same care one of another 7. The end and use of the Pastoral office is the same with the end and use of the Apostolical Prophetical and Evangelical office Which is to perfect the Saints to do the work of the ministery and to build up the body of Christ Ephes 4. 12. 8. The effect of this office when it is rightly performed will be 1. The unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect man Ephes 4. 13. 2. Preservation from a seducers a Ephes 4. 14. That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in wait to deceive 3. The growth b of the Body in all things in Christ b Ephes 4. 15. But speaking the truth in love in all things may grow up unto him which is the head even Christ 4. The jointing c and compacting of the Body together under Christ that the Members may act within themselves for the building up of each other in love c Ephes 4. 16. The whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase of the Body to the edifying of it self in love 9. To gain these ends and effects three things are requisite in the Pastor First that his entry upon the office be lawfull Secondly that the duties proper to it be discharged Thirdly that the spirituall manner of performing those duties be observed 1. Of the Entry upon the office 10. The lawfull entry upon the Pastorall charge is onely to come in by the door and he that doth enter into the sheepfold any other way is a thief and a robber Joh. 10. 1 2. 11. The door by which the shepherd must come is Christ Joh. 10. 9. I am the door by me if any man enter he shall be saved 12. Now Christ by the annointing of the Spirit doth dwell in the d hearts of the faithfull d 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath annointed us is God who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of his spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 3. 17. Now the Lord is the Spirit Ephes 3. 16 17. Grant you to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith If then a Minister doth offer himself by the Spirit with that Pastoral affection which proceedeth from Christ unto the flock He who is both the e Door and the f Porter doth open himself in the heart of the Flock to receive him and he enters in lawfully e Joh. 10. 9. I am the door c. compared with verse 3. To him viz. that entreth by the door the Porter openeth And with Revel 3. 7. He that hath the key of David that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth 13. If any man hath not this Pastorall affection and spirit which Christ had towards the flock but commeth in some other way that is by some humane practises and contrivances of his own Christ doth call him a thief and a robber Joh. 10. 1. and saith that he doth come to steal to kill and to destroy ibid. v. 10. The heart then of the Flock must be opened to him that commeth unto them else he cannot pretend to be the Pastor of their soules 14. This door of the heart being first opened by the inward working of Christs spirit the outward call also must follow upon by a free choise and orderly reception of him that is chosen in a publike way in the face of the Congregation with the countenance of Authority as Aaron was called received Hebr. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron was II. Of the Duties belonging to the office 15. The duties belonging to the Pastorall charge contain all the cares and endeavours whereby the Flock is to be fed conducted preserved and defended 16. The cares belonging to the feeding of the flock are these First to seek and find out pasture for them Joh. 10. 9. By me if any man enter in he shall find pasture Which is done by giving attendance to reading 1 Tim. 4. 13. by meditating and applying himself to profit in knowledge 1 Tim. 4. 15. Meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all And to this effect he must keep the form of Doctrine received from the Apostles and the Truth of grace received from the Holy Ghost both which are recommended to Timothy 2 Tim. 1. 13 14. Hold fast the forme of sonnd words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus Keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us that good thing which was committed unto thee Secondly to give to the Flock that pasture which he findeth to be their proper portion Luke 12. 42. Give them their portion of meat which is done by dividing the Word to them 2 Tim. 2. 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth Thirdly to give this portion in due season Luke 12. 42. Give them in due season their portion of meat Fourthly to give it according to every mans capacitie Mark 4 33. He spake the word unto them as they were able to heare it Then he must give to babes milk 1 Cor. 3. 2. and to those that are of full age strong meat Heb. 5. 12 13 14. He must feed all with judgement Ezech. 34. 16. He must not feed the weak with doubtfull disputations Rom. 14. 1. Nor entertain with any profane and vain bablings and oppositions of a Science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 16. Or questions and strife of words 1 Tim. 6. 4. and contentions of Genealogies Tit. 3. 9. 17. The food to be given to the flock is the word of God Mat. 4. 4. Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God This word of God is none other but the faithfull word which the Apostles taught Tit. 1. 9. Holding fast the faithfull word as he hath been taught And all the word is taught to the end that it may beget Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. 18. The cares belonging to the conduct of the Flock are these First the good Shepherd ought to call his sheep by name Joh. 10 3. Secondly he ought to lead them out and in Joh. 10. 3 9. Thirdly to go before them Joh. 10. 4. to be an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity c. 1 Tim. 4. 12. Fourthly To visit the flock and seek out the young ones Zach. 1. 16. and judge between cattell and cattell Ezek. 34.
