first in Antioch Ephes 3. 15. Of whom the family in heaven and earth is named to call b upon him b 1 Cor. 1. 2. All that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ by calling him c their Lord c 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 2. By a Church is meant a congregation of such men called and gathered together by the Word Mat. 13. 37. till 44. to be d separate from the world d 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from them and be ye separate saith the Lord and I will receive you Revel 18. 4. Come out of her viz. of Babylon my people and in the use of all Christs ordinances to be an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2. 19 20 2â— 22. 3. The duty of Christians as visible professors of Christianity doth stand in a threefold Relation The first is to the Church as it is the Body of Christ The second is to the Eldership of that Church The third is to the Members thereof Of the first viz. Duties relating to the Body of Christ 4. All Christians that glory in the name of Christ ought to appeare e for him amongst men e Matth. 10. 32 33. Whosoever shall confesse me before men him will I confesse also before my Father which is in heaven but whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven And they ought so to appeare as he hath appointed and not as they think good or as men appoint Mat. 15. 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men 5. Those that will appeare for Christ ought to apply themselves to some particular Congregation professing Saintship as Members thereof Mat. 12. 30. He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad Mat. 11. 28 29. Come unto me take my yoke upon you Gal. 6. 10. Them who are of the houshold of faith 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us c. Isa 8. 16. Binde up the Testimony and seale the Law among my disciples 1 Cor. 1 2. Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified called to be Saints 1 Cor. 12. 27. Ye are members in particular 6. It is foretold that there should be many Congregations in the Church of the Gospel and yet all upon the same Mount Sion and under the same defence and by Gods appointment to be as one Body Isa 4. 5. Vpon every dwelling place of mount Zion and upon her assemblies there shall be a cloud and smoak by day and the burning of a flaming fire by night Joh. 10. 16. Other sheep not of this fold them I must bring there shall be one fold and one shepherd 7. Now to understand the Relation which believing Professours have unto the Church three things are to be considered First how every Believer doth stand as to a particular Congregation Secondly how one Congregation doth stand as to another in respect both of the Members and of the Rulers thereof And thirdly how Believers should apply themselves unto particular Congregations and be received therein by their Elderships 8. All Believers are baptized by one Spirit into one Body Of the first head how believers stand in a particular congregation 1 Cor. 12 13. and in that one Body they are called to the enjoyment of the Peace of God Coloss 3. 15. and therein by God set in their severall places 1 Cor. 12. 18. and made members one of another Rom. 12. 4 5. and joyned and compacted together by joynts under their head Christ Jesus Ephes 4. 16. whose Body is every congregation of believers 1 Cor. 12. 27. Now ye viz. Corinthians are the Body of Christ Rom. 12. 5. So we viz. Romans are one Body in Christ And the Church universall Ephes 1. 22 23. the head over all things to the Church which is his Body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all 9. From hence it is evident that every believer is not only bound to make open profession of his faith as is f required Rom. 10. 9 10. f If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved For with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation but that in so doing he is bound to appeare in the communion of g Saints standing in one body fast together with others striving for the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1 27. g Ph. 2. 1 2 4. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit be ye like-minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others And by this conjunction of Believers when an Eldership is rightly set over them particular Congregations are constituted As Act. 14. 22 23. The Apostles having converted the Gentiles to the faith ordained them Elders in every Church with prayer and fasting 10. As single Believers are bound to associate themselves one to Of the second head how congregations doe stand one to another another so ought every congregation of Believers to associate it self to its neighbour-congregation by the very same rules bands by which particular Christians are bound to joyn themselves one to another For if all Believers in the world are baptized into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and if all are called to the Peace of God in that one Body Col. 3. 15. and are bound to endeavour the Vnity of the Spirit one towards another in the Bond of that Peace because there is but one Body of Christ in all the world Ephes 4. 1 2 3 4. which is homogeneall that is of the same kinde in all the members thereof And if this whole Body is to be fitly joyned and compacted together by that which every joint supplieth Ephes 4. 16. Then ought none of all the congregations of Believers to stand separate one from another but are bound to unite themselves by their joynts that is their Officers so neer as possibly they can in all Spirituall relations for their mutuall edification in love Ephes 4. 16. 11. So then every true Believer that hath made open profession In respect of their Members of his faith by being a member of any one Congregation hath a right of membership unto all the congregations of the world because all are but one in Christ Gal. 3. 28. and all have one and the same accesse unto the Father and are fellow-citizens and of the same houshold of Faith Ephes 2. 19. 12. It is then contrary to the mind of Christ that those who make profession of the same faith and worship in the same way should stand
