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
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
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
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
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
motives aims and ends of their hearts and Souls should be to please and honour Jesus Christ their Lord and Master and to edifie and profit his Church Acts 20. These are some of the necessary qualifications that all Pastors of Churches should bring with them and labour to grow and encrease in them when they are there Fifthly They must be qualified with holy and blamelesse conversations and carriages also These are in part described in the 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. and elsewhere in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus in the Acts and other Scriptures And it must needs be so namely that they be singular in all manner of holy conversation and Godlynesse 1 Tim. 4.7 But exercise thy self unto Godlinesse for they are appointed and set in the Church to be their Lights and Guides to be Examples to Believers and all men 1 Tim. 4.12 Mat. 5.16 1 Pet. 5.3 c. They will by blamable walkings more dishonour Jesus Christ and his Gospel more grieve and afflict the hearts of good Men scandalize and harden the hearts of evil men than a hundred times as many private Christians and pull great reproach and comtempt upon the Ministry of Christ in his Churches They are more eyed and observed and are nearer Jesus Christ than others are and greater things are expected from them than from others Therefore they should shine forth in all Grace and be found though not without their failings in the practice of every good Work as men Christians and Ministers of Christ It is not enough for them that they be not such and such negative professors but they must be such and so in practical holynesse They must not only abstain from that which is evil and forbidden but they must do that which is good and commended otherwise they cannot be blamelesse But if they are indeed of such Spirits as aforesaid they will be of holy and blamelesse conversations and walk as Gospel real true Lights Guides before all but if they want these heart and internal qualifications they will not long if at all be blamelesse walkers If they are of proud peevish cross and fretful of sowre angry and wrathful Tempers and carriages they are not blamelesse If they are of hot testy fiery rash and quarrelsome Tempers and Carriages they are not blamelesse If they are Back biters and Defamers of men or Hearers and Receivers of evil reports against good men they are not blamelesse If they are coveteous worldly persons in their words and deeds they are not blamelesse If they are excessive in their cloaths houses eating or drinking they are not blamelesse If they are censorious and rash Judges of others they are not blamelesse If they are cheaters or detainers of others dues from them they are not blamelesse If they are vain and light persons and given much to frothy idle talk and jestings or to Idleness they are not blamelesse If they are carelesse of and negligent in relative duties and the worship of God in their families they are not blamelesse If they are not diligent in their callings and works but are addicted to walk abroad sleep or otherwaies spend away their pretious time vainly and unprofitably they are not blamelesse I might instance in many more but that I study brevity as well as Truth The Ministers of Christ must not only be free from the practice of such and such Sins but they must be eminent and singular in the practice of all duties incumbent on them towards God and men also unavoidably infirmities excepted Sixthly They must also have and be endued with natural Gifts as ability of body and the Gift of utterance For although a man may have a great stock of Graces Gifts and Truths laid up in his head and Heart yet if he want abilities of Body or speech to utter plainly declare them unto others how can he profit the Church or minister to their edification which is the great end of those Gifts c. and the Ministry Therefore they must not be only qualified within but without also they must be able to speak as they ought Eph. 6.20 as well as to judge as they ought to judge of and understand divine matters Sevently They must be sound in the Faith too For if they be leavened with corrupt Doctrine and their Faith and Judgments tainted with it they may easily corrupt and leaven the Church of Christ by sowing such Tares and stinking Weeds as all the men in the world will never be able to pull out again A little leaven of corrupt Doctrine leavens the whole Lump Gal. 5.9 And when once false doctrines are got into the Head they will quickly defile and corrupt the whole heart and conversation And therefore to prevent such evils in the Churches the Apostles laboured exceedingly with the Churches and assoon as they perceived any Tares of corrupt doctrine sown in the Churches they presently endeavoured the pulling of them up and weeding of them out either by preaching or writing And Paul charged Titus to see that Teachers were sound in the Faith and Doctrines of the Gospel Tit. 1.9.13 and that they speak sound Doctrines chap. 2.1 2. that they were of sound Minds 2 Tim. 1.7 and also that they hold fast the form of sound Words vers 13. and also wishes all corrupt and unsound Teachers cut off Gal. 5.12 Therefore they must not be erroneous in their Faith and Judgments but sound in the Faith of the Gospel that are together with the aforesaid particulars rightly qualified Ministers of Christ And you may be sure that Jesus Christ hath more care of and respect unto his Name Gospel and Churches which he hath purchased with his Blood than to set over them erroneous and corrupt Teachers Eighthly Humane learning is not to be slighted and desp sed in a Minister as it is too much by some who know not the good of it for although the Word and Spirit of God can sufficiently prepare qualifie a man for the Ministry without it yet experience shews that it is singularly useful to holy men in their Ministerial Work It helps to make them more able men though not Christians it is usefull to their heads who know how to use it if not to their Hearts it is a good servant to wait on Divinity though a bad master when it is exalted above it as to many shamefully and sinfully do It is well know that we come to the knowledge of the Spirit and mystery of divine Truths by the letter wherein it is held forth and we come to understand the mind and intention of a Superior by the words he speaks to us so that if we understand not his words we cannot know his mind and will or what he would have us believe do or receive And is it not the same with respect to the Word of God how can we know his mind and will concerning us but by his Word and how by his Word or Words except we understand their sense
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
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
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
