is manifest from Eph. 4.14 15. compared with the Primitive practice Act. 2.42 ch 9.5 See also Eph. 2.19 6. All that profess themselves to be translated into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ should walk as professed Subjects thereof and this they cannot do but in Communion with a visible Church for particular Churches are the visible parts of Christs Kingdom Here Christ rules as King Law-giver and appears as High priest and Prophet giving forth himself to the Faith of his People with all his fullness of Grace in Gospel Ordinances and Dispensations Here then it is that a Believer doth exalt the Lord Jesus Christ most eminently as to visibility in his regal Power and therefore so long as a Believer joyns not himself to a particular Church he stays in the Verge of Satans Kingdom exposeth himself at no small rate to his Temptations Rage and Tyranny and salls short of one great end of his Faith in the Salvation of his Soul which is to be a professed Subject of Christs Kingdom deals disloyally with Christ instead of promoting prejudiceth the Interest of Christ both in respect of himself and others in the World he may be a Nicodemus like Friend of Christ but why doeth he not professedly and openly practice Obedience to all the Laws and Ordinances of his House and bear witness thereto Is it not a tacite and implicite denying of Christ and will not Christ take it so and mens talking of Christs Kingdom is but a vain shew unless they do him this particular personal service as to joyn themselves actually and visibly to a Church of Christ therein espousing his Interest in giving up their Names unto him and walking in his Name as Micah 4.5 All people will walk every one in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Objections that are made against this practice are very inconsiderable and should bear little weight in a Mind truely enlightned some of which are answered in the ensuing discourse others I should here remove if there were room for it I think the Naming them is the shaming of them to all men that have learned Christ and tasted that the Lord is Gracious 1. The scorn and reproach men shall fall under from the prophane World I think no wise man will be laugh't out of his Estate how much less out of his Religion and Souls Salvation 2. A Suspicion lest they should come under too strict tyes and bonds to Holy and Religious Conversation Read 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16 17 18 19. 3. Others are kept off by prejudices arisen by reason of the sins and failings of Churches and Church-Members But will wise men refuse a good Calling or Estate because there are so many abuse them And name a Church or Christian without failings and considerable ones It is your duty to choose the purest Society and you are at your Liberty to do it where you may have most Comfort and Edification Lastly Many are hindred from their ignorance or misled apprehensions concerning the Nature of a Gospel Church For their Information and Rectification especially I have published this Christian Conference that was in my hands and that it may obtain the desired end is the sincere wish and prayer of an unworthy Servant of Christ Isa Chauncy This Conference is managed by Mr. Cornelius Philomathes a Countrey Gentleman and Mr. Peter Christophilus a Minister Neighbour to him The Introduction Christophilus Mr. Philomathes I am heartily glad to see you methinks you are mightily enjoying your self in your pleasant and retired walks will not my company disturb your meditations Philomathes I take it kindly Sir you are pleased to give me a Visit for indeed I live somewhat lonely I am glad of good company especially sometimes for divertisement but there is no friend more welcome than your self to me because your chearfulness revives me and your discourse profits me Christoph Dear Sir I deserve not so great a character and commendation it is your generous disposition that leads you to speak these things for you know we use to differ pretty much in many things especially in matters of Religion and in discourse seemingly hot opponents of each other but I think never the worse Friends Phil. Sir I have so near as I know my own heart a most cordial love to every one that fears God though he be not in every thing of my mind but for you Sir I have more than an ordinary respect and esteem as having been my old acquaintance and intimate friend and neighbour in all the late Changes in Church and state for above these forty years we never had any lasting difference but for the most part a very friendly correspondence Christ And to your great honour with a grateful remembrance may I often rehearse to the praise and glory of God the marvelous Christian kindness and commiseration that you shewed to me and my wife and family in our late Persecutions that you often sheltered me from the rage of my enemies and when they haled me to Prison and plundered all my goods that my Wife and Children had not Beds to lie on Victuals to eat nor Vessels to dress any thing in left you were pleased to take