Covenant f Exod. 19. 5. If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant then ye shall be peculiar treasure unto me or to confirm g and keep them in it g Isa 8. 16. Binde up the Testimony seal the Law among my disciples Ezek. 20. 19 20. I am the Lord your God walk in my statutes and keep my judgements and do them and hallow my Sabbaths and they shall be a signe between me and you that ye may know that I am the Lord your God 4. The meanes which doth bring men to the Covenant is that which begetteth Faith the meanes which doth confirm and keep men in the Covenant is that which increaseth and strengtheneth Faith and the meanes which doth reclaim men from the breach of the Covenant is that which doth chastise unbelief and disobedience 5. To beget Faith the ordinance of Preaching h is appointed h Rom. 10. 14. How shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher v. 17. So then faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God To confirm it i the same ordinance is to be used i 1 Pet. 2. 2. Desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby together with the ordinance of k Prayer k Act. 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually unto Prayer and to the ministry of the Word and the right use of l Baptism l Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father c. Act. 2. 40. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized and the m Lords supper m Act. 2. 41. And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and in prayer and the fellowship of the Saints by their n assemblies n Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the Assembling of our selves together c. and by the supporting of one another in their o burthens o Gal. 6. 2. Beare ye one anothers burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ And to reclaim the disobedient from the breach of the Covenant the rod p of Discipline p 1 Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come with a Rod c. and weapons of q Revenge are appointed q 2 Cor. 10. 6. Having in a readinesse to Revenge all disobedience 6. These ordinances are not to be concealed but by the publike profession r of the Gospel administred in the Church r Mat. 5. 14. Ye are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid v. 15. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushell v. 16. Let your light shine so before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven 7. The ordinances of Government are to be administred by those who are intrusted with the s Keyes of the kingdome of heaven whose authority is to binde or loose and to remit or retain sinnes according to the revealed will of God ministerially s Mat. 16. 19. And I will give thee the Keys of the kingdom of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shal be bound in heaven whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven Joh. 20. 23. Whosoever sinnes ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sinnes ye retain they are retained The key of Knowledge must alwayes make way for the key of Discipline because the weapons of Righteousnesse must first lead the minds of men captive and convict their consciences t before they be made use of to revenge disobedience t 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Christ and having in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled Luk. 11. 52. Ye have taken away the key of knowledge c. CHAP. IV. Concerning the office imployment of the Pastor and Teacher 1. THat Christ Jesus hath appointed Pastors and Teachers to be officers in his Church is evident from Joh. 10. 1 2. the Sheep-fold the Shepherd of the sheep Ephes 4. 11. He gave some Pastors and Teachers 2. That to these officers the whole work and effect of the ordinary Administration is committed is also evident from Ephes 4 11 till 17. where next unto the extraordinary officers of the church who are Apostles Prophets and Evangelists the ordinary who are Pastors and Teachers are ranked unto whom together with the others all is ascribed that is to be done concerning the Church Therefore the extraordinary officers ceasing all is committed unto the ordinary administration which resteth upon these 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3 4. Feed the flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shepherdize the flock 3. That these officers are distinct from Ruling Elders and that Ruling Elders are subordinate unto their imployment is cleer from 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that Rule well especially they that labour in the word and doctrine That they are also distinct from Deacons and that these are subordinate unto them in like manner is cleer from Act. 6. 2 3 4. It is not reason we should leave the Word and serve tables Look out men whom we may appoint over this busines but we will give our selves to Prayer and to the ministery of the Word 4. That in the work of the Ministery the duties of the Pastor and Teacher are to be jointly performed doth appeare by this that the Pastors according to Gods heart do feed the people with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3. 15. Then also reproofs rebukes and exhortations which are the proper work of the Pastor must be performed with all long suffering and doctrine which is the proper work of the Teacher 2 Tim. 4. 2. 5. That the speciall gifts and proper works of both these are neverthelesse distinct is also apparent from Rom. 12. 6 7 8. Having gifts differing He that teacheth on teaching He that exhorteth on exhortation And 1 Cor. 12. 8. To one is given the word of wisdome which is the Pastoral to another the word of knowledge which is the Doctoral gift 6. So then the Pastoral office doth eminently contain the use of all other offices for all that is to be done by the Teacher or by the Ruling Elder or the Deacon is to be subservient unto this care and in case these officers be wanting the Pastor is to do all by himself even as the Apostles did the work of the Deacons before those officers were chosen Act. 4. 34 35. They laid down the prices at the Apostles feet and distribution was made And when all these do their duties he ought carefully to concurre with them therein Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body and every one members one of another 1 Cor. 12. 20. They are many members yet but one body vers 25. The members should have the
