And the word of God doth every where condemn it as a most accursed Weed and venomous Plant a Cockatrice egg and devilish Serpent Pride is that Womb that bears it Pro. 13.10 and the lusts of the heart Gal. 5.20 and the Devil is the Father and Authour of this accursed strife and contention Jam. 3.14 15. Blessed Paul was much afflicted to see any of it in the Churches of Christ as knowing from whence it sprang and what the fruit and end of it would be what wrong it would do their Souls and what Reproach it would lay them under How it would reflect on Christ and his wayes and render them all contemptible How it would hinder their profit and produce many vile Monsters among them As Envy Wrath Railing evil surmisings Hatred Back-bitings Swellings and Divisions And therefore labours to prevent the growth of them and to pull up by the Roots these pernitious Weeds and that by Counsels Reproofs Cautions Instructions and Dehortations from them and presses them and us by all cogent Arguments to avoid contention and strife and follow after Peace to the utmost of their power David tells us that it is a most pleasant and lovely thing for Brethren to dwell together in vnity Psal 133.1 2. Then how much more pleasant and lovely is it for spiritual Brethren to live and worship God so together Christ came into the World and lived here a Peace-maker and charged all his followers to follow his steps pronounces them blessed that do so Math. 5.9 and accursed who do the contrary He is a lover of Peace and Concord especially in his holy Temples where he will not have a Hammer heard but he is an implacable hater of Strife and Discord and will not endure it in them much less will he winck at such as are the first sowers of these Seeds The truth is strivers and contenders in the Churches are the Devils Agents and notorious Mischief-makers They do a world of mischief to a Church where they are and are real Plagues to or in it They greatly hinder Edification and spoil the Order Beauty and Harmony there Contenders and Disputers in a Church are the proud self-conceited men who are vainly puft up with high thoughts of themselves and their own abilities and that because they have gotten some light and notions into their heads with a volubility of speech but without spiritual wisdom and humility in their hearts and therefore they conceit that they are wiser than the Church and more able to Manage and Order Church Affairs than their Elders Their Pride and self-conceit makes them slight and contemn their Teachers and to raise up in a Rebellious contention with and opposition against them As the Prophet complains Hosea 4.4 For this people are as they that strive with the Priest They think nothing can be well done unless they have the doing of it and therefore when any good work is upon the Wheel they will do all they can to hinder it as some Churches can sadly experience Well then take heed of strife and contention and follow Peace and Concord one with another especially in your assembling together about Church-work Get humble hearts and then you will not be contentious but peaceable Fourthly Sympathize with and help to bear each others burdens as need requires You are not to live to and for your selves in a
Church-State only but to and for one another too You are commanded to remember them that are in Bonds as being bound with them Heb. 13.3 and them that suffer Adversity as being your selves in the body You are strictly commanded and charged by the Great God to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep and be of the same mind one towards another Rom. 12.15 16. And look not every man at his own things but every man also on the things of others Phil 2.4 And let no man seek his own but every man anothers Wealth 1 Cor. 10.24 Bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfil the Law of Christ You must make and account your Brethrens Crosses Losses Temptations and Afflictions your own and when they want and call for your helping hand to support or lift them up being fallen you must give it them freely readily and chearfully and not turn a deaf ear to or hide your eyes from them and their cryes For this was one of Gods holy and Gracious ends in appointing Churches and bringing you into Church-fellowship and so into acquaintance one with another namely that you might be fellow-mutual-helpers and comforters one of another For if you are cruel to or careless of one another in Affliction the Lord Jesus will require it at your hands and take it as done to himself Therefore seeing it is the will of Christ and our indispensible Duty to one another let us put on Bowels of Mercies and kindnesses Col. 3.12 and be tender hearted Eph. 4. ult And as Peter speaks be pitiful and courteous to each other 1 Pet. 3.8 Let the same mind be in us and let us shew the same affection to one another in measure that Christ Jesus hath shewed and still doth express to us We know that he is full of loving kindnesses pity simpathy and bowels of mercy and compassion to us Psal 103.13 14. Phil. 2.1 2. to shew his Members how they should be and carry themselves towards one an other and to oblige and provoke them to do so too Oh! my Brethren we should much abound in this grace also Fifthly Exhort and comfort one another For so is the will of God concerning you This is not only your Teachers Duty and Work but yours also to each other Heb. 10.24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works but exhorting one another This Work and Duty must be diligently and frequently done Heb. 3.13 But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin 1 Thes 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do vers 14. Now we beseech you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak My Brothren you stand in continual need of one anothers Exhortations and Consolations and if you mind and manage this work well you may be very useful and profitable one to another greatly oblige and knit your hearts to each other and occasion many thanksgivings unto God thereby We are exceeding apt and prone to fall backward and therefore need each others hand to draw us forward To grow cold and dead hearted and therefore need each others help to warm and quicken us We are apt and ready to stand still and lye down a Napping and therefore do greatly need one anothers awakenings and holy provocations When this duty was frequently and conscientiously practised by the Saints they did thrive and prosper but since it hath been so wofully neglected the contrary is apparent in the lives and carriages of the Saints Well then do you revive this work all you can Set it forward with all your might and improve all your opportunities to the profit of each others Souls for you see that it is your indispensible Duty Sixthly It is the will of your Head the Lord Jesus that you should be each others Keepers That you should watch one over another Admonish and Reprove one another as need requires I do not mean that you should prye into one anothers secrets or be busie-bodies in other mens matters No for that is hateful and abominable and God hath forbidden you to do so 1 Thes 3.11 1 Pet. 4.15 1 Tim. 5.13 But my meaning is this namely that you watch over one anothers Walkings and Conversations That if they do well you may encourage them If ill you may by Counsel Reproofs Admonitions Instructions and Exhortations labour to mend them and do all you can to convince and bring them to the real sight and sense of their miscarriages as also to unfeigned Repentance By which good work you will do them the Church yea Christ himself good and acceptable service You should carefully mind and observe if all do keep close to their Duty in the Church or are remiss and negligent If they carry themselves holily righteously and soberly in their Conversations or on the contrary they are frothy vain proud extravagant loose unjust idle careless or any way scandalous You should strictly mind and observe if there be any Tatlers Back-biters or sowers of Discord or such as speak contemptibly and slightingly of their Brethren especially of their Elders and their Administrations As also such as combine together and make parties or factions in the Church or endeavour to load or obstruct any good work which their Elders are promoting of for the Glory of Christ and the good of the Church and deal with them accordingly You must mind and carefully observe if any be fallen under Sin or Temptation in any case and not let them alone but presently set your hand to help them to succour and restore them Gal. 6.1 Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be Tempted Take heed of that Cain like Spirit who when God asked him where his Brother Abel was Replyes am I my Brothers keeper Gen. 4. You will be Tempted to this evil towards your Brethren namely to imagine that you are little or nothing concerned with them and that if they do otherwise than they should the guilt will only lie at their doors but you shall be blameless But my Brethren it is not so You are not to be indifferent in this matter For assuredly you are appointed to be keepers of one another You are bound to prevent and put a stop to sin in one another or else your Brethrens sins which you do or may know if you will and the wrong they do to themselves thereby yea and the Reproach and scandal that may come to the Church thereby will lie at your Doors and be cast on your Souls because you neglected your Duty and did not in season prevent it as you might have done if you would Look not every man on his own things but on the things of others also Phil. 2.4 And seek not your own but every one
hand to pour in Wine and Oyl into my wounds Luk. 10.33 34. Surely none who are indeed concerned in their own Souls concernments but will easily acknowledg it is There is or ought to be a spiritually natural care in sound-hearted Church-members to one another 1 Cor. 12.25 They rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 and remember them that are in bonds as being bound with them Heb. 13.3 You may expect it yea require it of one another for you who are joyned together in Church-fellowship and relation are as much concerned in each others Soul concerns as the Members of the natural body are with one another And one of Gods holy ends in uniting and joyning them together in one body and spiritual society is that they might help succour admonish reprove exhort edifie comfort watch over serve and heal one another To further each other in all duties and in the love and practice of Gospel-holiness and Righteousness as also to preserve each other from sin and affliction Fourthly The Churches of Christ are priviledged and benefited with a Ministry and Ministers of their own so that they need not go to strangers to fetch bread but to such as they have a special interest in and relation to They have Ministers or Pastours and Elders sent by Christ and set among them by his grace and Authority to feed and nourish them to teach and establish them to admonish and reprove them to exhort and comfort them to watch and take the oversight of them to Minister all the Ordinances of Christ to them and to attend on the service of their Souls and they are such as he hath promised to be with all in all their work and labour of love Math. 28.20 They are such as he hath promised to bless to them to furnish them with his Spirit and grace and to succeed their Ministry and prosper their endeavours to the spiritual profit of their Souls Psal 132.15 16. Jer. 3.15 Eph. 4.11 12 13 14 15. Other Saints who walk not in the order of the Gospel have not Pastors and Teachers of their own between whom there is so near a Relation Union and Communion For their Teachers cannot call their Auditors their own flocks as the Churches Pastors and Teachers may call their Churches their own For the Churches and their Pastors and Teachers are each others by free hearty and mutual choice and by cordial and mutual engagement Their Pastors and Teachers are the fruit of their prayers and tears and of Christ his Death and Ascension Eph. 4.9 10 11 12. Churches may claim their Pastors Gifts Authority and ministerial Abilities as theirs and make use of them as their own right and property given to them by Christ for their good to edification They may repair to and make use of them in any material Soul-case or cases However some look on and account of this matter yet I have ever valued it as a great Church-priviledge namely that they have a special and peculiar Ministry of their own whose work and business is to wait on the service and concernments of their Souls and they being sent to them and setled among them by Christ in love and mercy and the fruit of their own prayers choice and desires they shall be are undoubtedly blessed in their labours to the profit of all sincere hearts amongst them Fifthly Gospel-Churches are the proper seats and subjects of all the spiritual Ordinances of Christ which is one part of their honour glory and renown What is said of the Ministers and Ministry of Christ is in this matter true of all other Ordinances and Institutions of Christ 1 Cor 12.28 And God hath set in his Church Apostles Prophets and Teachers so Eph. 4. that is he hath appointed Teachers and all other Ordinances for and placed them in his Churches The Churches are his Temples Houses Habitations Vineyards Walks his resting and dwelling places as was shewed now where doth God set and six his Ordinances of Divine worship but in them To whom are Pastors and Teachers given to whom is the Lords Supper and Discipline given but to the Churches They are the seats and subjects of them and none else that we can find in the Scriptures The Lord Jesus hath given to and set among them his Gospel-worship and Ordinances among them he dwells and of them he expects the honour and worship due unto his name Psal 29.2 God keeps house in his Gospel Churches and there he hath his Houshold about him waiting on and doing honour to him and that they might do all according to his holy will he hath given them his Ordinances and Gospel-Institutions to express and manifest their dependance on and obedience to him in as to their head and King God made the Church of Israel under the Old Testament the seat and subject of all his then instituted worship and Ordinances and under the Gospel-dispensation he hath made new Testament particular Churches the seat and subjects of all his Gospel-Ordinances The Catholick Church as such cannot be the seat and subject of them for that cannot assemble or meet together in one place to celebrate and observe them the World or visible unbelievers cannot be the seat and subject of them for they are no where said to be given to them neither are they capable while in their state of enmity against Christ of them Therefore they must be the Churches dowry's rights and priviledges and none other persons or societies whatsoever Whilest Believers neglect to walk in a Church-state and relation they deprive themselves of this and many other priviledges and Soul-advantages and it is no small wrong they do their Souls thereby It may be said of all Gospel-Churches as Moses told the Church of Israel Deut. 4.7 8. for what people is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things we call upon him for And what people is there so great that hath Statutes and Judgments so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day Sixthly Gospel-Churches or Believers inchurched are priviledged with safety and security They are Gardens enclosed Cant. 4.12 A Garden inclosed is my Sister my Spouse a Spring shut up a Fountain sealed A wall or hedge in our Gardens to secure them from Beasts and evil Men and we are more careful of and at greater cost and pains in and about them than about our Fields So the Lord Jesus lays out and expends more care cost and charge in and about his Gospel-Gardens than about others Men are most watchful and careful of and about their Houses and places of residence and abode where they live expect and take most delight Now where doth God make his abode and Christ the Lord keep his Court Is it not in his Churches as was before proved They are his Temples Houses Vineyards Gardens Habitations Walks and Palaces his delights and resting places and will he not be most
