shall continue me among you in this place my endeavour shall be by Gods assistance to set you in heaven-way to be plaine and faithfull to you in things of soul concernment To tell you that you are altogether such as ye ought to be all reall christians a visible Church such as have a right to the sacrament an interest in the promises I dare not sow such pillows under your armes if I should well might you suspect me of daubing I mean with untempred morter But I shall endeavour to shew you out of the Scriptures who are Christians indeed not only by a change of name but by a change of nature also who are a true visible Church of Jesus Christ what manner of persons they are and ought to be to whom Seals and Promises are given and if you be or become such then may I tell you without deceiving you that you are Christians indeed a Church indeed have a right to the Seals and promises of the Gospel indeed If a Parish or People be altogether profane atheisticall dead in sins and trespasses without any favour or taste of spirituall things To tell such a people that they are good Christians a visible Church have a right to the Sacrament is no other then to cheat them of the truth harden them in their sins and lead them blindfold to destruction A formall and generall Preacher that words and phrases out his own wisdom tickling the ears without touching the hearts or awaking the consciences of his hearers he may have the praise and applause of men but not the praise and peace of God give me the latter let who will take the former It will be worth all his pains and sufferings if a Minister drawing men to his latter end and ready to give up an account of his stewardship can appeale unto God and his Congregation as once Samuel ready to die did unto the people in another case 1 Sam. 12. Whose Oxe or whose Ass have I taken whom have I defrauded So when a Minister what soul have I beguiled What soul have I defrauded What soul have I hardened in sin by covering and not discovering the truth and danger of its estate to it What people have I deceived by telling them they were Christians when they were not a Church when they were not had a right to the Kingdome of heaven and the seals thereof when they had not to be able to say thus will be worth something one day O that all that take upon them the Ministry of the Gospel would consider this If plain dealing have outward disturbance yet it hath inward peace But indeed an ingenious people whose reason and understanding is not quite lost or infatuated will in time make good that saying of the wise mans Pro. 28.23 That he that rebuketh a man afterward shall finde more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue My endeavour therefore shall be to cause you to know your miserable estate by nature and the remedy thereof by grace To cause you to look into that great mystery the infinite love of God in Jesus Christ in that great work of your dedemption through him that ye may know the Lord Jesus the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death That when I am called to give an account of my Stewardship amongst you I may do it with joy and not with griefe Ministers of all men had need to look about them for they must give account for more souls than their own and if any be lost through their default Ezek. 3.18 that blood will be required at their bands I would not at the day of judgement be found in the condition of a negligent idle Pastor that hath fleec'd and not fed his flock for ten thousand worlds Not in his condition 1 Cor. 2.4 that daubs with untemperd morter that speaks smooth things that preacheth not in the demonstration of the spirit and of power but with the inticing words of mans wisdome For fearefull will be the end of such a man when Jesus Christ and he shall reckon together for so many sheep lost through the earelesness of the shepheard It was the saying of one That of all men that should be saved Ministers should be the fewest Indeed they have the greatest charge and are subject to the sorest temptations and it is to be feared that many Ministers either for fear or love or some other worldly respect may offend too much against their commission which bids them cry aloud and spare not Isa 58.1 lift up thy voice like a trumpet shew my people their sinns and the house of Israel their transgressions and so hazard themselves too neere the pickes of Gods eternall vengeance and displeasure which thing of all other I most fear and therefore through grace shall labour to avoid which I cannot do unlesse I look strictly unto you over whom I set an Overseer therefore blame me not if I be plain and earnest with you to press you forward towards the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3 14. If I should be negligent herein your blood would be upon my head The Lord pardon my neglects past I had rather disturbe my own peace if it must be so and trouble the water to stir you out of the lees of carnall security than to have you curse me and accuse me before God at the day of judgement for the deceiver and betrayer of your soules I blesse God I can say through the grace given me that my destre is so farre as I know my own heart not to seek yours but you I had rather see you thrive in spirituals than my self in temporals and my greatest encouragement among you will be to see you walking in and