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
to know and obey them in Truth First The first and greatest is love love and spiritual Affections are the holy Cords that tye the hearts souls and judgments of Believers one to another This is that which together with the fear of God makes them avoid all things whatever may give just offence or Administer griefe to one another and that which provokes them to follow after the things that make for Peace and the things that tend to Edification Love is the Bond of Peace Eph. 4.2 3. 'T is that which together with Divine light and truth causes Church-members to draw together as in one yoke and unanimously as with one heart and soul to design aim at and carry on mutual and common good in the Church Phil. 2.1 2. 1 Cor. 13.5 Without this love one to another they cannot will not Cement nor long abide and live together as a Church in Peace and Unity nor promote any good work among themselves without heart knitting-love one to another in the fear of God they will receive and entertain Jealousies and Suspicions one of another and put the worst construction on whatever is said or done and they cannot walk together comfortably and profitably to and with one another where and when they are entertained Therefore it is absolutely needful and necessary for all Church-members to be firmly United and constantly joyned together in cordial love and charity which is the Bond of Perfectness to and in all other Duties Col. 3.14 God highly commends and strictly commands this love one to another and puts it into the hearts of his peculiar People that they may do what he commands 1. God highly commends it wherever he finds it in Act and Exercise 1 Thes 4.10 And indeed sayes he ye do it towards all the Brethren Col. 1.4 8. 2 Cor. 8.7 1 Thes 1.3 to which Duty and to manifest his high approbation of it God hath promised a great Reward Heb. 6.10 2. God commands it and vehemently exhorts to and urges it on them almost every where in the Gospel Oh! how importunately did the Lord Jesus enjoyn it and frequently press it on his Disciples when he was on Earth Joh. 13.34 A new Commandment give I unto you what is that new Commandment why that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another And in Joh. 15.12 17. This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you That is take the Pattern of my Love to you for your love to or in loving one another I have and do love you 1 with great love Joh. 15.13 so do you likewise 2 My love to you is free without any desert in you let yours be free love without carnal Respects one to another also 3 My love to you is real hearty and unfeigned So let yours be to one another also Rom. 12.9 1 Pet. 1.22 4 My love towards you is an exceeding fruitful love I loved you so as to labour toyl sweat and dye for you I loved you so as to humble and debase my self for you and all to do you good so must you love one another with a fruitful profiting love For as I have loved you so you must love each other 5 My love to you is a pitying sparing and forgiving love a forbearing and tender hearted love so must yours be to one another likewise Col. 3.12 13. 6 I love you with a warm and fervent love so do you love one another with pure hearts fervently 1 Pet. 1.22 7 I love you with a holy spiritual love not as you are Men and have reasonable Souls but as new Men who have my Image stampt on and my holy Nature in you and as you are made perfect by the comeliness and beauty that I have put upon you Ezek. 16.14 2 Pet. 1.4 So do you love one another with a holy spiritual love namely because you are a lovely and a holy People unto me 8 I love you with a constant and unchangable love and that with a notwithstanding all your weaknesses yea unkindnesses to and unworthy walkings before me Whom I once love with a special and peculiar love I continue to love for ever Joh. 13.1 And I have engaged that not any thing shall separate you from me and my love Rom. 8. ult Thus you are bound to love one another even as I have loved and shall alwayes love you And as the Lord Jesus commanded and enjoyned this by the word of his own mouth So likewise by his Apostles They do frequently and vehemently urge and press this Duty on Church-members every where and back all their Commands from Christ with most strong and cogent Arguments Rom. 12.9 Rom. 13.8.9 10. Eph. 4.2 15 16. Eph. 5.2 1 Thes 5.8 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 3.8 1 Joh. 3.23 Chap. 4.7 These are a few of the many places where you may find this great Duty enjoyned on Believers and Church-Members which they are indispensibly bound to observe and obey And therefore God sheds this love into their hearts and Teaches them to improve and use it in loving one another 1 Thes 4.9 Rom. 5.5 For he gives his People and enables them to do that which he commands and requires of them and therefore the business of such Stewards is to use their Trust well and all lies on their diligence and faithfulness in Stewarding of it as good Stewards of Gods Grace Oh! That Church-members and all other Christians would seriously sincerely diligently and constantly mind and practise this great and indispensible Duty to one another in all their wayes and doings and not lay it aside as a little useless or indifferent matter which they may neglect and dispense with the omission of at their own will and pleasure Secondly As we are indispensibly bound to love one another as you have heard so we are as peremptorily absolutely and indispensibly bound to walk lovely and encouragingly towards one another that by our unlovely and unworthy walkings we lay not stumbling-blocks in the way of love or discourage such from loving us by our unlovely carriages as do conscientiously aim at and endeavour so to love us as Christ commands them to do But that our Behaviours be such in all things as to invite all to love us as holy humble and blameless Saints and Brethren in Christ Very many Professors expect much love from their carnal and spiritual Relations and are greatly displeased at them if they fancy they are denyed it and cast the blame on them whilest they mind not care not how unlovely and discouragingly they walk and carry themselves towards them But believe it the Lord Jesus expects and he hath made it their Duty to walk lovely towards one another as well as to love one another Church-members are bound to love one another as holy spiritual and lovely Objects which they cannot do unless they see or have good grounds to believe them to be such indeed When they walk carnally how can they love
set so their work and Duty lies there Not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together Heb. 10.25 and because some are not to neglect so to do therefore sayes the Apostle do you provoke each other to your Duty Twelfthly You must be charitable to the poor that are among you and freely contribute to them according to your Ability and their Necessity You are indispensibly bound to impart your help and assistance to them and give them a little of your Estates As you are Stewards for your selves so also for them It is a Debt you owe to God and a Duty to them you will comfort them thereby but you will much more profit your selves than you can possibly profit them It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive Acts 20.35 It is your honour and happiness that God enables you to give to them but it is their Affliction that they are necessitated to receive from you You stand on the Advantage ground by them both as to work and wages And therefore thou has little reason to despise them or grudge at thy distributions to them Thou art their Steward and a part of what God hath given thee was designed and intended for them 1 Pet. 4.10 And therefore sayes God Deut. 15.7 12. I command thee to open thy hand wide unto thy Brother that is waxen poor by thee Read the words at large observe likewise these Scriptures and diligently mark and consider them 2 Cor. 8. and 9. Chapters Gal. 6.9 10. Heb. 13.16 Prov. 19.17 Psal 37.26 Psal 41.1 2 3. You must not only give to keep them alive in misery but make comfortable provisions for them that they may have enough to keep them from the Temptations of Poverty 〈◊〉 pressing wants and to enable and encourage them for and in their work and Duty to God and men Thirteenthly You must carefully watchfully diligently and conscientiously beware of and avoid whatever may give any just offence or scandal to one another For we are charged to give none offence either to Jew or Gentile or to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And sayes the Apostle take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block 1 Cor. 8.9 And our Saviour tells us that woe to them by whom the offence comes Math. 18.7 and charges his Disciples to take heed and beware of giving any offence to his little ones vers 6. You must not only mind that which you ought to do but that which you must also leave undone For although you should strive to do never so much good yet if that while you are not careful of eschewing evil you will do a great deal of hurt and pull down with the one hand that which you seem to build up with the other And you must also see that you do one Duty as well as another For although you may be frequent attenders on the Ordinances of God in the Church yet if you come not timely to them or carry your selves unreverently in them you will give just offence So if you should be charitable to the poor and yet be negligent in publick worship you will give offence But to be brief know that you must take heed and beware of such evils as these and avoid them For they do all of them carry a Brand in their fore-heads and scandalous mischiefs in their hands both to your own and others Souls And therefore you should mind them endeavour to know and avoid them that they be not found in you 1. As 1. Proud lofty swelling disdainful and haughty words carriages walkings and deportments For they are grievous and provoking evils and such as will justly offend all the observers of them 2. You must avoid all sullen sowre and churlish Language and Behaviour towards all sorts of persons or else you will offend them For it is an evil that is altogether unbecoming the Lambs of Jesus Christ 3. You must beware of a cross captious and contradicting Spirit and carriage There are too to many such Members in Churches whose peculiar Excellency or rather vileness lies in this and who delight in a singular perversness of mind and discourse against the work sense proposals and judgment of the Church and the Elders thereof That so they may be heard and may hear themselves talk and from the Pride and haughtiness of their Spirits they may seem some bodies in the Church or in other Company But this is very scandalous to their Brethren excepting such as they have made of their Faction to joyn with them in their unfruitful works of darkness and very reproachful to themselves as they will find at long run But I must hasten 4. You must beware of avoid peevish froward and touchy carriages words and deportments in private and publick For they are very scandalous and offensive 5. You must not withdraw your selves from your place work and Duty in the Church nor absent from the VVorship and Ordinances of God there in their times and seasons For that is a most scandalous and pernitious evil as you heard before It hath an innumerable Company of evils in the Womb of it and that do attend it which I have now no room to mention And it is a direct Transgression of Gods Laws Rules and Orders in his Churches besides the scandal and evil consequences of it 6. Take heed of that filthy sin of speaking evil of one another behind their backs you must not be Whisperers or Back-biters nor speak of the real or supposed evils of one another but to their faces or before them until you have done your duty to them in secret For if you should you will greatly provoke them and greatly stumble offend and scandalize such as you so speak evil of 7. You must beware of speaking slightingly and contemptibly of one another either to their faces or behind their backs For men yea the best of men will not cannot patiently bear contemptuous words and undeserved slighting carriages from their Brethren 8. You must beware of and avoid vain foolish and frothy discourses for they are very scandalous and offensive to gracious hearts 9. Take heed of Earthly-mindedness and greedy pursuits after worldly things for as they are offensive to God and pernitious to your own Souls so they are scandalous and grievous to beholders 10. Take heed and beware of strife and contention amongst your selves for that will do a world of mischief and produce many evil and wicked fruits 11. Take heed of grudging at or envying one anothers prosperity for thereby you controul God himself and give occasion of great offence to your Brethren when they shall see that they cannot receive mercies from God without your envyings and grudgings 12. Be sure to deal justly with all men and give to every one his due defrauding is a very reproachful and scandalous sin Contract not Debts and delay or deny to pay them For if you do you will scandalize your Brethren and cause the name of God to be
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