King and Lawgiver the Lord Christ and they do by such neglects slight and despise his Love and Grace his Care and Kindness He hath provided holy Temples and spiritual Houses for them to dwell in and Heavenly provisions are made ready in them for their entertainment The doors are set open to let in such Guests and the Servants of the great King are gone forth to bid them come away and invite them to enter in There stands also the Master of the Feast even at the door waiting for them the King of glory attends there to welcome them when they come Luk. 14.16 17. Rev. 3.20 He gets there before them and abides there in expectation of the presence and company of all his Saints Psal 11.4 Isa 30.18 He declares that it is his good pleasure they should come there and eat of his dainties that he hath bought and prepared for them Cant. 5.1 Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5. Now that they ought to joyn themselves to and become holy living and spiritual Members of some particular Congregational Church of Christ if possibly they can will further appear by these following Reasons and Considerations First The Lord Christ hath erected instituted and appointed Churches for this end among others namely that his called and sanctified people might be the matter of them that they might joyn and walk together in them and that they might be the materials of them This state and condition is not ordained and appointed for other persons but only for the Holy Seed for God will not keep House with unregenerate and unholy persons but with his chosen Generation and Royal Priesthood he will That particular Congregational Churches are of divine Institution hath been already proved and if so then it will follow that God's people should joyn to and walk with them or else to what purpose are they appointed instituted and ordained by Jesus Christ If none are bound in duty yea if all God's people that can are not bound in duty and compliance with the Lords ends to become Churches joyn to and walk in and with them then this Order and Institution of Christ is in vain he hath appointed and instituted that which none are or will be advantaged by which surely was far from the gracious thoughts and intentions of the Lord Jesus the Wisdom and Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 For the Lord hath made all things for himself and ordained them for his own Glory and the profit of his people He hath made nothing in vain It is far below him to do it and below reasonable Creatures to imagine it And 2. It will follow that whoever joyn themselves to such Churches they do it not as duty to God and their own souls but as an act of their own will and pleasure without any respect to or regard had of the Will of God and their own spiritual good so are guilty of Superstition and Will-worship which God loaths and abhors The very Institution proves it sufficiently to be our duty to joyn with and become Members of some particular Churches of Christ Secondly The unanimous and universal Votes of all the Primitive Saints do prove this Truth Those good men that were converted to Christ by the Apostles Preaching with and amongst whom they lived and convers'd and such as they planted fed and watered 1 Cor. 3. and these both Jews and Gentiles they do all of them by their constant practice witness to and confirm what I say Look where you will in the Stories of the Acts where you read of the Apostles Preaching and Men Converted there or in Pauls Epistles and the Revelation you shall find the young Converts giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 We find them by and by inchurched and walking in a Church-state and relation So in Acts 2.41 42. ult Acts 5.14 And were not all Pauls Epistles that to Philemon only excepted which was written upon a particular occasion wrote and sent to the Churches or to and for Believers as inchurched and imbodied together that they might know how to behave themselves in the House or Houses of God towards God their Elders and one another They are expresly called Churches the Churches of God and of Christ as was shewed before Now all Believers are charged and exhorted to follow their examples and practice Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience Inherit the Promises that is see and mark them in their walkings observe how they lived and practised and do you so likewise Paul indeed could not abide with the Church at Jerusalem to which he was joyned as a Member Acts 9.26 27 28. because he was sent to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles But as oft as he could he joyned and walked with the Churches as you may often find in reading the Acts of the Apostles Now says he to the Church at Philippi chap. 3.17 Brethren be followers together of me and mark them who walk so as ye have us for an ensample This Commandement is for you who are in Christ that you walk as Paul and other Primitive Saints walked If it was their duty and practise as you see it was for they gave themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God that is they Congregated and inchurched themselves not by or according to their own wills but by and according to the Will of God then I say it is the duty of all other Saints and it ought to be their practise likewise For whatsoever was written aforetime namely of the Saints duty and approved practise was written for our Learning that we who succeed them in their Faith and Priviledges in their Hope and Profession might follow them in practise also If we look for and expect the same Covenant-mercies and blessings that they had we must practise the same duties and walk as they did The Primitive Saints were commended and renowned for their orderly walking in a Church-state Rev. 2 3. Chapters and often else-where Luk. 1.6 1 Cor. 11.1 2. Thirdly All Believers ought to walk in Church-fellowship by virtue of their Marriage-Covenant When by the power of Grace and the Spirits operations in their hearts they were perswaded to make Christ their choice and took received and embraced him on his own terms they solemnly engaged themselves to be his chose his Laws and Ordinances for theirs and bound themselves to him to walk with him and be obedient unto him in all things to keep and observe to love and practise all his Laws and to conform in heart and practise unto all his Ordinances and Institutions as David Zachary Elizabeth and other Saints of God had done before them Thus in effect do all truly-convinced and sincere-hearted Believers do when contracted or married unto Christ by Faith Psal 119.106 Hos 3.3 Jer. 30.21 2 Cor. 8.5 Col. 2.6 Now then being thus bound or having thus bound and obliged themselves
to Christ they ought for ever to do and perform to walk and practise accordingly which they do not until they give up themselves to one another and walk together in Gospel fellowship in the conscientious Observation of all the Ordinances and Appointments of Jesus Christ For until they do so they walk not in universal Obedience to all the Laws and Orders of their Head and King For besides their disorderly walking they live in the careless if not wilful neglect of several Duties and Ordinances given to and incumbent on the Churches as the Lords Supper and many brotherly Duties one to another You have heard before that a true Church of Christ is the seat and subject of all Gospel Ordinances and if so then it will follow that thither Believers should repair for and seek to find them there they should walk and observe them and no where else excepting occasionally For out of a Church-state they do not orderly observe the Ordinances and Appointments of Christ in what they do Many think that they do well and discharge their duties to Christ and their own souls if they observe and wait on some Ordinances if their hearts be upright with God in their so doing but consider not the order and method the places and waies they ought to observe and practise them in But herein they are mistaken and walk disorderly It was the Will of God that the Ark of his Covenant should be brought to Jerusalem and David and the Priests did well in attempting to do it but they failed in the external manner of doing it and therefore God made a breach on them 1 Chron. 15.13 The Sons of Aaron did well in offering Sacrifice to God but they failed in offering their Sacrifice with strange fire Lev. 10. And are not these things written for our Admonition 1 Cor. 13.11 undoubtedly they are God hath Instituted Churches and appointed them to be the seats and subjects of all his Gospel-Ordinances and Institutions invited and called his people to or into them to celebrate them there Now when any content themselves with the enjoyment and observation of some Ordinances and Gospel-Institutions and attend on them out of a Church-state as if they found them where they ought to seek them they walk irregularly and break their Marriage-Covenant by their careless or wilful neglects For how are they universally obedient to all his Laws and Ordinances when they take up with and only respect some of them and such as they do observe they observe not in due order or in a right manner Oh! think on this you who live so and what the end will be Oh! consider what promises you have made to Christ and what Obligations you lay under to him and examine seriously your selves if you live not in the wilful or careless breach of them and so lay your selves open to the wrath and displeasure of your Lord and King and by your neglects provoke him to make a breach on you O remember what obligations you live under To give Him the Honour due unto his Name in and by universal Obedience unto his holy Will in all things 1. You have his Will and your duty revealed and opened to you in his Gospel and further explained by his Ministers 2. You are greatly obliged and enjoyned by his mercies and promises 3. You are firmly bound by your own act and deed by your own free and voluntary Covenants and Engagements and therefore you may not live any longer in the neglect of any of Christs Ordinances and Appointments And consider further that while you live in such neglects you Rob God of his Dues you detain his Right of Homage and Service from him which will assuredly have bitterness in the end and instead of being called and intitled Obedient Children 1 Pet. 1.14 you will incur the odious Name and Title of Disobedient if not Stubborn and Rebellious Children Fourthly Believers ought to joyn themselves to and walk in Church-fellowship for their own Souls sakes for their own profit and spiritual benefit They stand in need of all God's means to help them on in their journey and spiritual warfare through the Wilderness of this world as experience shews It is well known that all Believers have their Entanglements Tryals Temptations Oppositions Weights Burdens and Weaknesses The best of Saints have them and are not a little incumbred and pressed by them Now God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ have in their great Love and Kindness to Believers made and provided offered and given to them sutable and proper means for their support strengthening comfort and encouragement to feed and nourish to edifie and build up their Souls and Graces and that by imparting and communicating of his Spirit Truth Love and Grace unto their Souls in and by those means They are appointed and given to them for their own profit and the glory of God Such is the Love of Jesus Christ unto his peculiar people as that he hath conjoyned and made their present and eternal happiness one and the same end with his own Honour and Glory in all the dispensations of his Graces and in all his Promises and Gospel-Laws so that they are not two but one End and Interest wherein his free Love and Grace shines forth most gloriously Now as God told a Remnant among the Jews That he sent them into Captivity for their good Jer. 24.5 So he hath made and appointed Churches and set his Gospel-Ordinances in them for his peoples good that they may come there and reap the fruits and profits of them Therefore they ought to do it and not upon any Pretence whatsoever to neglect it for if they refuse to come and take them as they in Luk. 14.16 17 18 19 20 21. may not the great God reprove and condemn them for their wilful neglects and careful refusals as he did them He made a great Supper a feast of fat things Isa 25. bid and invited men to come eat of his Supper but they made excuses for their neglects so he hath made a Heavenly Feast for Believers invited them to come to eat and drink freely and abundantly for the supply of their wants and making them fat and flourishing But they will not come into his House or Houses nor accept of his dainties although they stand in need of it are lovingly and importunately invited by their God and King their Head and Husband to come freely dwell in his House feed on his Banquets lye in his Bosom and refresh themselves with his Delights but they will not do it They stand off as if they were not concerned in those matters had no need of them or not injoyned to come They frequently complain and cry out of their wants weaknesses barrenness cold and dead-heartedness of the strength and prevalency of their Lusts and Temptations of their ignorance sadness and carnality And although they have provisions made in their Fathers Houses and in their Kings Palaces to help and relieve them to
warm and teach them to melt and soften them to arm and strengthen them to comfort and chear them to water make them fruitful yet how sinfully and shamefully do many of them neglect to come and take to accept and make use of their love and goodness to them but they will rather stand in the streets complaining than come into their Fathers Temples where they may have supplies of wholesome food for their souls The Lord Jesus Christ keeps House in his Churches where he is very liberal in his distributions In them are his Magazins his Treasures of Grace and Love opened There He gives forth his Loves and causes the Fountain to flow for the enriching of the Poor filling the Hungry and satisfying the Thirsty There Souls shall find Food for the Belly and Cloathing for the Back There the weary soul shall rest and the troubled soul shall find peace There the fainting shall find Cordials and the diseased Soul shall find Physick to heal him There the pained Soul shall find case and the weak shall find strength There broken bones shall be set in joynt and doubting souls resolved There they may find the good things they want and desire and there they may obtain satisfaction to their Souls Would they see Zions King and their beloved Lord and Husband in his beauty and glory There they may obtain their desires Would they grow in Grace and increase with the increase of God why there they may obtain it Would they be sealed up to the day of their Redemption and have a clear Earnest of their eternal Inheritance why in a Church-state they may have it In a word there good men may find all good to their souls For God will with-hold no good thing from them who walk uprightly in a Church-state and in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God therein blamelesly Well then if it be your duty to look after to mind and industriously to seek the welfare of your own souls as all will readily acknowledg it is then it will undeniably follow that you ought to seek it in all the ways and means God hath appointed and given to you for that end and purpose Now what other spiritual means have you to expect and seek for such mercies and soul-blessings in where can you expect and hope to find them but in the Temples Houses Walks Palaces and Housholds of your God and King That you need them you know and that there you may find and experience them you may believe Oh! that you would be perswaded to come and see come and tast to come and prove the Truth of what I say If you will not but continue and abide as you are practically slight and neglect the rich provisions that your God and Father hath made for you in his Churches you are