obedient unto the truth If you will give up your names to Jesus Christ if you will obey the Gospel and not run with the wicked of the world into the same excess of riot you must look for many oppositions affronts scornes reproaches but passe thorough all these with patience looking unto the End Jesus the Author and Finisher of your Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame Heb. 12.1 and is now set down at the right-hand of God and there if you run with patience the race that is set before you shall you sit down also For which things sake I shall alwayes bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and that he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might Ephes 3.14 by his Spirit in the inward man That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith that ye being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge That ye might be filled
removed out of its place Rev. 6.12 2 Pet. 3.10 What would not then a wicked profane person that hath alwayes before mock't at the Saints of Jesus Christ now give to be as one of them O how will he curse himself that ever he was such a mad man to slight preaching and coming into Church-society and not to have considered that he must come to judgment how at this great and fearfull day of the Lord which shall be so terrible to all the wicked of the world Rev. 6.15 That the tribes of the earth shall mourne and the Kings of the great men and the rich men Rev. 6.15 and the captaines and the mighty men and every bondman and every freeman shall hide themselves in dens and in the rocks of the mountaines and shall say to the mountaines and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand I say in this so terrible day of the Lord 2 Thes 1.8.10 shall our Lord Jesus Christ hide all his Saints under the hollow of his arme gather them under the covert of his wings deliver them from the wrath that is to come upon all the wicked and ungodly of the world Though this shall be a day of gloominess and thick darknesse over all the land of Egypt yet the sun shall shine on Israel Luk. 21.28 When the ungodly shall at this day hang down the Saints shall lift up their heads because their redemption is at hand Fifthly If a Saint of Jesus Christ A fifth priviledge what ever befalls thee shall befall thee for thy good whether smiles or frownes crosses or comforts riches or poverty sickness or health all these shall be advantage to thee Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God Thus highly priviledg'd are all the members and Saints of Jesus Christ therefore I conclude Happy are the people whose God is the Lord. And now let me speake familiarly to you are not all these as before high priviledges are they not worth the traveling for O consider they are brought home unto you they are offered you at your doors and how can ye escape if ye neglect so great salvation Such high priviledges profer'd you on such honourable and easie conditions therefore slack not come into the Church of Jesus Christ flock like Doves to these windows and all these priviledges shall be yours Now will any man for the pleasure of sin which is but for a season for the love of drunkennesse of uncleannesse or the like out himself of the Church cause the members of Jesus Christ to reject him as an Atheist an Infidel I tell this person what ere he be that hee 'l sadly rue this one day hee 'l curse that fatall love to sin those sensuall delights and pleasures that now cost him his salvation hee 'l then be ready for very grief and madnesse at himself to put out those eyes that have look't upon a woman to lust after her to bite that tongue that hath so often cur'st and sworne and blasphem'd the holy name of the Lord scoft at holiness and mockt at the assemblings of his Saints to cut that throat that hath so often poured down wine and strong drink till he hath been inflam'd by it and heightened to the acting of any impiety with a strangely brutish confidence Thus I say he that now refuseth these great priviledges profferd to him and for the love of sin shuts himself out of the Church of Christ a day will come when he shall wish O that I had not sat in the chaire of the scorner O that I had joyn'd my self unto the Congregation of the godly then shall sorrow and sighing take hold on him when he shall see those that have liv'd soberly and righteously and godly in their generations own'd by Jesus Christ with a come ye blessed and led by him by the hand to sit down with Ahraham Isack and Jacob in the kingdome of God and he himself cast out Think of this betime all ye that as yet forget God and Hos 14.2 take with you words and turn unto the Lord Hos 14.2 say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously But if ye will not obey God nor hearken to the voice of his Ministers that beseech you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God be ye sure of this that a day will come when Jesus Christ shall appear 2 Thes 1.9 in flaming fire to take vengance on you because ye have not obey'd the Gospel yea and shall say Bring hither those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them Luk. 19.27 and slay them before me Sect. X. AS there are many priviledges that the Saints are interested in so there are many and sad penalties which shall be inflicted upon all those that do contemn the gospel and separate