choose its own Servants Phebe is called a Servant of the Church Rom. 6.2 So were Widdows for they were not ordained So their Sexton and such as shall over-see the Buildings or any other Servants that may be for the conveniency of the Church This Church Priviledge of choosing Officers doth only belong to the Brethren of the Church the Brethren are said to choose the Deacons Act. 6.3 And Women have not Power in this matter 1 Cor. 14.33 Let your Women keep silence in the Churches 1 Tim. 2.12 Suffer not a Woman to teach nor to usurp Authority over the Man it is inconsistent with that State of subjection which God hath put them into if they might vote they might over-rule the Men and by the same Rule those Males that are not their own Masters as Children that are not at their own dispose and Servants have nothing to do to vote in the Church they that are not free are not to partake of this Liberty CHAP. V. Of the Officers of Congregational Churches and their Power THE Officers of Congregational Churches are either Elders or Deacons the Elders are either teaching Elders or Ruling Elders The work of the Teaching Elders lies principally in these five things they are to be the mouth of the People to God both in the publick Assembly and privately in case of sickness they are to Preach the Word of God they are to Administer the Seals of the Covenant they together with the Ruling Elders are to Govern the Church and they are to bless the People Such Learned Men as are suteably qualified but not in Office may upon occasion discharge some part of this work but there are some other parts of it that they may not meddle with those Acts which are Acts of Natural Worship may be performed by them as praying and Preaching but such Ministerial Acts as do depend wholly upon institution they may not perform as the Administration of Sacraments the dispencing of Censures and an Authoritative blessing these are performed only by Virtue of an Institution therefore are to be done only according to an Institution A teaching Elder by Virtue of his relation to a particular Church is bound to attend his work in that Church And by Virtue of that relation he has no Authority to perform Acts of Office to any other Church or to the Members of any other Church Assembling with his own Church Pastoral Power over a particular Church gives him no Power over any that are of that Church his relation to them gives him no Power over any other But every Man that is a Pastor of a particular Church stands in a more General relation as a Minister of Christ some that are not Pastors to particular Congregations are yet Ministers of Christ and every Man that is a Pastor to a particular Church is a Minister of Christ and by Virtue of that Relation he may do Acts of Office to the Members of other Churches occasionally assembling with 〈◊〉 own and towards other Churches being desired when he can conveniently be spared from his own and towards particular Persons that are Members of no Church The Levites were the Ministers of God before they had Relation to any particular Synagogue Paul hath Office Power over the Brethren as well as the Church of God Act. 26.17,18 The Church at Jerusalem sent Barnabas to Antiock to officiate as a Minister Act. 11. And they that have Authority to Preach have also to Baptize Mat. 28.19,20 We find that Paul did not Baptize such as he brought over to the Christian faith but committed that work to some other inferiour Ministers that were in Company with him 1 Cor. 1.14 And this he did after the Example of Christ John 4.2 There is need that some have Office-Power now to Preach to the Heathens as well as there was in the Days of the Apostles and there may be several now that Baptism doth belong to as well as Cornelius the Eunuch and the Jallor and others therefore there are some appointed by God for that Service The Teaching Officer is appointed by Christ to Baptize and Administer the Lords Supper and therefore he is made the Judge by God what Persons those ordinances are to be Administred to and it is not the work either of the Brethren or Ruling Elders any ways to intermeddle in that Affair or Limit him we never read that the Apostles did advise with the Church whether they should Baptize such as offered themselves As the Administration of these ordinances is committed to them so the Judging concerning those who they are to be Administred unto as they are to Judge what subject to teach upon and as the Deacon is to Judge who is to be relieved So the Minister is to Judge who is to be Baptized and Admitted to the Lords Supper The Ruling Elders are to joyn with the Teaching Elders in Rule and Government these Officers are called Governments 1 Cor. 12. Such as Rule Rom. 12. Distinguished from such as Labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. The Teaching Elders with the Ruling Elders make the Presbytery of the Church with whom the Government of the Church is entrusted The Power of Censuring offenders in the Church and absolving of Penitents doth belong alone to these the Brethren of the Church are not to intermeddle with it The Elders are to Rule over the Church and therefore not to be over-ruled by the Brethren it is the work of the Elders to rule well 1 Tim. 5.17 The Members of the Church are to be obedient to the Elders therefore not to controul them in their Government Heb. 12.17 The Elders of the Jewish Church had the Power of Government of the Church in their hands hence we read of the Rulers and Chief Rulers of the Synagogues Act. 18. Deut. 21.5 The Elders have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to them Matth. 