never like to thrive and prosper but to continue in and under your Wants Barrenness Ignorance Weakness Doubts and Fears under your Faintings Sadnesses Witherings Troubles of spirit If you will still refuse the means and neglect to come and take the mercies of the New Covenant you will grieve the holy Spirit and provoke him to depart from you and carry away his blessings with him It is your present and eternal good that I seek and intend in what I say and the same end had your Lord God in appointing this condition and making such provisions for you I wonder how Believers can and that they dare live one day out of a Church-state and in the wilful neglect of so many precious and soul-enriching Ordinances and Duties how they can satisfie themselves in their ways and walkings and with what confidence they can draw near to God whilst under so much guilt I wonder how they can call God Father apply the Promises and appropriate to themselves the good of them while they walk so irregularly and disobediently as they do Surely they little mind their own souls concernments or the Name and Honour of Jesus Christ whilst htey neglect to observe so many of his good Laws and Ordinances and to make use of their own purchased Priviledges and that whilst their Souls stand in great need of them Object But we are afraid that we are not fitted and qualified for Church-membership and that we have no right to the Childrens Bread there and therefore we dare not joyn our selves unto the holy Churches of Christ Answ This may be indeed a great case with some and it may be a stumbling block in their way of walking as they ought to do They love Christ and his People his ways and Ordinances but dare not walk in the nearest Fellowship and Communion with them because they think themselves unworthy of their Society and the Ordinances of God among them Now where it is so indeed they sin not as others do who neglect not their duties and priviledges on this account but on other All that I shall say to this sort of Neglecters is 1. That this pretence will not wholly excuse them either before God or Men. For 1. They are no where dispensed with their neglect of duty upon that account or they have no dispensation to neglect to do their duty and wait on God for his grace to better them in his ways and means on that account For if they might on that account be dispensed withal in the omission of their duty and using God's means to better them by the same rule they may neglect and claim a dispensation for the omission of Prayer and other Duties and Ordinances under this pretence that they cannot worship God in Spirit and Truth as God requires all to worship him Joh. 4.23 24. Heb. 10.22 and therefore they may not will not worship him at all 2. It is probable that their fears and scruples arise from the Devils temptations and wiles and from their own guilty Consciences They know that they do not walk with God subdue their Lusts deny themselves and endeavour to know their own states and conditions They carry about accusing and condemning Consciences which the Devil sets in with and works them to his will and design and so they are afraid of God of their duties and priviledges for they might prevent these evils and know in some degrees their states if they would 3. One use and end of Church-fellowship and the Ordinances of Christ therein is to convey into Believers hearts the assurance of their good states and conditions They are appointed and ordained for them to wait for it in them and for the holy Spirit to give and impart it to their Souls there And therefore until they seek for it there they may not expect to find it for if we use not the means how can we hope to obtain the ends of them 4. If their scruples and objections arise from real darkness of mind and tenderness of Conscience without guilt then I advise them to consider and examine what are indeed the necessary qualifications of Church-members and enquire if they are not in
them in some good measure And for your satisfaction therein I refer you unto the third Chapter of this Book beginning at page the 47th and ending at page the 55. where you will find ten qualifications requisite for Church-membership and helps to make a judgment of your selves if they be in you Therefore read them and try your selves by them and know that if you are so qualified or if you can find these signs of grace in you that then you are in a meet condition for Church membership and to partake of all the Ordinances of God's House what ever else you may want 2. But there is another sort of Neglecters of Church-fellowship and they are such whose neglects arise from their carelesness indifferency cold-heartedness stupidity and woful insensibility and not from scruples of Conscience or fears of their unworthiness They see not feel not their need of God's means and spiritual provisions they know not the worth neither do they see any transcendent excellency in them wherefore they should desire them And hence it is that they regard and desire them not they have back-slidden from God and He is departed from them shines not on their souls to keep them soft and tender nor waters them with Divine dews to make them compliant with his Will So that when they are called upon to consider their ways put themselves under all the Ordinances of Gods House and joyn in the nearest band of Communion with his People they turn a deaf ear to all that is said unto them and yet these will pretend strange things for their neglects also They will have their scruples and objections too and they cannot do so because of such and such things in the Churches They have their weaknesses miscarriages and defects and therefore they cannot joyn with them They have the sight of Beams or they see great Faults among such Congregations as otherwise they would congregate withal but they see none at home or at best but some little Motes in themselves They are too good for such Churches and the Churches are too bad for their Communion They see all the faults abroad none or very few at home in themselves and they think that this will excuse their Neglects but they are mistaken for if themselves are so good and faultless and the Churches faulty in this or that they should the rather joyn with them and by their goodness and abilities endeavour to better and mend them by their wise Counsels and holy Conversations as knowing that all Churches as Churches have their Buts as well as particular Believers their own personal Buts This is the careless Generation of Men who have lost their God and hearts in Earthly things and buried themselves and graces under the clods of worldly cares profits and pleasures and so are regardless of their own souls and indifferent what becomes of them This together with carnal self-love and sond affections to the good things of this world eager desires after the getting and keeping them and indulged fears of losing them lays at the bottom of all their neglects although other pretences there are or other obstructions are pretended for them to set a fair face on a foul matter This Conscience will tell them if they will hearken to it and give it leave to speak out all it hath to say in the cases against them Let me then exhort you in the Prophet's words Hag. 1.5.7 Lam. 3.40 Consider your ways and search and try your ways Ask the question in good earnest and put it home to your own Consciences and desire them to speak out plainly and tell you clearly what obstructions or matters they are that keep you from helping to build the Lord's House or Houses that hinder you from going up to the Mountain of the Lord's House from appearing before God in Zion and paying your Vows in the Mountain of his Holiness And see if that doth not hinder you which did hinder the Jews in Haggai's days what their hinderances were you may read in that Book at large And are they not the evils that hinder you from joyning your selves to the Churches of Christ and celebrating his worship and partaking of his holy Ordinances there Are not the greatest lets and impediments within you and some from a worldly concern without you Do you not consult flesh and blood and the will of the flesh in the case and not the will of God and do you not find a contest somtimes in you between Conscience and Self Conscience and the World Doth not Conscience somtimes bid you go and joyn your selves to the People and Ordinances of God and then you think of doing so and then appears Self and the World and forbids you calls you back again and puts you into another mood because you hearken to their voyce and not to Conscience which spake to you from God for God and your own Souls Well then do not stand any longer in your Neglects on vain and groundless objections and pretended scruples but stick to your duty Give your selves to the Lord and to his People by the will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 Acts 2.41 42 43. ult Fifthly You ought to joyn your selves to God's People and walk in the fellowship of the Gospel with them in the celebration of divine Ordinances of worship for the Lord Jesus Christ his sake for his Name Authority Interest and Glory's sake for that his Honour and Glory is concerned in your so doing as well as your own good You heard before that Gospel-Churches are his Temples Walks Palaces Delights and Habitations that they are his Golden Candlesticks the Seats and Subjects of his Gospel-Institutions the Beauties of his Holiness and that they are his great and living Witnesses in the World Now as a stately and well-built House affords much more honour and renown to a great man than ten thousand times as many materials whereof the said House is built whilst they lay scattered up and down in the world so a company of holy persons formed up into a holy Temple by the Word and Spirit do more honour and glorifie the Lord Christ than ten thousands of Saints can do whilst they walk up and down as scattered stones among others Christ accounts himself much exalted by his People when they do it together with one heare and mouth Rom. 15.6 We ought to cause our light to shine as clearly as possible before the World that they may see our good works adâ— glorifie God Matth. 5.16 The world knows not what to make of Professors whilst they wall promiscuously and confusedly in and with the world They cannot so well discern them from other men neither know they what to think of them and conclude them to be what they are who they are for and what they intend when they are as so many individuals as when they are knit together in fixed Congregations and walk live and converse worship God and serve one another together as a Family and Houshold of God As
Brethren dwelling together in Vnity Psal 133.1 2. and united in a holy Band. I have spoken somewhat of this else-where under another head And therefore shall only at present say that if it be so that Believers may more honour Christ by walking together in Gospel or Church-fellowship than otherwise that then they are bound in duty so to walk For if it be their duty to exalt and honour Christ all they can as certainly it is then they are bound to use the means whereby they may be enabled to do it Now Christ hath given to and set in his Churches many Ordinances of worship and out of every one of them he expects a Revenue of Glory by his people therefore the more of his Ordinances you have in your hand and spiritually observe the more is Christ glorified by you Besides this you are in a better capacity to provoke one another to love and to good works Heb. 10.24.25 and to inflame one anothers love to Christ to preserve each other from sinning against him and reproaching his holy Name and ways by sin in a Church-state than out of it You will likewise be capacitated to honour the Lord Jesus more in a Church-state than otherwise by growing in grace and getting more Talents into your hands to Trade withall and employ for him in the Church and world as you heard before Therefore do you no longer stand off but joyn your selves to some Gospel-Church for the Lord Jesus sake Sixthly You that are true Believers ought to joyn your selves to some true Church of Christ for your fellow-Members and Brethren's sakes too You know that we are bound to do all the good we can to one another Gal. 6.10 to further each other in the way of holiness to eternal happiness We need each others helping hand and are set in this World to be useful and helpful one to another Now by joyning our selves one to another and walking together in mutual love peace and concord and in the same judgment though not so in all things way and order in the same Communion Ordinances and Worship we do greatly strengthen the hands chear and quicken the hearts of one another in our duties under our burdens and Temptations and help to make our yoke â—asie We animate and stir up one another and put as it were new courage life and spirit into each other But by our neglect to joyn in fellowship with our Brethren by being strange to and keeping at a distance from them we do very much weaken their hands sadden grieve and discourage their hearts and lay them under many Temptations troubles and disquietments as experience shews We ought to bear each others burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6 2. But we may not burden one another either by Omission or Commission We are debtors to one another by vertue of Christ's Command and our spiritual Relation to each other we live not from or by our selves therefore must not live for and to our selves I am my Brother's and he is mine as to help comfort service and usefulness one to another Such as carelesly or wilfully abide out of Church-fellowship do in a sense condemn those who walk in it We ought to know and be acquainted with one another that we may be thereby the more serviceable to each other I am my Brother's Keeper Teacher Comforter Reprover and Admonisher and he is mine I cannot well live nor ordinarily live well without his help and assistance nor he without mine We have our work and business to do for one another as well as for our selves The nearer and faster Brethren are link't and knit together the warmer and stronger their love will be to and the more care and tenderness they will have for and towards one another Now though Church-fellowship be not the ground of Brethrens love and service one to another but their oneness with Christ and fellow-membership in him their head as also his revealed will yet it is certain in experience that their near and close Communion together in Church-fellowship doth greatly provoke irritate strengthen and draw forth their love one to another Distance and strangeness weakens love but nearness and intimacy strengthens it Church Communion is a spiritual bond that tyes spiritual men together and greatly knits them into one when otherwise in their walkings they are divided and like bones out of joynt Therefore let all true-hearted Brethren joyn in Church-fellowship with their Brethren and declare their oneness in Christ in spirit faith and love by their so doing Let them strengthen each others hands and encourage one anothers heart in their work and duty in their priviledges and mercies and know that you are indispensibly bound so to do You have Christ himself and his spirit calling you you have your own and your Brethrens Souls calling you you have the practice of the Apostles and Primitive Saints calling you and in a sense you have the World calling you into Church-fellowship Why then do it and make no longer delay for while you neglect to do it you neglect your duties to God to your Brethren and to your own Souls yea you do practically slight your purchased priviledges and dear-bought mercies do it speedily for Christ's sake and for your own peace comfort growth and security Seventhly You that are true Believers ought to walk in Church-fellowship that you may be and live under Church promises You heard before that there are many promises made and given to Churches or to Believers in that capacity which they cannot claim to themselves while they walk alone as individuals and strangers to one another God told Solomon that his eyes and heart should be perpetually in his Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 But David's Gold Silver Brass and other Materials that he had provided to build it had not such a promise until they were formed up into a house for God So it is now with living or lively materials that are hewn and pollished for to build him Gospel-Temples They may not expect the good of all the promises but in the wayes of God's Appointments and their own duties Although their being in Christ united and married to him by faith be the ground and foundation of their right to the promises and all the good of them yet the Great God gives out and imparts the Juice and fatness of them unto their Souls in the wayes of his Gospel precepts and appointments that such as expect to be partakers of them may seek all in those wayes I have in the last chapter instanced in several promises that belong unto Churches or unto Believers walking with God in that state and capacity As that in Rev. 2.1 2 Cor. 6.16 Psal 92.12 13. Psal 132.12 13 14. Eph. 2. the three last verses with several others of like import Now then if you will partake of the good of Church-promises you must become holy and orderly Church-members Surely it is your duty to look after and earnestly to seek for