themselves from the Church and Communion of Saints here upon earth First 1. Penalty These shall be separate from the presence of the Lord they shall never see God * Mat. 25.41 depart from me ye workers of iniquity * Heb. 12.14 without holinesse no man shall see God Secondly These shall be punished with a very sore punishment * Heb. 10.29 Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the Spirit of grace It shall be more tolerable at the day of Judgment for Sodoxie and Commorrah than for those that contemne the Gospel Thirdly Their punishment shall be an everlasting punishment not for a day or a moneth or a year but these shall be * Mat. 10.15 punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of the power 2 Thes 1.9 Mat. 25.41 Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Fourthly These shall be turned into * 4. Ps 9 17. Mat. 25.30 hell a place of horror and darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth And now let me ask you what do you think of all these sad judgments and penalties are ye not afraid of them are you not afraid to be separate from the presenc◠〈…〉 he Lord are ye not afraid to b◠punished with an everlasting punishment are ye not afraid to be turnd into hell a den of smoke and darknesse Ah! what heart of stone will not break at the consideration of these things Who can dwell with devouring fire Isa 33.14 who can dwell with everlasting burnings Jam. 2.19 The Devils tremble at the thought of these will men be worse than Devils Sect. XI THerefore Beloved seeing we shall partake of such great priviledges if we reforme and turne to God yea seeing there
SEVERALL QUERIES concerning the CHVRCH of JESUS CHRIST upon Earth briefly explained and Resolved Wherein is shewed and proved 1. That there is a Church of Jesus Christ upon earth 2. What this Church is 3. How a People become a Visible Church 4. That the Churches in England were at first rightly Constituted 5. What manner of Government Jesus Christ hath ordained in and for his Church 6. What manner of Persons those ought to be that may be continued in or admitted into the Church 7. What is the duty of Church members towards Jesus Christ their head and one another By John Flowre M. A. Preacher at Staunton in the County of Nottingham London Printed by T. Mabb for Edward Thomas and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Adam and Eve in Little-brittain neer the Church 1658. TO THE Right Honourable EDVVARD Lord WHALEY Lievetenant Generall of the Army under his Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereto belonging Right Honourable THis which was at first conceived for the use and direction of my own Congregation I have at the desire of some private Friends suffered to be brought forth to a more publick view and I have also made bold to tender it to your Honour which though I confess unworthy either of your judgment or acceptance yet the countenance and many respects which I have received from you have heightned me to this presumption hoping you will please to pardon that confidence in me which your own favours and encouragements have begotten I hope I have not in this offended against the truth I am sure I have not willingly nor wittingly if I have through ignorance or mistake I shall willingly be rectified and be glad to see my errours Therefore in such caâ—e Let the righteous smite me Ps 141.5 and it shall be a kindnesse let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head In â—y preâ—enting this small piece to your honour my ambition is onely to make an honourable and thankfull mention of your name your deserts h ve merited a better monument than I am able to elect for them Your Noble and civill deportment towards all in the Counties more especially under your Command chiefly your countenancing and encouraging of the pious painfull Ministers of the Gospel hath justly gained you a good report of all men and of the truth it self which honour that you may alwayes have by still co tinuing stedfast and unmoveable and always abounding in the work the Lord is the prayer of Your Honours most obliged in all duty and service JOHN FLOWRE TO My much esteemed friends and neighbours the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Staunton in the County of Nottingham BY the providence of the most high Isa 7. Acts 17.26 that hath appointed the tit es that are comming and shall come an â—â—etermined the bounds of each one haâ—itation I am seated among you in this place Ps 16.6 and I hope I shall have no other cause but that I may say with the Psalmist the lines are fallen unto me in a good place I account not that so much a good place where there are good fields good corne good pasture But I account that a good place where there is a good people a people swift to hear willing to be reformed ready to submit to the Scepter and dominion of the Lord Jesus and not crying ouâ— like those Rebellious Jews Lu 7.19.14 we will not have this man reigne over us I account such a place a good place for it is not the fatnesse of the soile but the fear of the Lord that maketh rich I blesse God I have received no discouragment since I came amongst you I have not found you stubborne or perverse froward or refractory or resisters of the word of truth which hath been delivered to you but I have found you rather humble and meek and willing to imbrace the Gospel