great corner stones of the Reformation are not as yet publikely professed and laid upon which every one should make an orderly superstructure of gold and silver and precious stones in the unity of the spirit towards his Brethren So the more such Designes are stood upon and advanced in a private course they accidentally become the greater hinderances to the generall work whiles men that are thereby stinted within themselves rest satisfied in their own private wayes and by leaving the thoughts of a publike Communion they prove opposites thereunto when they admit of nothing that is not every way agreeable unto their particular Contrivements I am perswaded that many able men throughout the Kingdome have many excellent things in readinesse which might be usefully applied to the edification of the Churches both for the advancement of Knowledge and of Godlinesse if the wayes of our Settlement were cleared But now as matters stand I cannot look otherwise upon their excellencies but as upon the scattered stones of a building not yet framed and as upon the furniture of a house whose model is neither apparent nor yet well understood by any Therefore although there be many men in these Churches of eminent abilities and Vessels of great honour fit for very good uses in the building of this Tabernacle yet because the Rule and way of their Brotherly communion and correspondencie is not determined as it ought to be they stand though in their private sphere profitable as to God yet as to the Church uselesse in the Communion of Saints For the Parts of the building not being set together their serviceable gifs are not imployed as Joints should be in the Body to make up and compact the whole And for want of this aime and endeavour by all that they do they bring nothing forth unto perfection I have briefly pointed at the Causes of our Disease that thou mayest consider thy self Christian Reader as in the presence of God how thou art led by what spirit thou art guided and how thou shouldest free thy self from the guilt of contributing further any cause or matter of continuance to our Distempers Now the Lord grant us all grace to do all things without murmurings disputings to his glory unblameably in Love Amen I am in the last place to speak of the Remedies of this corrupt Profession of the true Religion And if I should enter at large upon this task I should be obliged to write a Volume but my purpose is only to name the Heads of things necessary to be intended and set awork to advance our Reformation and redresse the Evils which threaten our finall ruine That if thou Christian Reader art convicted of the usefulnesse thereof thou mayest contribute in thy way what thou canst thereunto The remedies then of our distracted condition I conceive will bee found in a discovery of two things first of that which will helpe to rectifie the disease at the root by taking away the cause which doth origionally beget it Secondly of that which will helpe to prevent Of the remedies of our publick distractions the effects thereof which become causes of increasing the distempers to propagate and continue the disease I have shewed my opinion that the causes which beget our distempers are the want of the true aime in the holy profession and the disproportionatnes of the meanes used to prosecute the true and lawfull aimes of the Reformation which wee seeke to rectifie the inward Hypocrisie of the heart is only Gods worke but to discover it and convict mens consciences of it may be the worke of his servants by the right interpretation and The Remedie of the first cause of our disease application of the word as the Apostle testifieth 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Yet the bare discovery of vice or error and the conviction of a naturall man that hee is guilty of it is not enough to remedie the evill disposition of his spirit or to beget a true aime in him to answer the heavenly call nothing can doe this but God by the discovery of the truth in the lovelinesse thereof When hee giveth faith to the elect by the engrafted word wherein they receive the love of the truth which purifieth their soules and maketh them obedient thereunto through the spirit unto this worke of God the faithfull Ministers of the Word are subservient when they hold forth the Truth in sincerity and manifest the knowledge of the glory and life of God in the face of Jesus Christ The first remedy then will bee to stirre up Ministers who understand this Mystery of Godlinesse ordinarily to presse and preach the maine things which discover the life and spirituall estate of Christ as the Truth is in him that their hearers may know first positively what that life is whereunto they are called and then negatively what that life and state is wherein men are by nature from which they are called and this should bee done not so much by an inlargement of themselves upon many particular branches