places and worship God together conscienciously and dutifully this lightens gladens and comforts their hearts strengthens their hands and puts as it were a new life into them It oyles the Wheels and helps to make them run on easily sweetly and comfortably If it be the duty of Ministers to wait on their Office to Preach the word in season and out of season to attend to the Ministry of the word and to feed their flocks and watch over them as indeed it is Then undoubtedly it is the indispensible duty of such to attend and wait on their Ministry For the work is relative And the same Authority that binds the one binds also the other The one must Preach and Administer and the other must freely dutifully and constantly wait on their Administrations And let me tell you and assure you that by your deserting your Ministers in whole or in part you despise them and their Ministry you expose your selves to inevitable Reproach for it is a scandalous sin and your Ministers and their Ministry to great derision and contempt and this will cost you dear one day Obj. But we cannot profit by them their Ministrations are dead to us Answ It may be so but whose fault is that theirs or yours will you lay the blame on them when indeed it is your own is that justice or horrible injustice Prov. 17.15 He that justifieth the wicked and he that condemneth the just even they both are abomination to the Lord. You did once value and esteem them and found life and refreshing in their Ministry else why did you joyn with them call and chuse them for your Ministers They did not force themselves on you you were at your free choice to refuse them and sit down under others Ministry Besides while you pretend that the cause of your deserting such as you have chosen and once found good by others of the same Congregation find their Ministry very profitable to them still and continue to wait on it and bless God for it and abhor all thoughts of deserting it If so then it is evident that God is with your Ministers and blesses their Ministry and then what follows but that the fault is in you not in your Ministry For why should not you profit by it as well as others but that the obstruction is at home And it would better become you and argue a better spirit in you to search out the plagues of your own hearts and lay the blame where it is than where it is not If you find no good by their Ministry is it not because you 1 have left God in secret God and you are become strangers at home If it be so as most likely it is then wonder not if the Ordinances of God profit you not For what can you expect to find in Divine Ordinances when God is departed from you because you are departed from God There is a woe pronounced to such Hosea 9.12 2. Do you not live in some known sin without Repentance It is more than probable you do and if so then be sure you will find no good in any of Gods Ordinances untill that Idol be removed by Repentance out of your hearts and hands Ezek. 14.2 3 7. Joshua 7. says God to such I will answer you according to your Idols who presume to come before me with Idols in your hearts as every known sin is 3. Have you not conceived a displeasure and taken up prejudice against your Ministers persons or their Ministry If so no marvel if you profit not by them But then I say that 's your fault not theirs you have laid a stumbling block in your own way and obstruct your profitting by the works of your own hands So some of the Corinthians were prejudiced against Paul and they could by no means profit by his Ministry and therefore away they go to Apollo Why what 's the matter why he had not such excellent speech and language as Apolle had 1 Cor. 2.1 and his bodily presence is weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10.10 Alas Paul is an inconsiderable fellow We did love affect and wait on his Ministry and time was we received profit by it But now the case is altered Paul is no man for us no but Apollo a man of more Eloquence shall be our man now a Rush for Paul Well to Apollo they go and leave poor Paul to Preach to their seats or shift for himself But it is not long that Apollo shall please them and be their man no but to Cephas they go and where then God knows But was this their vertue and a proof of their spiritual growth and attainments no but on the contrary the Holy Ghost tells them once and again that they did wickedly by their shiftings from one Teacher to another and proved themselves but poor low carnal professors 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. This is ordinarily if not alwayes one cause of mens leaving their own Ministers And you that are guilty of it now will find this evil humour at the bottom of your shifting and withdrawing from your Teachers would you suffer your Consciences to speak out and search them to the bottom but that you are not willing to see your own spots in a clear Glass 4. Do you not profit by the Ministry of your own Ministers why is it not your Pride do you not conceit that you are wiser than they and so they are unmeet and unworthy to teach you and you are too high and good to learn or be taught of them half an eye may see that this is also in the bottom of your desertions you are not poor and hungry hearers nor little in your own eyes but are too full of conceits of your own abilities and base conceits of your Teachers and therefore you are not profitted by their Ministry This also was the Corinthians Disease which made them slight Paul's Ministry as unprofitable and unworthy of them 1 Cor. 4.2 11. 5. And as in these causes at home you will or may find why you do not profit by the Ministry of your own Teachers so likewise because the world and the deceitful pleasures and profits thereof do lye deep in your hearts and swallow up yea drown your minds and affections In a word you want love to Christ his word Ordinances and Ministers and therefore you do not profit you do not pray heartily and fervently for them that God would make them able Ministers of the New Testament and bless their Ministry to your Souls profit and therefore they profit you not Again you trouble distract and grieve their hearts contrary to the will of God and therefore they cannot profit you And by these and many other sinful wayes you grieve the holy Spirit so as that he will not concur with nor bless and prosper their sincere endeavours to do you good But then I say still the fault is in you not in them they would but cannot mend these things in you but so may you if
you will And know for certain that if you are really willing to know these and other causes in your selves and shall deal truly with your own hearts and consciences in the case you will find what I have said to be a great truth And whether or no you will know and own it yet be sure that God the great heart-searcher doth know it is so And let me advise and counsel you in the fear of God to hasten to find out these plagues of your own hearts and ways and get deep convictions of them humble your selves before God unfeignedly for them confess your Errours and sins and take the blame and shame to your selves for harbouring such Vipers in your bosoms falsly blaming and charging your Teachers with your own evils justifying the guilty your selves and condemning the just your Ministers which the Lord abhors Sue out pardons in the blood of Christ and do all you can towards the removal of all the hindrances of your profitting by your own Ministry out of the way and get a meek humble hungering and thirsting Spirit a heavenly and spiritual frame of heart love to Christ his Word and Ordinances to your own Teachers and their Administrations and see if the case do not alter Prove if their Ministry do not profit you and if God do not indeed bless and prosper their labours to you If you shall in good earnest do these things and come in obedience to hear them as to an Ordinance of Christ for your good look unto and depend