King and Lawgiver the Lord Christ and they do by such neglects slight and despise his Love and Grace his Care and Kindness He hath provided holy Temples and spiritual Houses for them to dwell in and Heavenly provisions are made ready in them for their entertainment The doors are set open to let in such Guests and the Servants of the great King are gone forth to bid them come away and invite them to enter in There stands also the Master of the Feast even at the door waiting for them the King of glory attends there to welcome them when they come Luk. 14.16 17. Rev. 3.20 He gets there before them and abides there in expectation of the presence and company of all his Saints Psal 11.4 Isa 30.18 He declares that it is his good pleasure they should come there and eat of his dainties that he hath bought and prepared for them Cant. 5.1 Prov. 9.1 2 3 4 5. Now that they ought to joyn themselves to and become holy living and spiritual Members of some particular Congregational Church of Christ if possibly they can will further appear by these following Reasons and Considerations First The Lord Christ hath erected instituted and appointed Churches for this end among others namely that his called and sanctified people might be the matter of them that they might joyn and walk together in them and that they might be the materials of them This state and condition is not ordained and appointed for other persons but only for the Holy Seed for God will not keep House with unregenerate and unholy persons but with his chosen Generation and Royal Priesthood he will That particular Congregational Churches are of divine Institution hath been already proved and if so then it will follow that God's people should joyn to and walk with them or else to what purpose are they appointed instituted and ordained by Jesus Christ If none are bound in duty yea if all God's people that can are not bound in duty and compliance with the Lords ends to become Churches joyn to and walk in and with them then this Order and Institution of Christ is in vain he hath appointed and instituted that which none are or will be advantaged by which surely was far from the gracious thoughts and intentions of the Lord Jesus the Wisdom and Power of God 1 Cor. 1.24 For the Lord hath made all things for himself and ordained them for his own Glory and the profit of his people He hath made nothing in vain It is far below him to do it and below reasonable Creatures to imagine it And 2. It will follow that whoever joyn themselves to such Churches they do it not as duty to God and their own souls but as an act of their own will and pleasure without any respect to or regard had of the Will of God and their own spiritual good so are guilty of Superstition and Will-worship which God loaths and abhors The very Institution proves it sufficiently to be our duty to joyn with and become Members of some particular Churches of Christ Secondly The unanimous and universal Votes of all the Primitive Saints do prove this Truth Those good men that were converted to Christ by the Apostles Preaching with and amongst whom they lived and convers'd and such as they planted fed and watered 1 Cor. 3. and these both Jews and Gentiles they do all of them by their constant practice witness to and confirm what I say Look where you will in the Stories of the Acts where you read of the Apostles Preaching and Men Converted there or in Pauls Epistles and the Revelation you shall find the young Converts giving up themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God 2 Cor. 8.5 We find them by and by inchurched and walking in a Church-state and relation So in Acts 2.41 42. ult Acts 5.14 And were not all Pauls Epistles that to Philemon only excepted which was written upon a particular occasion wrote and sent to the Churches or to and for Believers as inchurched and imbodied together that they might know how to behave themselves in the House or Houses of God towards God their Elders and one another They are expresly called Churches the Churches of God and of Christ as was shewed before Now all Believers are charged and exhorted to follow their examples and practice Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through Faith and Patience Inherit the Promises that is see and mark them in their walkings observe how they lived and practised and do you so likewise Paul indeed could not abide with the Church at Jerusalem to which he was joyned as a Member Acts 9.26 27 28. because he was sent to Preach the Gospel to the Gentiles But as oft as he could he joyned and walked with the Churches as you may often find in reading the Acts of the Apostles Now says he to the Church at Philippi chap. 3.17 Brethren be followers together of me and mark them who walk so as ye have us for an ensample This Commandement is for you who are in Christ that you walk as Paul and other Primitive Saints walked If it was their duty and practise as you see it was for they gave themselves to the Lord and to one another by the Will of God that is they Congregated and inchurched themselves not by or according to their own wills but by and according to the Will of God then I say it is the duty of all other Saints and it ought to be their practise likewise For whatsoever was written aforetime namely of the Saints duty and approved practise was written for our Learning that we who succeed them in their Faith and Priviledges in their Hope and Profession might follow them in practise also If we look for and expect the same Covenant-mercies and blessings that they had we must practise the same duties and walk as they did The Primitive Saints were commended and renowned for their orderly walking in a Church-state Rev. 2 3. Chapters and often else-where Luk. 1.6 1 Cor. 11.1 2. Thirdly All Believers ought to walk in Church-fellowship by virtue of their Marriage-Covenant When by the power of Grace and the Spirits operations in their hearts they were perswaded to make Christ their choice and took received and embraced him on his own terms they solemnly engaged themselves to be his chose his Laws and Ordinances for theirs and bound themselves to him to walk with him and be obedient unto him in all things to keep and observe to love and practise all his Laws and to conform in heart and practise unto all his Ordinances and Institutions as David Zachary Elizabeth and other Saints of God had done before them Thus in effect do all truly-convinced and sincere-hearted Believers do when contracted or married unto Christ by Faith Psal 119.106 Hos 3.3 Jer. 30.21 2 Cor. 8.5 Col. 2.6 Now then being thus bound or having thus bound and obliged themselves
them and that where God hath promised and you may find them There you may obtain the milk and honey of the promises of Christ's presence of making you fat and flourishing of a blessed Ministry and the blessings of it of Divine loves and sweet provisions and of peace and security I could have perswaded you to joyn unto and walk in the Churches of Christ by other Reasons but I think these may suffice such as are of willing hearts and of meek and humble soft and holy spirits Quest What ends should all men aim at and have in their eye in joyning with and walking in Church-fellowship or to what ends and purposes should they become Church-members Answ 1. To please and honour the Lord Jesus Christ their Lord and King in his Churches and to shew their Respect unto him Obedience to his Commands and declare their dependance on him for all things and their subjection to him in all things Christ the Lord hath done many good works to pleasure them exalt honour them and therefore they ought to do his will and their duty to please exalt and honour him Esa 56.4 Col. 1.10 This glorious end every Church-member must have in his eye and heart in walking in Churches 2. To express their high Resentment of his savours to them and their cordial thank fulness for them They are greatly priviledged and highly dignified in the Churches by their membership there and they can no otherwise express their gratitude to their head and King but by accepting them dutiful and faithful improvement of them to the ends for which they were given Good men do shew how they value them by their accepting and using them Churches and their priviledges are not small matters in their accounts or light matters in their esteem but they are high and honourable in their hearts and so are their works and duties there likewise Psal 27.4 Psal 63.1 2 3. Psal 84. 3. They should aim at and design to have and hold Communion with God and Jesus Christ the Lord. God is known in these Palaces Psal 48.3 and to be seen in these Galleries There he opens himself and breaks opens the Treasures of his love and grace unto his people and there he stands holding out his Golden Scepter There he waits to meet his Spouses to kiss and embrace them to entertain and speak friendly to them He meeteth them that rejoyce and work Righteousness and remember him in his wayes Esa 64.5 The wayes and walks of the Lord God are in his Churches there he dwells keeps house manifests himself unto his Houshold and rests himself takes his delight and shews forth his glory to them and thither they should go to meet him 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 2.1 Joh. 14.21 23. 4. Believers should enter into and walk with God in Church-fellowship to encrease and augment their grace and to better their hearts to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 and that they may perfect holiness in the fear of God that they may receive of his fulness grace for grace Joh. 1.16 and be filled with all the fulness of God Eph. 3.19 that they may eat of their Fathers Bread and drink of his Wine be made fat and flourishing and fruitful in every good work Psal 92. Psal 132. Col. 1.10 5 To keep their hearts warm strong and lively for God his work and service and that they may obtain and enjoy all encouragements for and in their works tryals and difficulties To fence and arm themselves against all their Enemies assaults on them and be enabled to fight against and conquer them in the Lord Jesus That they may be enabled to run their holy Race chearfully and couragiously and finish their course with joy Act. 20.24 1 Cor. 9.24 Rom. 8. The Son of Righteousness shines warmest on Believers Souls in the Churches of Christ and there are more springs of joy and harvests of profit than are or can be found elsewhere There is a River the streams whereof make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high Psal 46.4 There are no springs like the Churches springs nor any harvests like the Churches harvests The fullest clearest and most fatning streams of living waters flow from the fountain Christ on the Churches and the most comely and fruitful branches are or may be found in them They may be the warmest sweetest strongest liveliest chearfullest fruitfullest and the most spiritual men in the World And that they may be such they should joyn themselves to and walk in the Churches of Christ 6. That they may adorn the Gospel convince the World encourage their Brethren and witness to the Truths Wayes Authority and Headship of Christ This is no small thing but they are all matters of the highest moments and of greatest concernment and therefore and for these ends they should walk in Church-fellowship 7. To augment and encrease your experiences to obtain more acquaintance with your selves the operations of the holy Ghost for you and in you and that you may be more clearly and firmly sealed up to the day of Redemption 8. To pay your vows and make good your promises to Perform your Covenant and discharge your work to God the Father and Christ your head You owe them personal and Church-homage and service you are bound and engaged to observe and do all things whatsoever your God commands and appoints you to observe and do according to your opportunities and abilities Matth. 28. ult Joh. 14.15 which you do not cannot do unless you walk in some Church of Christ and put your selves under all his Laws Ordinances and Institutions But that you may so do you put or ought to put your selves under them by joyning your selves to and walking with God and his people in Church-fellowship These are some of the holy ends all believers should have in their eyes and hearts in their aims and designs They must take heed and beware of carnal self-ends in this and all other matters of Religion which will certainly croud in and carry a great stroke in this matter For the Lord Jesus abhors them and cannot endure to have his holy and spiritual matters and concernments subjected and made to serve mens carnal Interests He will have no other aims and ends in Church-members hearts but his own whereby he may be glorified and our Souls profited and others encouraged to do their duty to him We have no dispensation or allowance given us to aim at and design to augment and encrease our Trades and worldly profits or to be maintained by the Churches Benevolence in and by our walking with them or to greaten our names and encrease our friendship and acquaintance among men unless it be to capacitate us to do the more good to men to have larger opportunities to serve Christ our Brethren and our own Souls But our aims ends and designs must be the Lord's namely to please and honour God to express our thankfulness