them and that where God hath promised and you may find them There you may obtain the milk and honey of the promises of Christ's presence of making you fat and flourishing of a blessed Ministry and the blessings of it of Divine loves and sweet provisions and of peace and security I could have perswaded you to joyn unto and walk in the Churches of Christ by other Reasons but I think these may suffice such as are of willing hearts and of meek and humble soft and holy spirits Quest What ends should all men aim at and have in their eye in joyning with and walking in Church-fellowship or to what ends and purposes should they become Church-members Answ 1. To please and honour the Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and King in his Churches and to shew their Respect unto him Obedience to his Commands and declare their dependance on him for all things and their subjection to him in all things Christ the Lord hath done many good works to pleasure them exalt honour them and therefore they ought to do his will and their duty to please exalt and honour him Esa 56.4 Col. 1.10 This glorious end every Church-member must have in his eye and heart in walking in Churches 2. To express their high Resentment of his savours to them and their cordial thank fulness for them They are greatly priviledged and highly dignified in the Churches by their membership there and they can no otherwise express their gratitude to their head and King but by accepting them dutiful and faithful improvement of them to the ends for which they were given Good men do shew how they value them by their accepting and using them Churches and their priviledges are not small matters in their accounts or light matters in their esteem but they are high and honourable in their hearts and so are their works and duties there likewise Psal 27.4 Psal 63.1 2 3. Psal 84. 3. They should aim at and design to have and hold Communion with God and Jesus Christ the Lord. God is known in these Palaces Psal 48.3 and to be seen in these Galleries There he opens himself and breaks opens the Treasures of his love and grace unto his people and there he stands holding out his Golden Scepter There he waits to meet his Spouses to kiss and embrace them to entertain and speak friendly to them He meeteth them that rejoyce and work Righteousness and remember him in his wayes Esa 64.5 The wayes and walks of the Lord God are in his Churches there he dwells keeps house manifests himself unto his Houshold and rests himself takes his delight and shews forth his glory to them and thither they should go to meet him 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 2.1 Joh. 14.21 23. 4. Believers should enter into and walk with God in Church-fellowship to encrease and augment their grace and to better their hearts to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 and that they may perfect holiness in the fear of God that they may receive of his fulness grace for grace Joh. 1.16 and be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 that they may eat of their Fathers Bread and drink of his Wine be made fat and flourishing and fruitful in every good work Psal 92. Psal 132. Col. 1.10 5 To keep their hearts warm strong and lively for God his work and service and that they may obtain and enjoy all encouragements for and in their works tryals and difficulties To fence and arm themselves against all their Enemies assaults on them and be enabled to fight against and conquer them in the Lord Jesus That they may be enabled to run their holy Race chearfully and couragiously and finish their course with joy Act. 20.24 1 Cor. 9.24 Rom. 8. The Son of Righteousness shines warmest on Believers Souls in the Churches of Christ and there are more springs of joy and harvests of profit than are or can be found elsewhere There is a River the streams whereof make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high Psal 46.4 There are no springs like the Churches springs nor any harvests like the Churches harvests The fullest clearest and most fatning streams of living waters flow from the fountain Christ on the Churches and the most comely and fruitful branches are or may be found in them They may be the warmest sweetest strongest liveliest chearfullest fruitfullest and the most spiritual men in the World And that they may be such they should joyn themselves to and walk in the Churches of Christ 6. That they may adorn the Gospel convince the World encourage their Brethren and witness to the Truths Wayes Authority and Headship of Christ This is no small thing but they are all matters of the highest moments and of greatest concernment and therefore and for these ends they should walk in Church-fellowship 7. To augment and encrease your experiences to obtain more acquaintance with your selves the operations of the holy Ghost for you and in you and that you may be more clearly and firmly sealed up to the day of Redemption 8. To pay your vows and make good your promises to Perform your Covenant and discharge your work to God the Father and Christ your head You owe them personal and Church-homage and service you are bound and engaged to observe and do all things whatsoever your God commands and appoints you to observe and do according to your opportunities and abilities Matth. 28. ult Joh. 14.15 which you do not cannot do unless you walk in some Church of Christ and put your selves under all his Laws Ordinances and Institutions But that you may so do you put or ought to put your selves under them by joyning your selves to and walking with God and his people in Church-fellowship These are some of the holy ends all believers should have in their eyes and hearts in their aims and designs They must take heed and beware of carnal self-ends in this and all other matters of Religion which will certainly croud in and carry a great stroke in this matter For the Lord Jesus abhors them and cannot endure to have his holy and spiritual matters and concernments subjected and made to serve mens carnal Interests He will have no other aims and ends in Church-members hearts but his own whereby he may be glorified and our Souls profited and others encouraged to do their duty to him We have no dispensation or allowance given us to aim at and design to augment and encrease our Trades and worldly profits or to be maintained by the Churches Benevolence in and by our walking with them or to greaten our names and encrease our friendship and acquaintance among men unless it be to capacitate us to do the more good to men to have larger opportunities to serve Christ our Brethren and our own Souls But our aims ends and designs must be the Lord's namely to please and honour God to express our thankfulness
to him for his love and grace to us to hold and enjoy Communion with him to grow in grace and to be filled with all the fulness of God to be warm lively and strong in our duties and performances and for such holy ends as God requires Thus you see that all Gods people are bound in duty to joyn themselves to and walk in spiritual fellowship with the Churches of Christ as also for what ends and to what purpose they should do so CHAP. XI Shewing how Church-members ought to walk and what Sins and Temptations they are obnoxious to in their Church-state with Rules and cautions against them Arguments and motives to perswade to practice the one and avoid the other Quest HOw ought Believers to walk in Church-fellowship Answ I have shewed already what their duties are and how they should carry themselves towards their Officers and towards one another in a Church-state and therefore shall not mention them here but shall answer the question in these following particulars First Church-members must walk exemplarily they should be like so many Stars in the Firmament of the Church They of all persons in the world ought to be burning and shining lights Their graces gifts words deeds and carriages should shine so clear and bright so gloriously and conspicuously as that they should have the force and prevalency of Laws on the minds of beholders so as that they may safely securely imitate follow them The Churches of Christ in the world are as so many Sea-marks Pilots Guides to Men they live more in the glory of Heaven as the Church is called in Rev. 13.6 in the beams of the glorious Son of Righteousness than others do and therefore they should give better and clearer light than others can They are much more eyed minded and observed than others are and men expect and look for more good in and choice fruits from them than they do from other men They do or may converse more with Christ and Christ with them than other men do and they are partakers of greater things from him than other men are and therefore they must be a singular People in all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness Church-members are highly dignified and greatly priviledged their holy Profession gives out bespeaks them to be a peculiar Treasure unto God and therefore they must declare before all men that they are such indeed and not in pretence only Their frames of heart words deeds and deportments must speak for them manifest them to be the same in Truth which they pretend to be Church-members words works and carriages must praise them in the Gate 1. They should be shining lights in Humility and Meekness Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God humbleness of mind meekness 1 Pet. 5.5 and be Cloathed with Humility Phil. 2.3 But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Church-members must not be high proud and lofty they may not think highly of themselves Rom. 12.3 nor cloath and deck themselves as others do They may not carry themselves strangely or disdainfully towards men but be meek and humble towards their Brethren and all men in their Apparel Words Deeds and Carriages for if this part of Christ's Image do not appear in some good measure on them they cannot have any at all A meek spirit carriage and deportment is one of their Ornaments It is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 2. They must shine in Zeal Fervency of spirit this holy fire should burn among them They must not be of dull stupid heavy and lumpish spirits worship God appear before him and hold Communion one with another indifferently coldly dully regardlesly and heavily as if they were rather driven to their work and duty against their wills than with their choyce love and desire but they must be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 for which some of the Corinthians were commended 2 Cor. 7.11 and Phinchas Numb 25.11.13 and David Psal 69.9 To this they are redeemed and for it they are purchased Tit. 2.14 not only to do good works but to be Zealous in and for them The Lord Jesus charges his Churches to be Zealous Churches Rev. 3.19 in imitation of himself whose Zeal to God did eat him up Joh. 2.17 Much holy Zeal governed and guided by much spiritual Wisdom makes a man an excellent shining useful acceptable and desirable man indeed This should be another of the Churches beauties and comely Ornaments wherewith they should still be cloathed decked and adorned in this world If this Diamond do not shine if they are not adorned with this rare Jewel what are they worth and what are they good for They will be like fire without heat and light as to their duty work and usefulness They will be like Drones or like Bees without stings namely of no considerable use in the world All that they do for God Men and their own Souls will be of little or no esteem and account 3. They must shine in Love and Charity too Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 the ligament and sinew the cord and instrument that tyes us fast to God and to one another See that ye love one another with pure hearts fervently 1 Pet. 122. and let Love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and strength Matth. 22.37 The internal motive or moving cause of all obedience and service to God must be love to him and our duty Joh. 14.15 1 Joh. 5.3 It is true that men cannot certainly discern this Love to God in one another but God and our own Consciences may and must Churches of Christ must be Churches of Love they should be acted and animated drawn and constrained to every good work by Love 2 Cor. 5.14 All the ways and workings of Jesus Christ to us all that he doth to or for us is Love Doth he instruct us or doth he correct us it is all in and from love Love to us is the bottom spring and cause of all his dispensations towards us His anger is provoked Love Love should knit our hearts fast to our God and Head to our duties and services and to one another in Church-fellowship But of this already else-where 4. Churches must shine in that great work and duty of Self-denyal when need requires He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 Luk. 9.26 They should be eminent and singular in Self-denyal or in denying themselves of many things for Christ for their Brethren and for their own souls sakes Their Lord Jesus is the great copy pattern and examplar of Self-denyal and that for them to serve them and promote their happiness Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. Acts 20.28 and without this we cannot be his Disciples If we will not deny our selves