which as it is your praise so it is also my happinesse and joy For what is it that makes the life of a Minister of the Gospel comfortable I tell you if he be a man that truly fears God and is faithfull to his master it is not the greatnesse of his Living the fulness of his barnes But it is the obedience of his people to gospel-precepts their growing in grace their adding to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1.5 and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity their willingnesse to be reformed their readinesse to receive the truth with love their not being barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O! The blessing of God upon his labours in Spiritualizing his people this refresheth him when he seeth dead people quickned enemies to Christ reconciled children of wrath become children of grace those that were afar off now made nigh strangers from the covenant now interested in the promise there is no greater joy to a sincere minister of the Gospel than this This was St. 3 Ioh. 1.4 Johns greatest comfort I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walke in the truth O what a rejoycing is this when a Minister can say of his people as St. Paul could of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and to the Romans to whom he preached Ye were the Servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine which was delivered unto you Ro. 6.17 But ah what woe is it to a faithfull minister that when he hath spent himself and his pains for many years yet is forced to complaine with the Prophet Lord who hath beleeved our report Isa 53.1 They were servants of sin and they are so still they have not obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to them They were thieves covetuous whoremongers drunkards Revilers Scorners and they are so still they are not washed they are not sanctified anâ— this is an heart-breaking to a sincere Minister of Jesus Christ and many such there are that with the Prophet Ier. 13.17 mourn in secret for this thing I must confesse I have what respects I can desire from you in relation to things temporal and my endeavours shall be to gratifie you with things that are spirituall which are of the greatest concernment in the world Our main businesse in this world should be to labor to make your calling and election sure To be diligent that at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ to judgment we may be found without spot and blameless men indeed make other businesse then this But alass That so little regarded saying of our Lord Jesus Christ will be proved true one day What will it profit a man to win the world and lose his soule While providence
also at the welfare one of another If an Heathen could say very truly that Non solum nobis nati sumus We are not only born for our selves but for one another also I may surely then very confidently say that Non solum nobis renati sumus that we are not borne again for our selves but for one another also for the comfort and help and mutuall edification of all our fellow Members in Christ Jesus Lastly The Members of the body natural do all sympathise with one another if a finger do but ake all the Members condole it So in the Church of Jesus Christ all the Members should condole and sympathise with one aking or afflicted Member Christians Members of the same body should all sympathise and have a share together both in one anothers crosses and comforts Rom. 15.16 Rejoyce with those that rejoyce weap with those that weep be of the same mind one towards another The Lord Jesus Christ our head sympathises with all every of his poor members Isa 63.9 In all their afflictions he is afflicted Sect. VIII FRom what hath been said in relation to the Solution of the Fourth Question it appears that the first constitution or planting or gathering of the Churches in England was right and orderly according to the Scripture-rule and way of the Apostles in that case from whence I conclude with that Reverend Divine Mr. Cotton as before that the great work of the Ministers of Jesus Christ in England now is not to constitute and gather Churches anew as if there had never been any before But rather to labour to reform and purge and purifie those Churches which were at first founded and built upon the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets Jesus Christ himselfe being the chief Corner stone I say to reform purifie those from that dross and tin those many corruptions which time neglect of discipline hath contracted Therefore I shall declare what I conceive as to the way that every particular Church ought to take in this case That is what is now to be done by every particular Church in this land that desires to be a true reformed and refined Church of Jesus Christ It must needs by all be granted that we have even all the particular Churches and Congregations in this Land Rom. 3.13 I say that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God that our unfruitfulnesse under Ordinances our neglect of discipline our not sanctifying the Sabbath our carelesse and unchristianlike conversations might justly have provoked God to have sent us a bill of divorce to have sent his Messengers to us with a Loammi and a Loruhamah plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife Hos 2.12 neither am I her Husbend Therefore seeing we