careful and mindful of them for his own honour and glory and their good Believers in living on and walking with God in a Church-state are of all persons in the best and safest condition They are under the greatest security from Seductions and Satanical Delusions from back-sliding and Apostacies from the Spirit of Error and Heresies from spiritual decays and witherings from hardness of heart or from being hardened and stupified through the deceitfulness and ensnaring allurements of this world Heb. 3.13 For they have greater and more constant means and provisions for their preservation and security than others have They have more promises of being secured by their Lord and King Esa 27.2 3. Sing ye unto her a Vineyard of red Wine I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day They have the Lords presence and glory his love grace and benefits frequently before their eyes to warn quicken and keep them awake and watchful diligent and faithful and they have fresh springs often flowing in upon their hearts They are much in the eye of Christ and he is much in their eye which keeps an awe on them and the frequent views of his glorious person love grace Laws and Ordinances are of great use towards their safety So also is the watchfulness help and assistance they have from one another in a Church-state Believers walking irregularly and disorderly as they do when not joyned to some true Church of Christ they are as common fields that lye open to all sorts of Beasts and as Souldiers walking and stragling without the Camp ready to become a prey unto their Enemies But in a Church-state and walking with God therein they are as a Garden walled in as a Castle and City with â—ates and Barrs and as a Houshold of persons shut in with doors and locks They are hedged in with Christ his Discipline and secured with his watchful eye and protection so as that the Gates of Hell cannot so easily prevail against them as they may against others Seventhly Gospel-Churches are very honourable Societies and Corporations They are exalted and dignified so by Christ and that they are the most high excellent as honourable Houses and Cities in the World They are the Houses and Housholds of the great King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6.15 Psal 48.1 2 3. Eph. 2.19 20 21 22. A House built up fitly framed and artificially formed of hewen stones and Timber is much more honourable and glorious than the materials whereof it was builded were before they were so formed up One holy Temple fitly framed consisting of a hundred meet and well qualified persons hath more beauty glory excellency honour and renown on it than ten thousand such materials have whilst they lye scattred up and down among the Rubbish of the World And as they do more as it were adorn and beautifie Christ in the World so he doth more adorn beautifie them They are said to be beautiful for Situation Psal 48.2 and Gods holy Temples Eph. 2.21 They are honoured with more of his honourable and glorious presence with more of his holy and sweet Laws and Ordinances and with more of his promises power gifts and graces Their honour fame and renown is farr above my reach and farr beyond what I can declare They are made the keepers and upholders of his Truths Name and Interests Churches in their orderly and holy walkings are terrible as an Army with Banners Cant. 6.4 10. and glorious things are spoken of this City of God Psal 87.3 As God said of Job namely that there were none like him in the earth Job 8 1. So he saith of his New-Testament Churches that there are not any Societies like them in the earth For what other Corporations and Societies of men are so qualified that have God with them as they have that have such a head and King such Ordinances Laws and Law-giver as such Churches have where are those Societies to be found that God speaks so honourably of and gives such honourable Titles to as he doth to them They are or ought to be all stones of Gold and precious Jewels they are Kings and Priests and made up of Royal Diadems Esa 62.3 Rev. 2.1 Mal. 3.17 They have the Lords name written on them and they are called by his name They are called the Churches of God and of Christ What other Societies of men are there governed by such Laws ruled by such Rulers animated by such a Spirit and fed with such Heavenly bread and spiritual provisions as they are They are the lights and glories of or in the World and by their joynt prayers and interest in Heaven they are the supporters of the world These are a few of the special priviledges of inchurched Saints which have been dearly purchased for them with the blood of Christ and conferred upon them by the holy Ghost which they are bound to take special notice of affect their hearts with them rejoyce greatly with them and in the Authour of them be very thankful for and faithfully improve them to the glory of Christ and to their own peace comfort incouragement in holiness and to their growth in grace You that are Churches and Church-Members are bound to consider and lay to heart your great singular and invaluable priviledges your unworthiness of them the price they have cost your head and King the ends for which they are given you to walk worthy of them in your Church-state and Relation and see that you walk and carry your selves honourably in all your ways towards God and men And remember that God gives you all these and other priviledges and injoyments that you should be rich in good works yea that you might abound in the work of the Lord 1 Tim. 6.17 18. 