to Christ and one to another in a Church-relation that they might live to God and be useful to men 2 Cor. 5.15 Gal. 6.10 Do good to all men especially to the Houshold of Faith Barren Church-members are Incumbrances in the world and are dead while they live they live undesired and dye unlamented they are like withered Trees in an Orchard good for nothing but to be out down and cast into the fire Joh. 15.6 Heb. 6.7 8. They must follow every good work 1 Tim. 5.10 in the Churches Families and places where they live They must not sâ—ck their own things but every one anothers wealth 1 Cor. 10.24 Phil. 2.4 Theya re indispensibly bound to promote the welfare holiness and happiness of their Churches Families Relations and all other Persons so far as they can and that zealously diligently faithfully and constantly They are Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph. 2.10 and they are set in the Church for the same 8. Churches should shine in and with courteous and affable spirits words and carriages too For they should be like their Head and Husband in this excellency also Church-members must not be of harsh sowre crabbed churlish spirits and behavior towards men for that will render them odious and contemptible but they must imitate and conform to the Lord Jesus in a holy sweetness kindness courteousness and affability towards Saints and Sinners that they may adorn the Gospel of Christ in all things Tit. 2.10 1 Pet. 3.8 A kind courteous and affable carriage and behaviour is a very comely and beautiful Garment for all such to wear about them for it commends their Persons and Religion unto men and makes them exceeding lovely desirable and acceptable in all Societies as also the good ways of God which they do profess to love and in which they walk 9. They should shine with sympathizing and forgiving spirits and practices Their fallen Brethren or Neighbours who have sinned by wrenging them may stand in need of their Pitty Pardon and Sympathy and then they should vouchsafe it to them and not be rash and severe unto them They must not lay on another load on their backs pursue them with rash Censures shews of Cruelty and Vengeance in words or deeds in wrath and displeasure but pitty them pray for them and give them the hand to raise them up again and bring them to Conviction and Repentance until they appear obstinate and stubborn in their sin The Servant that took his fellow Servant by the throat saying unto him pay me my dues is branded for a wicked man Math. 18.28.35 It is such a kind of cruelty as God abhors and all holy men hate and the world are stumbled at Persons as soon as they sin against us or any way wrong us are not presently to be the objects of our Contempt and Cruelty or of our Wrath Fury no but they ought to be the objects of our Pitty and Compassion of our Sympathy and Assistance and when they do seriously repent of any wrong they have done us although they cannot make any other restitution or satisfaction we ought to forgive them help and comfort them Eph. 4. ult Col. 3.13 Math. 18 ult 2 Cor. 2.7.10 10. Churches should shine in their orderly and dutiful Walkings in the Churches as also in the Families where they live and in and towards their several Relations Next to that mysterious and glorious Union and Relation that is between the Lord Jesus and his people that which is between his People in Church-fellowship and Relation is the nearest and greatest because 1. It is a spiritual Relation and Union 2. Because it is a Union and Relation on Christs account and with respect to him as their Head and King 3. Because it is an everlasting Union and Relation Therefore in this Communion and Relation we should be most precise and exact in our walkings and performing all the duties of it They must keep their places in the Church and constantly attend unto all the duties therein They should never neglect their Church-meetings excepting in extraordinary cases but be present at the Celebration of all divine Worship observation of all the Ordinances of Christ in the Church and demean themselves before God and Men as becomes the Gospel of Christ They must endeavour so to walk in the Church in their Families among and towards their Relations as that they may be blameless giving no offence Phil. 2.15 16. Col. 2.5 2 Cor. 6.3 11. Church-members must shine in Diligence and Faithfulness Slothfulness Unfaithfulness are scandalous sins but Diligence and Faithfulness in our trusts and businesses are Ornaments to our persons and professions and to the Gospel and Holy Name of Christ which we do profess to love and believe Church members are eyed and much observed and therefore they had need walk circumspectly Eph. 5.15 and beg of God to lead them in plain paths as David did because of their Enemies as or 't is in the Margin those which observe me Psal 27.11 They should be diligent in their work and business and what their hands find to do to do it with all their might Eccle. 9.10 2 Pet. 3.14 Heb. 6.12 And as they should be diligent so likewise faithful and trusty to all that are concerned with them so as to answer every ones reasonable expectation from them they must be faithful and true to one another in buying and selling in borrowing and lending in work and business and in counsel and friendship Whatever Trusts they commit to one another or is by any committed to them they are indispensibly bound to be as faithful and true to such as to themselves They must render to all their Dues Rom. 13.7 8. and not in any thing purloyn Tit. 2.10 Are they Buyers or Sellers Lenders or Borrowers or such as are intrusted by any men in any thing they must be faithful to their Trusts or they will reproach the Lord Jesus scandalize men and greatly dishonour their Profession These are some of the many good things wherein they should be as so many burning and shining Lights in the world and in the Churches Secondly They must design aim at and prosecute all the ends of God in appointing such a state and condition for them their cleaving to joyning with and walking therein God and they must joyn Issues and carry on the same ends and interests I have shewed you what ends persons should have in their eye in joyning themselves to the Churches of Christ or in walking in Church-fellowship and now I say that in this State they must practically pursue them and that with all possible diligence seriousness and faithfulness The Honour and Glory of God the Father and Jesus Christ their Head and King the happiness and salvation of their own souls are the two or rather as free grace hath laid it the one great end of their so doing for these ends are no more two but one and so to be believed and
do so you rob God break your Covenant offend your Brethren and wrong your own souls You must go up because you are called to go and that you may meet God in Zion and receive his blessings for there he commands them Psal 133. ult Oh! it is sad indeed when persons shall pretend to enter into Churches take upon them the observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ there solemnly and publickly promise and engage to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God with his people and yet shall dare wilfully to neglect their place and duty therein and to pay their Vows to their God and King Psal 65.1 Psal 61.5.8 Such as are good Governours of Families and Corporations will carefully mind if all within them do answer to their calls and perform their duties when called so to do So doth the Lord Jesus Christ in his Churches He summons them by his Ministers to appear before him wait on and worship him together and bring him a Church-offering and service and narrowly observes who comes and who neglects it how thy come and with what frames of hearts to what ends as the 2. 3. Chap of Rev. shew And if he find any wanting that might come or see them come carelesly and superficially he accounts himself slighted disobeyed and his Love and Grace contemned and undervalued God expects that you should be constant in Church-meetings and not decline them at any time but when his hand obstructs and impedes you but that there you should come with your Free-will offerings and do your Duty Homage to him as he commanded you Believe it this is a matter of great moment and not to be slighted or disregarded by you Sixthly You must walk with God in Church-fellowship in Sincerity and with Vprightness of heart to Without this all your performances are in vain The Lord Jesus is very curious and critical in searching your hearts in your Church-state Rev. 2.23 And all the Churches shall know that I search the reins and the heart And in Jer. 17.10 saith God to the inchurched Jews I the Lord search the heart I try the reins Then surely it must very much concern you to see that you draw night to God continually with true hearts Heb. 10.22 and that without all allowed Guile and Hypocrisie A little of this Leaven will quickly leaven the whole lump of duties Gal. 5.9 It will so corrupt and sowre them as that they will be all stark naught and good for nothing but to kindle and encrease the flames of God's Wrath and Vengeance against you Therefore take heed and beware of Hypocrisie and do not connive or wink at the least grain of it in your hearts or duties but be sure to walk with God in the performance of all duties in Integrity and Uprightness Be sure that your God expects it from you and requires it of you Joshua 24.14 Gen. 17.1 The Eyes of the Lord run to and fro through-out the Churches to see whose heart is perfect with him and whose is hypocritical 2 Chron. 16.9 He requires Truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 and that all Church-members should walk before him in Truth and with perfect hearts 2 King 20.3 You must worship God and serve him with your all for your little all is but too little for him Prov. 23.26 Math. 22.37 Psal 119.10 You must not leave one hoof behind when you do any thing for God nor put God off with a part of your abilities for the whole for if you do you will lose the acceptance and reward of all Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name saith David Psal 103.1 Seventhly See that you worship God and observe all his Ordinances in the Church in spirit or spiritually Remember that you are his holy spiritual Temples the Temples of the Holy Ghost Eph. 2.21 1 Cor. 3.16 that all the Ordinances of worship in them are holy and spiritual Ordinances stampt with the Image of God's Holiness and Authority and that he will be worshipped in spirit or spiritually Joh. 4.23 24. You must be very careful that you take not up with the external part and outside of your duties and priviledges that you settle not your selves and stay as it were in and upon Ordinances and your enjoying and observing them but get within the Vail seek and look for God and Christ for Heaven and glorious things in them Let your Faith conduct you by the hand of the Spirit into the bosom and heart of Christ that there you may read his Love Grace and glorious Excellencies have intimate and close Communion with him and be ravished and refreshed with his Person and Love Get into his Galleries and see the King of Glory in his beautys and transcendant sweetnesses and get into the Sanctum Sanctorum into the most holy place for the way is opened and the vail drawn off and removed by your Head for you to come and meet him there Heb. 10.19 20 Therefore do not stand and worship in the outer Court of the Temple but go and pass through Ordinances to Christ into the holiest of all and when-ever you go and enter in be you sure that you carry all Graces the Spirit with you to meet your Lord and honour him with them Endeavour all you can to see and feel him to get your hearts ravished with his Person and Love that thereby they may be raised up to great delight joy chearfulness adoration admiration and praise that they may be filled with his Savours warmed with his Love drawn by his Beauty be by all knit and united tyed and bound fast to him Then we worship him in spirit or spiritually when we worship him go to meet him with all our Graces in the Holy of Holies when our Hearts Graces do close up with and hold Communion with him in these Beauties of Holiness Psal 110.3 I am affraid that very few Church-members are experimentally acquainted with this matter for if they were so acquainted with it indeed they could not do as they do They could not neglect the worship and Ordinances of Christ nor cry up a Cephas and cry down a Paul as they do 1 Cor. 3. They could not be so careless and formal in them as they are nor carry about such dead lumpish and heavy hearts and minds as they do Well but however it hath been with you let it be so no more Do you for time to come learn so to worship God as you have heard that so you may please and honour him and he may delight to meet with and bless you Eightly You must walk in Church-fellowship chearfully comfortably and joyfully You must not be Whiners and Complainers you must not be sad lumpish and melancholly in your Father's House No for that will greatly reflect on your Father and on your Head and Husband You will raise suspicions in the minds of men on the good ways of God
him that standeth in a calm day take heed that he fall not in a stormy night These are some of the Evils and Sins that you will be tempted to in your Church-state Therefore consider them and make sufficient and seasonable provisions against them lest they take you unawares and overthrow you Obj. But some may say if all these Evils and Dangers uttend Church-members then it is better for us to keep out of it and not be Church-members that we may avoid them and not expose our selves to Sin and Temptation therein Answ That such Temptations will attend Church-members is certain but that therefore Believers should keep out of a Church-state that I deny For 1. It is your indispensible duty as you have heard to walk in Church-fellowship and therefore you must do so and it being your duty you may be sure it is the safest and the most secure way for you to keep you from Sin and prevalent Temptations to it For the way of our duty is ever the surest and safest way as we all know 2. What I have said in this matter is cautionary not to affright any from their duty and priviledges but to quicken and provoke Church-members to the more wise watchful and exact walkings to more Diligence and Faithfulness in making provisions against them that they may be ready armed and fenced against them to resist and conquer them 3. Although you may be more tempted to sin in a Church-state yet you may sin less therein than out of it For you have heard already that a true Church of Christ is invested with many priviledges and advantages against Sin and Temptations to it which if well used and improved by you they will sufficiently defend you and ballance all the weights that may be put into the ballance of Temptations and abundantly store you with provisions against them were they a thousand times as many more For you have heard that in a Church there is more of Christ and of his Spirit and Grace for Believers than out of such a State and Relation And therefore it is much better and safer being there and walking with God therein than to be elsewhere Wherefore let all Church-members see that they walk circumspectly or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exactly cautiously and accurately Eph. 5.15 in their Church-state and Relation Mind and practise what you see before you are bound to do and take heed that you so walk and demean your selves towards God Men and your own Souls that you carefully watch against and avoid all the aforesaid Evils and the Temptations that lead you to them And to move and quicken you so to do be pleased to consider and lay to heart these few Considerations 1. That in a Church-state you have many observers There are many eyes on you and many that watch for your halting The world knows that you have separated from them upon the account of holiness and that by grace you are made better than they They know that you pretend to singular things and that you profess to be called out of the World and from sin to holiness and singular Righteousness and that you left Communion with them on a Religious account They understand that you pretend to more light and knowledge to more communion with God and to greater attainments and enjoyments than they do and therefore expect to see better things from you than from themselves and such as they are They will tell you that to whom much is given of them much is required and that you are in your profession some of them They will tell you that they can no otherwise judge of you than by your fruits and if they be not suitable to your profession and pretences they will think you are but Hypocrites and painted Sepulchres Be sure that you have many that mind and strictly observe all your steps 2. Your Lord and King expects singular and peculiar frames of hearts words deeds from you He narrowly marks your steps and observes your walkings how you carry your selves towards one another how you walk towards and before all men and what your frames and Deportments are towards himself For his eyes behold and his eye-lids try the Children of men Psal 11.4 You know and he tells you that he hath done great and special things for you that he hath been at great expence of blood and treasure on you and all to make you a peculiar People unto himself Tit. 2.14 He hath honoured and exalted you and brought you nigh unto himself and entrusted you with great Talents He hath set you on high and magnified you exceedingly in the sight of all sorts of men and hath made you his golden Candlesticks Rev. 2.1 and his living Witnesses and therefore he may well expect and require special carriages and singular fruits from you Oh! then do not disappoint him of his so reasonable expectations but let the Lord Jesus see in you the fruits of his labour and toyl of his cost and charge and of his blood and travel Let him find you good Stewards of his house and houshold-affairs and meet to be trusted with more of his Treasures 3. Consider that your Brethren and Fellow-members and especially your Teachers and Overseers do expect such walkings fruits and carriages from you Your Teachers expect it earnestly desire it pray for it and labour to make you such Your Fellow-members they also look for it pray for it and earnestly desire it I mean such of them as are holy spiritual persons They especially your Teachers do long and are in travail for it and they greatly rejoyce indeed to see you a holy humble wise zealous meek diligent faithful loving and a fruit-bearing people They are exceedingly troubled to see their labour to be in vain with and to you Your non-proficiency cold worldly and carnal walkings your barrenness and unprofitableness your want of love to God your own souls and to one another are great very great and heart-breaking afflictions to them They mourn for and are grieved at you and your ways because you are not so serious holy exact spiritual zealous loving sweet meek humble useful wise diligent and heavenly as you might be and your Church-state priviledges enjoyments and high professions call for and greatly oblige you to 4. Consider that your own souls are greatly concerned in these things If you walk in these ways practise the aforesaid duties to observe these said Ordinances of divine worship and carefully watch against and avoyd the said evils and temptations to sin that your souls and bodys will reap the benefit and profit of all You will have the peace joy satisfaction sweetness and consolation of your so doing But if on the contrary you be found negligent and careless of the holy will of God and your duties and disobedient unto his holy Laws If you slight and undervalue your great and invaluable priviledges and enjoyments and make not spiritual earnings of them but remain dead cold barren and