stand charged before God with so many high and heinous provocations it is surely high time for every particular congregation in England that is called by the name of a Church and desires truly to be such to meet God in the way with a peace-offering in their hands that the just indignation of the Lord may be turned away from them that they fall not by their iniquities and become as dung upon the earth We read of the * prodigall son after a long time of disobedience to his Father Luk. â—1 17 that when he came to himselfe he bethought him of this way to be reconciled to his Father again I will go saith he unto my Father and will say unto him Father I have sinned against heaven before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Thus he humbling himself and confessing his fault his father welcomes him gladly This my son was dead and is alive was lost and is found Here is a patterne not onely for one prodigall sonne or daughter but for a prodigall assembly or Congregation also to be reconciled to God their Father Let a particular Church or congregation of people that by their turning of grace into wontonness and abuse of spirituall mercies have given God just occasion to disown them I say when these come to themselves to have a sight and sence of their own state and of the danger thereof that is of their not being reconciled to God and cleaving more close to him let them gathering themselves together First Humble themselves before God freely confessing their many provocations the want of love of zeal of holy walking according to the Statutes and Ordinances of the Lord Jesus their breach of Covenant with God which they made in Baptisme let them say Father we have sinned against heaven and before thee are not worthy the name of thy Church or to be called thy people let them confesse the sins of their forefathers the generations before them let them humble themselves for these and their own imitation of them Thus did the Church of the Jewes in the dayes of Nehemiah and Ezra being sensible of their Backslidings and Spiritual Fornications and the danger they were in by reason of these They assembled themselves they confest their sins and the sins of their fathers confessing God to be just in all that he brought upon them Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us Neh. c. 93 3 Ezek. 10.9 for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly Secondly Let every particular Church or Congregation renew their Covenant with God even that Covenant they made with him in Baptisme to forsake the world the flesh the Devil professing their sorrow and repentance for the breach of it and solemnly engaging to observe it better for the time to come in keeping a more strict watch over themselves and one another in forsaking all ungodliness and worldly lusts and living more soberly more godly more righteously in this present world as becometh Christians the professed Members of the Church of Jesus Christ Thus did also the Church of the Jewes you heard before that in relation to their better reformation and turning to God they assembled themselves together and humbled themselves before the Lord confessing their sins and the sins of their fathers and to this they added a solemn renewing of their * Covenant Nehe. 9 38. 9 2. or a new engaging to God to walk more orderly before him for the time to come Thirdly Let them separate themselves from Achans I mean let every particular Congregation of Gods people put out from amongst them all the openly scandalous ungodly and prophane for these are botches and boiles of a Church the dead and withered branches which ought to be cut off by the sentence of excommunication 1 Cor. 5.1 2. Rev. 18.4 Nehem. 9.38 Sect IX HAving spoken as to the way of refining and reforming a Church I shall now use a word of Exhortation in generall to all the Congregations of this Land called by the name of Churches especially to my own Congregation to stir up and encourage you to so great so good so necessary so
with all the fulness of God Feb. 2. 1657. J. FLOWRE Severall Questions concerning the Church of Jesus Christ upon earth Concerning the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ upon earth I find these Questions moved amongst others First WHether there be any such thing as a Church of Jesus Christ upon earth Secondly What is the Church of Jesus Christ Thirdly How do a people become a true visible Church of Jesus Christ at first Fourthly Whether the Churches of England vvere at first rightly constituted Fifthly What Government hath Jesus Christ Ordained in and for his Church Sixthly What manner of persons those ought to be that are in the judgement of Charity to be lookt upon as visible Members of the Church Seaventhly What are the duties of Church-Members towards Jesus Christ and one another Severall Queries concerning the Church of Christ Section I. Containing an Answer to the first Question IF there were not those that denied the Scriptures to be the word of God and Jesus Christ the Son of God it might then be admired that any should question Whether there be a Church of Jesus Christ a upon earth For to deny this is to deny an Article of the Christian Creed to accuse the holy Scriptures of folly and impertinences to defame our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ If there be no such thing as a Church