and twigges of duties as upon the manifestation of the Principles and essentiall properties of the spirituall and carnall man from whence the knowledge of duties will of it selfe flow I doe not meane that the preaching of particular duties is unprofitable or ought to bee omitted but I conceive that the fundamentals which discover the hidden man of the heart both in respect of the Righteousnesse of the spirituall and of the unrighteousnesse of the fleshly nature should be mainly and ordinarily so proposed as from the discovery of that which is conformable or inconformable unto the image of Gods life in Christ all particular duties should bee derived and pressed upon the conscience and I beleeve that because godly and zealous men commonly spend more of their strength in matters of particular concernment then in such a fundamentall course that two evils arise from thence unto the hearers and one in the Ministers themselves First that the naturall corruptions of the hearts of all men remaine in some altogether in others in a great measure undiscovered at the root by which means they still conceiving well of themselves or better than they ought are not truly humbled before God and mortified unto the world but live still as men in the world and take up the profession of Religion in the performance of certain duties rather than in the pursuit of a heavenly call to come unto Christ Jesus Secondly that such as are ingenuous and have tasted the Kingdome of God and thereupon are gotten into a hatred of the world being fervent in spirit to serve the Lord are driven by the much pressing of particular duties to an over acting zeale either against or for some persons or actions which zeale having no temperament of love meeknesse and lenity to heale and beare with the infirmities of the weake or to bring their owne proceeding with them home to the true aime of the holy profession which is to discover Christ unto those that
A MODEL OF Church-Government OR The GROUNDS of the Spirituall Frame and Government of the House of GOD. Shewing What the holy Scriptures have therein delivered What the best Reformed Churches do practise What the Tender Consciences may rest in For the better Satisfaction of such as scruple at the Work of REFORMATION declared and appointed by severall Ordinances of PARLIAMENT BY JOHN DURY one of the Assembly of Divines Who hath travelled heretofore in the work of Peace among the CHURCHES PSAL. 2. 6. I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion ISA. 9. 6 7. The government shall be upon his shoulder c. LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for John Bellamy and are to be sold at his shop at the three golden Lyons neer the Royall Exchange 1647. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE Sr. John Gayer Kt. Lord Major of the City of London And to the Right Worshipfull The ALDERMEN and SHERIFFS his Brethren Right Honourable These Scriptural Assertions at their first conception were not designed for the Publique they were only put to Paper at the desire of those who in this City gave me a call to the Cure of their soules and were willing to reform their wayes according to the will of God And because they did confesse their ignorance of the whole Frame and Government of the House of GOD my aime was to let them see it as briefly as I could in a Model taken from the patern which I have seen in the Mount which the Scriptures have revealed I would not be large of purpose to the end that I might stirre them up the more to Meditation to the searching of the Scriptures from which I have endeavoured to gather all and to conference with my self when they should be at a stand I intended nothing but according to their desire to give them private satisfaction yet they would not rest there but insisted to engage me to publish these Heads of thoughts for in effect they are no more Nor was it enough to make them publike but they would have me to owne them and to present you also with them To all which you may perceive that I have condescended although I confesse with much reluctancie Not that I am ashamed to owne any thing that is mine though so imperfect as this is and in a matter of so great consequence for I am very well conscious to mine own weaknesse and not unwilling that others should perceive it if it may be for their edification or that I was doubtfull of any Truth here delivered for I conceive that all may be made out to the full if God should give time and a call to do it but that I was loth to offer unto all whom I could not know that which I had designed only for a few whom in cases of mistake I would be able to rectifie I was unwilling to seem to intermeddle to so little purpose as these Tracts are like to be in matters of so high concernment in a season so full of distraction and in an Age so willing to censure so apt to mistake and so ready to misconstrue on all hands every thing that hath no character of partiality upon it though done never so harmlesly And then also I was afraid to be thought to stretch my selfe beyond my line in making this addresse unto You. But I hope that your favourable acceptance and the Relation which I have to a particular Congregation in the City will free me from this last apprehension and from the former I have been taken off partly by the consideration of greater inconveniences which might follow upon the not yeelding then upon the