1 Cor. 15. ult Your priviledges are singular and glorious Oh! so let your words carriages deeds and performances be also God hath dignified you do you see that you exalt him God hath done great things for you do you do great things for him you shall reap the benefit and he the glory CHAP. X. That it is the indispensible duty of all Believers to joyn themselves unto some rightly constituted Church of Christ if they can together with the Reasons and ends of their so doing Quest OVght not all true Believers to joyn themselves unto and walk in fellowâ— ship with some holy and well-constituted Church of Jesus Christ where they may enjoy and partake of his Gospel-Ordinance Ans It is their undoubted and indispensible duty so to do if they have the conveniency and opportunity of doing it They may not wilfully or carelesly neglect to do it one day after they have opportunities offered them they are not cannot be dispensed withal in their Omissions for their wilful or careless neglects are their sins They are by such neglects guilty of disobedience and contempt They disobey the Royal will and pleasure of their Soveraign
water which the Holy Ghost calls two evils Jer. 2.13 You will thereby grieve the Holy Spirit cause him to with-draw from you and withold the blessings and good of his Ordinances from your Souls Oh! my Brethren little do many of you think how deep you are under the guilt of this sin and what a Controversie God hath with your Souls for it and little do you think what losers and sufferers you are thereby Little do many think how often they are caught in this snare and how exceedingly offensive it is to God and detrimental to their own Souls Wonder not that Ordinances profit you not and that God is not with you in them if you stick in and take up with them In love I give you warning of it that you may consider it watch and pray against it that you may carefully mind and do what God requires in his Worship and Ordinances namely that you go to and seek him in them indeed And remember that it is your Duty that you must and your Priviledge that you may go to and find him and his Grace in them 4. Live by faith in all your wayes and make use of all God's Ordinances in Faith and Hope For it is faith in Christ and on the Covenant and promises that will keep you steady and unmovable that will hold your Souls in Life and with joy draw water out of the Wells of Salvation Esa 12.3 Rom. 15.13 It is faith and hope that will unite your hearts to Christ and his Promises and encourage you in your doing and suffering-work Rom. 5.5 1 Joh. 3.3 unbelief holds off and keeps back mercies from you but faith and hope draws them to you You cannot see God in his Worship and Ordinances but by Faith neither can you see the beauty and glorious Excellency of the Promises Gospel-Ordinances and Gospel-precepts and obedience to them but by Faith You can get no good no encouragement in the Gospel and wayes of God but by faith and hope Therefore live by Faith and in a well-grounded hope 5 Be sure to prepare to meet God in his Worship and do all you can to get your Hearts ready Do not rush unadvisedly into his Presence but be sure to do it with much consideration and deliberation Prepare to meet thy God Amos. 4.12 and prepare thy work without Prov. 24.27 Get ye Idols out and get your hearts into a holy frame and disposition for your God and his service get a holy awe of him on your minds a deep sense of your wants weakness and vileness and of his greatness purity and holiness on your hearts that you may draw nigh unto him with fear and trembling Heb. 12.28 Psal 2.11 For if you draw nigh to God without such preparations be sure you do not cannot honour and worship him as God neither will he meet you and bless you 6. To conclude let me request you to cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart Act. 11.23 Walk with God and serve him in sincerity and Truth Joshua 24.14 Be you alwayes able to say with Paul and other Saints that your rejoycing is this the Testimony of your Consciences that in simplicity and Godly sincerity you have your Conversations 2 Cor. 1.12 Be you much in your closet-work I mean in secret Prayer Meditation and Examination and make what earnings you can of these Duties and Priviledges Let your Hearts be set on things above and not on worldly things Col. 3.2 cling to Christ in Love and keep your Affections warm and lively for him Converse much with Christ his Love Grace Death and with his Resurrection and Intercession with his Laws Promises and Dispensations and with the fulness of grace he hath received for you Acquaint your selves with your future glory and consider much what you shall be hereafter I jumble many things together for brevity sake By these and other Means and Duties you will glorifie God and profit your own Souls you will rejoyce my heart and engage me to bless God for you and the fruits of all will appear in your walkings in the Church as becomes the Gospel of Christ Finally my Brethren will you grant me these few reasonable Requests Truly I desire them of you for your own good and Christ's honour because you are exceeding dear to me and I do entirely love you and sincerely seek your present and eternal happiness I shall present you with a few Considerations and so conclude 1 Consider that you are a holy People in Name and Profession and a happy People in Priviledges and Dignities And therefore you must walk and carry your selves