to him for his love and grace to us to hold and enjoy Communion with him to grow in grace and to be filled with all the fulness of God to be warm lively and strong in our duties and performances and for such holy ends as God requires Thus you see that all Gods people are bound in duty to joyn themselves to and walk in spiritual fellowship with the Churches of Christ as also for what ends and to what purpose they should do so CHAP. XI Shewing how Church-members ought to walk and what Sins and Temptations they are obnoxious to in their Church-state with Rules and cautions against them Arguments and motives to perswade to practice the one and avoid the other Quest HOw ought Believers to walk in Church-fellowship Answ I have shewed already what their duties are and how they should carry themselves towards their Officers and towards one another in a Church-state and therefore shall not mention them here but shall answer the question in these following particulars First Church-members must walk exemplarily they should be like so many Stars in the Firmament of the Church They of all persons in the world ought to be burning and shining lights Their graces gifts words deeds and carriages should shine so clear and bright so gloriously and conspicuously as that they should have the force and prevalency of Laws on the minds of beholders so as that they may safely securely imitate follow them The Churches of Christ in the world are as so many Sea-marks Pilots Guides to Men they live more in the glory of Heaven as the Church is called in Rev. 13.6 in the beams of the glorious Son of Righteousness than others do and therefore they should give better and clearer light than others can They are much more eyed minded and observed than others are and men expect and look for more good in and choice fruits from them than they do from other men They do or may converse more with Christ and Christ with them than other men do and they are partakers of greater things from him than other men are and therefore they must be a singular People in all manner of holy Conversation and Godliness Church-members are highly dignified and greatly priviledged their holy Profession gives out bespeaks them to be a peculiar Treasure unto God and therefore they must declare before all men that they are such indeed and not in pretence only Their frames of heart words deeds and deportments must speak for them manifest them to be the same in Truth which they pretend to be Church-members words works and carriages must praise them in the Gate 1. They should be shining lights in Humility and Meekness Col. 3.12 Put on therefore as the Elect of God humbleness of mind meekness 1 Pet. 5.5 and be Cloathed with Humility Phil. 2.3 But in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart Church-members must not be high proud and lofty they may not think highly of themselves Rom. 12.3 nor cloath and deck themselves as others do They may not carry themselves strangely or disdainfully towards men but be meek and humble towards their Brethren and all men in their Apparel Words Deeds and Carriages for if this part of Christ's Image do not appear in some good measure on them they cannot have any at all A meek spirit carriage and deportment is one of their Ornaments It is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 2. They must shine in Zeal Fervency of spirit this holy fire should burn among them They must not be of dull stupid heavy and lumpish spirits worship God appear before him and hold Communion one with another indifferently coldly dully regardlesly and heavily as if they were rather driven to their work and duty against their wills than with their choyce love and desire but they must be fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 for which some of the Corinthians were commended 2 Cor. 7.11 and Phinchas Numb 25.11.13 and David Psal 69.9 To this they are redeemed and for it they are purchased Tit. 2.14 not only to do good works but to be Zealous in and for them The Lord Jesus charges his Churches to be Zealous Churches Rev. 3.19 in imitation of himself whose Zeal to God did eat him up Joh. 2.17 Much holy Zeal governed and guided by much spiritual Wisdom makes a man an excellent shining useful acceptable and desirable man indeed This should be another of the Churches beauties and comely Ornaments wherewith they should still be cloathed decked and adorned in this world If this Diamond do not shine if they are not adorned with this rare Jewel what are they worth and what are they good for They will be like fire without heat and light as to their duty work and usefulness They will be like Drones or like Bees without stings namely of no considerable use in the world All that they do for God Men and their own Souls will be of little or no esteem and account 3. They must shine in Love and Charity too Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 the ligament and sinew the cord and instrument that tyes us fast to God and to one another See that ye love one another with pure hearts fervently 1 Pet. 122. and let Love be without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soul and strength Matth. 22.37 The internal motive or moving cause of all obedience and service to God must be love to him and our duty Joh. 14.15 1 Joh. 5.3 It is true that men cannot certainly discern this Love to God in one another but God and our own Consciences may and must Churches of Christ must be Churches of Love they should be acted and animated drawn and constrained to every good work by Love 2 Cor. 5.14 All the ways and workings of Jesus Christ to us all that he doth to or for us is Love Doth he instruct us or doth he correct us it is all in and from love Love to us is the bottom spring and cause of all his dispensations towards us His anger is provoked Love Love should knit our hearts fast to our God and Head to our duties and services and to one another in Church-fellowship But of this already else-where 4. Churches must shine in that great work and duty of Self-denyal when need requires He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 Luk. 9.26 They should be eminent and singular in Self-denyal or in denying themselves of many things for Christ for their Brethren and for their own souls sakes Their Lord Jesus is the great copy pattern and examplar of Self-denyal and that for them to serve them and promote their happiness Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. Acts 20.28 and without this we cannot be his Disciples If we will not deny our selves
do so you rob God break your Covenant offend your Brethren and wrong your own souls You must go up because you are called to go and that you may meet God in Zion and receive his blessings for there he commands them Psal 133. ult Oh! it is sad indeed when persons shall pretend to enter into Churches take upon them the observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Christ there solemnly and publickly promise and engage to walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God with his people and yet shall dare wilfully to neglect their place and duty therein and to pay their Vows to their God and King Psal 65.1 Psal 61.5.8 Such as are good Governours of Families and Corporations will carefully mind if all within them do answer to their calls and perform their duties when called so to do So doth the Lord Jesus Christ in his Churches He summons them by his Ministers to appear before him wait on and worship him together and bring him a Church-offering and service and narrowly observes who comes and who neglects it how thy come and with what frames of hearts to what ends as the 2. 3. Chap of Rev. shew And if he find any wanting that might come or see them come carelesly and superficially he accounts himself slighted disobeyed and his Love and Grace contemned and undervalued God expects that you should be constant in Church-meetings and not decline them at any time but when his hand obstructs and impedes you but that there you should come with your Free-will offerings and do your Duty Homage to him as he commanded you Believe it this is a matter of great moment and not to be slighted or disregarded by you Sixthly You must walk with God in Church-fellowship in Sincerity and with Vprightness of heart to Without this all your performances are in vain The Lord Jesus is very curious and critical in searching your hearts in your Church-state Rev. 2.23 And all the Churches shall know that I search the reins and the heart And in Jer. 17.10 saith God to the inchurched Jews I the Lord search the heart I try the reins Then surely it must very much concern you to see that you draw night to God continually with true hearts Heb. 10.22 and that without all allowed Guile and Hypocrisie A little of this Leaven will quickly leaven the whole lump of duties Gal. 5.9 It will so corrupt and sowre them as that they will be all stark naught and good for nothing but to kindle and encrease the flames of God's Wrath and Vengeance against you Therefore take heed and beware of Hypocrisie and do not connive or wink at the least grain of it in your hearts or duties but be sure to walk with God in the performance of all duties in Integrity and Uprightness Be sure that your God expects it from you and requires it of you Joshua 24.14 Gen. 17.1 The Eyes of the Lord run to and fro through-out the Churches to see whose heart is perfect with him and whose is hypocritical 2 Chron. 16.9 He requires Truth in the inward parts Psal 51.6 and that all Church-members should walk before him in Truth and with perfect hearts 2 King 20.3 You must worship God and serve him with your all for your little all is but too little for him Prov. 23.26 Math. 22.37 Psal 119.10 You must not leave one hoof behind when you do any thing for God nor put God off with a part of your abilities for the whole for if you do you will lose the acceptance and reward of all Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name saith David Psal 103.1 Seventhly See that you worship God and observe all his Ordinances in the Church in spirit or spiritually Remember that you are his holy spiritual Temples the Temples of the Holy Ghost Eph. 2.21 1 Cor. 3.16 that all the Ordinances of worship in them are holy and spiritual Ordinances stampt with the Image of God's Holiness and Authority and that he will be worshipped in spirit or spiritually Joh. 4.23 24. You must be very careful that you take not up with the external part and outside of your duties and priviledges that you settle not your selves and stay as it were in and upon Ordinances and your enjoying and observing them but get within the Vail seek and look for God and Christ for Heaven and glorious things in them Let your Faith conduct you by the hand of the Spirit into the bosom and heart of Christ that there you may read his Love Grace and glorious Excellencies have intimate and close Communion with him and be ravished and refreshed with his Person and Love Get into his Galleries and see the King of Glory in his beautys and transcendant sweetnesses and get into the Sanctum Sanctorum into the most holy place for the way is opened and the vail drawn off and removed by your Head for you to come and meet him there Heb. 10.19 20 Therefore do not stand and worship in the outer Court of the Temple but go and pass through Ordinances to Christ into the holiest of all and when-ever you go and enter in be you sure that you carry all Graces the Spirit with you to meet your Lord and honour him with them Endeavour all you can to see and feel him to get your hearts ravished with his Person and Love that thereby they may be raised up to great delight joy chearfulness adoration admiration and praise that they may be filled with his Savours warmed with his Love drawn by his Beauty be by all knit and united tyed and bound fast to him Then we worship him in spirit or spiritually when we worship him go to meet him with all our Graces in the Holy of Holies when our Hearts Graces do close up with and hold Communion with him in these Beauties of Holiness Psal 110.3 I am affraid that very few Church-members are experimentally acquainted with this matter for if they were so acquainted with it indeed they could not do as they do They could not neglect the worship and Ordinances of Christ nor cry up a Cephas and cry down a Paul as they do 1 Cor. 3. They could not be so careless and formal in them as they are nor carry about such dead lumpish and heavy hearts and minds as they do Well but however it hath been with you let it be so no more Do you for time to come learn so to worship God as you have heard that so you may please and honour him and he may delight to meet with and bless you Eightly You must walk in Church-fellowship chearfully comfortably and joyfully You must not be Whiners and Complainers you must not be sad lumpish and melancholly in your Father's House No for that will greatly reflect on your Father and on your Head and Husband You will raise suspicions in the minds of men on the good ways of God
unfruitful under them connive at and indulge any of the said Sins or others like them and dally with Temptations you will certainly rue for it and pull on your heads and hearts many evils troubles sorrows and disquietments many fears and distresses incumberances and confusions You will drive God from you cause him to shut up his loving Countenance from you in displeasure and to write bitter things against you Your own souls are very much concerned in your exact holy diligent faithful and circumspect walking with God in all his ways and Gospel-precepts in your Church-state Therefore do you aim at and seek their good and do you so walk and carry your selves towards God and one another as to promote their happiness 5. Consider call to mind and lay to heart the ends for which you joyned your selves to the Churches of Christ as also the solemn profession and engagement you then made to and before God Angels and Men. Remember that they are all Witnesses for you to what you did when you entred in among them and took on you the serious diligent faithful and constant observation of all the Laws and Ordinances of Jesus Christ in them when you took hold of his Covenant owned the Lord Christ for your Head King and Law-giver and promised to yield him all faithful subjection and obedience For if you forget these things neglect your duties or walk contrary unto God know for certain that he will remember all and will testifie against you yea he will make your own Consciences Witnesses against you Oh consider did you not joyn in Church-fellowship that you might be enriched with Grace be filled with the Spirit built up in Gospel-holiness and that you might perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Ask your Hearts and Consciences did we not joyn our selves together in a holy band and bind our selves to walk with God unto all well-pleasing in our Church-state and Gospel-relation one to another surely we did Well then do we now indeed keep these things warm on our hearts aim at and prosecute them in good earnest or do we not Did we not aim at intend and engage to get more Acquaintance and Communion with Christ more Acquaintance with our selves and with the Laws Waies and Promises of Jesus Christ and did we not intend and promise to obey him wait on him honour and glorifie him in and by our so doing Did we not intend and aim at the profit of our own souls the good of one another and of all men and that we might be made fruitful in every good work Col. 1.10 Heb. 13.21 That Lusts might be mortified Sin subdued Grace magnified and our Hearts cleansed and purified 6. Consider and lay to heart the many and great encouragements