them into your house and provide plentifully for them and this you did when you were in a capacity to have done us more hurt than they who did it and ran no small hazard from time to time in not doing it Phil. No no I hope God will keep me from a persecuting spirit I bless his name he hath kept me from it hitherto and it is a change in our Nation much to be admired that we have such a day of Liberty as we have that all good men may live quietly and peaceably one by another and serve God according to their Consciences Christ Ay Sir especially if we consider the stupendous circumstances of Providence these few last years past that hath wrought about matters to effect that which we so long prayed and waited for Phil. But my friend I must whisper a word in your ear things are not right yet Christ No no nor will not be yet as they shall be but blessed be God they are so well as they are and that God is going on so fast in the way of his Providence towards finishing his Mystery Phil. I see you are on your Prophetick hints still I must confess my self here Asinus ad lyram for the darkness of Prophecies and the disagreement of Interpreters and Events refuting so many that have been very confident hath quite discouraged me that as I look not into them my self so I give little heed to what others say for all men will abound in their own sense and a man may be saved whether he be right or wrong in those things Christ Well Sir then we 'll let those things alone I would not introduce any ungrateful discourse but would rather enter upon something more suitable to
Apostles at the same time and with them to all faithful Ministers There is another Key of the Kingdom of Heaven which is in the Church of the Gospel viz. The Key of Power which is either of Supream Church-power and is the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ which is Soveraign Absolute Legislative and therefore called the Key of David which he alone hath Rev. 3.7 And there is the Key of subordinate Power which is delegated by Christ unto his Church and therefore given by Christ unto Peter and the rest of the Disciples as his associated Church on Earth to which he himself was Pastor and to which he administred as such the Lords Supper The twelve Apostles had this Key given them as such in that for their time they had all Church Power committed unto to them did exercise it as occasion required as to Constitution of Officers receiving dismissing or excommunicating members But there being none in Succession unto them this Key of Power can be found no where lodged but in a particular Congregation built on the Faith which Peter in the Name of the rest professed Mat. 16.19 Phil. But the great Question is where the Power of the Keys lyes in a particular Congregation whether in the Fraternity or in the Eldership Christ I call the decisive Church Power the Key and say it lyes in the Majority as in all Societies that arise by mutual Consent or Agreement But I distinguish between the Keys and the management of them for a Key is dead and opens no door if there be not a hand to make use of it So that in an Organized Church the orderly managing and making use of the Churches Power lyeth in the Elders But if the Church be not Organized they are guided by a common rule of self-preservation and using all means to procure their well being they act by common consent as they came together in the Name of Christ till they be duely Organized with Officers And therefore they admit members or excommunicate if necessity require as they may before they have Officers But having chosen Officers the orderly way of proceeding is by the authoritative Power of the Officers in management of this Key which is the decisive Power Hence I distinguish between a Churches acting pro necessitate and pro regula ordinis Phil. What part have the ruling Elders viz. the Pastor if there be no more or if there be the ruling Presbyters that take part with him as assistants in admitting of a Member Christ The Elder or Elders work is 1. To speak with the party that desires admission propound him to the Church and upon mature deliberation cause the decisive Vote of the Church to pass upon him Whereby he is received or rejected If received the Elder declares the sence of the Church and doth solemnly in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church enter into a mutual obligation with the said Member saying You are here now to give up your self and Children if he hath any to the Lord and this Congregation promising as Christ shall help you to walk and abide in and with this Church in all Gospel Conversation according to the rules of Faith and order of the Gospel submitting your self to the watch of the same and promise to bring your Children to the Ordinances of the Church educating them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Likewise adds I do in the Name of Christ and this Congregation give you the right hand of fellowship and receive you in the Lord promising to perform all the duties toward you that are required of us in order to your