answerable to them 2 Consider the time when you were built up a spiritual house Was it not in the Sickness-Year in the beginning of the Year even then when God was about to cut down Scores of Thousands round about you and when he was ready to make great devastations in this City by the Plague Are you not as Brands pluckt out of the Fire and continued in your Church-state in the midst of devouring Judgments that you might be a peculiar People unto God 3 Consider how wonderfully the Lord hath preserved and continued your Priviledges and Mercies to you and that in very Evil times and places when many of your Brethren have lost theirs and wherefore he hath dealt so graciously with you and whether you have answered his Ends in reality and truth 4 Consider your solemn Engagement when you en red into and became Members of the Church Did you not engage to walk with God therein wait on and constantly celebrate the Service Ordinances and Worship of his House and perform your respective Duties to one another And have you done so The vows of God are on you and therefore you had need look to your selves and consider your wayes 5 Consider what Enjoyments and Communion with God you have had since your embodying together and growing up into a Temple in the Lord and what earnings and improvements you have made of them what growth in grace and encreasing with the encrease of God what have been the fruits of all to the glory of God the profit of your own and others Souls 6 Consider what esteem your Lord and King hath of you and what honours he hath conferred upon you he hath made you a House or Temple of Kings and Priests and he hath set you near himself Rev. 5.10 Eph. 2. You are the holy Temple and Houshold of God the Palace and Gallery of the great King and you are his Habitation and Garden wherein he walks and dwells with great delight He honours you with his special Presence if you walk with and please him and he calls you by his own Name You are his glory joy and Crown and he glories in you You are exceeding dear to him and pretious in his account and you are entrusted with his Richest Treasures And therefore consider 7 What he may and doth require of and expect from you you know that where
joyn together into a Church-state ought to know as well as they can and be satisfied of the fitnesse and meetnesse of each other as well as each person of himself for these and other Reasons that might be named Secondly When a competent number of Believers are well satisfied in and of each others sitnesse to build a holy Temple for God they should meet together and solemnly present themselves before God humble themselves and acknowledge their own weaknesse ignorance and unworthynesse for although they may be in a sense meet and worthy yet because of their indwelling Lusts and actual Trangressions they may see matter enough in and by themselves to cry out as Isaiah did we are unclean and unworthy and to ask pardon and forgiveness of God so also to tell God what they are about to do and entreat him to send forth his Light and Truth into their hearts and by his holy Spirit to lead assist and guide them in the right way according to this promise Psal 25.12 Psa 61.8 Joh. 16.13 For although they may have as they have a plain and perfect Rule before them to guide them in this weighty matter yet they may want light in their hearts to walk by it clearly and exactly as they ought to do which the holy Spirit that hath made them willing by his power Psal 110.3 will supply with his light upon importunate asking it Thus Ezra did when concerned in Temple-work chapt 8.21 and it is prophefied by David that when God should build up his Church he would do it upon his peoples prayers Psal 102. And as they should pray for light and counsel in their hearts from the holy Ghost who is and will be owned and accounted the chief Agent in the work of building Gospel-Churches as in preparing Materials making them willing guiding and directing them in the work so that God would vouchsafe them his presence own and blesse them in their Church-state ratifie and confirm the labour of their hands and prosper them to his Glory their own edification comfort 3. When this is done and their hearts are warmed with the presence of God and their minds enlightned with the Spirits Beams of Light shining in upon them in answer to their Prayers and their hearts thereby faster knit to each other in Love as to the living Members of Christ then they should declare to each other their free full and cordial acceptance of and satisfaction in one another expresse to one another their real hearty and joynt Resolutions purposes and Intentions by the help of God to live and walk together as a Church of Christ in the celebration of all the ordinances of Christ in the Church and engage covenant and promise to take upon themselves the practice and observation of all the Laws of Christ and duties one to another in that state and Relation taking hold of the Covenant of Grace accepting the Lord Jesus for their Lord Head and Saviour resigning up themselves unto him and professing their unfained subjection to him and all his Rules Laws and Orders and that they will submit themselves one to another in the fear of God Eph. 5.21 as he hath commanded them And which may be confirmed to one another by giving each other the right hands of fellowship Gal. 2 9. This I take to be the formal constituting cause of a Church or Temple of God and I know no other but some there must be and I