you have to further you to strengthen your hands and animate your hearts to your duty and so walking in your Church-fellowship You have very many helps and inducement to encourage and quicken you so to do Some are past some are present in your hands and some are yet to come O remember how great things the Lord hath done for you that you might be his People and walk as you have heard When you were accursed and condemned to everlasting Destruction 2 Thes 1. He redeemed you He gave himself a Ransom for you took on him your sins and punishment your work and shame your wrath and reproach to take off the Sentence that was past on you remove the Curse from you and bring you out of Prison from the bondages in which you were Isa 5.3 2 Cor. 5. ult Zach. 9.11 He became your Surety took on him your Debts was arrested and cast into Prison Isa 53. and paid the utmost farthing for you and thereby obtained a general Release for you He found you in your blood and then he washed you Ezek. 16. and he found you miserable and pittyed you He found you naked and cloathed you dead and quickened you sick and he healed you He found you blind and he enlightned you fallen and he lifted you up You were weak and he strengthned you in pain and he eased you sorrowful and he comforted you When you were wandring out of the way of peace and happiness he sought you out and brought you back unto himself he set your feet in the right way and spake peace unto you Ever since you were new-born he hath succoured supported supplied and cared for you He hath entrusted and enriched you with Gospel mercies for your maintenance and comfortable subsistance You have had and still have many of his choise Talents in your hand and he never denyed you any good thing But this is not all that you have to encourage you in the practise of holiness but you have many of his Bonds in your hands for your security of what he will further be to you and do for you You have many Earnests Pawns and Pledges of greater things that he will yet do for you He hath engaged to you that he will abide with you and that he will never wholly leave or forsake you Joh. 14.21.23 Heb. 13.5 That he will care for and water you protect exalt and honour you Isa 27.3 Psal 37.34 and make you perfectly holy That he will supply all your wants Phil. 4.19 guide you by his Spirit fill you full of joy and peace by believing perfect the Marriage-Union come again and receive you to himself and instate you in eternal Glory CHAP. XII Of the Lords Supper wherein several questions are answered concerning the nature use and end of it and the necessary qualifications and preparations of all worthy Receivers of it with several other things relating to the Lords Supper I Shall now give you a brief account of the Lords Supper commonly called the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by Learned Men but I shall call it as the Gospel doth the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.20 and breaking of Bread Luk. 24.35 Acts 2 42. Acts 20.7 This holy and spiritual Ordinance this great Seal of the Covenant the Lord Jesus hath appoi ted for and given to his Gospel Churches for their souls profit and the manifestation of the glory of his Love and Grace to them Quest What is the Lords Supper Answ 〈◊〉 is a Heavenly Feast or a spiritual Gospel Ordinance instituted and appointed by Jesus Christ for and given to his inchurched Saints to be to them a constant Memorial Sign and Seal of his death and sufferings for them 1. It is a Feast yea it is a Feast of fat things Isa 25.6 and a Heavenly Banquet Cant. 2.4 It is the Spiritual Wedding-Supper made appointed by Jesus Christ for his Spouses where he comes furnishes the Table sits down and eats with them invites them to sit down with him and bids them welcome bids them eat and drink abundantly Rev. 3.20 Cant. 5.1 2 It is a Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance not a Civil or a Carnal and Legal Ordinance such as were ordained for the Jewish Church of old but
to you Yea that he will far exceed your highest regular Expectations from him in his Princely favours and glorious distributions to your Souls CHAP. XIII Where are several Questions Answered and Resolved Quest WHether a Church-member may withdraw or absent himself from the Lord's Supper upon any Sin or Offence given him by one or more of his Fellow-members in the Church Answ The offended Member may not withdraw nor by any means absent himself on that Account Too many indeed are apt to think and they Act accordingly that they have a Dispensation to neglect their Duty and practically to slight their Priviledge because others are not so good as they should be and have given them Offence But that which gives them such a Dispensation is their own Pride Ignorance Prejudice and wilfulness not Jesus Christ their Head But I say you may not absent your selves or neglect that great Ordinance upon such Accounts 1 Because it is your Duty to receive it and wait on Christ in it as hath been shewed and it is not anothers Sin that can discharge you of your Duty 2 If thy Brother hath sinned and thereby incapacitated himself for a worthy receiving and celebrating of this holy Ordinance thou hast the greater Reason offered thee to come and receive it worthily to the honour of Christ For it is most unreasonable that he should be deprived of the Glory of his Grace and thy Duty because thy Brother hath sinned against him and dishonoured him already 3 Hast thou rebuked thy sinning Brother and laboured to bring him to Repentance and art thou mourning and praying for him and waiting on God for his Recovery as thou art bound to do 1 Cor. 5.2 Why then his Sin shall not be laid to thy Charge neither may it impede or hinder thy Reception of this Ordinance 4 It is thy Prejudice and Wrath against if not thy Loathing and Hating of the offending Person that causes thy Neglect or the Guilt thou hast contracted to thy own Soul and Conscience that makes thee forbear coming to the Lord's Table and not a dutiful and conscientious Forbearance because God would have it so For it is contrary to his holy Will 5 Allow of this and you will never want occasions but the Devil and your own Lusts will still supply you with enough to provoke and perswade you to a total neglect of this Duty Quest Suppose I find my self unfit and indisposed to receive the Lord's Supper may not I neglect it Answ No for thy waiting on Christ at his Table is thy Duty as hath been proved And therefore thou maist not think of neglecting it but the more unfit and indisposed thou findest thy self to be the more seriously diligently and vigorously thou shouldst labour to prepare thy self and get the removal of thy Indispositions To obtain and put on the Wedding-Garment that thou maist worthily partake of this Ordinance If the Iron be blunt the harder you must strike Eccl. 10 10. The more unprepared you are the more and greater diligence you must use to prepare I know that Church-members are subject to this Temptation which if yielded to will bring on many Mischiefs upon their Souls as some have sadly experienced But what hinders that you endeavour not the removal of these Evils presently you may not alwayes live so but one time or other you must get rid of them unless you will perish And when will you find a fitter time for the doing of it than now Therefore know that you have two great and indispensible Duties lying before you 1. To use all means for the removing all Obstructions and to get your Hearts in a ready meet posture for God and your Duties Amos 4.12 2 To wait on Christ at his Table on the next opportunity 1 Cor. 1â— 28 and not to add Sin to Sin by neglecting either of them Quest What do you think of those Members who do wilfully neglect to come to the Lord's Table very often and for a long time together or of such as will ride out of Town such dayes as they are called to partake of it Answ First either they are dead rotten Members such as are mentioned in Matth. 13.20 21. Joh. 15.2 6. Heb. 6. and Heb. 10. or else they have fouly back sliden from God and contracted much guilt and hardness of Heart You may be sure that matters go very ill with them at home and that they are in a withering and dying condition that they have wickedly forsaken God and God hath forsaken them 2 Chron. 15.2 They have most horribly sinned against Knowledge and Conscience grieved the holy Spirit and alienated their Hearts from God They have lost the savour of Christ that was on their Hearts the Conscience of and love to their Duties all care of and respect to their own and their Brethren's Souls and have with Ephraim cast off the thing that is good and therefore Evil pursues them Hosea 8.3 and they are under the Temptations of the Devil For were it not thus with them they could not durst not do as they do in this great and weighty matter The sight of their Duty the sense of their own wants and their love to Christ their Brethren and their own Souls would in no wise permit or dispense with such wilful neglects of so great a Duty and Priviledge and to keep at a distance from their God And if you mind them and have close discourse with them about spiritual things you may find them neglecters and slighters of other Duties of Carnal Vain Sottish and Stupid Spirits and that their Hearts and Souls are in a sad and miserable condition They desire not care not for your Company nor to hear you talk with them about their Soul's concernments And if they pretend any excuse or offer to defend their â—â—glects be sure they will cast all or most of the blame or cause off from themselves on others which argues a vile wicked Spirit They neglect the Lord's Table not because their own Hearts Wayes are very evil and abominable if any will believe them no but because their Ministry the Church or some particular Members of it are not good enough for their Communion And herein they blaspheme or scandalize them and offer violence to their own Consciences for the clearing of themselves and in belying their Teacher or Brethren Quest Is not Excommunication an Ordinance of Christ in his Church Answ Yea it is a great and useful Ordinance which may not be neglected when need requires on any pretence whatsoever because the Lord Jesus the King and Head of his Churches hath instituted and commanded it to be done and hath thereby made it their indispensible Duty Matth. 18.15 16 17. 1 Cor. 5.4 5 11 12 13. 2 Thes 3.6 14. Quest For what ends must the Church use this Ordinance and why hath Christ appointed it and commanded the Administration of it Answ For these Six ends 1. To remove Offence from the Church For a scandalous
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
and endeavour the having of Christ upon the hardest Terms and do you desire c. that all may go for Christ his Person his Blood and Righteousness his Grace Love Life and Spirit for the pardon of your sins and Justification of your Persons that you may be found in him not having your own Righteousnesse but the Righteousnesse of Christ by Faith Phil. 3.9 and do you go and present your selves naked and as condemned Sinners to him and to God the Father in and by him that you may be cloathed with the Righteousness of Christ and that God may pardon justify and accept you for his sake only 3. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to have Christ Jesus for your Lord and Ruler too Col. 2.6 that he may Rule in you and over you and that your Lusts and your selves your Interests and your all may be subject unto him and be all at his command and disposal continually Is Christ the Lord as acceptable unto you as Christ Jesus the Saviour and are you willing to obey him and subject to his Authority and Lordship as well as to be saved by him Would you have him destroy your Lusts make an end of Sin and bring all under his Obedience 4. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour never to sin more but to walk with God unto all well pleasing continually Col. 1.10 and do you pray earnestly that God would work in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 that you may in all your waies honour and glorify him as the end of your living in this World 2 Cor. 5.15 Would you indeed live to the praise of his glorious Grace and be an Ornament unto his Name and Gospel and would you be fruitful in every good Word and Work Are these things the Scope aim and intendment of your hearts and Souls in some good measure and degree daily in duties and Ordinances and at other times 5. Do you seriously and heartily chuse and desire communion with Christ and do you indeed and in truth endeavour so as to obtain it and keep it do you so seek for it in the way of Gospel obedience and in observing your duty and keeping Christs commands and do you prefer it before and above earthly carnal things do your hearts breathe and pant after it and are you willing to deny self and carnal Interests to get it Are you glad when you find it and sad when by your own carelesness you lose it doth it when obtained quicken your love to and zeal for Christ doth it warm your hearts and cause them for a time to run your race in Gospel obedience cheerfully doth it lead you unto and lodge your hearts in Christ and doth it oblige and bind them faster unto him and doth it stir you up to thankfulnesse 6. Do you seriously and heartily desire chuse and endeavour to be filled with Gospel sincerity towards God and men and had you rather be sincere and real hearted towards God than seem to be so towards Men had you much rather have the Praise of God than of men and to be approved of by him than extolled by men Is it your care aim and endeavour to carry your selves sincerely before him and to approve your selves unto him under the fear conviction of his all seeing Eye Is it the great thing you mind and aim at in your profession and practice namely sincerity and uprightnesse of Heart do you make conscience of drawing near to God with it and to season every duty with this divine Salt do you indeed desire chuse and endeavour to be after Gods own Heart as David was and Nathaniels indeed in whom is no Guile