16.18 The meaning is that he should be an Elder and Ruler of the Church it is spoken of as a Personal reward of his profession Obj. Matth. 18.17 Tell it to the Church this implies the Power of the Brethren Answ 1. By the Church is meant the Ecclesiastical Authority in distinction from the Civil 2. It is not harsh by the Church to intend the Elders of the Church See Numb 24.25 3. By the Church must be meant the Elders of the Church for this was a Rule in the Day when it was spoken and there was now no Church in Being but the Jewish Church in which all the Power of Government was with the Elders Obj. 1 Cor. 5.1,4 The Church was ordered to cast out the Incestuous Person and 2 Cor. 12. His Punishment is said to be inflicted by many Answ 1. They may be only required to publish a sentence of Excommunication from Paul 2. It is common in Scripture to attribute that which is done by the Ruler to the Publick Society as when God requires that the People of Judah do Acts of Publick Justice he doth not
the Christian Church Matth. 18.17 4. We are referred in some cases to those institutions God sends us to the Law for light directs us to do as was appointed in the Old Testament So about Womens not speaking in the Church 1 Cor. 14.34 So about the maintenance of Ministers Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.13,14 3. New Testament institutions there were some institutions appointed by Christ under the Gospel these are few principally what Officers shall be in the Church The Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and the first day Sabbath 1. We must distinguish between Temporal and Perpetual institutions Some institutions were only for a time as the Office of the Apostles So the anointing of the sick with Oyl Jam. 5.14 There are others that are to continue to the end of the World So is Baptism Matth. 20. The Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.26 These Ordinances will not be removed as Jewish Ceremonies Heb. 13.28 2. Distinguish between approved practises and institutions there were many practises and institutions there were many practises in the primitive times that were approved yet not binding to us The Church at Jerusalem had seven Deacons Acts 6.5 They did Baptize in private Houses Act. 10.33 Christ sent out his Disciples two and two Luk. 10.1 This doth not shew that these things were institutions that is meet to be done in one case that is not meet to be done in another One or two Examples shew the Lawfulness of a practise but do not make it a binding Rule CHAP. II. The Nature of Instituted Churches Explained THE Word Church is used Equivocally there are three senses especially wherein it is used in the Scripture First It is taken for those that are Spiritually United unto Christ the mistical Body of Christ Eph. 5.27 That he might present it to himself a Glorious Church Secondly For that part of the World that doth profess the true faith for them that are visible Christians 1 Cor. 15.9 I persecuted the Church of God Thirdly It is taken for an Instituted Church this Church is invested by Christ with Spiritual Power and is thus defined A Church is a Society of Saints joyned togâ—ther according to the appointment of Christ for the constant carrying on of his publick Worship A Church is a Society a single Person is not a Church a Church is a Collection or Congregative Body consisting of many Members 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particulars hence it is compared to a flock and other Câ—…ective Bodies It is a Society of Saints The Members of a Church are Saints by calling 1 Cor. 11.12 To the Church of God which is at Corinth to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 14.33 In all the Churches of the Saints the Church of the Jews was a Society of Saints Psal 79.12,11 Psal 1. None are to be Members of Instituted Churches but those that are Members of the Catholick Church Particular Churches are but parts and branches of the Catholick Church they are the Churches of God the Body of Christ the Temple of God therefore must be Holy Therefore Societies of Papists are abusively called Churches A Church doth joyn together for the Publick carrying on of the Worship of God A Family joyning together for the private carrying on of the Worship of God is not a Church we read of a Church in the House of Aquila Rom. 16.5 And in the House of Nymphas Col. 4.15 Because there the publick Worship of God was attended The Church doth joyn for the carrying on of publick Worship as the Preaching of the word the Administration of Sacraments and dispensing of Censures in a publick way A Church doth joyn together for the constant carrying on of the publick Worship of God for a Church is a Body Corporate which may continue from Generation to Generation it is not any occasional Meeting together that gives being to a Church A Church is a standing Society not depending on any occasional Meeting Therefore a Congregation that meet together on a Lecture Day from several Towns to hear the Word Preached are not a Church neither have any Ecclesiastical Power