think to this agree several Scripture-instances that if rightly understood amounts to as much as aforesaid Thus the Israelites became a Church God propounded to them what he would have them observe and do and accordingly the whole congregation received what was said and engaged to do and observe what God required of them Exod. 24.3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the people answered with one voice and said All the words which the Lord hath said will we do so Deut. 5.27 Exod. 20.19 Deut. 29.9 14. This was freely and voluntarily done by them and thereby they became a Church and were solemnly admitted unto all the worship and priviledges thereof and God accepted and approved of what they had done Deut. 5.27 28. Go thou near and hear all that the Lord our God shall say c. and we will hear it and do it And the Lord heard the voice of your words when ye spake unto me and the Lord said unto me I have heard the voice of the words of this People which they have spoken unto thee They have well said all that they have spoken And the like proceedure we find amongst them after they had corrupted themselves and their Church-state broken their solemn engagement and departed from God and upon conviction of their so doing and of their duty to God and one another they return to God and renew their Church-engagement Ioshua 24.16 to 27. vers So in Asa his daies 2 Chron. 15.10 to 16. v. and Ezra 10. and Neh. 9. and 10. chapt And somewhat like to this we find in the New Testament 2 Cor. 8.5 And this they did not as we hoped but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God And the Apostle minds the Church at Corinth of their professed Subjection unto the Gospel of Christ 2 Cor. 9.13 which it seems was solemnly done at their congregating and enchurching for then is the time of doing it solemnly and publiquely for the satisfaction of one another when they openly and avowedly take upon themselves by mutual consent and agreement as an incorporated body the observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ together To the same purpose also is that passage in Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him The Apostle writes to them as a particular congregated Church and tells them that they had received Jesus Christ the Lord which was solemnly done in all probability at their embodying And this seems to be spoken of in Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice And to the same purpose in Jer. 50.4 5. And indeed it is clear to me that the nature of the thing requires it were there no Scriptures to countenance it For they are as hath been said called and compared to Houses Temples Corporations Cities Families and to voluntary not meer natural Relations they must of necessity be knit and formed into such a State and Relation by their own free choice and engagement to live and walk together as such And this action of Believers is of and by the Lord in Act. 2.41 it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were added and in vers 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord added namely to the particular congregational Church at Jerusalem So that upon the whole I infer that Believers ought so to joyn themselves together into Churches as hath been shewed which I
dreadfull end of the Tares Matth. 13.38 39 40 41 42 43. which were the Hypocrites that by the Devils instigation crept into the Churches as in the 2. to the Galatians 4. c. Matth. 13.38 39. It is true that such were and will be in the best Churches let their Guides do all they can to prevent it because they cannot make an infallible Judgment of persons states as was said and it is as certain that they are Vsurpers and ought not to be there For although they are by Gods providence permitted to creep in yet be sure they are not there with his approbation and allowance they are not all Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9.6 for saith God to all the uncircumcized What have you to do to take my Covenant into your mouth seeing you hate Instruction and cast my words behind your Back as all Hypocrites do Psal 50.16 17. and Christ says that such as will not have him to reign over them and Hypocrites be sure will not shall be destroyed Luke 19.27 Now either the Churches of God should consist of Saints and sincere hearted Believers or of formal hypocritical professours as all are that are not prophane men or real Saints for all sober men will confesse that open prophane and debauched persons ought not to be accounted Church Members while they continue such not of Hypocrites because they are the most loathsome and abominable persons in the sight of God as may be seen at large-in the 23 chapt of Matth. from the 13. vers to the 35. and Christ tells us that publicans and harlots should go into the Kingdome of God before them Matth. 