Now by these Rules by Gods assistance all these difficulties may be overcome As for the particular acts of Government in themselves in admitting of Members to the Church in maâ—ing use of the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven in administring the Seals of the Covenant in overseeing the Flock and addressing or redressing them in their duties they ought not suddenly and hastily to be medled withall till these Fundamentals be well digested for by the Method which is in them prescribed they will prove successfull And in a word nothing will ever be found commendable or warrantable which in the undertaking hath not a rise from some cleer Rule in the Word and in the application is not proportionate to the capacity of those to whom it is to be applied for the Apostle doth instruct us by his example to become all things to all men to wiune some 1 Cor. 9. 22. CHAP. VII Concerning the office and imployment of Deaconâ— 1. THe name of a Deacon is diversly taken in the Scripture the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet alwayes signifying one that is appointed for or doth attend upon some service and according to the diversity of the service the word is differently taken 2. Sometime it is applied to common service sometime to peculiar service to be performed in the Church only It is applied to common service Mat. 8. 15. where it is said of Peters wives mother that she being cured of her fever rose and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministred unto them And in this sense it is used Mat. 20. 26. He that will be great among you let him be your minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. When it is applied to service peculiarly belonging to the Church it is again differently taken First for the whole work which by Gods appointment is to be performed in the Church in all his Ordinances So Christ is called Rom. 15. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister of the Circumcision so the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 3 4. doth call himself a Deacon of God and his service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deaconship we render it Ministery the words are Giving none offence in any thing that the Ministery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not blamed but in all things approving our selves as the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deacons of God Here it takes in the Administration of the Word with the other service Secondly it is taken for that part of the Ministery which is contradistinct to the Administration of the Word and standeth wholly in matter of Action in which sense it is taken Rom. 12. 6 7. where the Apostle doth distribute all the offices belonging to the Church into two kinds into Prophesie and into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministery By the first he meaneth the whole dispensation of the Word and by the second all that which belongeth to matter of Action Thirdly it is taken most properly for that part of Action and Church-service which is distinct from the proper work of the Elders and so it is here to be considered and in this sense the quality of a Deacon is described 1 Tim. 3. from v. 8. till 14. 4. This office was instituted by the Apostles at Jerusalem to redresse an inconveniencie which did fall out in the daily ministrâ—â—ion namely the neglect of some widowes more then of others by reason of which inequality there arose a murmuring and discontent which by these Officers was remedied as you may read more at large Acts 6. v. 1. till 7. 5. The proper work then of the Deacons is To look to the provision which is made for the relief of the poor that it be equally distributed according to their necessities and to this effect they are to receive and keep the collections which are made for that use and they ought to visit and consider the state of the poor and sick that knowing their wants the Eldership and Congregation if need be may help to supply the same according to their ability 6. They ought in the work of their charge to be subordinate unto the Eldership upon whom the chief care of the Flock doth lie For to ease the chief Elders at Jerusalem they were created and the reason why they were constituted to ease them is still in force for the text saith thus Act. 6. 1. There arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widowes were neglected in the daily ministration Vers 2. Then the Twelve called the multitude of the Disciples unto them and said it is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables v. 3. Wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdome whom we may appoint over this businesse v. 4. But we will give our selves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word From whence it appeareth that the service of tables that is to provide meat for the poor and distribute unto them their portion is not to be imposed upon them that attend the labour of the Word and Prayer but ought to be committed unto some others And that these others are subordinate unto them appeareth both by the nature of their imployment which is about a matter of lower concernment and by the manner of their admission unto it which was by the imposition of the hands of the Eldership for the Apostles did appoint them to their office not only as Apostles but as Elders of that congregation 7. And because they are thus subordinate unto the Eldership by their primitive constitution therefore in the Reformed churches they are obliged to regulate their matters by the advise of the Eldership to whom they are bound from time to time to shew the accounts of their receipts and disbursments and the condition of the poor who are to be relieved In the Synodical Acts of the French churches cap. 4. and in the Church-Orders of the Dutch-churches art 25. 8. And because they are thus accountable unto the Eldership they are bound to keep exact reckonings of their receipts and disbursements The Receipts come in Foraigne churches chiefly in France and Low-Countries onely from free willing contributions which at every meeting of the Congregation to heare the Word are gathered by the Deacons and the Disbursements are indifferently to all the Poore who offer themselves but chiefly to those of their owne Congregation 9. In larger Congregations of the Foraign churches the Eldership hath their meeting apart from the Deacons the Deacons meet ordinarily by themselves once or twice a week but in lesser Congregations the Elders and Deacons meet ordinarily all together at least once a week CHAP. VIII Concerning the Duty of Christians as they are to be in a particular Church and under the government of Rulers set over them in the Lord. 1. WE understand by Christians men that have given up their names unto Christ to be called a by his name a Act. 11. 26. The Disciples were called Christians