Yea a synod that meet now and then occasionally though it may be called a representative Church is not a Church properly the Members thereof are chosen for a perticular occasion A Church doth joyn together according to Christs appointment Christ has given a Rule according to which they ought to joyn together and if Men joyn in Worshiping with a Church irregularly that does not make them to be Members of that Church If a man that lives in one Town where there is a Church doth joyn constantly in worshiping with another Church that doth not make him a Member of that Church Quest VVho are visible Saints Answ This Question hath been matter of great debate and an occasion of great contention in the Church we may not count those only to be Saints who after the strictest Examination give considerable evidence that they are Saints We have no such Rule the practice of the Apostles in admitting Members into the Christian Church doth not Countenance any such Opinion neither are we to make Baptized Persons and Visible Saints to be the same for Persons must be Visible Saints before they are Baptized and some that are Baptized may cease to be Visible Saints neither are they only Visible Saints that make a profession of the true Religion joyned with an Holy Conversation Some Men may behave themselves so as to deserve a sentence of Excommunication and yet be Visible Saints Visible Saintship and real Saintship may consist with a great deal of iniquity in the Conversation for a time Visible Saints are such as make a serious profession of the true Religion together with those that do descend from them till rejected of God 1. Such as do make a serious profession of the true Religion are Visible Saints we find the Apostles did really accept of such not waiting to see what their Conversation would be Act. 16,14,15 So did John Luk. 7.29,30 Such are to be accepted without delay 2. Their Infant Seed are likewise Visible Saints God gives that Testimony for them 1 Cor. 7.14 3. Such also as descend from them from Generation to Generation untill they are rejected by God are Visible Saints for they that are Visible Saints don't cease to be so till God hath cast them off So it was with the Posterity of Abraham if they should carry it wickedly or if they should fall into Heresy yet they are Visible Saints till God hath rejected them and there are two ways whereby God may shew his rejection of them One is when they do depart from the Churches of God to Heathen or Antichristian Societies the other is when the People that they belong unto and they with them are unchurched by God CHAP. III. Of the Nature of a Congregational Church AS a Civil Society doth consist of one Town or more Towns so an instituted Church
Man that is really and visibly Godly may fall into a scandal and upon that account be forbidden to participate at the Lords Table but when their Conversation is good they cannot be hindred upon that Account A third requisite is that they have knowledge to examine themselves and discern the Lords Body for the want of this Infants are denied the Lords Supper Those Adult Persons that are fit to be admitted into the Church are to be admitted to the Lords Supper All Adult Persons that are fit to be admitted into the Church ordinarily have all those qualifications requisite to the participation of the Lords Supper They make profession of the true Faith and are of good Conversation they have knowledge of the principles of Religion and so are able to examine themselves and if any of them should not understand the Nature of that ordinance they may soon be sufficiently informed Two things are evident in the practise of the Apostles one is that they readily admitted such into the Church as made a profession of the Christian Faith Act. 2. Act. 6. We never read that ever they denied Admission to any Man or Woman that made that profession the other is that all that were thus received by them were admitted to the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10.17 Act. 2.24 They made no distinction of the Adult Members of the Church into Communicants and Non-Communicants Those that are commanded by God to participate of the Lords Supper are to be admitted to the Lords Supper but all professors that have a good Conversation and Knowledge are commanded by God to participate in the Lords Supper if Men have not these Qualifications they are not obliged immediately to participate in the Lords Supper for it would be a sin if they should But having these Qualifications they are bound provided they have opportunity Christ has laid this Law upon Professors 1 Cor. 11.24,25 The persons here commanded are not only true Believers then none can do it with a good Conscience but those that know themselves to be true Believers then the Church Authority can require none but true Believers to come the Persons therefore required to partake are such professors as carry it inoffensively and if such are bound to come the Church is bound to receive them they may not hinder any Man from doing his Duty There can be no just cause assigned why such Men should be debarred from coming to the Lords Supper they are not to be debarred for not giving the highest evidence of sincerity There never was any such Law in the Church of God that any should be debarred Church Priviledges because they did not give the highest evidence