21.31 And therefore they should and ought to be sincere-hearted Believers and none else I do not say that Churches should account such for Hypocrites and reject them as such because they do not certainly know them to be sincere Saints who offer to joyn in fellowship with them but I only say that Hypocrites have no right unto neither ought they to presse into the Holy Churches of Christ for all the New-Testament Churches should consist onely of New Creatures and real Members of Jesus Christ 2. That all Church-members ought to be sincere hearted Believers appears by the high Titles that the Lord Jesus gives unto the Members of his Churches in the Scripture He calls them not his Copper but his Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 So David describes the Spouse of Christ Psal 45.13 The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Gold So they are called Saints holy Brethren and Beloved elect and called dear Children of God and called into the fellowship of his Son Rom. 1.7 Col. 3.12 2 Thes 2.13 Eph. 5.1 Heb. 3.1 And the Apostle Paul tells the Church of the Thessalonians that they were such to whom the Gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the holy Ghost and in much assurance and hence he concludes that they were the Elect of God 1 Thes 1.4 5. and he tells the Philippians that God had begun a good work in them and would perfect it and that not in a few but in all of them chap. 1.5 6. And the Church at Corinth is called the Spouse of Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 and the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 6.16 as also the Holy Churches of God and of Christ as you heard before and that the Church of Ephesus was formed into a Holy Temple of God and made his Habitation by the Spirit Eph. 2.21 22. And the Church at Rome wer the Children of God and joynt heirs with Christ Rom. 8. And Peter says that they were lively stones built up a Spiritual House and a Holy Priesthood 1 Pet. 2.5 and Paul tells the Ephesians that they were the Lords Sealed ones that they had the Spirit of God which had Sealed them up unto the Day of Redemption Eph. 1.13.4.30 Now these glorious things that are spoken of the Cities or Churches of God Psal 87.3 such honourable Titles belong not unto meer formal professours but only unto the real members of Christ not unto those that have a name only but to such as are so indeed and in Truth 3. A third Reason is taken from the ends of Churches or the ends of God in Instituting and appointing them I 'le name a few 1. They are said to be built by the Spirit for God Eph. 2.21 22. that is for God to dwell in them and walk in them to rest and repose himself in them as in his holy Walkes Gardens houses and Temples 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev 2.1 Psal 132.13 14. For the Lord hath chisen Zion he hath desired it for his Habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Oh! that all Church-members would seriously mind this and in Zeph. 3.16 17. it is said In that day speaking of Gospel-times it shall be said to Jerusalem fear thou not and unto Zion let not thine hands be slack The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoyce over thee with Joy he will rest in his Love he will Joy over thee with Singing As men refresh themselves and delight to be in the House of their dear and hearty Friends and Relations so doth God in his Churches and as the Bridegroom rejoyceth over his Bride so doth God over in his own Churches Isa 62.5 Now then if this be one of the holy ends of God then surely they must be Churches of holy persons not of Hypocrites for God hates and abhors their presence and services Isa 1.13 16. Isa 66.3 Prov. 15.8 2. They are intended and erected by his Spirit and Authority for his Glory in the World When great Men build stetely Houses it is for their honour and Glory and to distinguish themselves from others so when God builds himself a Spiritual House it is for his Honour and Glory to distinguish his People from others Solomon tells God that he had built God a House to dwell in and also for his name 1 Kings 8 13 19. which he did by the Lords appointment and direction so God appoints and sets up particular Holy Temples by his Spirit for his name and Glory that they should be to the praise of his glorious Grace and be the living Witnesses to his Name Truths and Ways that they should be the Habitations of beauty and Glory of fame and renown in the World and be the lights therefore and that with one heart and mouth they should glorify God Rom. 15.6 Golden Candlesticks in Princes Courts are set up for their glory as suitable to their state and dignity so doth God erect and set up his Golden Candlesticks the Churches of Believers for his glory as having a resemblance of his state and dignity and it is Gospel holinesse that becomes his House fore ver Psal 93.5 The Messengers of the Churches are said to be the Glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8.23 God calls the Church of the Jews
Righteousnesse worthynesse Interests and sufficiency and chosen and appropriated him to themselves for their Righteousnesse worthynesse portion and sufficiency upon the sight and conviction of the nothingness emptinesse and insufficiency of their own and with a heart satisfyed with perswasion of the lovelynesse fullnesse and sufficiency of Christs 5. And if all this be seriously humbly self-debasingly and heartily done so far as Men may Judge Is it done or do they make known the dealings of God with their Souls and their faith in Christ in such a manner and at least seemingly with such a Spirit and with the sense and feeling of what they declare you may also be much helped in making a right Judgment of them whether they are sent of God as fitted by him for Church membership by the ends they propound unto themselves and declare unto you in desiring membership with you If they do seriously professe that what they do is in obedience to the will and as they judge the call of Christ as their indispensible duty and that they dare not live any longer in the neglect of the Church-ordinances of Christ That they joyn in fellowship to