on him for his presence and blessing on your attendance on their Ministry set your selves in sincerity of heart before the face of God to receive his word and the blessed power and efficacy of it on your Souls and give diligent attention to what you hear and resolve unfeignedly and endeavour with all your abilities as you are bound to do to practise and rightly improve all you hear to your own and others profit and the glory of God in all I dare boldly assure you that you shall find the blessing of all Ordinances Administred by them to your Souls Therefore try and prove it so as you ought and may do and your own experiences will fully and clearly answer the objection and remove all difficulties out of the way Obj. But we find the Ministry of others more profitable to us Answ That 's strange and no less than a grosse delusion for can you indeed believe on a Scripture foundation and evidence that God hath commanded you to obey him to your loss detriment God hath charged his Churches to assemble themselves together namely with their own Teachers Heb. 10.25 and to obey them that have the Rule or oversight over them Heb. 13.17 and to know them which labour among them and are over them in the Lord and to esteem very highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes 5.12.13 here is your duty And if so then be sure God intended all he commanded you for your profit and advantage and in no case to your disprofit he that hath with your own free consent set you in such a Church given you such a Ministry enclined your hearts to make choice of it and them for your Ministry and Ministers sealed their Ministry to others if not to you for the abovesaid Reasons commanded them to feed you and watch over you and given them hearts to do it from time to time did undoubtedly know what was best for you and design your profit and the good of the whole And if he had had an intention to have made use of others rather than of those you have to your greater advantage he would in season have directed you to them or else they to you and not have setled you where you are and have bound you there to abide in love and peace and in a dependence on him for his presence and blessing to your wrong and prejudice as the objection intimates This objection sets the Precepts and Orders of God at discord and variance with his promises of his presence and blessings with his people For if he hath enjoyned you to assemble together and keep to your own fold under the Teaching and oversight of your own Ministers as he hath done and yet as you say he blesses another Ministry in an other place that hath no such Relation to you as your own hath Then I say if that were true as it is not that God doth so bless that strange Ministry only in pursuance of his promises so to do And if so then his promises calls you out of your place to enjoy the good of them elsewhere when his Rules and Precepts direct and engage you to wait on and worship God in your own Church But who that are not under strong prejudices and delusion can believe it that God should deal so with his people or who durst affirm in cold blood that the only wise and righteous God is contrary to himself or that his Laws should thus contradict his promises or that his peoples duty and work lyes in one place and the good of the promises in another or that they must do their duty in one place and yet expect the blessings of the promises in another at the same time yet this and much more is implyed and included in the Objection Is not this a charging God with folly can any men in their sober moods believe indeed the matter of their own Objection or the reason of their pretence for leaving their own Ministers and Ministry and the Congregation to which they are with and by their own free consent united I think not neither dare they say in the presence and fear of God that they do so But in truth it is but a pretence to blind others eyes and stop their mouths against their just reproofs for want of better Arguments which such Transgressors are wholly destitute of yet something they will and think they must say for themselves and the justifying of their disorderly and scandalous practises in deserting their own chosen Teachers and Congregations although it be never so absurd and base But sad experience shews what they profit by such as they pretend to be more profitable to them than their own Teachers are Their words and carriages are loud proofs of it or rather that the Devils transforming themselves into Angels of light to them do together with their own pride prejudice c. perswade and entice them to such evil manners and Church-destroying practices and to put a fair face on a foul matter he helps them to defend themselves against checks of Conscience and Reproofs of their Brethren by such ridiculous reasons or rather pretences as these They care not how they charge God wrong their own Souls stumble and offend their Brethren grieve and sadden their own Ministers and cast contempt on the Church and the Ministry thereof so they may thereby but gratifie their own lusts their pride and prejudice their humours and passions and do
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
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
evil of it whence it is And they should assist and help them with their company Advice and Counsel when desired and need requires it Moreover they ought to do all they can to make the Ministry of their Teachers acceptable unto the Church and to see that all do their Duties to them That they defraud not their Teachers of convenient and due maintenance nor carry themselves rudely and disrespectfully unto them or towards their Ministry and that they warn and exhort them to do their Duty to them as Christ hath commanded That they constantly seasonably and reverently attend to and wait on their Ministry and to make holy earnings and improvements of it 9. They ought to project and prepare good orders and matters for the profit of the Church to help forward and promote any good things presented to them by their Teachers and help to carry them on unto perfection But in an especial manner they should concur with them in promoting Holiness and the power of godliness in the Church and that by Counsel Instruction and Exhortation For that is the Churches Ornament Beauty and Glory Psal 93. ult They should labour to promote Gospel-light life zeal humility meekness and good works They should labour to promote Godliness in the Churches Families in their hearts and conversations among t men and in their Meetings and Assemblies to the utmost of their power and not leave all to their Pastors to do They are indeed indispensibly bound to promote it all they can by their Preaching and walking and that publickly and privately and Ruling-Elders are to do it privately and particularly And because the frequent Meetings of Christians for Prayer and Discourse is a Duty exceeding profitable and beneficial unto their Souls when rightly improved wisely and spiritually managed the Elders should encourage it set it forward and endeavour to maintain and uphold such good VVorks and Duties amongst all the Members of the Church For such Meetings will greatly promote Godliness and keep a Savour of Christ on the heart Now who should promote and further this good work so much as the Elders who may and ought authoritatively to do it This is another of their works and businesses in the Church Therefore see you do it in good earnest who are Elders 10. Lastly