of sincerity nor for want of the Exercise of Faith it is unreasonable to believe Men to be visible Saints from their Infancy till they be forty or fifty years of Age and yet not capable of coming to the Lords Supper for want of the Exercise of Faith they are not to be denied because of the weakness of Grace they that have the least Grace need to have it Nourished and Cherished Such Adult Persons as are worthy to be admitted into the Church or being in the Church are worthy to be continued without censure are to be admitted to the Lords Supper it is utterly unreasonable to deny the Adult Members of the Church the Lords Supper and yet not lay them under censure If they are guilty of any such offence as to be denyed the Lords Supper why are they not censured If they are not worthy to be censured why are they kept from the Lords Supper There are some Scriptures that have been thought to hold forth a need of somewhat further in order to participation in the Lords Supper which if they be examined will be found to be strained beyond the Import of them Psal 6.16 David saith I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my Soul hence it is argued that Men should give an Account of the manner of their Conversion in order to their Admission but if it should be granted that David doth respect the work of Regeneration doth it follow because he was willing to talk of it that they might make a Law to bind him to do it in the Synagogue or doth it follow that David offered to do it in order to his joyning with the Jewish Church Act. 2.37 They were pricked at the heart before they were admitted into the Church but let it be considered that many others were joyned to the Christian Church of whom we read no such thing and here is no living Rule that others must declare that they are pricked at the heart before their Admission yea it is certain that these did not declare their trouble in order to their Admission into the Church but in order to their Direction yea it doth not appear that these Men were under a work of Conversion at this time they might be Godly Men before the thing that stung them was a National sin which in probability they had no hand in For the greater part of them were strangers come up to keep the Feast of Pentecost and were greatly affected with the sin which the Nation of the Jews were guilty of in Crucifying of Christ Act. 9.26,27 The Church at Jerusalem refused to admit Paul to their Communion till they were informed by Barnabas of his Conversion but it doth not appear that Paul did then desire to participate with them in the Lords Supper possibly it might be only in hearing of the Word and Prayer and the reason why they were unwilling to receive him was not any doubt whether his Conversion was sincere but whether he was a Christian As if in a Popish Country one who had been a violent Persecutor should Essay to joyn himself to a Protestant Congregation it would be no wonder if they should be affraid of him until they were informed that he was become a Protestant this is no foundation to require of all that joyn to the Church an Accout about the manner of their Conversion 1 Pet. 3.15 Men are required to be ready to give an Answer to every one that asketh them a reason of the hope that is in them but here by the reason of the hope that is in them we are not to understand their experiences of the Grace of God but the grounds of their Faith the reason why they did believe the Christian Doctrine This is evident because he is speaking of Persecution v. 14. and because he directs them to give their Answer with meekness and fear Quest Here it may be enquired whether such Persons as have a good Conversation and a Competent Knowledge may come to the Lords Supper with a good Conscience in case they know themselves to be in a Natural Condition Answ They may and ought to come tho they know themselves to be in a Natural Condition this Ordinance is instituted for all the Adult Members of the Church who are not scandalous and therefore must be attended by them
is either Congregational or that which consists of Divers Congregations A Congregational Church is a Church that is bound by the appointment of God to assemble together in one place in a constant way for the Celebration of his Publick Worship A Congregational Church is a Church consisting of one Congregation Such we read of Act. 20.7 1 Cor. 14.23 The form of a Congregational Church is that they are bound by the appointment of God to assemble in one place in a constant way for the Celebration of his Publick Worship Some have thought that the form of a Congregational Church is a Church Covenant explicite or implicite wherein they bind themselves to walk together according to the order of the Gospel It is thought that the Children of Israels Covenanting with God is a Foundation for this whereas that Covenant of theirs is no other then what all Christians do make when they make a profession of Faith and Obedience we never read of any partiâ—…lar Covenant made in the Synagogues which Answer to our Congregations whereby the Members of one Synagogue were bound one to another It is pleaded that nothing else can bind aâ—…e People one to another but an Ecclesiastical Covenant but there 〈◊〉 somewhat else that binds a free People in the same Town to mutual subjection to the Government of the Town and tho