unfruitful under them connive at and indulge any of the said Sins or others like them and dally with Temptations you will certainly rue for it and pull on your heads and hearts many evils troubles sorrows and disquietments many fears and distresses incumberances and confusions You will drive God from you cause him to shut up his loving Countenance from you in displeasure and to write bitter things against you Your own souls are very much concerned in your exact holy diligent faithful and circumspect walking with God in all his ways and Gospel-precepts in your Church-state Therefore do you aim at and seek their good and do you so walk and carry your selves towards God and one another as to promote their happiness 5. Consider call to mind and lay to heart the ends for which you joyned your selves to the Churches of Christ as also the solemn profession and engagement you then made to and before God Angels and Men. Remember that they are all Witnesses for you to what you did when you entred in among them and took on you the serious diligent faithful and constant observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Jesus Christ in them when you took hold of his Covenant owned the Lord Christ for your Head King and Law-giver and promised to yield him all faithful subjection and obedience For if you forget these things neglect your duties or walk contrary unto God know for certain that he will remember all and will testifie against you yea he will make your own Consciences Witnesses against you Oh consider did you not joyn in Church-fellowship that you might be enriched with Grace be filled with the Spirit built up in Gospel-holiness and that you might perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Ask your Hearts and Consciences did we not joyn our selves together in a holy band and bind our selves to walk with God unto all well-pleasing in our Church-state and Gospel-relation one to another surely we did Well then do we now indeed keep these things warm on our hearts aim at and prosecute them in good earnest or do we not Did we not aim at intend and engage to get more Acquaintance and Communion with Christ more Acquaintance with our selves and with the Laws Waies and Promises of Jesus Christ and did we not intend and promise to obey him wait on him honour and glorifie him in and by our so doing Did we not intend and aim at the profit of our own souls the good of one another and of all men and that we might be made fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.21 That Lusts might be mortified Sin subdued Grace magnified and our Hearts cleansed and purified 6. Consider and lay to heart the many and great encouragements you have to further you to strengthen your hands and animate your hearts to your duty and so walking in your Church-fellowship You have very many helps and inducement to encourage and quicken you so to do Some are past some are present in your hands and some are yet to come O remember how great things the Lord hath done for you that you might be his People and walk as you have heard When you were accursed and condemned to everlasting Destruction 2 Thes 1. He redeemed you He gave himself a Ransom for you took on him your sins and punishment your work and shame your wrath and reproach to take off the Sentence that was past on you remove the Curse from you and bring you out of Prison from the bondages in which you were Isa 5.3 2 Cor. 5. ult Zach. 9.11 He became your Surety took on him your Debts was arrested and cast into Prison Isa 53. and paid the utmost farthing for you and thereby obtained a general Release for you He found you in your blood and then he washed you Ezek. 16. and he found you miserable and pittyed you He found you naked and cloathed you dead and quickened you sick and he healed you He found you blind and he enlightned you fallen and he lifted you up You were weak and he strengthned you in pain and he eased you sorrowful and he comforted you When you were wandring out of the way of peace and happiness he sought you out and brought you back unto himself he set your feet in the right way and spake peace unto you Ever since you were new-born he hath succoured supported supplied and cared for you He hath entrusted and enriched you with Gospel mercies for your maintenance and comfortable subsistance You have had and still have many of his choise Talents in your hand and he never denyed you any good thing But this is not all that you have to encourage you in the practise of holiness but you have many of his Bonds in your hands for your security of what he will further be to you and do for you You have many Earnests Pawns and Pledges of greater things that he will yet do for you He hath engaged to you that he will abide with you and that he will never wholly leave or forsake you Joh. 14.21.23 Heb. 13.5 That he will care for and water you protect exalt and honour you Isa 27.3 Psal 37.34 and make you perfectly holy That he will supply all your wants Phil. 4.19 guide you by his Spirit fill you full of joy and peace by believing perfect the Marriage-Union come again and receive you to himself and instate you in eternal Glory CHAP. XII Of the Lords Supper wherein several questions are answered concerning the nature use and end of it and the necessary qualifications and preparations of all worthy Receivers of it with several other things relating to the Lords Supper I Shall now give you a brief account of the Lords Supper commonly called the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by Learned Men but I shall call it as the Gospel doth the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 and breaking of Bread Luk. 24.35 Acts 2 42. Acts 20.7 This holy and spiritual Ordinance this great Seal of the Covenant the Lord Jesus hath appoi ted for and given to his Gospel Churches for their souls profit and the manifestation of the glory of his Love and Grace to them Quest What is the Lords Supper Answ 〈◊〉 is a Heavenly Feast or a spiritual Gospel Ordinance instituted and appointed by Jesus Christ for and given to his inchurched Saints to be to them a constant Memorial Sign and Seal of his death and sufferings for them 1. It is a Feast yea it is a Feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and a Heavenly Banquet Cant. 2.4 It is the Spiritual Wedding-Supper made appointed by Jesus Christ for his Spouses where he comes furnishes the Table sits down and eats with them invites them to sit down with him and bids them welcome bids them eat and drink abundantly Rev. 3.20 Cant. 5.1 2 It is a Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance not a Civil or a Carnal and Legal Ordinance such as were ordained for the Jewish Church of old but
handled by God and Men for you Here you may see how I was Tortured Reproached Buffetted Scourged Crowned with Thorns Spit upon Hanged Nailed and Crucified Here you may see by Faith my Blood gushing out my Groans Sighs and Tears my Agonies and bloody Sweats and my soul made an Offering for your Sins Here you may see what a horrible and an exceeding great evil Sin is how infinitely God hates it And here you may see my Travels and Torments my Griefs unexpressible Sorrows for you I Dyed that you might Live I was made a Curse that you might be for ever blessed and I was put to Shame that you might be honoured I was made a Man of Sorrows that you might rejoyce and I was punished that you might be released I was debased that you might be exalted and I was scourged that you might be crowned I was condemned that you might be justified and I was slain that you might be saved In this Ordinance you may see a Righteous Man dying and yet under more guilt and punishment than ever man was here you may see a holy man dying as a great yea the greatest of Sinners Here you may as in a glass behold one put to the worst of Deaths for Sin and yet never sinned and here you may see the Lord of Glory murdered by the hands of wicked men In this Ordinance you may see by Faith as in a glass amazing and astonishing wonders the offended Person the Sufferer and the Offender set free The Innocent Surety taken and cast into Prison and the Necent released and set at liberty In a word here you may see the Prison doers sâ—t open for Prisoners to come forth freely Isa 61.1 2. and here you may see all Debts discharged Here you may see Divine Justice satisfied and God reconciled Isa 53. And here you may see sins pardoned and the Book crossed Here you may see the fountain of eternal Love opened to Sinners and God well pleased and here you may hear God saying Deliver them for I have found a Ransom Here you may see Truth and Mercy Justice and free Grace meet in that one Glorious Mediatour and here you may see God and Men in perfect peace and friendship Here you may see the everlasting Love of God streaming forth to you and here you may see the Grace of Christ flowing out to you Here you have a Token Sign and Memorial of it before your eyes that you may look on these things with great delight with joy and rejoycing and with admiration and thanksgiving Here you will read heart-ravishing matters and here you may see adorable objects This Ordinance sets forth the Love of God the Misery of Man the Grace of Christ and a Crucified Jesus to the life In it you may be even swallowed and lost for it holds out to you heights depths breadths and lengths of infinite free and adorable Love and Grace 2. The Lords Supper is a seal and pledge to inchurched Believers also It is not appointed for and given to them to be a sign token and memorial of God's Love and of the Grace and Death of Christ only but to be a seal and pledge to them too So the Apostle Paul tells us that the Ordinance of Circumcision was a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith that is of Christ the great object of Faith Rom. 4.11 Circumcision and the Passoever were the Isralites Seals and Baptisme and the Lords Supper are the believing Gentiles Seals Seals are appointed and made use of among men to ratifie and confirm their Contracts Covenants and Promises to men whereby they are made firm and irreversible Now the great God in allusion to the practises of men is pleased in his abundant Grace and Mercy not only to covenant and promise his greatest mercies to men but for their satisfaction and encouragement to seal them and thereby to ratifie and confirm them He need not to have done so upon his own account but he doth it only for our sakes Now I judge the Lords Supper Seals thus 1. First to the truth and reality of the Covenant and to the Blood of it namely Christ's which is called the Blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13.20 and 2. To the Faith and Consciences of particular Saints That is it seals to them their right unto and interest in the Covenant of Grace the Blood of Christ and to all the benefits of his mediation and mercies of the Covenant But the first thing or matter it seals to is the truth and reality of the Covenant on God's part if I may so express it It pleased God to determinate and chuse to save men by Covenant or in a Covenant-way And this good pleasure of his took place in the bosom of his eternal Counsels before all time which Covenant of Grace was made with Jesus Christ in Eternity Tit. 1.2 2 Tim. 1.9 Prov. 8. Eph. 1.4 but was made manifest in time unto men 2 Tim. 1.10 To them he gave Copies and Transcripts of it at first to Adam in Paradise Gen. 3.17 and afterwards to Noah Abraham and others until the promised Seed came when the whole of it was opened and unfolded In this Covenant God promised to give his Son Jesus Christ to and for men Isa 42.1.6 to make his Soul an offering for sin that he should see his Seed and of the travail of his Soul and that the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand Isa 53.10 11. And the Lord Jesus he engaged to come and fulfil all the will of his Father for them that were given to him For so David and Paul bring him in speaking of himself in Psal 40.6.7 8. Heb. 10.6 7 8 9. In Burnt-offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure then said I Lo I come to do thy Will O God and a Body hast thou prepared me c. David spake of him as to come but Paul as already come and all in pursuance of the old Contract and Agreement in Heaven but I cannot inlarge on this But I say that Christ came and did the Will of his Father by virtue of the eternal Covenant between the Father and Him as I could shew at large had I room and time to do it Hence he tells us by Solomon in Prov. 8. that his delights were with the Sons of men from the beginning That he came down from Heaven to do the Will of him that sent him Joh. 6.38 That he kept his Fathers Commandments Joh. 15.10 That He finished the work the Father gave him to do Joh. 17.4 And appeals to his Father in the case yea to his Righteousness and demands of him his promised Reward Joh. 17.4 5 24. God the Father promises to be well pleased with him and his Offerings and in him with those he mediated for That they should be pardoned healed justified washed and sanctified and that they should be accepted Eph. 1.6 That if Christ would be made sin for them they should be made