Ruling-Elders as well as Teaching have another great work to do in and for the Church and that is to be singularly exemplary in their words deeds and carriages Be thou an example sayes the Apostle to Timothy 1 Epistle 4.12 to the Believers in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity for without these things all the rest is worth nothing at all Elders and their VVives and Children as well as the Deacons should be examples and encourageing Patterns of Meekness and humility to others in their Garbs or cloathings Elders should be singular in wisdom zeal seriousness and gravity in love sweetness diligence faithfulness spirituallity Heavenly mindedness and in all good works Shew thy self sayes Paul a Pattern of good works in all things Tit. 2.7 They must so walk as that others may safely follow their steps and be excited and encouraged so to do by their examples They are indispensibly bound to be good examples out of and in the Congregation or Church when assembled together to worship God Then should the Elders shew good examples to the whole Church by their timely coming there and by their holy serious and reverent carriages and deportments in the worship of God For when they neglect their place and duty there or come unseasonably carry themselves carelesly and unreverently they tempt others to do so too For as they are Elders over the Church and have a Name among them so they eye them much and expect great things of and from them Therefore Elders must take heed to their wayes and see that they walk circumspectly or exactly Eph. 5.15 For if they do not believe it they will do more hurt than good in the Church Thus we see that Ruling Elders have work enough to do in the Church and that there is need and use enough of them And surely they might be of great use in the Church and prove a great blessing indeed to her would they but know mind attend to and do their own proper work and business and really concern themselves with Christ's and the Churches concernments with all their hearts and souls as they ought to do And oh that such as are called to that Office and Dignity would seriously consider and lay to heart their wayes and doings wherefore they are set in the Church and invested with Power and Authority and whether they do indeed intend and in good earnest set to their work and unfeignedly design and prosecute those ends Quest How should Ruling-Elders perform their work in the Church Answ First with wisdom or wisely They should wisely observe the matters they have to concern themselves about and to manage in the Church 2. The times and scasons for the doing of them to whom and when 3. The manner how they should or ought to do them Much light knowledge and spiritual wisdom is required in Church Government and Governours And therefore they have great need to pray read and study much for Divine wisdom and Spiritual understanding in these things That they may discern the will of Christ their Lord and Law-giver and not mistake their way and work nor the times seasons and occasions thereof nor stumble at any stumbling-stone or walk in the dark in so great and importunate matters 2. The revealed will of Christ in his New Testament is to be their great and only Rule and Guide in Church-matters No other voice must be heard there but his nor any other Authority Law or Rule to be observed followed and obeyed but his It is given to him to be the Head over all things to his Church Eph. 1.22 23. And therefore they ought to observe all things whatsoever he hath commanded them and nothing else Math. 28.20 in the exercise of their Authority in or for the Church This they must carefully and continually mind and have in their eye that they do not their own wills and walk by their own Rules but Christs For in so doing he will bless and prosper them help and assist them and in the end he will reward all their conformity and obedience to his holy will But otherwise he will say who required these things of you Therefore when any cases or works are offered to you you must consider them and the Laws or Rules by which you ought to proceed in what you are called to do and then proceed and manage your work accordingly Be you sure to steer your course aright by Divine light and Laws look up to and own Christ and his Authority in all your proceedures For you act not as civil Magistrates in a state but as the Spiritual Magistrates of Christ in his Church And therefore I say it is his Will
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
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
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
anothers Wealth 1 Cor. 10.24 Now we exhort you Brethren warn the unruly 1 Thes 5.14 and Admonish the disorderly 2 Thes 3.15 For this good work and their wise conscientious doing of it the Holy Ghost commends the Church at Rome Chap. 15.14 And sayes God in Levit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him And the Apostle in 1 Tim. 5.22 Admonishes us to take heed that we be not partakers of other mens sins but to keep our selves pure in Math. 18.15 16 17. The Lord presses this Duty and VVork on you and shews you how you should perform it Therefore you must mind and carefully do it in Obedience to his will and according to your directions there and not otherwise You must watch and endeavour to gain a Sinner or sinning Member by your first private Admonition in case the evil be private and if that will not do take one or two more with thee and see what that will do But if that will not do the work nor obtain the end on thy Brothers Soul then you are bound to bring it to the Church that by their Teachers or Elders they may be informed of it in order to their dealing with and proceedings against him as commanded This is another of your great and indispensible VVorks and Duties in the Church It is true that this is especially the Elders VVork and Duty but it is not theirs only but yours also who are private Members Oh! therefore be you perswaded to mind carefully faithfully and diligently to practise this VVork and Duty for unless you do so it will be impossible to keep the Church in Peace Honour and Purity You will do Christ and them singular service Seventhly You must forbear and forgive one another for this is another of your commanded Duties Eph. 4.2 forbearing one another in love vers 32. Be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another even as God for Christ sake hath forgiven you And in Col. 3.13 Forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do yee Doth thy Brother sin against thee or do thee any injury thou shouldst tell him of it examine the matter and search out the circumstances of it and see if he did it unadvisedly through weakness or ignorance and without any design to wrong thee or whether he did it wittingly and knowingly And until thou art sure that he did it knowingly and wittingly or wilfully thou must forbear censuring him as having so done it For else thou wilt prove a Vsurper and a false Judge which Christ forbids Math. 7.1 2. Rom. 14. But if upon an impartial search thou finds him to have wronged thee through ignorance or weakness thou must Judge charitably of him and carry thy self towards him as God doth towards thee under thy weaknesses and ignorances Thou must not be rash and severe towards him either in thy carriages or censures But if it clearly appear upon impartial enquiry that he did knowingly and wilfully do thee wrong then thou must carry thy self towards and deal with him as