Christians are a free People yet they have not a Licentious Liberty but are bound by God and likewise by their own profession to the Rule of the Gospel Neither is there any necessity of such a bond to distinguish one Church from another and to avoid confusion of Churches we read of no such particular Covenant in the New Testament we have no precept for it we have no president for it we read of many Congregational Churches but there is no Syllable in the Word of God intimating any such thing neither is there any need of it The Members of a Congregation are bound to carry on the Worship together this is Gods appointment that his People that live together should carry on his Worship together the Christians at Corinth are the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1.2 And the Christians at Ephesus are the Church of Ephesus Order calls for it that where Men live there they joyn together to carry on the Work of Christ If a Christian live in a Town where there is a Church he is immediately bound to joyn with that Church and that Church is bound to him to govern him and give him Christian Priviledges there be some cases wherein there is need of humane prudence in determining how many Churches shall be in some Towns Some Towns arise to be numerous so that it is fit they should be joyned in several Societies And some are so small and lye so near together that it is fit that two or more should make one Church in such cases God has appointed that the bounds of Churches be set either by General agreement or by order from Authority but there is no occasion that every Member should Covenant particularly with the Church Grant this particular Covenant to be the form of a Church and then a Christian may continue a considerable time without any relation to a particular Church tho he lives where there is a Church And then a Man may be a Member of the Church of Corinth for seven years together and live all that while in Communion with the Church at Jerusalem a Covenant which he lives in the continual breach of makes a Member at Corinth and according to some gives him a right to all Ordinances Grant this particular Covenant and we shall be to seek what Church many Children do belong to the father is in Covenant with one Church the Mother with another the Child was Baptized in a third and lives in a fourth This Doctrine of the particular Covenant which is wholly unscriptural is the â—…on that many among us are shut out of the Church to whom Church Priviledges do belong CHAP. IV. of the Priviledges of Congregational Churches THE great Priviledge of Congregational Churches is to choose their own Officers they have a liberty given to them by God to choose suteable Persons to Office they are limited to Persons fitly qualified but the Priviledge of choosing them doth belong unto the Church it is very probable that the Synagognes of the Yews had liberty to choose their own Ministers if they were confined to the Tribe of Levi yet out of the Levites they choose for themselves However thus it ought to be in Christian Churches the Apostles ordered the Church of Jerusalem to choose their own Deacons Act. 6.3,4 They did not take upon them to prescribe who the Persons should be and impose Deacons on them but referred the matter to their own choice and the People nominated two out of which God chose one to be an Apostle Act. 1.23 Besides it is the Priviledge of all free Societies to choose their own Officers such Countrys as are conquer'd don't chuse their own Rulers nor such Countrys where the Government is Hereditary but such as are free neither under the Power of Conqueroes nor the Bond of a Covenant do choose their own Officers either mediately or immediately All the Power that Men have over a free People is by their own consent directly or indirectly excepting such cases wherein God is pleased to â—…oint Rulers or some who shall appoint Rulers over them God appointed Aaron and his Posterity to the Office of the Priesthood in Israel but God hath not appointed any Officers in Churches now neither hath he appointed any that shall impose Officers over them but hath left them to their free choice Yea where a Church hath teaching or Ruling Elders or both there is no necessity that they should consent to the choice if they do not consent yet if there be the consent of the Major part the choice is vallid the Officers ought to submit thereto unless they have some weighty Objection the Act of the Major part is the Act of the Community that which is the Priviledge of the Community must not be wrested out of their hands It is beyond the Power of the Officers to disanul their Act. And as the Church hath Power to choose their own Officers so in case of need they have Power to choose those that shall supply the want of Officers for a time the Church is entrusted with sufficient Power in order to the carrying on of Gods work Therefore in case of the vacancy of a Pastor they may choose one to Preach to them for a time in case they have no Elders they may choose a Moderator In case they have no Deacons they may choose one to do the Deacons work yea in case there be need they may choose some other Minister of the Gospel to Administer the Seals of the Covenant or perform some Act of Government upon a particular occasion By the same reason that a Church may choose its own Officers it may also