Edification as Christ shall enable us Phil. Hath an Elder no more part in the decisive Power by Vote than an ordinary Brother Christ Though the Elders Judgment is usually hearkened to and sways many times much with the Congregation giving light unto them from the Word yet when a matter comes by Vote to be determined his Vote is but single as another Brothers and therefore we say this Key of decisive power is in the Fraternity though the orderly management thereof and authoritative declaration thereof in the Name of Christ belongeth to the Elder Phil. In what other Cases is this Key made use of Christ In letting shutting out and turning out of Members 1. In Letting out or translating Members from one Church to another when upon good reasons a Church Member desires to change his or her Communion and asketh a Dismission it is granted by the suffrage of the Church approving his reasons for it Phil. Is there any Scripture ground for a Dismission may not a Church Member not chargeable with any scandalous Sin go away to another Church without a Dismission Christ No! For it will cause Confusion in the Churches and God is the God of Order and not Confusion as in all the Churches of the Saints Besides it 's contrary to the Nature of such Societies and the obligation by which the Members stand mutually bound together in one Body And Christ hath provided as well the orderly departure as stay of Church Members The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Rom. 16.1 should be rendred statuo constituo in coetu vobiscum I dismiss to you for tho' our translators render it I recommend yet it should more rightly be rendred I dismiss or place in Church fellowship with you and so all the Apostle speaks afterward are terms of a dismission These Paul needs not he being an Apostle and having had a Seal of his Apostleship among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are commendatory Letters with Dismission 2 Cor. 3.2 Phil. What then are your Letters of Recommendation Christ A Letter of Recommendation is but a Certificate under the hand of an Officer that this or that Brother or Sister is a Member of such a Congregation walking blamelesly and as becomes the Gospel that when any Brother or Sister comes to other Churches in their travels they may make no scruple to receive them to occasional or transient Communion but transfers not any as Members to another Congregation Phil. How is the Key used for Exclusion of a Member Christ A Church Member is excluded or put out of Communion by Himself or by the Church and either amounts to Excommunication for Excommunication is the putting one out of the Communion of a particular Congregation which is done when a Member doth disorderly withdraw and divide himself from the Church Communion obstinately refusing to be reduced to his place and duty in the said Church This is an usurpation of the Key of Power and separating of himself and I call it Indirect Excommunication because he divides himself violently and schismatically upon which the Church is to reassume the Key and shut the door of Communion upon him either by a direct Excommunication which is the regular way and may be justified from express places of Scripture such as Rom. 16.17 18. Or else if this way of Discipline will not be born Judicially to
that joyns to the Church doth primarily and professedly joyn themselves to the Lord in Church Communion And the immediate declared event of this Exhortation of Barnabas was that they joyned to the Lord in Church fellowship and became a Church ver 26. See also Act. 16.5 2. It appears to be the duty of every Believer to joyn himself to a particular Church from the Nature of Conversion it is the turning the whole man unto God in all the ways and appointments of Christ wherein he is to be found but Church fellowship is a Divine Institution where God is to be found joyned with and submitted unto as is abundantly manifest from the currant of the Old and New Testament This seems to be the meaning of the Apostle when he doth beseech the Romans ch 12.1 by the Mercies of God to present their Bodies i. e. their Persons to give up their Persons by presenting them to or before the Lord viz. in Church Communion a living Sacrifice of thanksgiving Holy and Acceptable unto God which is your reasonable worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it should be rendred your word service or worship the word is used for the Word of God 1 Pet. 2. Or a service of Words As new born babes desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere Word the Milk or Milk of Word So that the Exhortation of the Apostle seems to be made to Believers to devote and dedicate themselves unto the Lord in Church fellowship by a Covenant or Obligation of Words being called their service of Words viz. their explicate word the Presentment or Devotement of themselves unto the Lord according to Hos 14.2 This Dedication or Devotement is lively signified in Baptism wherein every Believer doth federally oblige himself to Father Son and Holy Ghost and thereby doth both