things and actions love and lovely objects irritates and drawes forth love to them and the more lovely beautiful and glorious they are the more forceably and powerfuly they draw as experiences shews and we all know But then are such objects and things most attractive and powerful when they are our own or when we know that we have a right unto and an interest in them Now in the Lord's Supper you have these glorious objects and things handed out to you and sealed to you in particular Take cat this is my body that was broken and this is my blood that was shed for you 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. It speaks to sound-hearted Believers thus Here is your glorious Head and King your Redeemer and Saviour Here is the body that was broken and the blood that was shed for you Here is your Covenant and here are your promises sealed ratified and confirmed and here is free eternal and distinguishing love and grace shewed and given to you Oh! how strongly must this draw their love and how powerfully must this enflame their affections to Jesus Christ For this end it is appointed and this it doth in measure effect in holy hearts 6. It is instituted and appointed to strengthen and nourish inchurched Believers and to make them fat and flourishing in the house of God Psal 92.13 14. Psal 132.13 14 15. Psal 84.4 7. Believers have many grace-weakning and heart-wasting-lusts Snares and Temptations and therefore they have need of such strengthning heart-chearing and grace-nourishing means that they languish not but thrive and prosper in the inner man I have spoken somewhat of this before when I shewed you the priviledges of the Churches and the end for which all Believers should walk in Church fellowship and therefore shall not insist on it here Only let me add that you may find in this Ordinance both Food and Physick Here is as in the hand of an Ordinance food for your Souls and nourishment for your Graces and here is Physick for them also Here is the bread of Life and here is the water and wine of Life to feed and comfort you to fatten and nourish you to build you up and establish you and to make you strong men in Christ to encourage and help you and to make you fruitful in every good work Joh. 6. Col. 1.10 And here is not only food but Heavenly and spiritual Physick too Here you may have Purging and cleansing-Physick and here you may have comforting and refreshing Physick also And you do and still you will need both You need Lusts-purging and Heart-purifying Physick and behold here it is for you Christ gave himself and shed his blood that it might purge cleanse and heal us and that it might in and by his own means be conveyed to us I mean the vertue and efficacy of it for that end Eph. 5.25 26 27. Tit. 2.14 1 Joh. 1.7 9. Now in this Ordinance the purging cleansing and heart-purifying virtue of this blood is handed out and conveyed to the Faith of Believers which the Spirit in Christ's behalf applys and which we for our selves are to apply also The Spirit doth it powerfully and efficasiously and we by Faith are to do it dutifully and so it obtains its Ends on us And as it is purging cleansing and heart-purifying Physick to our Souls so it is Cordial Physick also to refresh and comfort to revive and chear our drooping sad and disconsolate Souls Of this Blood and for this End we may drink freely and constantly Here we may have our fill and drink abundantly according to our needs Here you may Augment your Light Faith Peace Hope Joy Courage Zeal Meekness Love and Patience and here you may obtain a measure of all spiritual good Here you may enrich your Souls with Christ Grace Assurance Experiences and Consolations and here you may obtain the destruction of your Lusts Here you will have the Spirit to feed you with the Bread of Life and here you may grow like a Cedar in Lebanon Psal 92.12 13. Therefore make use of this Ordinance for this blessed End also 7. It is appointed to shew and represent unto us the evil of sin also The great God represents sin to us in many glasses and shews it in and by several means He assures us that it is the Evil of Evils the Plague of Plagues and that it is the root and fountain the sink and sum of all Mischiefs that it is unexpressibly and transcendantly evil Rom. 7.13 That it is the object of his loathing abhorrence and hatred as being that which hath turned glorious Angels into hateful Devils and thrown them out of Heaven into Hell as that which hath defaced and marr'd his Image in men and made them Enemies unto and Rebels against God This he declares to us in and by his Word his Law and Gospel as also by the Judgments he executeth in the Earth on Sinners yea the whole Creation here below do loudly proclaim it But the clearest glass wherein God opens and manifests the odiousness and exceeding sinfulness of sin is Christ's Death and Sufferings which the Lords Supper plainly declares unto us and where we may see it displayed in all its most hateful and abominable colours Here you may by Faith see the exceeding great Evil of it and be provoked and stirred up to Hate and abhor it to eschew and avoyd it For by beholding the Curse and Wrath of God poured out on the Soul and Body of his dear Son Gal. 3.13 and by seeing him Reproached Buffetted Contemned Despised Crucified Hanged Nailed to the Cross Cruelly handled Tortured Tormented Pierced Murdered and above all the weight of divine Vengance pressing his precious Soul and wringing out Bloody Sweats and he pouring out his Soul to Death and all for and under the weight of our Sins and Guilt Surely the sight of this by Faith will greatly raise our hatred of all sin and disswade us from it 8. It is appointed and given to encrease and strengthen our Gospel-Repentance too Here we may look on Him whom we by sin have pierced and mourn and be in bitterness of Soul Zach. 12.10 for here is the Blood of the Scape Goat that is able to break the most stony hearts in the world And we stand in daily need of it for we are in danger every day of being hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and the world Heb. 3.13 But the Lord's Supper presents to us a heart-melting Object yea many such Objects There we may see heart-melting Love and there we may behold heart-breaking Grace There we may perceive the Lamb of God making Attonement for our sins and there we may understand that the Lord of Glory hath taken off from us our Sins Guilt and Punishment There we may discern him standing in our stead and between the living God and us Condemned dead men with the Censor of the Sanctuary full of his precious Blood making satisfaction for us to divine Justice There we
by you or you may be undone For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh his own Damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 And if you should eat and drink this holy Supper in an unregenerate and unjustified state be you sure that you will eat and drink damnation to your selves for the Lord hath spoken it This is not a matter to be dallied with 2. Examine your selves if you allow not of some sin and if there be not one lust carnal-self or some one or more Idols indulged and connived in at and by you For should you carelesly overlook this matter and sit down at the Kings Table with any of them in you and wink at it be you assured that the Lord Jesus will not accept and bless you visit you and smile on your Souls but he will loath your offering and hide his face from your Souls Therefore search and see what you can find of any of them in your hearts or hands within or without you For your great Lord searches and tryes you Rev. 2.23 Make an impartial and diligent enquiry into this matter and that with all possible integrity of heart that God may see that you are willing to know the worst of your selves And do as David and others have done in this weighty matter Psal 77.6 make diligent search and entreat the Lord to help you Psal 139. ult Ask your selves and try to purpose do I not wink at and practically allow of Anger Passion Wrath yea of Hastiness Rashness Peevishness and Frowardness Do not I wink at my Pride worldly-mindedness vanity of mind and frothy discourses Do not I hearken to Tatlers and take up Reproaches against the Righteous and do not I Reproach them also by telling to others what I hear Do not I worship God carnally and in a formal and Hypocritical manner and do not I live in the careless neglect of many Religious and Relative duties day after day Am not I a Peace-breaker among my Relations and others by a peevish and quarrelsome Spirit instead of a Peace-maker Am I not guilty of very much luke-warmness and indifferency of spirit in all Duties as also of much idleness and mispending of pretious time Do I not live as a stranger to God and his holy will and in an unacquaintedness with my self and do not I slight my Gospel-mercies and undervalue the good things that God gives me Do I not leave my eternal concerns in doubt and at a great uncertainty and live year after year in the dark about my spiritual state although I have sufficient means to enable me to make a right judgment of them and am enjoyned so to do 2 Pet. 1.10 2 Cor. 13.5 3. Examine your selves and try if you do act and move in duties by the Spirit of God with and from Divine and Gospel principles Doth the life of Christ animate and quicken you the love of Christ constrain and draw you the light of Christ lead and conduct you and the faith of Christ strengthen and encourage your hearts in them Do you act and worship God with your own Spirit or the holy Spirit of God And do you worship him with special light love faith and sincerity or with common For it is possible you may be mistaken and take the one for the other So likewise you should examine your Aims and Ends what you Intend and Design in receiving of the Lords Supper And you must also enquire what Earnings and Improvements you make of it and what your Spiritual profit is what you meet withall in it and what good you receive from it 2. Whatever Evil you find in your Hearts or Hands you must throw out and Repent of it You must not think it enough and that your Work is done when you have found out the Plagues of your own Hearts 1 Kings 8.38 But you must endeavour the speedy removal of them and thorowly amend your Wayes Jer. 7.3 5. You must confess them to God unfeignedly humble your selves and Repent in Dust and Ashes Job 42.6 2 Chro. 7.14 yea you must also Hate and Abhor them forsake and Mortifie them and resolve to have no more to do with them 3 You must also prepare your selves by emptying the Heart of Carnal-self and the World for else these things will greatly Obstruct your Holy and Profitable receiving of this Ordinance The more the Heart is emptied the more it will Hunger and Thirst after it and the good and profit of it the stronger your Desires will be after Christ and the benefits of his Death the clearer you will see them and the Sweeter they will be unto your Taste The emptier you are of these Heart suffocating Evils the more Desirable Beautiful Acceptable and Pleasant they will be unto your Souls and the greater and more apparant will your Earnings and Advantages be to your Souls As you will abundantly Experience if you make proof of it 4. Prepare for the Worthy and Profitable receiving of this Holy and Soul enriching Ordinance by possessing your Hearts with the Excellency and Goodness the Priviledge and Profit of it Get as clear Apprehensions and Conceptions as you can of the Person the Love Grace and Benefits it holds forth unto you and who it is you go to meet withall there For the clearer your sight is of these things and the more the Heart is possessed and affected with them the more they will stir up and provoke your Faith enflame your Love and draw your Hearts to them The clearer they lye in your Heads your Minds and the warmer they lye on your Hearts the more Influential and forceable they will be on all your Affections and Graces to quicken raise and draw them forth into act and Exercise 5. Prepare by getting a due sight and sense of your own Wants and Weakness your own personal Vileness and Vnworthiness and of your own Sins and Iniquities That the due sight and sense of these Evils may make you Vile in your own Eyes debase and humble your Hearts That you may be truly Base and Vile in your own Eyes and draw nigh to him with a Holy fear and Trembling Esa 66.2 Psal 2.11 That you may go to him and make use of this Ordinance for the supply of your Wants and strengthening your Weaknesses and that you may be sensible of the worth and necessity of Christ's Death for you 6. Get high and great Expectations raised in your Hearts of seeing enjoying and receiving a measure of all the fulness of Christ and his benefits or the fruits of his Death The Lord Jesus will be most free and open handed there to all worthy Receivers and therefore you must not go to it and him with dejected fearful and low Spirits and Hopes But you must go to them with high and great Hopes and Expectations of finding him and receiving high and great things from him Be sure that he would have you do so that it is your Duty and that you shall find him a liberal and noble Benefactor
to you Yea that he will far exceed your highest regular Expectations from him in his Princely favours and glorious distributions to your Souls CHAP. XIII Where are several Questions Answered and Resolved Quest WHether a Church-member may withdraw or absent himself from the Lord's Supper upon any Sin or Offence given him by one or more of his Fellow-members in the Church Answ The offended Member may not withdraw nor by any means absent himself on that Account Too many indeed are apt to think and they Act accordingly that they have a Dispensation to neglect their Duty and practically to slight their Priviledge because others are not so good as they should be and have given them Offence But that which gives them such a Dispensation is their own Pride Ignorance Prejudice and wilfulness not Jesus Christ their Head But I say you may not absent your selves or neglect that great Ordinance upon such Accounts 1 Because it is your Duty to receive it and wait on Christ in it as hath been shewed and it is not anothers Sin that can discharge you of your Duty 2 If thy Brother hath sinned and thereby incapacitated himself for a worthy receiving and celebrating of this holy Ordinance thou hast the greater Reason offered thee to come and receive it worthily to the honour of Christ For it is most unreasonable that he should be deprived of the Glory of his Grace and thy Duty because thy Brother hath sinned against him and dishonoured him already 3 Hast thou rebuked thy sinning Brother and laboured to bring him to Repentance and art thou mourning and praying for him and waiting on God for his Recovery as thou art bound to do 1 Cor. 5.2 Why then his Sin shall not be laid to thy Charge neither may it impede or hinder thy Reception of this Ordinance 4 It is thy Prejudice and Wrath against if not thy Loathing and Hating of the offending Person that causes thy Neglect or the Guilt thou hast contracted to thy own Soul and Conscience that makes thee forbear coming to the Lord's Table and not a dutiful and conscientious Forbearance because God would have it so For it is contrary to his holy Will 5 Allow of this and you will never want occasions but the Devil and your own Lusts will still supply you with enough to provoke and perswade you to a total neglect of this Duty Quest Suppose I find my self unfit and indisposed to receive the Lord's Supper may not I neglect it Answ No for thy waiting on Christ at his Table is thy Duty as hath been proved And therefore thou maist not think of neglecting it but the more unfit and indisposed thou findest thy self to be the more seriously diligently and vigorously thou shouldst labour to prepare thy self and get the removal of thy Indispositions To obtain and put on the Wedding-Garment that thou maist worthily partake of this Ordinance If the Iron be blunt the harder you must strike Eccl. 10 10. The more unprepared you are the more and greater diligence you must use to prepare I know that Church-members are subject to this Temptation which if yielded to will bring on many Mischiefs upon their Souls as some have sadly experienced But what hinders that you endeavour not the removal of these Evils presently you may not alwayes live so but one time or other you must get rid of them unless you will perish And when will you find a fitter time for the doing of it than now Therefore know that you have two great and indispensible Duties lying before you 1. To use all means for the removing all Obstructions and to get your Hearts in a ready meet posture for God and your Duties Amos 4.12 2 To wait on Christ at his Table on the next opportunity 1 Cor. 1â— 28 and not to add Sin to Sin by neglecting either of them Quest What do you think of those Members who do wilfully neglect to come to the Lord's Table very often and for a long time together or of such as will ride out of Town such dayes as they are called to partake of it Answ First either they are dead rotten Members such as are mentioned in Matth. 