yeelding unto a publication partly by the importunity of the Call which I received to do what here is done So that I hope none other construction will be made of the publication of these Notions than ought in charity to be made which is to believe That I being earnestly desired to declare my knowledge of the truth of these matters thought my self bound to beare witnes thereunto and to suffer my testimony to come to the light that it might appeare that these works are done in God that they are free from humane respects and that my aim in putting them forth is to give occasion to men conscionably peaceable to consider whether yea or no an agreement in these Truths ought not to oblige Brethren to a neerer conjunction of spirits profession of unity then we as yet are come unto and whether yea or no the things wherein there is a difference of opinion deserve so much distance in affections as many are fallen into or ought to be debated in such a way of heat as most men follow whereby they rather disturbe then edifie one another It is a sad thing to see men that are called Christians and Brethren exercising their wits to the disparagement of one another in Religious matters and to deale with things concerning Conscience lightly passionately and without all serious and conscionable gravity These things are to be deplored but cannot be redressed without the acknowledgement of the Truth nor can the Truth be received without the spirit of Love and Peace which the Word of the Gospel doth administer only The Lord of truth and peace reveal the same unto us all more and more and direct You in your station to walk therein as patterns of Righteousnes before all others Which with the wishes of prosperity unto the settlement of this whole State shall be towards the LORD who alone is able to save the constant Prayer of Your HONOURS most humble and affectionate servant in Christ JOHN DURY A PREFACE To the Christian and unpartiall Reader Christian Reader SEeing I am put upon the publishing of these brief Tracts I will endeavour by this Preface unto thee to make the best use thereof that I can both for mine own comfort and for the building up of others As for my self I shall be comforted in this whatsoever others may judge of the matter that I see cleerly a Providence in this publication without any purpose of mine And that I can conceive of the things which I judge therein to be imperfections that they may prove advantages unto Gods main work in his way of using them For the brevity of each Part may to an intelligent Reader make the whole so much the more commendable and to one that is of no quick understanding although it will be more obscure yet it will also be lesse tedious and may give to him that is ingenious occasion to make some further inquiry after the Truth that his rationall Doubts may be satisfied which as God shall enable me with grace I shall be willing to intend As concerning others seeing the spirits of most men are very sharp and full of jealousies I shall therefore offer my self unto them with the greater simplicity for being in my self without prejudice I hope to be found towards all without occasion of offence and as I shall be voyd of
perversnes of the counsels or the wickednes of the Instruments thereof It is no part of my calling to trace Polititians in the crooked serpentine wayes wherein they walk The Interest of States is a troubled Sea full of hideous Monsters and hidden Rocks whereupon the men of this world make shipwrack and therein all the Nations and great Families of the earth are tossed up and down according to the fancies of the Rulers whose aime though under other pretences is nothing else but greatnesse and command to be supported by riches and power My soule enter thou not into their counsel for there is no truth in their wayes there is no faithfulnesse in their mouth their inward part is very wickednesse And that our distractions proceed from this generation of men and from the Counsel which are taken up upon their Principles there is no question to be made But I shall leave them unto God to be judged in his own time And walking in mine own sphere shall speake unto thee that art a Christian indeed of things belonging to our Religious profession to discover at the root the causes of our disease which I conceive is nothing else but the corrupt Profession of the true Religion whereof we must all confesse our selves guilty every one of us more or lesse which how to Reform first in our selves and then in others will be a profitable enquiry If the Truth had not been manifested unto us we should have no sinne but now since we have known it and held the profession of it in unrighteousnesse we have no cloak for our sinne we ought then to confesse and deplore that our profession is corrupted two wayes First that most of us although we are not ignorant of the Truth yet we cannot deny but that we have lost the true aime of the holy profession thereof Secondly that although some aimes be rightly set and the profession of many commendable yet for the most part the means and wayes of prosecuting the same are either not answerable unto the Rules of Christianity or else directly destructive thereunto The true aime of the Holy profession is to shew forth unto What the aim of our profession is and how we fail of it this evill world the life and vertues of him who hath called us unto his Kingdome and