bind himself to joyn unto the Lord in professed Subjection to all his Ordinances and doth shew it Sign and Seal it before the Lord. And every adult one that professeth himself baptized and doth not actually joyn himself unto the Lord in Church fellowship doth practically deny his Baptismal Dedication wherein he is devoted to be a living i. e. visible lively Sacrifice of thanksgiving in his Person and all his performances unto the Lord. 3. That Believer that joyns not himself in Church Society falls short of many great ends of his professed high and holy Vocation for we are called according to Gods purpose of Grace to be a choice Generation a Royal Priesthood a People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. for a peculiarity i. e. unto God for his special visible service to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices of a true Gospel Nature acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ ver 5. Wherein the Virtues of Christ are shewed forth or declared ver 9. Not only perceived in our selves but shewed forth in Practice and Profession and this is or can be no way so much as in Gospel instituted worship wherein a Believer comes unto and is built up in the Lord Jesus Christ as a living Stone The great reason of squaring a stone is to be laid in the building as the end of squaring the Stones in Mount Lebanon was to lay them in Solomons Temple a Type of a Visible Gospel Church Such I doubt not but the Holy Ghost means by the Apostle Peter saying Ye as lively Stones are built a spiritual House ver 5. and so the Apostle Paul Eph. 2.20 21. Again the Lord Jesus doth declaredly design that Believers should be visibly separated from the World to come out in the way of Gospel Communion from all unclean things and Persons 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. From all Heathenish Antichristian or false unwarranted worship and from Communion with professed Vnbelievers and enter into a solemn explicite Covenant with the Lord without doing of which they answer not the end of their calling in Christ Lastly our Calling is not only to be the Lords singly but conjunctly with the Saints and redeemed ones to a mystical Relation to Christ in a Community of the Elect and called ones which is answered by us as in our inward and spiritual so by our external and visible joyning our selves to the Society of the faithful to serve the Lord in one Body with them for we are called to the Peace of God that rules in our Hearts in one body Col. 3.15 i. e. with other Saints and Believers and therefore are to walk worthy as it becometh this vocation not only as to Moral Duties but instituted worship Eph. 4.1 c. Phil. 1.26 Let your Conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ and this in our Order and stedfastness of our Faith in Christ Col. 2.5 4. There are Duties to be performed by every Believer by Virtue of his Relation to Christ as such which cannot be done but in a way of Church Communion for he is obliged to observe what ever Christ hath commanded Mat. 28.20 And how great things hath Christ required to be observed in a way of Church Communion as the exercise of Brotherly love Heb. 13.1.1 Joh. 3.11 And he there refers to our Saviours express command Joh. 13.34 The Obedience to which lyes in the sensible Expression thereof as it appears by what follows Hereby shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one for another i. e. In outward visible acts And the Apostle speaks of the â—ommunion of Love fellowship of the Spirit Bowels of Mercy sameness of Mind c. Phil. 2.1 2 3. Love is a Grace that gives Life to all acts of Communion it flouâ—isheth and branches it self in the most lively manner in a Society and Societies are for the sake of it Destroy love and not only the ends but the very bond and Life of a Society comes to nothing There are great commands of Christ that we are not capable of obeying him in but in Church Communion As frequent assembling together provoking one another to love and good works Heb. 10.24 The remembrance of the Lords Death frequently in the Lords Supper And this is to be observed in a Body or Society of Believers See 1 Cor. 10.16 17. I might instance also in all Duties that concern brotherly watch Pastoral watch each Officers duties by their respective places and Members to them all Discipline actively or passively considered Christs Church Institution Ordinances and Statutes are those which are principally intended by David Psal 119. And such were those that Zechary and Elizabeth walked in blameless Luk. 1.6 5. Every one that supposeth himself in a state of Grace should use all endeavours required by Christ and means instituted by him for growth in Grace Now that Church fellowship and Ordinances are instituted by Christ for growth in Grace I think no sound Christian will go about to deny Believers are exhorted or commanded to grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 And that Churches and their Officers and Ordinances are appointed for that end which we are to abide stedfast in the use of