13.20 21. Joh. 15.2 6. Heb. 6. and Heb. 10. or else they have fouly back sliden from God and contracted much guilt and hardness of Heart You may be sure that matters go very ill with them at home and that they are in a withering and dying condition that they have wickedly forsaken God and God hath forsaken them 2 Chron. 15.2 They have most horribly sinned against Knowledge and Conscience grieved the holy Spirit and alienated their Hearts from God They have lost the savour of Christ that was on their Hearts the Conscience of and love to their Duties all care of and respect to their own and their Brethren's Souls and have with Ephraim cast off the thing that is good and therefore Evil pursues them Hosea 8.3 and they are under the Temptations of the Devil For were it not thus with them they could not durst not do as they do in this great and weighty matter The sight of their Duty the sense of their own wants and their love to Christ their Brethren and their own Souls would in no wise permit or dispense with such wilful neglects of so great a Duty and Priviledge and to keep at a distance from their God And if you mind them and have close discourse with them about spiritual things you may find them neglecters and slighters of other Duties of Carnal Vain Sottish and Stupid Spirits and that their Hearts and Souls are in a sad and miserable condition They desire not care not for your Company nor to hear you talk with them about their Soul's concernments And if they pretend any excuse or offer to defend their â—â—glects be sure they will cast all or most of the blame or cause off from themselves on others which argues a vile wicked Spirit They neglect the Lord's Table not because their own Hearts Wayes are very evil and abominable if any will believe them no but because their Ministry the Church or some particular Members of it are not good enough for their Communion And herein they blaspheme or scandalize them and offer violence to their own Consciences for the clearing of themselves and in belying their Teacher or Brethren Quest Is not Excommunication an Ordinance of Christ in his Church Answ Yea it is a great and useful Ordinance which may not be neglected when need requires on any pretence whatsoever because the Lord Jesus the King and Head of his Churches hath instituted and commanded it to be done and hath thereby made it their indispensible Duty Matth. 18.15 16 17. 1 Cor. 5.4 5 11 12 13. 2 Thes 3.6 14. Quest For what ends must the Church use this Ordinance and why hath Christ appointed it and commanded the Administration of it Answ For these Six ends 1. To remove Offence from the Church For a scandalous
Member continuing in his Impenitency is a Stumbling-block to them 2. The healing of the Offender by bringing him to deep Conviction of his Sin and Repentance for it to humble him to cause him to own and acknowledge his Sin and amend his Wayes 2 Cor. 2.5 6 7. 3. To clear the Church of the guilt of his Sin For if they neglect their Duty and so practically wink at his Sin they involve themselves in the guilt of it 1 Tim. 5.22 4. To caution others and cause them to hear and fear and do not so wickedly Deut. 21.21 Deut. 17.12 13. 5. To free the Church from Reproach and Scandal from without for their Enemies will undoubtedly defame them if they hear that they suffer visible Transgressors among them 6. To purge out the Leaven that the Church may be a pure Lump 1 Cor. 5.7 8. and a holy Habitation of God Eph. 2. Quest When must this Ordinance be used in the Church Answ Only in case of necessity when other means will not convince and bring Offenders to serious and hearty Repentance prevent or remove the other Evils or obtain the Ends before mentioned Matth. 18.15 16 17. Quest What is Excommunication Answ It is the cutting off a Church-member from his Membership with the Church putting him out of their Communion and Society and shutting him out from the enjoyment of all Church-Priviledges putting him into the Devils Kingdom or to deliver him to Satan in the name of Christ for the destruction of the flesh that his Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord 1 Cor. 5.4 5. It is variously expressed in Scripture in the fore-quoted Texts Matth. 18. 2 Thes 3.1 Cor. 5. Quest But is not Excommunication an high Act of Cruelty and too great Severity for a Church to use towards their Follow-members Answ No. For it is one of Christ's healing Medicines wherewith he cures Souls and one of his soveraign Means whereby he sets broken bones in joynt The loving kind and compassionate Head and Father of his People hath not such a heart towards them neither hath he shewed any Cruelty or undue Severity towards them in his appointing this Ordinance for his Churches and requiring the Execution of it on obstinate Transgressors for their Health Cure 2. The executing of this healing Ordinance on such is so far from being an Act of Cruelty as that it is one of the highest Acts of our Love Favour and Kindness to their Souls and the wilful neglect of it is one of the highest Acts of Cruelty that we can shew them For to let a Brother alone in his Sin and known Wickedness see him in the Ditch and leave him there knowing him dropping into Hell and not use the means the Lord hath given us for the helping of him out and preventing of his eternal Ruine is such a piece of Cruelty and horrible Injustice as that there can hardly be greater found among men If it be Cruelty in me to use the Lords means for saving of my Brother's Soul then let it be so called and accounted not else And great is their simple Ignorance or wilful Blindness who think and talk after this rate and too many of them are found in the Churches of Christ Quest But for what sins should this Ordinance be administred to or executed on Church-members A. For any sins that are not unavoydable Infirmities if persisted in the Offenders reject or neglect to hear receive and improve Reproofs to their Conviction Sorrow and Amendment to their deep Humiliation Confession and voluntary Acknowledgment The Lord Jesus hath not told us in particular for what sins Offenders should be Excommunicated out of the Church but tells us in Maâ—th 18.15 that if thy Brother sin against thee He names not the particular sin or sins but that expression implys any sin that is not an unavoydable infirmity in him And mark it It is not the matter of the sin that is so much to be minded as the manner of sinning and the Circumstances wherewith it is attended As 1. If a sin that is generally known among Professors of the Gospel and owned to be a sin and which the Sinner cannot be ignorant of especially when it is laid before him and opened to him by the Reprover 2. VVilfully or carelesly committed 3. If it be a scandalous sin and pernitious to God or Men. 4. If committed upon deliberation 5. VVith heat and fervour of spirit 6. If committed after Conviction of the Evil of it and Repentance for it 7. If it be persisted in after Admonition or the Offender shall slight or neglect Brotherly Reproof under it and shall contemn the first and second Admonition turning a deaf ear to it or shall not repent and give satisfaction for the wrong he hath done by his sin I say let the matter of the sin be what it will if attended with some or all these Circumstances and Aggravations the Church may by Christ's Authority proceed against him and cut him off To name some few of the many sins which if not repented of but persisted in which they may be judged to do until they manifest open Repentance 1 Strong violent Passions 2. Apparent Wrath Envy Bitterness and Anger shewed without great provocation 3. Apparent Frowardness Peevishness Clamour Strife 4. Jangling Disputing Peace-breakings all things that directly tend to hinder the Edification and Peace of the Church 5. Back-bitings and speaking evil against or of one another 6. Constant or frequent neglects of Family and Church-duties and the Ordinances of God in them 7. Needless Associating and holding Communion with profane and scandalous persons 8. Defrauding any persons of their just dues any way on any account whatsoever when it might have been prevented 9. Disobedience to the Lawful Commands and Rules of Parents Masters Magistrates Elders or any other that have Authority over them 10. Publishing false Doctrines against the Fundamentals of the Gospel Faith and Worship 11. False Accusing any Persons especially any of the Church 12. Railing at or reviling others to their face or behind their backs 13. Idleness Tatling and being Busie-bodies in other mens matters that concern them not These and many more of like import are such apparent sins as that Church-members cannot be supposed to be ignorant of them and they are very offensive Evils to God and men So likewise is wilful deserting and causeless leaving of a Church at their own will and pleasure and thereby have broken the Covenant of God I have not room to enlarge on these brief hints of this matter but I could otherwise say much more for the clearing and confirming of it Quest May Churches keep out such persons as offer themselves to joyn with them at their own will and pleasure without apparent cause Ans No they may not for 1. We have no dispensation to do so but are bid to receive them Rom. 14.1 Rom. 15.7 2. The Primitive Churches did receive persons as soon as they
proffered to joyn with them unless they had any just cause to deny them and what they did therein was by Apostolical direction 3. By refusing to accept them into Communion speedily without just cause they do greatly wrong and injure them and grieve such as the Lord would not have grieved 1. They keep them out of their Right and detain from them their just dues they deprive them of their Priviledges which Christ hath bought for them And 2 Lay them under many and great Temptations to sin and despond 4. They rob God of his Honour and Glory which he might receive from them in their Church-duties 5. They discourage persons from coming to and joyning with them and so expose themselves to ruine For the Churches cannot long subsist without continual additions of new Members because death is still fetching away and pulling out of the old 6. They do expose themselves to reproach and just censure by such wilful neglects towards them 7. Ordinarily they may be either received or rejected in one week as well as in three months did all mind and attend to their duty in their place in the Churches Take heed that this evil be not found in or among you for assuredly it is a foul Iniquity to rob God wrong Souls and injure the Church to grieve the hearts of the Godly and tempt them to sin which Iniquity you are guilty of who by your negligence or prejudice do keep them from Church Ordinances who desire to partake of them with you longer than of necessity Quest May not Pastors leave their Churches upon any account whatsoever Ans Doubtless God may and somtimes he doth providentially call them off and they ought to follow it For 1. There is not any Precept of Christ enjoyning them to stay with them all their days 2. Christ tells them that if they be persecuted in one City they may fly to another Matth. 10.23 But they may not leave them no not with the Churches consent and approbation but upon some extraordinary Providences and Calls of God For as Christ their Master sent them there and they were setled there by him as the great Agent and Doer of it to do his work and minister in his Name and by his Authority with his Gifts Blessing so the Churches have nothing to do to dismiss and give them liberty to depart without the good leave and consent of Christ himself who sent and set them in and among them And therefore their leaving of the Churches and the Churche dismissing of them is not their own act but in and by the order and commission of Christ What they do therein must be only in from and by the Will and Pleasure of their Head and King and not from their own For without Warrant from him the Churches have no power to leave their Pastors nor their Pastors them Quest When or upon what accounts may Pastors leave their Churches A s First when they are severely persecuted and their Enemies level their fiery Darts and shoot their Arrows of malice against their Persons and Families and persist in their so doing so as that there is no probable way to escape them but in all probability they shall be devoured by them In this case the Lord Jesus the Apostles and the Elders at Jerusalem fled and went their way and hereby the Lord doth often call off Pastors now 2. In case the Churches leave them and will not stand by them 3. In case their Churches fall into Rents Schisms and they grow so head-strong and unruly as that they can do no good upon them as somtimes it falls out 4. In case they cannot live and subsist with and by them but in a miserable and distressed condition For if the Churches provide not for them and they have not otherwise a subsistance they are not bound to provide for their Churches For God hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.14 and they must live by Bread and provide for their Families or they deny the Faith and are worse than Infidels 1 Tim. 5.8 5. In case the Lord doth open a door for their Ministry else-where which is always to be observed in this matter If Providence invite them else-where to minister to a People that they knew not of and sought not after but the hand of Providence presented it to them as it were accidentally and are by that strange people as to them desired to preach to and take the care of them and so they lay not down their work but follow it in those other places where in all probability they may do Christ and Souls greater Service and not expose themselves thereby to those Straits and Temptations to sin they were in before I say take in this case with any of the other I am satisfied their Call is clear to leave their Churches Quest May Church-members leave their Churches at their own will and pleasure and go else-where when they please Ans No they may not They must not leave them unless by some extraordinary hand of Providence the Lord calls them off to walk with another people If by Persecution or by Poverty or by the command of their Parents Husbands or Masters or other Superiours they are called off they may go with the Churches consent as likewise in other weighty cases But they may not go from them at their own will and pleasure to gratifie their Pride Prejudice and to please their own fickle minds and itching ears or upon any ordinary account whatsoever and that for these reasons 1. The Lord charges them not to forsake their Churches nor holding Communion and Fellowship with them in the Ordinances and Worship of God Heb. 10.24 25. 2. He brands them and sets a black mark of Ignonimy on all wilful and causeless Deserters of Churches 1 Joh. 2.19 Heb. 10.25 26. as the manner of some is which is a contemptuous expression of them who forsake their Church-membership and their places work and duty there 3. Deserters of their Church-membership at their own will and pleasure do make the Churches thereby to be like Inns or Ale-houses where persons go in and out at their own will and pleasure Such as do so in Families and civil Societies are accounted vile lawless and extravagant persons because they live not under good Laws nor walk by the good Rules and Orders of the Society How much more vile and lawless are Church-members who have given up themselves in a professed subjection to Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 and engaged to walk as Church-members and yet shall walk act and go in and out as lawless persons who owe no subjection to Christ nor to his Laws and Authority in the Church 4. Wilful Deserters of Churches are notorious Covenant-breakers also When they gave the right hand of Fellowship and were received into the Church they solemnly promised to walk with God in the Church hold Communion with it subject unto and live under the Government