glory The Truth which we know and which by the Gospel is revealed unto us is the testimony of Jesus that in him alone there is Redemption from all sinnes that by him alone there is all sufficiencie of Grace to be received through Faith that for his sake alone wee have free accesse by the Spirit unto the Father that the titles and names of King Captain and Forerunner of Apostle Prophet and High Priest of Author and Finisher of our salvation do belong to him alone and that he being alone the Way the Truth and the Life no man can come to the Father but by him this we do know and acknowledge this wee doe maintaine and professe as the Truth but who can say that the true aime of this profession is taken up and followed as it ought to be this aime is to follow him as deare children expressing him in his life that is in his lowly just holy and unblameable conversation amongst men and in his death that is in his mortified his self-denying his afflicted his meeke and humble condition in this world I say this aime is not taken up and maintained in this profession of the Truth yet we know that this should be our whole aime and because we know it and doe it not therefore our sinne is heavy upon us therefore these judgements doe overtake us and God doth revenge the quarrel of his Covenant against us The Covenant is that wee being in Christ Matth. 16. 24. Rom. 8. 17. 2 Cor. 6 17. shall beare his Crosse and follow him that we shall suffer together and be separate from the world with him and if wee touch not the uncleane things thereof we have a promise that the Father will receive us But who is it that doth truly aime at a full separation from the world and doth not intend to uphold the high things and full enjoyments thereof together with the profession of the Truth are we not content and have we not a desire to enjoy the fashion of things present although wee know that we are called to seeke and apprehend onely the things to come wee are called to be conformable unto the image of the Sonne of God that is to be no wayes conformable unto this world but if we mind no such thing how can we be said to maintaine the true aime of our holy profession The Socinians who have cast off the Truth which is in Christ Jesus concerning our Justification before God and have made the acknowledgement of his Person in the Truth void by their Heresies these uphold still the aime of the profession namely that wee must follow his foot-steps but wee who are convicted of the truth which they have denied seeme to deny at least in our practise that which they uphold and consequently make the truth it selfe which we acknowledge ineffectuall by our profession thereof because our aime is not in simplicity answerable but rather crosse in all appearance unto the tenour of the new Covenant and the end of our heavenly calling Now if the maine and principall aime be lost in our walking with God how can he be at peace with us or we with him can two walke together except they be agreed and are those agreed whose aimes are different doth not hee know the secrets of all hearts that he may reward every one according to his works what then can we expect from him other then to reap the fruit of the seed which we sowe for we sow to the flesh worldly aimes in the field of a religious profession and can we expect any other harvest frrom thence but trouble and confusion This then is the first and maine cause of all our distractions that the true aim of our Profession is for the most part lost amongst us The second cause of our publike distraction is this that although for the maine a worke of Reformation is truly aimed at by some and many particular matters tending thereunto are rightly designed by many for the advancement of Religion yet the meanes to bring this aime and these designes to passe are not at all proportionate to the effect intended thereby The work of Reformation no doubt heartily aimed at by some is a reall and thorough purging of the Church and State from the corruptions which have overgrowne the one and the other and a settlement of both in a way of Righteousnesse I say that What the Reformation aimed at is and why we come short of it some aime heartily at this and I truly doe beleeve it but how many there are God alone doth know Sure I am wee cannot discerne very many that have nothing else in their aime but
though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burnt and have no charity it profiteth me nothing Ephes 4. 15. Speaking the truth in love ye may grow up unto him in all things v. 16. the Body unto the edifying of it self in love And the Rule of Performance subservient hereunto for matter of Doctrine is to speak as the oracles of God and for matter of Action is to doe as of the ability which God doth give 1 Pet. 4. 11. The second Path. 31. The way to fit all Pastorall endeavours to the Flock is threefold First to make the work of the Ministery free from all worldly aimes as to l please men to get m profit or to get n humane glory l 1 Thess 2. 4. We speak not as pleasing men but God which tryeth our hearts for neither at any time used we flattering words m Ibid. v. 5. Nor used we a cloak of covetousnesse n Ibid. v. 6. Nor of men sought we glory neither of you nor of others to be free from entanglements of o worldly cares o 2 Tim. 2 3 4. Endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldier And not to be engaged to administer worldly p judicatures in order to the civil Magistrate p Luk. 12. 