meet with and enjoy God to receive of his fulnesse to fit and enable them to the performance of all duties and conform their hearts and lives to the will of God in all things and other ends before named To which they do seriously bind themselves to God to perform and prosecute as also to walk and carry themselves in his Church according to the will of God through the Grace of Christ I say such may undoubtedly be accounted worthy Members and be received in as such CHAP. VI. Of the Formal cause of a Congregational Gospel-Church 6. QUest What is the formalis ratio or formal cause of a particular Church of Christ or how and by what means should Believers and fit materials be formed up and become a beautiful formal House or Temple of God for him to dwell in Answ First it is certain in experience that every house consists of matter and form and as men cannot have houses to dwell in without matter and form or materials formed up and laid together in order by the Art of Men so cannot God properly have a Spiritual house without matter and form God alludes to mens houses and the old Jewish Temple when he calls and stiles his Gospel Churches his houses and Temples so likewise Cities and Corporations that are of mens forming and we all know that a great number of materials scattered abroad lying here and there make not a house although they are well fitted and framed for a house but it is the orderly forming them up together that makes a house David provided many excellent materials to build God a house yet says God thou shalt not build it but Solomon thy Son shall and it was not a house until Solomons days he made the house of Davids materials So a Company or great number of Believers scattered up and down here and there make not a Gospel-Church or holy Temple of God how holy and excellent soever they are no more than the materials for the Temple made a Temple in Davids days It is contrary to every mans reason and experience to imagine it Neither are a number of Believers meeting occasionally together for the celebration of some Ordinances though often therefore a Church although they know and love each other and are satisfied of the good states of each other Neither doth their living together within the bounds or limits of a Parish make them a Church nor all of them together because they want the constitutive cause or formalis ratio of a Church or House of God Hence says the Text in allusion unto material houses and the Jewish Temple which was once the place of the special worship and presence of God Deut. 12.5 11. 2 Chron. 7.15 16. Ye are built and fitly framed for a habitation of God and being so framed and that not by man but the Spirit ye grow into a Holy Temple in the Lord. And the Church of Corinth was so built into a Holy-Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 17. 2 Cor. 6.16 Now if a number of company of Believers dwelling near together as in Cities usually they do and their occasional meeting together to worship God in some Ordinances did make them a formal house of God what need of building them up into a house and it is a matter of great weight and moment to me what the Apostle says in the Text last vers concerning the holy Spirit namely that he should be the great Agent and doer of it which clearly shews that it is a matter of very great concernment with respect to God and Believers to have them well and orderly formed together into a Church House or Temple of God for else the holy Spirit would never thus appropriate it and the whole of it unto himself as being only able to do it as his own proper work it being too great for men Angels to do but from and by him And I think if it were so light and inconsiderable a matter as some would have it it would have been a great dishonour rather than an honour to the holy Ghost to have entitled himself to it and have taken it upon himself as the sole cause thereof And as the Jewish Temple was so to be built and formed as that it might continue in its beauty and glory so undoubtedly ought the Lords Spiritual Temples now not for a few days but for ever for otherwise they will be rather like the Israelites Tents and Tabernacle in the wildernesse transcient and removing from place to place while they were Journeying towards their rest but when they were setled in their Land then they were to have a fixed Temple to meet God in and so the Apostle speaking to and of the particular congregated Church of Ephesus alludes unto the Temple of God at Jerusalem as a fixed setled place of Gods worship when he says they are a holy Temple and habitation of God Now if persons occasionally meeting together for the worship of God make a Gospel Church without any more adoe then they may be here to Day and gone to Morrow In such a place was a Church Temple of God Yesterday but none to Day for they are not fixed but transcient they are no more bound to one another with whom they sometimes walked than to others of Gods People which they never saw till to Day And if they have a mind to do so they may go to five or ten several places to Morrow and five take up with one Minister and ten with another c. for a Week Month or Year as they please if they be not formed and builded together and bound fast together as a House Temple or Family under the rule Inspection and teaching of fixed stated Officers For either they belong to one fixed houshold and Family or to none at all they have their own Officers or none
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