with a wilful Transgressor Thou must lay his sin before him and shew him what Lawes he hath Transgressed what evil he hath done thee what wrong to his own Soul and what offence he hath done to Christ by breaking his holy Laws Admonish him again and again of his sin and censure him not too severely until you find him obstinate and stubborn For until then you must forbear him whilest you are waiting on him and on God for him to convince him of his sin and give him Repentance unto life But if your endeavours be blessed to those ends you must readily forgive him And if he be once truly and savingly convinced of and humbled for his sin be sure that he will most freely own and confess it to thee as well as to God and endeavour to make thee amends and give thee all possible satisfaction for the wrong he hath done thee And this he will do not by constraint but freely willingly and of his own accord without thy seeking to him For it is a certain sign that a person is not powerfully and savingly convinced of and humbled for his sin while he hangs off and must be sought after to make satisfafaction to such as he hath wronged For were his heart really melted into the will of God he durst not yea could not be quiet until he hath given all possible satisfaction to the wronged Luk. 19.8 But now in case he remain obstinate and will not hearken to Reproof what are you to do then why then he should take one or two more and deal with him and if that will not do to bring it to the Church that they by their Elders may see what they can do with him But if they cannot prevail on him to repent and make satisfaction then I think the offended may prosecute the Law against him For the Law is made for the lawless and disobedient 1 Tim. 1.9 10. But yet he should be still in a readiness to forgive him when-ever he shall repent pray and hope that he may repent and when he doth so although it be long first Actually and Cordially forgive him and renew his kindness and Brotherly love to him as if he had never sinned Eightly It is your Indispensible duty to hearken too and receive Instruction Admonition and Reproofs one from another also For if some are Indispensibly bound at some times to give them Surely others who need them are as much bound to receive them Prov. 8.33 hear Instruction and be wise For he that despiseth Reproof sinneth but he that keepeth Instruction walketh in the way of Life Prov. 10.17 And the Scripture tells us in Prov. 12.1 Whoso loveth Instruction loveth knowledge but he that hateth Reproof is bruitish such as turn a deaf Ear to Reproofs are marked out for Scorners in Prov. 9.8 and he that is often reproved and yet hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29.1 such as turn a deaf Ear to Reproofs and admonitions or slight and refuse them do thereby rebell against trample upon and contemn an ordinance of God and a means of his appointing for their happinesse and so they murder their own Souls with the means that are given to save them You are bound to hearken to and receive your brethrens Reproofs Counsels and Admonitions withall Humility Patience and freedome of Spirit with all love Meekness and Thanfulnesse to God and the givers of them For they are great mercies to you and they are your real and profitable friends such as seek your good and endeavour to prevent your destruction And therefore I wonder not at the Scriptures saying that such as refuse Instruction and Reproof shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy for 〈◊〉 do despise the means as in their present
case of their Salvation and which are handled out to them to prevent their destruction And certainly they shall have Judgment without mercy as James speaks who do slight the means given them for such great Ends and by hardening their hearts against them do render them uselesse to their Souls and thereby oppose and crosse Gods ends Oh! then do not you so wickedly When a Brother or Sister see or hear you sin and they come to you with the Lords healing playster to cure you receive it thank them and blesse God for it apply and improve it as David did Abigals and Nathans Counsels and Reproofs 1 Sam. 25. 2 Sam. 12. and see that you repent and humble your selves in Dust and Ashes For if the contrary heart and carriage be found in you under just Reproofs Instruction Admonitions toward God or men know for a certainty that you are in a very evil and dangerous case yea you are in the high way to ruine and perdition Oh! Friends let it never be said justly of any of you that you were reproved and admonished of any known Sins by any Brother or Sister and that you refused and slighted it justified your selves in your Sins and apparent Transgressions and were displeased with or angry at such as admonished you and did their Indispensible duty to you under your Sin for your Salvation Ninthly Pray one for another and that with a real Love fervency and Importunity as you do or should do for your selves Jam. 5.16 Confesse your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed Oh! with what serious minds and strong Affections should all Church-members pray one for another They must be much in building up one another and praying in the holy Ghost one for another Jude 20. They should carry one another on their hearts at the Throne of Grace especially such as are under Affliction the whole Church in General and the Teachers in particular Heb. 13.18 and wrestle with God for them For as was shewed one Church-member must make anothers case his own and be of a publique Spirit towards and for the good of all and as in other things so in this of Prayer For they have the Spirit of Prayer given them Audience and Interest in Heaven for others as well as for themselves This is another duty to one another Tenthly You should often meet together for holy discourse and Prayer Two or three or more Brethren by themselves and Sisters by themselves in and for those God glorifying and Soul-profiting exercises This was wont to be the Commendable practise of our forefathers and of some that are now alive when Christ Duty Heaven and Religion lay warmer on their hearts than now they do And they made happy earnings of their holy endeavours Now if it was a much commended Practise in them as it was why then is not the same found in and among you in this day was it good in them and will it not be so in you too hath not God promised his Glorious Teaching warming strengthning sanctifying and comforting presence with such as do so Matth. 