13 14. And one of the company said unto him viz. to Christ Master speak to my brother that he divide the inheritance with me And he said unto him Man who made me a Judge or a divider among you Secondly to do the work towards the Flock with a willing q and ready minde without constraint q 1 Pet. 5. 2. Feed the flock taking the care thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready minde with all gentlenesse and tendernesse of affection and nurse-like r loving care r 1 Thess 2. 7 8. But we were gentle among you even as a nurse cherisheth her children So being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own soules because you were deare to us With all just holy and unblameable s outward behaviour s 1 Thess 2. 10. You are witnesses and God also how holily justly and unblameably we have behaved our selves among you that believe And without all burdens t unto the Flock so far as can be possibly t 1 Thess 2. 6 9. We might have been burdensome as the Apostles of Christ But ye remember our labour and travell for labouring night and day because we would not be chargeable unto any Thirdly to undergoe any inconvenience whatsoever rather then to give occasion u of offence unto any at the Gospel u 2 Cor. 6. 3 4. Giving no offence in any thing that the Ministery be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much patience in afflictions in necessities in distresses c. 32. The way to fit the Flock to receive and admit of all Pastorall duties at their Pastors hands is fourfold First to walk openly x and in the light towards them x Joh. 3. 21. He that doth the truth commeth to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God 1 Joh. 1. 7. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another Now God is in the light by the manifestation of his truth to the conscience if therefore a Pastor doth walk in this light to the Flock he will fit them to receive his administration Which ought to be done by preparing and pre-informing their understandings concerning the course which is to be taken towards them that they may not seem to be surprised or bound to walk by an implicite faith under their Pastor in blind submission Secondly to make them sensible that all is done ministerially as a service of love unto them and to be a help unto their joy and not to exercise any dominion over their Faith 2 Cor. 1. 24. or y Lord it over their persons y 1 Pet. 5. 3. Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock And yet not to give them occasion to take authority over their Pastor or to a despise him a 1 Tim. 4. 12. Let no man despise thy youth Tit. 2. 15. Exhort and rebuke with all authority let no man despise thee Thirdly to deale with every one of them as well in b private â—â— in publike as need may be b Act. 20. 20. I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publikely and from house to house Fourthly to bring them to a contract with Christ as espoused c and to be presented unto him c 2 Cor. 11. 2. I have espoused you unto one husband that I may present you as a chaste Virgin unto Christ The third Path. 33. Although every Pastor is authorised in himself by his office to lead and rule the Flock and as one who is accountable unto God must discharge his conscience in the observation and practice of all Gods ordinances And that every Congregation hath full power to do all things for its own edification decently and by an order 1 Cor. 14. 40. Yet by the Rules of holy communion d in Christianity no Pastor nor Flock nor Christian also ought to walk or stand by himself alone if possibly they can be joyned unto others in the publike profession d Ephes 4. 1. Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called v. 3. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace v. 4 5. One body one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptismâ— v. 6. one God and Father v. 14. Till we all come to the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man v. 14. That we be no more tossed to and fro and â—â—rried about with every wind of doctrine v. 16. The whole body fitly joyned together and compacted 1 Cor. 9. 19. Though I am free from all men yet I made my self a servant unto all that I might gain the 〈◊〉 v. 20. To the Jewes I became as a Jew to them that are under the Law as under the Law v. 21. To them that are without Law as without Law being not without law to God but under the law to Christ that I might gain them that are without law v. 22. To the weak I became as weak I am made all things to all And this I do for the Gospels sake that I might be made partaker thereof with you If the Apostle did thus condescend to all to be partaker of the Gospel with those that had an interest in it then all that have any interest in the Gospel ought to