although you cannot get clear nor rid your selves of all Hypocrisy as you should Is Integrity and uprightnesse of Heart in your Eye resolutions and Intentions and is all Hypocrisy hateful and abominable unto you do you love sincerity and labour after it indeed Are you afraid of Hypocrisy and do you watch and strive against it as against an Enemy to God and your own Souls and are you grieved indeed when you find it in you 7. Do you desire and chuse Jesus Christ for the great object of your Love Delight and Joy and do you find him to be so in some Measure do you desire and endeavour to make him the object of your strongest and warmest affections and to love him Sincerely Heartily Spiritually fervently and constantly and do you express your Love to him by keeping his commandements and doing the things that are wel-pleasing in his sight Joh. 14.15 1 Joh. 3.22 Are you grieved and afflicted in Spirit because you can love him no more and do you earnestly pray unto him to Circumcise your hearts to love him Deut. 30.6 and to Shed abroad his love into your hearts by the Holy Ghost that you may love him as you should Rom. 5.5 Are you glad and do you rejoyce when you find your hearts Knit to him in love and is it your trouble when it is otherwise with you doth his Love and Lovelyness attract and draw your hearts to him and doth the Love of Christ in your hearts move and draw you to obey his commands Is it so indeed do you find it so sometimes with you 8. Is it the desire choice and endeavour of your Hearts and Souls to have all sin purged out of your Hearts and to have them filled with Christ Grace Truth and Holyness and do you hate your sin watch and arm against it and endeavour to keep it under do you indeed aim at desire labour and strive to be holy in Heart and Life and conformable unto Jesus Christ in all things Are your Lusts your heaviest Burdens and your greatest afflictions and do you intend and endeavour their utter ruine and destructions will no degree or measure of Grace satisfy you but you must and will be perfect to the utmost as Christ is Are you so much concerned with Christs honour your Souls holyness and happiness as that you dare not knowingly sin against them for a World or do in word or deed directly or indirectly by omision or commission that which may dishonour grieve or wound them Are these things so indeed 9. Have you a measure of Spiritual knowledge and discerning of Spiritual things do you a little understand the nature and concernments of a house of God and the work and duties the priviledges and enjoyments thereof and what you have to do there have you studied and learnt these matters and do you in measure understand them and can you make a right and competent Judgment of the ends of God in Instituting and erecting of Holy Temples and Spiritual Churches 10. Do you intend purpose and resolve in the light Life and power of Christ to seek for and endeavour unfainedly to obtain and prosecute the ends of Church fellowship when you shall be accepted among them and do you desire and aim at the
their Ministry to the glory of Christ and the profit of the Church And if they have not power to and do not exercise the Authority and execute the Laws of Christ to see too and require orderly walking of all the Members and Authoritatively to deal with Offenders and Transgressors of his Laws who hath power or can do it A Church of Believers as hath been shewed is a Family a Corporation and houshold of God and it is known to all men that all Families and incorporated bodies of men do or ought to live under and submit unto the Laws Orders and Discipline of those Families and Corporations whereunto they belong and in order thereunto they have such among them as have power and Authority to exercise Discipline and execute Laws to Command Order and Appoint what where when and how matters and things shall be done amongst them for the good of the whole I think that the Discipline of a Family or Church of God ought most carefully to be attended too and practised and who shall exercise it but his Ministers and Overseers Act. 20.17 28. It is true that Christ hath set in his Church also another sort of Rulers which I think are said to be helps to which Governments is joyned 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as I judge God hath chiefly entrusted the ruling power in the Church in the hands of his Teaching Elders and impowered others to help and assist them namely such as are called Ruling Elders in 1 Tim. 5.17 For they have need enough of such helps in their well governing a Church of Christ Of which more afterward This is another part or parcel of Teaching-Elders work Thirdly Their work is to Watch I say to watch over the Church They are the Churches Watchmen to take the oversight of them and to make inspection into them Acts 20.17 28 31. 2 Tim. 4.5 1 Pet 5.2 They are to watch the Wolves and Devil that would come amongst them to sow false Doctrines and Divisions to the breaking of their Peace and spoiling their Communion and that would corrupt their faith and leaven their judgments and drive them away from the Sheep-fold Acts. 20.29 30 31. Tit. 1.10 11 12 13. They must also watch their walkings and conversations and see if they are such as becomes the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 or whether they be reprovable and scandalous so also if they keep to and practise their several duties to God and one another or neglect them that they may from Christ encourage the obedient and rebuke the negligent 1 Thes 5.14 They must also watch and make inspection into the state and condition of their Souls and see how matters go or stand with them that they may know how to administer Remedies to them as their cases do require They should enquire into their growth or decayes in grace whether the word Ordinances of Christ do profit or disprofit them as much as possible they should know what use and improvement they make of their Gospel-mercies as also their Tryals and Temptations their faith and judgments whether they continue found and sincere The Elders of a Church of Christ must not only carry about the names of watchmen but they must do and attend with diligence the real and full work of watchmen they are set by him upon his walls to watch and inspect his Church which indeed is no easie work but full of care trouble pains and difficulty And therefore 't is no wonder the Apostle says who is sufficient for these things for they are to take care of all the spiritual and soul-concernments of the whole Church Fourthly They are to endeavour the preservation of all the Truths and Ordinances of Jesus Christ amongst them and to maintain them in their power and purity in the Church When they know any truth or matter of faith or practice doubted of or called into question by any in the Church they must with all possible care wisdom faithfulness and diligence endeavour the removal of the doubts and questions maintain the Truths and establish all the Members of the Church in them for should the errours at any time sowen among them be let alone and suffered to take Root in their heads they will eat into the heart like a Canker or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cancer or Gangrene To prevent which the Apostle charges Timothy and Titus and all Elders of Churches in them to hold fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 And to hold fast the faithful word Tit. 1.9 That by sound Doctrine they may convince Gainsayers And this was alwayes Paul's care and practice as was shewed either to prevent the corrupting of Truth and mens Souls with errours or to overthrow and root them up where they were entertained Thus the Ministers of Christ ought to do now and that for Christ his Truths and Churches sakes Fifthly They must administer all Church-Ordinances with all possible diligence care zeal and faithfulness It is their work and place to do it and therefore they must not be careless or negligent but watch seek for and observe all opportunities for the doing of it that the Church suffer no detriment by their neglects which they will quickly do if neglected as experience shews They must not only care to Preach well but to administer all other Appointments of Christ also in their seasons for all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ are the Churches food and provisions and the means and way appointed by him for the Communicating and dispensing of his Grace Spirit yea and himself unto their Souls and indeed without the Ordinances of the house the house or Church cannot subsist and they are the authorized Stewards of the house to give the Lords Houshold all their provisions in due season that they may be fat and flourishing under his keeping and Donations 1 Cor. 4.1 2. Mat. 24.45 Psal 92 12 13 14. 1 Tim. 3.5 Every Church Ordinance is a Golden Pipe to convey light life and holiness into Believers hearts and as Breasts to convey nourishment to the Soul They are spiritual Ladders to carry the hearts and graces of Believers up to Heaven and lodge their minds and affections there and they are as the Ark where God will come and meet his people Esa 64.5 Therefore they must be carefully frequently and holily dispensed and administred by them who are set there to do it Sixthly They must stand between God and the Church with holy hearts hands and tongues lifted up to Heaven for the Church or in their behalf and that privately and publickly For their work and office is not only to Minister to them from Christ but they are to present their wants desires and gratitude to God for them also which is no easie work to do They must pray and wrestle with God for them as for their own Souls and carry them upon their hearts and souls in their secret addresses to God and plead with God importunately for them
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
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
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
Spirit They ought to be men of Courage fearing God like Moses his 70 Elders Exod. 18.21 and be free from notorious and apparent Coveteousness and worldly mindednesse They should be eminent in humility and meekness and in other Graces of the Spirit and they should be men of pitty compassion of bowells and mercies as the Apostle speaks They must not be angry passionate persons or men of sower froward and peevish Spirits and carriages for these abominations will very much blemish them and cause prejudices in the minds of Observers They must not be Tattlers Medlers nor Busy-bodies in other mens matters neither should they be slothful negligent or careless of their own These are some of their necessary qualifications Quest What are the Duties of Church-members and how ought they to demean and carry themselves towards their Ruling Elders Ans When they do rule well and use their office power diligently faithfully and profitably for the peace wellfare and prosperity of the Church the encouragement of the Ministry propagation of the Gospel and the honour and Glory of Christ as they are indispensibly bound to do they are worthy of double Honour Love and respect from the Church and they ought to give it to them heartily and sincerely in obedience to Christ who injoyns and requires it 1 Tim. 5.17 as also for their work and office sake and for the Lord Christ his Sake whose Officers they are whose Image they bear and whose work and service they do and are employing themselves in They must have not only simple honour love and respect from you but double They must have much more then any private brethren have when they rule well and that upon a twofold account 1. As they are Christ's and your Elders and Officers and in a sense do represent the Lord Jesus Christ to you in and by their work and office-power in the Church 2. As or because they rule well and use their office-power for your profit and benefit Do they carefully diligently and industrously attend to and follow their work and seek your good then remember that you owe them double honour love and respect and see you give it to them Moreover Church-members should yield them their chearful subjection and obedience to all their Lawfull commands and appointments for their good and give them all possible encouragement in their work and not weaken their hands and make their work heavy and burdensome to them but do all they can to make it easy and sweet to them that so they may do it with Joy and not with Grief You should also pray importunately for them that God would make them able willing and faithfull to and in their work and blesse and prosper their labours with success Do they mind their work and labour for your good why then it is most reasonable that you should mind them and give them their dues that they may be encouraged in their work and diligence by your duty to them In a word you should carry your selves towards them in all things as to Spiritual Magistrates and Christ's Officers to you for your Good As Paul speaks of civil Magistrates Rom. 13.4 for says he they are God's Ministers to thee for good so your ruling Elders are the Ministers of Christ to you for good Therefore behave your selves towards them and do for them as such Not as they are Elders among you but as they are good Elders to you and such as rule well for your profit Do they rule well mind and attend to their work and duty Why then love honour and respect them as such Do they labour with and take pains among you and are they diligent serious and faithfull in their office then pray much for them blesse and thank God for them acknowledge accept and esteem of them carry your selves submissively obediently to them strengthen their hands and encourage their hearts to and in their work and do all you can and ought to do for them Do they walk holyly humbly wisely zealously and fruitfully do you follow their examples imitate their steps and as much as possible write after their Copy and by so doing you will honour Christ and comfort them Quest What other Officers hath Jesus Christ set in his Church Ans Deacons The Lord Jesus hath in his great love to and care of his Church appointed and given to them this sort of officers also for their comfort profit and well being and they need them likewise For as the Teaching Elders may not attend mostly to their ruling work but to Study Reading Doctrine and Exhortation and then not to serve Tables Act 6. so the Ruling Elders leave their work to attend two which is not to serve Tables neither but to look after other Church-matters and concernments as you heard before And therefore I say that Deacons are necessary and usefull Officers in the Church and are distinguished from other Officers by their name and work there The Institution of this sort of Officers in the Church as also their work use and qualifications we have an account of in Acts 6.3 4 5 6. 