18.20 would not your meeting together and so exercising your selves turn to a better account than your present practise doth do you not find time enough to visit one another and meet together to discourse and talk of things which you should not Do you not visit to tell some idle stories to tattle of other mens matters which do not concern you and it may be to do that which is worser namely to Back-bite some persons and to prejudice hearts against your Teachers and their Work if they do not please you And will not such meetings have bitterness in the end Yea do you not thereby exceedingly deaden carnalize each others Souls by these things So that instead of bettering one anothers Souls and furthering them towards Heaven in your meetings you hinder them and make them much worser Oh! consider and lay this matter to heart I do beseech you now while you have time to mend what is amiss Consider my friends both how you do and how you may and ought to improve and exercise your selves in your occasional and designed visits and meetings and what account you will be able to give of them at the last day Is it not your great Iniquity to tempt one another to Sin and wrong your Souls mis-spend your pretious times and seasons of service for God and one anothers spiritual profit when you might if you would have improved them to those ends We read in Acts 16.13 That Women meet together to pray but now 't is accounted almost a false Doctrine Men and Women were wont to discourse and speak often of the things of God and their own experiences one to another Mal. 3.16 But where are now any such almost to be found persons can find time enough for every thing but their greatest VVorks and Duties But to speak plainly 't is not our want of time but of hearts VVe are strangers to God in secret loose our hearts in the VVorld and cloy our selves with carnal cares and earthly matters and therefore cannot will not attend with any delight or freedom of Spirit unto our Duties This will be found at the bottom of all our neglects and excuses for them But remember that your Souls need this practise and the use of these means that it is your Duty and will be if well used very profitable to you Eleventhly Encourage one another by your examples to keep close to and be constant in your publick work VVhen ever the Church meets or are by their Teacher Summoned to meet together for the Celebration of the worship of God they are bound so to do excepting in extraordinary cases that may hinder any For else there can be nothing done nor any good order kept for the glory of God and the edification of the Church Now then when the Church ought to meet together you ought to be present and not by your wilful or careless absence give an evil example to others and tempt them to do the like For thereby you will cast a stumbling-block in their way of Duty and encourage strengthen and embolden them in their neglects also If it be our Duty to provoke one another to good works by our Exhortations then also by our Examples and practises too Examples are powerful encouragements to Sin or Duty to good or evil to Omissions or Commissions 2 Cor. 9.2 Heb. 10.24 2 Chron. 12.1 1 Chron. 29.3 9. If they are good examples then they provoke others to good but if evil then they are powerful to provoke others to do the same VVhen a Member is in the Congregation and sees such a Member wanting there then he is tempted to take the same sinful liberty too and so in all other cases All Church-members are indispensibly bound ordinarily to attend on the Ordinances of God in that Church to which they are joyned For as they are there called and
and receive more of the Grace that is in Christ Jesus for them to convince them of and shew them more clearly the evil of sin the deceits of their hearts the power of in-dwelling lusts the Wiles and Methods of Satan the necessity of Christ and his blood and of his Ordinances and Institutions To shew and convince them of the Excellency Beauty and Loveliness of Christ and the love and grace of God to them in him To Preach and hear their hearts and souls into clearer knowledge of the three persons and one eternal living God and into more acquaintance with them so likewise into more cordial and unfeigned more strong and fervent pure and constant love to him To acquaint themselves with the nature usefulness and proper life of faith perswade and work their hearts to it practically and dutifully to love it in all things works duties and conditions To arm and sence them against Satans fiery Darts and Temptations and the worlds snares and allurements To discover and detect self lusts and whatever warrs against our souls and to mortifie and destroy them and in order thereunto to know and be able expert and accurate in the use of our spiritual Weapons and Armour of proof which Christ hath sanctified and given unto us in Eph. 6. and elsewhere in the Gospel To sanctifie them throughout in soul body and spirit keep them from deadness coldness lukewarmness and indifferency of spirit and to prevent sleepiness and back-sliding from God neglect of duties and careless performance of them This Ordinance is intended for the further informing them of the holy will and mind of Christ and their duties to God and men to sweeten and dispose the heart to love and practice them and to enable them to persist in so doing without weariness and fainting grudging or disputing and with joy and delight To call back persons from their wanderings and to give them Repentance unto life These are some of Gods holy and blessed ends in setting up this Ordinance in the Church which all are indispensibly bound to aim at intend and endeavour in all their use of it See Eph. 4.10 11 12 17. Esa 30.20 21. Eph. 5.25 26 27. Eph. 3.18 19. Micah 2.7 1 Thes 4.10 Heb. 10.38 Rom. 1.16 17. 2 Pet. 3.18 1 Thes 5.23 Phil. 3.13 18. Joh. 17.17 19. Thirdly Prayer Prayer to God is a Church-Ordinance It is true that all men are bound to pray to God both publickly and privately the neglect whereof is severely threatned Jer. 10. ult It is a part of natural or moral Worship which all men ought to practise continually For as God is their Creator and they his reasonable Creatures he their Sovereign and they his Subjects and as such Creatures are to live and alwayes to have their dependency on him for their subsistence in this world so they are to express and manifest their so doing by their asking such things as they want of him For it is a Duty and Homage they owe him as him in whom they live move and have their being Acts 17.28 and profess him to be their God Protector and maintainer and expect all things from him They ought in all their wayes to acknowledge him Prov. 3.6 although they know him not in the face of Christ by any Gospel-Revelation But notwithstanding this is a Church-Ordinance also that is they are appointed to pray publickly in their meetings as a Church and that not as it is a moral Duty and agreeable to reason and mens natural principle but as it is a Gospel-Ordinance of Christ appointed for them and they commanded by him to observe it among themselves This the Church of Jerusalem was commended for Act. 2.42 And they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and in prayers and in Acts 12.5 't is said that prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God Now this Ordinance in the Churches of Christ must be observed and practised as an Ordinance of his appointing who is Lord and Head of them and because it is his Sovereign will they should so do without which they cannot in the doing of it approve themselves unto him as his obedient Children and Subjects in his house For whatever work they do and whatever Ordinance they observe in the Church they are indispensibly bound to respect his will and have their eye on his Authority therein as the ground and reason of what they do and because he hath so commanded and appointed therefore they do it Moreover to the well performance of this Duty and right observance of this Ordinance in the Church there is required a peculiar Ministerial gift in the Teachers or Overseers of the Church For they cannot rightly perform this part of their work in and for the Church by their natural and common acquired gifts and parts but in and by the spirit and his Ministerial gifts and grace conferred on them for their profitable and right performance of their Works and Duties in the Church Rom. 8.26 27. 