first in Antioch Ephes 3. 15. Of whom the family in heaven and earth is named to call b upon him b 1 Cor. 1. 2. All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ by calling him c their Lord c 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 2. By a Church is meant a congregation of such men called and gathered together by the Word Mat. 13. 37. till 44. to be d separate from the world d 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from them and be ye separate saith the Lord and I will receive you Revel 18. 4. Come out of her viz. of Babylon my people and in the use of all Christs ordinances to be an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2. 19 20 2â— 22. 3. The duty of Christians as visible professors of Christianity doth stand in a threefold Relation The first is to the Church as it is the Body of Christ The second is to the Eldership of that Church The third is to the Members thereof Of the first viz. Duties relating to the Body of Christ 4. All Christians that glory in the name of Christ ought to appeare e for him amongst men e Matth. 10. 32 33. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heaven but whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven And they ought so to appeare as he hath appointed and not as they think good or as men appoint Mat. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men 5. Those that will appeare for Christ ought to apply themselves to some particular Congregation professing Saintship as Members thereof Mat. 12. 30. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Mat. 11. 28 29. Come unto me take my yoke upon you Gal. 6. 10. Them who are of the houshold of faith 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us c. Isa 8. 16. Binde up the Testimony and seale the Law among my disciples 1 Cor. 1 2. Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified called to be Saints 1 Cor. 12. 27. Ye are members in particular 6. It is foretold that there should be many Congregations in the Church of the Gospel and yet all upon the same Mount Sion and under the same defence and by Gods appointment to be as one Body Isa 4. 5. Vpon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies there shall be a cloud and smoak by day and the burning of a flaming fire by night Joh. 10. 16. Other sheep not of this fold them I must bring there shall be one fold and one shepherd 7. Now to understand the Relation which believing Professours have unto the Church three things are to be considered First how every Believer doth stand as to a particular Congregation Secondly how one Congregation doth stand as to another in respect both of the Members and of the Rulers thereof And thirdly how Believers should apply themselves unto particular Congregations and be received therein by their Elderships 8. All Believers are baptized by one Spirit into one Body Of the first head how believers stand in a particular congregation 1 Cor. 12 13. and in that one Body they are called to the enjoyment of the Peace of God Coloss 3. 15. and therein by God set in their severall places 1 Cor. 12. 18. and made members one of another Rom. 12. 4 5. and joyned and compacted together by joynts under their head Christ Jesus Ephes 4. 16. whose Body is every congregation of believers 1 Cor. 12. 27. Now ye viz. Corinthians are the Body of Christ Rom. 12. 5. So we viz. Romans are one Body in Christ And the Church universall Ephes 1. 22 23. the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all 9. From hence it is evident that every believer is not only bound to make open profession of his faith as is f required Rom. 10. 9 10. f If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation but that in so doing he is bound to appeare in the communion of g Saints standing in one body fast together with others striving for the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1 27. g Ph. 2. 1 2 4. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit be ye like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others And by this conjunction of Believers when an Eldership is rightly set over them particular Congregations are constituted As Act. 14. 22 23. The Apostles having converted the Gentiles to the faith ordained them Elders in every Church with prayer and fasting 10. As single Believers are bound to associate themselves one to Of the second head how congregations doe stand one to another another so ought every congregation of Believers to associate it self to its neighbour-congregation by the very same rules bands by which particular Christians are bound to joyn themselves one to another For if all Believers in the world are baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and if all are called to the Peace of God in that one Body Col. 3. 15. and are bound to endeavour the Vnity of the Spirit one towards another in the Bond of that Peace because there is but one Body of Christ in all the world Ephes 4. 1 2 3 4. which is homogeneall that is of the same kinde in all the members thereof And if this whole Body is to be fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joint supplieth Ephes 4. 16. Then ought none of all the congregations of Believers to stand separate one from another but are bound to unite themselves by their joynts that is their Officers so neer as possibly they can in all Spirituall relations for their mutuall edification in love Ephes 4. 16. 11. So then every true Believer that hath made open profession In respect of their Members of his faith by being a member of any one Congregation hath a right of membership unto all the congregations of the world because all are but one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. and all have one and the same accesse unto the Father and are fellow-citizens and of the same houshold of Faith Ephes 2. 19. 12. It is then contrary to the mind of Christ that those who make profession of the same faith and worship in the same way should stand