1 Tim. 3.8 9 10 11 12 13. Phil. 1.1 so that we see there is such an Office and such Officers are appointed for and set in the Church Quest What manner of persons should deacons be or what are their qualifications by divine Appointment Ans They must be men of honest Report full of the holy Ghost and wisdome Acts 6.3 They must be grave not double-tongued not given to much wine not greedy of filthy Lucre holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience Even so must their Wives be grave not slanderers Sober Faithful in all things Ruling their Children and their own houses well 1 Tim. 3.8 9 11 12. These are some of the necessary qualifications of Deacons in the Church You that are Deacons mind these things and consider seriously if you are so qualified for that Office in the Church of God If you are not so qualified humble your selves before the Lord entreat him to qualify you with his holy Spirit and labour in the use of all good means to obtain what is yet wanting in you for the well and profitable performance of your work as becomes such Officers in a holy Church of Christ's Quest What are the Deacons works in the Church Ans In general their work is to serve Tables Acts 6. But more particularly 1. They are to provide for and distribute to the poor of the Church according to their necessities Act. 6. and not to suffer any of them to want through their negligence And therefore they ought to enquire what poor there are in the Church and what their wants are and accordingly to supply them In order to which they should receive the Churche's contributions and wisely consider if what they do receive from them will supply the wants of the poor and satisfy other emergencies in the Church And in case they do not to acquaint one of the Elders that
them as spiritual Heavenly persons and when they walk and carry themselves proudly in their Words and Deportments how can they love them as the meek and humble Members of Jesus Christ If their love must be holy and spiritual then undoubtedly the Persons or Objects of it must be such also For is it possible or doth God require me to love a Proud Churlish Touchy Peevish and Cross-grained Professor as much and with that complacency I can or may love an humble sweet meek and patient one Can I or is it my Duty so to love a sowre crabbed contentious and quarrelling Relation as a peaceable quiet affable and courteous one Is it possible for me to love a vain frothy worldly Professor and one who cares not how unlovely undesirable yea and in many things how contrary he walks to me and my love as I do or may do another Professor who is Spiritual Grave Serious and Heavenly surely we cannot love persons as holy spiritual humble useful and Heavenly persons are to be loved unless they appear to be so in their words deeds and carriages towards us neither doth God require us so to do Therefore we ought to be as careful of and see that we walk lovely towards one another as to love one another that so we may as much as possible provoke and encourage each other to love one another Heb. 10.24 and remove out of the way of love all such stumbling-blocks as may any way Impede or Obstruct it that so we may encourage all to love us really strongly sincerely fervently holily spiritually and constantly freely easily and that with delight and complacency For otherwise as it will be most absurd and irrational for us to expect it from them so it will be impossible for them so to love us And by our own contrary walkings and carriages we wrong our selves of their love to us and tempt them to sin against God and injure their own Souls We shall grieve their hearts and tempt them to withdraw their love and kindness from us and thereby offend God grieve and vex his holy Spirit and by little and little to withdraw his loving Countenance from us Thirdly Christ hath charged and strictly commanded all Church-members to live in Peace to be at Peace among themselves and to follow Peace with all men and as much as in them is to live peaceably with all men Oh! how often and with what vehemency doth the Lord Jesus and the Holy Ghost by the Apostles press enjoyn this Duty especially among Church-members every where in the Gospel see some Texts Psal 34.14 1 Pet 3.11 Rom. 14.19 2 Cor. 13.11 1 Thes 5.13 Heb. 12.14 Eph. 5.3 And the Apostle tells us that God hath called us to Peace not only to the Peace of God in our own Souls and amity with him but with one another 1 Cor. 7.15 such walkings and carriages one to another when in love and Obedience to God are pleasing to him but strife discord and contention and such like practices are most hateful and abominable to him Pro. 6.16 17 18 19. These Six things doth the Lord hate yea Seven are an abomination to him And what is the Seventh why sowing discord among Brethren This wickedness is so hateful to God as the words cannot sufficiently declare his abhorrency of it Hence we often find the Holy Ghost by Paul earnestly dehorting Church-members from all debates strifes and contentions one with or against another especially in their Church-meetings Phil. 2.3 Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory and vers 14. Do all things without murmurings and disputings Rom. 13.13 And the word of God doth every where condemn it as a most accursed Weed and venomous Plant a Cockatrice egg and devilish Serpent Pride is that Womb that bears it Pro. 13.10 and the lusts of the heart Gal. 5.20 and the Devil is the Father and Authour of this accursed strife and contention Jam. 3.14 15. Blessed Paul was much afflicted to see any of it in the Churches of Christ as knowing from whence it sprang and what the fruit and end of it would be what wrong it would do their Souls and what Reproach it would lay them under How it would reflect on Christ and his wayes and render them all contemptible How it would hinder their profit and produce many vile Monsters among them As Envy Wrath Railing evil surmisings Hatred Back-bitings Swellings and Divisions And therefore labours to prevent the growth of them and to pull up by the Roots these pernitious Weeds and that by Counsels Reproofs Cautions Instructions and Dehortations from them and presses them and us by all cogent Arguments to avoid contention and strife and follow after Peace to the utmost of their power David tells us that it is a most pleasant and lovely thing for Brethren to dwell together in vnity Psal 133.1 2. Then how much more pleasant and lovely is it for spiritual Brethren to live and worship God so together Christ came into the World and lived here a Peace-maker and charged all his followers to follow his steps pronounces them blessed that do so Math. 5.9 and accursed who do the contrary He is a lover of Peace and Concord especially in his holy Temples where he will not have a Hammer heard but he is an implacable hater of Strife and Discord and will not endure it in them much less will he winck at such as are the first sowers of these Seeds The truth is strivers and contenders in the Churches are the Devils Agents and notorious Mischief-makers They do a world of mischief to a Church where they are and are real Plagues to or in it They greatly hinder Edification and spoil the Order Beauty and Harmony there Contenders and Disputers in a Church are the proud self-conceited men who are vainly puft up with high thoughts of themselves and their own abilities and that because they have gotten some light and notions into their heads with a volubility of speech but without spiritual wisdom and humility in their hearts and therefore they conceit that they are wiser than the Church and more able to Manage and Order Church Affairs than their Elders Their Pride and self-conceit makes them slight and contemn their Teachers and to raise up in a Rebellious contention with and opposition against them As the Prophet complains Hosea 4.4 For this people are as they that strive with the Priest They think nothing can be well done unless they have the doing of it and therefore when any good work is upon the Wheel they will do all they can to hinder it as some Churches can sadly experience Well then take heed of strife and contention and follow Peace and Concord one with another especially in your assembling together about Church-work Get humble hearts and then you will not be contentious but peaceable Fourthly Sympathize with and help to bear each others burdens as need requires You are not to live to and for your selves in a
Church-State only but to and for one another too You are commanded to remember them that are in Bonds as being bound with them Heb. 13.3 and them that suffer Adversity as being your selves in the body You are strictly commanded and charged by the Great God to rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep and be of the same mind one towards another Rom. 12.15 16. And look not every man at his own things but every man also on the things of others Phil 2.4 And let no man seek his own but every man anothers Wealth 1 Cor. 10.24 Bear ye one anothers burden and so fulfil the Law of Christ You must make and account your Brethrens Crosses Losses Temptations and Afflictions your own and when they want and call for your helping hand to support or lift them up being fallen you must give it them freely readily and chearfully and not turn a deaf ear to or hide your eyes from them and their cryes For this was one of Gods holy and Gracious ends in appointing Churches and bringing you into Church-fellowship and so into acquaintance one with another namely that you might be fellow-mutual-helpers and comforters one of another For if you are cruel to or careless of one another in Affliction the Lord Jesus will require it at your hands and take it as done to himself Therefore seeing it is the will of Christ and our indispensible Duty to one another let us put on Bowels of Mercies and kindnesses Col. 3.12 and be tender hearted Eph. 4. ult And as Peter speaks be pitiful and courteous to each other 1 Pet. 3.8 Let the same mind be in us and let us shew the same affection to one another in measure that Christ Jesus hath shewed and still doth express to us We know that he is full of loving kindnesses pity simpathy and bowels of mercy and compassion to us Psal 103.13 14. Phil. 2.1 2. to shew his Members how they should be and carry themselves towards one an other and to oblige and provoke them to do so too Oh! my Brethren we should much abound in this grace also Fifthly Exhort and comfort one another For so is the will of God concerning you This is not only your Teachers Duty and Work but yours also to each other Heb. 10.24 25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works but exhorting one another This Work and Duty must be diligently and frequently done Heb. 3.13 But exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin 1 Thes 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do vers 14. Now we beseech you Brethren warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak My Brothren you stand in continual need of one anothers Exhortations and Consolations and if you mind and manage this work well you may be very useful and profitable one to another greatly oblige and knit your hearts to each other and occasion many thanksgivings unto God thereby We are exceeding apt and prone to fall backward and therefore need each others hand to draw us forward To grow cold and dead hearted and therefore need each others help to warm and quicken us We are apt and ready to stand still and lye down a Napping and therefore do greatly need one anothers awakenings and holy provocations When this duty was frequently and conscientiously practised by the Saints they did thrive and prosper but since it hath been so wofully neglected the contrary is apparent in the lives and carriages of the Saints Well then do you revive this work all you can Set it forward with all your might and improve all your opportunities to the profit of each others Souls for you see that it is your indispensible Duty Sixthly It is the will of your Head the Lord Jesus that you should be each others Keepers That you should watch one over another Admonish and Reprove one another as need requires I do not mean that you should prye into one anothers secrets or be busie-bodies in other mens matters No for that is hateful and abominable and God hath forbidden you to do so 1 Thes 3.11 1 Pet. 4.15 1 Tim. 5.13 But my meaning is this namely that you watch over one anothers Walkings and Conversations That if they do well you may encourage them If ill you may by Counsel Reproofs Admonitions Instructions and Exhortations labour to mend them and do all you can to convince and bring them to the real sight and sense of their miscarriages as also to unfeigned Repentance By which good work you will do them the Church yea Christ himself good and acceptable service You should carefully mind and observe if all do keep close to their Duty in the Church or are remiss and negligent If they carry themselves holily righteously and soberly in their Conversations or on the contrary they are frothy vain proud extravagant loose unjust idle careless or any way scandalous You should strictly mind and observe if there be any Tatlers Back-biters or sowers of Discord or such as speak contemptibly and slightingly of their Brethren especially of their Elders and their Administrations As also such as combine together and make parties or factions in the Church or endeavour to load or obstruct any good work which their Elders are promoting of for the Glory of Christ and the good of the Church and deal with them accordingly You must mind and carefully observe if any be fallen under Sin or Temptation in any case and not let them alone but presently set your hand to help them to succour and restore them Gal. 6.1 Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one with the Spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be Tempted Take heed of that Cain like Spirit who when God asked him where his Brother Abel was Replyes am I my Brothers keeper Gen. 4. You will be Tempted to this evil towards your Brethren namely to imagine that you are little or nothing concerned with them and that if they do otherwise than they should the guilt will only lie at their doors but you shall be blameless But my Brethren it is not so You are not to be indifferent in this matter For assuredly you are appointed to be keepers of one another You are bound to prevent and put a stop to sin in one another or else your Brethrens sins which you do or may know if you will and the wrong they do to themselves thereby yea and the Reproach and scandal that may come to the Church thereby will lie at your Doors and be cast on your Souls because you neglected your Duty and did not in season prevent it as you might have done if you would Look not every man on his own things but on the things of others also Phil. 2.4 And seek not your own but every one