1 Cor. 12.6 7 12. Fourthly Baptism water-Baptism is another Church-Ordinance to be holily reverendly dutifully and spiritually observed The power of administring this holy Ordinance of Christ is given to Pastors and Teachers and only to such as are authorized and called to administer other Ordinances and perform other parts of the work of the Ministry Authoritatively by virtue of their Commission from Christ received Any Disciple of Christ may not administer it but such as are set 〈◊〉 part for and appointed to the work For they must do it and it must alwayes be done by men in office-power Matth. 28.18 19 20. And Paul tells us Eph. 4.11 12. That Christ gave some Pastors and Teachers for the work of the Ministry and edifying of the body of Christ And we never read in Scripture of any other than such as were called to the work of the Ministry that did Baptize any This Ordinance is instituted and appointed in Matth. 28.18 19. and it was confirmed by the constant practice of the Apostles and Teachers afterward Act. 9.18 Act. 10.47 48. 1 Cor. 15. Baptism is a Sign Token and Seal of the Gospel-Covenant as Circumcision was Rom. 4.11 for the assuring and confirming Believers of the reality of the Covenant and the gracious purposes of God to perform it and convey unto them all the Grace and blessings of it in his time To raise and strengthen their hope in Christ and God the Father by him that God is and will be their God and also the God of their Seed according to that glorious grant and engagement of God in Gen. 17.7 I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee To which Covenant God set his Seal vers 10. This general sum or head of the Covenant given to Abraham and his Seed in their Generations we have produced and brought in
to nourish strengthen and refresh the City of God by which they are or may be made fat and fruitful The Springs Treasures and Fountain of love and grace is opened in and to the Churches and there Christ Jesus causes the Horn of his Davids to flourish Psal 132.17 In a Church-state Believers live in the streams of all Gospel-Ordinances and therefore they may grow there as Willows by the Water-courses Esa 44.4 for there they may with joy draw water out of these Wells of Salvation Esa 12.3 The more obedient Believers are to the will of their King the more he will bless them and communicate of himself and his Grace to them Joh 14.13 14 15 16 21 23. Joh. 15.7 10. Now in a Church-state they do give up themselves in Universal professed and avowed obedience to the whole will of Christ and put themselves under all the Ordinances of Christ and so under all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace which are to be communicated to their Souls by them 3. God hath promised to impart his loves and favours to his people in their walking with him in a Church-state and Relation in a especial manner Cant. 7.12 Let us get up early to the Vineyards the Churches and Ordinances of God in them there will I give thee my loves Psal 92.12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-Tree he shall grow like a Cedar 〈◊〉 Lebanon But where shall they thus grow and flourish see the 13.14 verses Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Well might David say Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84.4 For great and glorious are their provisions priviledges and advantages to help and encourage them in their journey towards Heaven God hath also promised to bless yea abundantly to bless his Churches provisions and to satisfie their poor with Bread that is to fill and impower his Ordinances and their Ministry with his Presence Grace and Spirit that they may greatly profit their Souls and nourish them up to eternal life Psal 132.15 16. 4. God loves delights most in his Churches or in Believers walking together in the faith and order of the Gospel in an inchurched state Psal 87.2 3. The Lord loveth the Gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Selah Eph. 3.17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee viz Zion vers 16. â—is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with joy he will rest in his love he will rejoyce over thee with singing Where men love and delight most there they are most free and liberal to such they are most bountiful and open handed so is God to his Churches because they are in their holy walking the greatest objects of his love and delight of his joy and rejoycing therefore I say they are the subjects of his abundant grace and favours 5. Churches or Believers in a Church-state do Christ more service than when they walk singly and out of that Gospel-way and order They are now his living publick witnesses his Candlesticks that hold up his burning Candles and they are his shining lights in the World They are the seats and subjects of all his Gospel-Ordinances and the ground and pillars of truth They do publickly and openly own and profess him to be their Lord and King and to be subject to his Laws and Authority and declare themselves his true and loyal friends and subjects and that before all men They manifest in the face of the Sun that they are not ashamed of his yoke nor his so much despised word and ways but own them cleave to them and walk in them as the only good holy and safe ways Many spiritual Diamonds orderly set in one gold Ring Church form do cast their lustre and reflect their glittering light and beauty on each other and so make a more lovely and glorious sight to Beholders There they do or may wait on God their Father and Christ their Head and King with their praises and melodious Harps and that with one heart and soul Psal 65.1 Their harmonious consent in breathing forth their oneness love faith hope and delight into one anothers hearts doth greatly raise heat and animate one another in powring out their joynt love affections and praises into the ears and heart of Christ which is most lovely and pleasant unto him Cant. 2.14 6. They expose themselves to greater trouble from the World in a Church-state than in walking singly A Church is as a Beacon set on a Hill which is visible to all beholders and by their publick practical and avowed separation from the World and walking by themselves they lay themselves open thereby to their adversaries wrath and vengeance They are the Buts of their invenomed Arrows of Reproach Scorn and Contempt of their Malice Hatred and Persecution The World takes more notice of a hundred Saints walking in close and intimate communion in a Church-state than of five thousands of others who walk singly This is so obvious to all as that it needs no further proof to confirm it Now then the more Believers expose themselves to sufferings in the Lords ways and for his sake the more of his presence and blessings they shall have Esa 43.1 2. Esa 41.10 Joh. 14.15 16. chapters 1 Pet. 3.14 1 Pet. 4.12 13 14. Thirdly As Believers inchurched are priviledged with more of the presence of God and the Communications of his love and favours so likewise with mutual help and assistance from one another Their nearness in Union Fellowship and Communion their knowledge of and acquaintance with each other together with the Laws of Christ among them enjoyning them thereunto and brotherly love resulting from all capacitates enables quickens and encourages them to more and constant usefulness to one another than otherwise they could or would be Their holy and spiritual Intimacy and Communion begets and preserves warm hearty and strong love and affection one to another which inclines their hearts to mind and do their external duties to each other It prompts and puts them upon sympathising one with another on watching over one another on exhorting comforting and provoking one another to love and to good works Heb. 10.24 25. to reprove admonish and endeavour to heal each other when need requires Gal. 6.1 2. to edifie one another warn the unruly and support the weak 1 Thes 5.11 14. And is not this a great priviledge and advantage to our Souls to have such seasonable assistance one from another Is it not a great priviledge when I am tempted and burdened to have my Brethrens hands under me to support and strengthen me when by my heedlesness I have fallen and broken my bones wounded and weakned my Soul to have such a spiritual Physician to give me Physick such a good Samaritan at