of his upon earth what meant our Lord Jesus Christ when he said * Mat. 16.8 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church What meant St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.2 2 Cor. 1.1 when he directed his Epistle to the Church of God which is at Corinth Rev. 2. Why doth the Spirit write to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus of the Church in Smyrna Those therefore that deny a Church of Jesus Christ upon earth are not of so much worth as either to be named or disputed withall but they are to be rejected by all sober and judicious Christians as those that have together with their Faith made shiprack of their Reason also Section II. Containing an answer to the second Question What is the Church of Jesus Christ The word which in English is rendred a Church is in the Originall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word is used in the Gospel to signifie a Church of Jesus Christ And this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church doth signifie A company Called out from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to call out from among others And again this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we Translate a Church is sometimes used to signifie any assembly called together upon any occasion Act. 19.33 For the Assembly was confused the word then translated assembly is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the same word is rendred an assembly Act. 19.39 41. But this word Ecclesia or Church we in our speech do use to signifie a sacred assembly or meeting or combination of Gods people Our English word Church signifies an assembly of Gods people or those that desire to fear the Lord For it is very probable that our word Church com's from the German word Kirch which is derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the flock or people of God We use the word Church also by a Metonymie for the place or house where the Church or the people of God meet 1 Cor. 11.18 Calling that a Church But to speak properly the Church of Jesus Christ is his people built of living and not of dead and sensless stones 1 Pet. 2.5 and this Church of Jesus Christ is a company of people * Joh. 15.19 Rev. 18 4. call'd out of the world serving Jesus Christ as their Lord and King * 1 Thes 4 7. Rom. 6.17 Act. 2.42 Living under and submitting unto all his holy ordinances A true visible Church of Jesus Christ is not a profane wicked assembly an assembly of Notorious Drunkards Whoremongers Swearers and the like But an holy assembly called out from among these * 1 Cor. 6.11 Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are Sanctified Not an assembly of such as only serve their own bellies lusts passions sin satan the times but an assembly of such as turn from these Idols to serve the living and true God Not an assembly refractory and disobedient to Gospel-Ordinances mockers scoffers of holy things and duties But such as do submit themselves to the Laws commands ordinances of Jesus Christ as their duty and but * Rom. 12.1 Reasonable service Section III. Containing an answer to the third question How do a people become a true visible church of Jesus Christ at first A People become a true visible Church of Jesus Christ by entering into an holy covenant with the Lord to take him for their God and King to be ruled and directed by his word and to submit unto all his holy ordinances Thus we finde in the Scripture when God did constitute Abraham's Family a church I mean receive them into a church-estate it was by entering them into such a * Gen. 17. covenant as before of which circumcision was a seale That which they covenanted with God was * Gen. 17.1 To walk before him and be perfect and God covenanted with them to * verse 7. be their God and the God of their feed and so they came into a church-estate This was the way of the Apostles in their constitution of Churches Those people whom the Apostles did receive into a church-estate it was by engaging them to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to submit to his holy ordinances This is plain if we read the 2. of the Acts v. 41. There were three thousand received into a church-estate which before neither were a church nor of the church of Jesus Christ And how came these to be a church why v. 41. v. 41. they gladly received the word preached to them according to that word v. 38. v. 38 they did evidence their repentance for Sin past which includes an engagement to serve God for the future and upon this they were baptized and became a church v. 41. So when the Apostles received particular persons into the Church which before were not of it these did covenant for to take the Lord for their God to own and serve him so they became added unto the church Acts 19. many became added unto the Church But we read that they were such as believed such as confessed their sins such as shewed their deeds such as burned their profane books Thus they covenanting to serve the Lord were received into the church Thus it is clear that a company of people do become a church by entering into an holy Covenant with the Lord their God to own him and serve him Therefore the church is called the * Cant 4.8 9 10. Spouse of Jesus Christ by which name the church could not properly be called had she not entred into an holy conjugall covenant