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
by the Apostle Peter in his first Sermon after the coming of the Holy Ghost on him and other of the Apostles in Act. 2.39 when he was about the setting up of Churches and Church-Order Laws and Ordinances among them sayes he Repent yee and be Baptized why for the promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are a far off even as many as the Lord our God shall call which is the same for substance given before to Abraham And Paul told the Galatians Chapt. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham is come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ This Ordinance of Baptism is of meer Institution and made known to us in and by the Gospel The Light and Law of nature knows nothing of it neither are we bound to observe it but upon the command and appointment of Christ which is sufficient for us and we need no further warrant for our observation of it Fifthly The Lords Supper is clearly another Church-Ordinance And indeed it cannot be rightly and orderly administred and received but in a regular Church-state we never read of any Believers that received it or any Officers that administred it after Christ's ascension but as they were congregated en-Churched em-bodied and formed into a holy Temple but we read of Churches celebrating it as at Jerusalem Acts 2. Corinth 1 Epistle 11. and elsewhere We find the Institution of this Ordinance in Matth. 26.26 27 28. Mark 14.22 23 24. Luk. 22.17 18 19 20. 1 Cor. 11.23 to the end In this last Scripture we have many weighty things of and concerning this great Ordinance 1 The Institution its self 2 The time when the same night in the which he was betrayed 3 The Institutor namely the Lord Jesus 4 The manner of it 1. The Lord Jesus's own practise He took blessed brake and gave the Bread and said take eat this is my Body 2. By commandment this do ye in remembrance of me 5 Who should received it and how persons should be qualified and prepared for the reception of it 1. With light and faith They must be able to discern the Lords body the ends and use of the Ordinance and to make suitable and pertinent application of all to themselves 2. They must be able to examine themselves and actually to do it and be in a state and practical fitness and readiness to meet Christ in it to thank and praise him and to shew forth his death until he come 6 The danger and peril they are in who eat and drink and use this holy Ordinance unworthily 1. They are guilty of his Body and Blood 2. Of their own damnation 7 We are informed of some of the sad effects their unworthy receiving of this holy Ordinance had on some of them for this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Sixthly Singing of Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs is another Church-Ordinance or Institution of Christ Eph. 5.18 19 20. Col. 3.16 Mat. 26.30 Mark 14.26 This is a spiritual Ordinance and Duty yea it is a heart-warming Soul-refreshing Spirit-raising and grace-quickning Ordinance To the well performance of it much special grace and diligent exercise of it as also the spirit of grace is necessary Much wisdom and spiritual understanding life and vigor care and watchfulness is requisite sincerity and faithfulness spirituality and heavenly-mindedness is needful for our acceptable observance of it to God through Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 14.15 Col. 3.16 Eph. 5.18 19 20. It is true that all men ought to sing praises and thanksgivings unto God for it is a natural and moral duty and it is as true that none can rightly holily and acceptably do it but such as are partakers of the grace and spirit of Christ and that the Lord Jesus hath instituted it and made it a Church-Ordinance And as or because he hath instituted and made it one of his Gospel-Ordinances for his Churches that therefore they ought so to observe it Sevently Holy discourses and heavenly conferences among the members of the Church is another Church Ordinance which all are bound to mind and practise as they have ability and opportunity for the observation and celebrating of which they should seek for occasions and seasons to meet together and endeavour to promote it and when they have them in their hands to use and improve them to the glory of God and their own mutual profit and that because it is their Lords Ordinance for their good The neglect of which is doubtless one of the procuring causes of those witherings languishings and most dreadful decays in grace and woful back-slidings which are so notoriously evident among Church-members This useful profitable Ordinance was once in esteem much accounted of by Believers but it is now almost laid aside forgotten by them it was their delight but now their burden They made happy earnings of it to their Souls but now they fancy that they have no need of it that there is neither duty nor priviledge in it But however it is and shall ever be an Ordinance of God and their observation of it their priviledge and duty Jude 20. Building up your selves in your most holy faith 1 Thes 5.11 Wherefore comfort your selves together and edifie one another even as also ye do See also vers 14. and Heb. 3.13 Heb. 10.24 25. Mal. 3.16 17. Church-members must take heed that they meet together for the better and not for the worser as the Apostle told the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.17 that they so improve their occasional and determined meetings as to profit and better one another This holy Ordinance of Jesus Christ should be seriously frequently diligently spiritually and sincerely observed of all Church-members And if they shall so observe and practise it in obedience to his will and with holy designs and aims namely to please and honour God and to profit and better their own and each others Souls they will find it an exceeding profitable Ordinance to them for the promoting and carrying on the grace and interest of Christ in their hearts and it will be an effectual means to encrease love one to another unite their hearts and endear affections God will bless and empower it in your dependence on Christ and his free grace to keep your Consciences awake your Affections warm and your hearts ready to every good work Eightly Church-Discipline This Ordinance is instituted and appointed for the Churches regular and orderly walking for the preventing and curing disorders in them and there is as much need of this Ordinance and Institution as of any other as experience shews And it should be seriously minded and considered wisely and diligently observed and practised in the Church as much as any other Ordinance of God therein There is no Church in the world but is subject to disorders and too many irregularities because the Lusts Temptations and carnal Interests of some of the Member are strong and impetuous which causes many distempers and disturbances in the
warm and teach them to melt and soften them to arm and strengthen them to comfort and chear them to water make them fruitful yet how sinfully and shamefully do many of them neglect to come and take to accept and make use of their love and goodness to them but they will rather stand in the streets complaining than come into their Fathers Temples where they may have supplies of wholesome food for their souls The Lord Jesus Christ keeps House in his Churches where he is very liberal in his distributions In them are his Magazins his Treasures of Grace and Love opened There He gives forth his Loves and causes the Fountain to flow for the enriching of the Poor filling the Hungry and satisfying the Thirsty There Souls shall find Food for the Belly and Cloathing for the Back There the weary soul shall rest and the troubled soul shall find peace There the fainting shall find Cordials and the diseased Soul shall find Physick to heal him There the pained Soul shall find case and the weak shall find strength There broken bones shall be set in joynt and doubting souls resolved There they may find the good things they want and desire and there they may obtain satisfaction to their Souls Would they see Zions King and their beloved Lord and Husband in his beauty and glory There they may obtain their desires Would they grow in Grace and increase with the increase of God why there they may obtain it Would they be sealed up to the day of their Redemption and have a clear Earnest of their eternal Inheritance why in a Church-state they may have it In a word there good men may find all good to their souls For God will with-hold no good thing from them who walk uprightly in a Church-state and in all the Commandments and Ordinances of God therein blamelesly Well then if it be your duty to look after to mind and industriously to seek the welfare of your own souls as all will readily acknowledg it is then it will undeniably follow that you ought to seek it in all the ways and means God hath appointed and given to you for that end and purpose Now what other spiritual means have you to expect and seek for such mercies and soul-blessings in where can you expect and hope to find them but in the Temples Houses Walks Palaces and Housholds of your God and King That you need them you know and that there you may find and experience them you may believe Oh! that you would be perswaded to come and see come and tast to come and prove the Truth of what I say If you will not but continue and abide as you are practically slight and neglect the rich provisions that your God and Father hath made for you in his Churches you are never like to thrive and prosper but to continue in and under your Wants Barrenness Ignorance Weakness Doubts and Fears under your Faintings Sadnesses Witherings Troubles of spirit If you will still refuse the means and neglect to come and take the mercies of the New Covenant you will grieve the holy Spirit and provoke him to depart from you and carry away his blessings with him It is your present and eternal good that I seek and intend in what I say and the same end had your Lord God in appointing this condition and making such provisions for you I wonder how Believers can and that they dare live one day out of a Church-state and in the wilful neglect of so many precious and soul-enriching Ordinances and Duties how they can satisfie themselves in their ways and walkings and with what confidence they can draw near to God whilst under so much guilt I wonder how they can call God Father apply the Promises and appropriate to themselves the good of them while they walk so irregularly and disobediently as they do Surely they little mind their own souls concernments or the Name and Honour of Jesus Christ whilst htey neglect to observe so many of his good Laws and Ordinances and to make use of their own purchased Priviledges and that whilst their Souls stand in great need of them Object But we are afraid that we are not fitted and qualified for Church-membership and that we have no right to the Childrens Bread there and therefore we dare not joyn our selves unto the holy Churches of Christ Answ This may be indeed a great case with some and it may be a stumbling block in their way of walking as they ought to do They love Christ and his People his ways and Ordinances but dare not walk in the nearest Fellowship and Communion with them because they think themselves unworthy of their Society and the Ordinances of God among them Now where it is so indeed they sin not as others do who neglect not their duties and priviledges on this account but on other All that I shall say to this sort of Neglecters is 1. That this pretence will not wholly excuse them either before God or Men. For 1. They are no where dispensed with their neglect of duty upon that account or they have no dispensation to neglect to do their duty and wait on God for his grace to better them in his ways and means on that account For if they might on that account be dispensed withal in the omission of their duty and using God's means to better them by the same rule they may neglect and claim a dispensation for the omission of Prayer and other Duties and Ordinances under this pretence that they cannot worship God in Spirit and Truth as God requires all to worship him Joh. 4.23 24. Heb. 10.22 and therefore they may not will not worship him at all 2. It is probable that their fears and scruples arise from the Devils temptations and wiles and from their own guilty Consciences They know that they do not walk with God subdue their Lusts deny themselves and endeavour to know their own states and conditions They carry about accusing and condemning Consciences which the Devil sets in with and works them to his will and design and so they are afraid of God of their duties and priviledges for they might prevent these evils and know in some degrees their states if they would 3. One use and end of Church-fellowship and the Ordinances of Christ therein is to convey into Believers hearts the assurance of their good states and conditions They are appointed and ordained for them to wait for it in them and for the holy Spirit to give and impart it to their Souls there And therefore until they seek for it there they may not expect to find it for if we use not the means how can we hope to obtain the ends of them 4. If their scruples and objections arise from real darkness of mind and tenderness of Conscience without guilt then I advise them to consider and examine what are indeed the necessary qualifications of Church-members and enquire if they are not in