is found too rife and rampant amongst them It is a most pernicious Evil and prejudicial to Christ himself his Gospel People Wayes and Interests and therefore Satan will strive the more industriously to provoke them to do it and therefore we should be the more watchful against it 2 Cor. 12.20 Jam. 4.11 Tit. 3.2 Eph. 4.31 1 Pet. 2.1 God abhors this Tongue-sin this poysonous Sword and good-name-Murthering Abomination he cannot bear to hear his Church-members to be biting and devouring one another Gal. 5.15 yet are they prone and often tempted to it 8. They will be tempted to slight undervalue yea and to despise one another especially such as are poor and weak they will be tempted to slight and disesteem such as are high and honourable in God's account and such as he greatly values and esteems But take heed and beware of it for it is a most God-provoking sin They are glorious in Gods thoughts let them not be base in yours Their names are pretious in Heaven and let them be pretious to you 9. They will be tempted to slight and undervalue their priviledges and to disregard their works and duties in the Church At first they are much taken and affected with them but after a while they do as much slight and disesteem them neglect and disregard them and then they fall to omitting and neglecting them These are dear-bought priviledges and duties and therefore ought to be highly accounted of and esteemed 10. And then it follows that they will quarrel with their Teachers or be much offended at them slight and disesteem them and be full of objections against them and their works But you must take heed and beware of this evil likewise for when you have forsaken God and he hath left you then you are tempted to dislike your Teachers but never till then They are Christ's Embassadors Jewels and Instruments of his glory in the Churches and in the World and they are near and dear to him and therefore your sin will be very great in slighting and disesteeming them 12. They will be tempted to leave communion with the Church and ramble about from place to place which is a dangerous and pernicious evil and tends directly to the breaking of the Churches and destruction of all Church-order Many love to change their Place Works and Company and seem to be better every or any where than in their own Place and Work 13. They will be tempted to neglect their Church-duties one to another and live as persons alone without having regard of or respect unto one another as Brethren and Members of the same houshold And when they have entertained the Temptation into their minds they will easily dispense with total Omissions and not be troubled at it nor care what becomes of one another 14. They will be tempted to draw nigh to God in Church-Ordinances with worldly vain and unprepared hearts The Commoness of them and their frequent use of them together with the untunedness of their hearts make them common things and matters to them so as that they dare adventure on them with common frames of heart which once they durst not do But now they can dispense with it as with some light matter 15. They will be tempted to receive pernicious Doctrines and to entertain evil Opinions in and about Religion Many Church-members have been caught in these Nets and taken in these Snares not because they were such but because they walked not warily and circumspectly in that state and relation For by being Church-members they have had great advantages against them and means to prevent their being ensnared but that they improved them not as they might have done for their own security They were not aware of him who goes up and down in the Kingdom to sow his Tares 16. They will be tempted when they have suckt in any poysonous Doctrines and entertained erronious Opinions to help the Devil in sowing them in the minds of others and endeavour to leaven them with their new Leaven also For being deluded and seduced themselves it is almost natural to them to seduce others likewise as experience testifies 17. They will be tempted to prejudice and injure each others Souls in their occasional Visits by entertaining one another with vain frothy and heart-deadning Discourses instead of heart bettering Discourses They will be tempted to tempt one another to give and receive such matter as tends to the subverting and corrupting of each others Souls drawing them away from God and indisposing them for their duties rather than to edification and profit And this is a most pernitious Evil though little minded and considered and it is an Evil that is much practised and countenanced amongst Church-members For they that have such opportunities which they ought to improve for the better and not for the worse are found improving them by their Tongues and Ears for the worse and not for the better which will cost them very dear hereafter Such carnal and vain Communications as are frequently found among them corrupt good Hearts and Manners also 18. They will be tempted to be ungrateful to God for his mercies to them and to account their duty and priviledges their heavy Yoke Burdens as the Israelites did their Deliverance from their Bondage in Egypt They were displeased with God and Moses for bringing them out of their house of Bondage and it is to be feared that some Church-members now are displeased because they are brought into the House of God and they say in their hearts would God we had been wiser than to have joyned our selves to the Churches as the Israelites said would God that we had dyed in Egypt Take heed of this evil We are so encumbred with Meetings and Disbursements and with one thing and another as that our condition is burdensome unto us is the language of some as I have ground to think 19. They will be tempted to stacken their zeal care and diligence to grow in grace and perfect holiness and to look after their gettings in the Churches and Ordinances of Christ So that they will grow lukewarm careless and indifferent what becomes of their Souls whether they thrive and prosper or whether they do wither and decay whether they partake of the fatness of God's house or no. 20. They will be tempted to make carnal Advantages to themselves of their Church-state and to aim at and prosecute worldly Ends therein more than spiritual and to subordinate and make use of their work and duty there to promote and serve a base worldly Interest 21. They will be tempted to desert their duty and relinquish their Station and Priviledges in a trying time and to conform to the world for filthy Lucre's sake and to enjoy their outward Peace and Liberty Many seem to be strong and well settled in their faith principles and practise before the Tempest blows in their faces but when the Wind and Waves beat against them they appear other kind of men Therefore let