Brethren dwelling together in Vnity Psal 133.1 2. and united in a holy Band. I have spoken somewhat of this else-where under another head And therefore shall only at present say that if it be so that Believers may more honour Christ by walking together in Gospel or Church-fellowship than otherwise that then they are bound in duty so to walk For if it be their duty to exalt and honour Christ all they can as certainly it is then they are bound to use the means whereby they may be enabled to do it Now Christ hath given to and set in his Churches many Ordinances of worship and out of every one of them he expects a Revenue of Glory by his people therefore the more of his Ordinances you have in your hand and spiritually observe the more is Christ glorified by you Besides this you are in a better capacity to provoke one another to love and to good works Heb. 10.24.25 and to inflame one anothers love to Christ to preserve each other from sinning against him and reproaching his holy Name and ways by sin in a Church-state than out of it You will likewise be capacitated to honour the Lord Jesus more in a Church-state than otherwise by growing in grace and getting more Talents into your hands to Trade withall and employ for him in the Church and world as you heard before Therefore do you no longer stand off but joyn your selves to some Gospel-Church for the Lord Jesus sake Sixthly You that are true Believers ought to joyn your selves to some true Church of Christ for your fellow-Members and Brethren's sakes too You know that we are bound to do all the good we can to one another Gal. 6.10 to further each other in the way of holiness to eternal happiness We need each others helping hand and are set in this World to be useful and helpful one to another Now by joyning our selves one to another and walking together in mutual love peace and concord and in the same judgment though not so in all things way and order in the same Communion Ordinances and Worship we do greatly strengthen the hands chear and quicken the hearts of one another in our duties under our burdens and Temptations and help to make our yoke â—asie We animate and stir up one another and put as it were new courage life and spirit into each other But by our neglect to joyn in fellowship with our Brethren by being strange to and keeping at a distance from them we do very much weaken their hands sadden grieve and discourage their hearts and lay them under many Temptations troubles and disquietments as experience shews We ought to bear each others burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6 2. But we may not burden one another either by Omission or Commission We are debtors to one another by vertue of Christ's Command and our spiritual Relation to each other we live not from or by our selves therefore must not live for and to our selves I am my Brother's and he is mine as to help comfort service and usefulness one to another Such as carelesly or wilfully abide out of Church-fellowship do in a sense condemn those who walk in it We ought to know and be acquainted with one another that we may be thereby the more serviceable to each other I am my Brother's Keeper Teacher Comforter Reprover and Admonisher and he is mine I cannot well live nor ordinarily live well without his help and assistance nor he without mine We have our work and business to do for one another as well as for our selves The nearer and faster Brethren are link't and knit together the warmer and stronger their love will be to and the more care and tenderness they will have for and towards one another Now though Church-fellowship be not the ground of Brethrens love and service one to another but their oneness with Christ and fellow-membership in him their head as also his revealed will yet it is certain in experience that their near and close Communion together in Church-fellowship doth greatly provoke irritate strengthen and draw forth their love one to another Distance and strangeness weakens love but nearness and intimacy strengthens it Church Communion is a spiritual bond that tyes spiritual men together and greatly knits them into one when otherwise in their walkings they are divided and like bones out of joynt Therefore let all true-hearted Brethren joyn in Church-fellowship with their Brethren and declare their oneness in Christ in spirit faith and love by their so doing Let them strengthen each others hands and encourage one anothers heart in their work and duty in their priviledges and mercies and know that you are indispensibly bound so to do You have Christ himself and his spirit calling you you have your own and your Brethrens Souls calling you you have the practice of the Apostles and Primitive Saints calling you and in a sense you have the World calling you into Church-fellowship Why then do it and make no longer delay for while you neglect to do it you neglect your duties to God to your Brethren and to your own Souls yea you do practically slight your purchased priviledges and dear-bought mercies do it speedily for Christ's sake and for your own peace comfort growth and security Seventhly You that are true Believers ought to walk in Church-fellowship that you may be and live under Church promises You heard before that there are many promises made and given to Churches or to Believers in that capacity which they cannot claim to themselves while they walk alone as individuals and strangers to one another God told Solomon that his eyes and heart should be perpetually in his Temple 2 Chron. 7.16 But David's Gold Silver Brass and other Materials that he had provided to build it had not such a promise until they were formed up into a house for God So it is now with living or lively materials that are hewn and pollished for to build him Gospel-Temples They may not expect the good of all the promises but in the wayes of God's Appointments and their own duties Although their being in Christ united and married to him by faith be the ground and foundation of their right to the promises and all the good of them yet the Great God gives out and imparts the Juice and fatness of them unto their Souls in the wayes of his Gospel precepts and appointments that such as expect to be partakers of them may seek all in those wayes I have in the last chapter instanced in several promises that belong unto Churches or unto Believers walking with God in that state and capacity As that in Rev. 2.1 2 Cor. 6.16 Psal 92.12 13. Psal 132.12 13 14. Eph. 2. the three last verses with several others of like import Now then if you will partake of the good of Church-promises you must become holy and orderly Church-members Surely it is your duty to look after and earnestly to seek for
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
power 2. Pray for me Heb. 13.18 and that with all possible importunity and constancy For the more you do so pray to God for me the more profitable he will make my labours to your Souls Pray for me in your Closets and wrestle with God for me for you especially you who walk with God may do much for me in your Closets I do remember you in mine Oh! let me be remembred by you in our Closets also For a stock of Prayers of hearty believing fervent Prayers kept a-running one for another will bring in a great Revenue of grace from Heaven to us You cannot expect that I should Preach warmly profitably and powerfully to you unless you so Pray for me Therefore in obedience to the will of God and for your own profit do you continue in fervent Prayer unto God for me Entreat him to pour out much of the Spirit of grace and the grace of the Spirit upon me fill me with Ministerial gifts and make me an able Minister of the New Testament That God may give me the door of utterance and enable me to speak as I ought to speak Eph. 6.20 That God may work in me whatever is wel-pleasing in his sight Heb. 13.21 fulfill in me all the good Counsel of his will and the work of faith with power 2 Thes 1.11 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in me and by me Oh! Pray for me that I may be kept faithful to Christ and you that I may labour and not faint run and not be weary that I may be able to bear up under all Burdens and Temptations and be able to overcome and conquer them all That I may rightly divide the word of Truth and administer the holy Ordinances of Christ according to his will so as that he may be magnified and your Souls profited That my heart may stand clear off the World and that I may not be taken and entangled with any snares and that I may perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 and for whatever else you may rationally judge I may stand in need of as your Minister 3. I do request you that if at any time you do certainly see and undoubtedly know any failing or miscarriage in or by me that you will speedily seriously meekly humbly and as you ought to do enform me of it It is your duty to do so if you do it as you ought and may do it I shall through grace assisting receive it thank you and bless God for it and account it my mercy But I shall desire you to take heed and beware of these three evils towards me in this matter 1 That you do not fancy and make evils or miscarriages for me and then charge them on me as mine when in truth they are not so It is a very dangerous thing to condemn the Righteous and justifie the wicked as you know Prov. 17.15 and it is most dangerous and abominable in the sight of the Righteous God to condemn or falsly to charge his Embassadours because they stand in his stead bear his Image of Authority and do his Ministerial work in his Churches And yet how common is this evil among Professors as I can testifie 2 Do not take up a Report from others against me and take it for granted because you hear some Professors of the good wayes of God tell you so For the World yea and the Churches also are too full of slanderous and back biting Tongues They are not aware of this evil but hug and embrace it in their bosoms practise it without fear and commit this abomination with both hands as the Prophet speaks Remember that Jesus Christ hath strictly charged you in 1 Tim. 5.19 that you do not so much as receive an Accusation against an Elder under two or three witnesses and that on their certain knowledge of the Fact not upon their conjectures and feigned Circumstances For God is very curious and tender of their good Names Credit and Reputations and he knows and all wise and holy men do know that they are more obnoxious to the Envy and that they lye more open to the wrath and hatred of men than other men do Therefore I say God hath set a higher mound about their good Name for their security than about others 3 Do not take up my real or supposed miscarriages and spread them before others Oh! my Brethren let not this filthy devilish wickedness be found in you let not others hear of my faults before I do my self be not you Back-biters and Whisperers against him who loves you so much as that he could spend and be spent in the service of your Souls and who seeks your good all he can Requite not his love to you with such mischief and wickedness against him for the Lord's sake You may do him much wrong thereby but you will much more wrong Christ and your own Souls And let none of you think that Jesus Christ is an idle Spectator of what you do herein that he observes you not or that because you imagine you intend him no hurt in what you say of him that therefore he will hold you guiltless No no be not deceived for God will not be mocked what a man soweth that shall he reap Gal. 6.7 God doth not say you may speak evil of his Ministers or other men if you intend not to hurt them thereby no but he deth expresly forbid you to back bite or speak of their evils though real at all behind their backs until they prove incorrigible and have rejected your reproofs and endeavours to convince and convert them Levit. 19.16 17. Jam. 4.11 Tit. 3.2 Rom. 1.30 31. Psal 15.3 2 Cor. 12.20 But in truth this excuse or pretence is but a carnal blind and diabolical delusion to shut the eyes of men and harden their hearts against the evils of it that they may commit it with the more peace and satisfaction that neither men nor their own Consciences may reprove or controul them and cry shame on them for their sins and that they may not be obstructed or any way impeded in their doing of that wherein they find pleasure Neither indeed can they prove that they do not hate them or intend their hurt For it is infallibly certain that they do not really love such and that they are prejudiced against them and do not in truth seek their good For can I perswade any reasonable man by the rules of Reason that I love him and seek his good in the dark as to him by doing or speaking that which experience shews will inevitably tend to his hurt to his shame and reproach and to the alienating of others affections from him Well then tell me of my real faults to my face that I may mend and do so no more for that is the Will of Christ Matth. 18.15 4. I do request you to Visit me and let me have your good Company as often as conveniently you can and
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