Churches exercise of it's power 1. In Election of Officers 2. Admission of Members 3. Translating Members to other Churches Admonition and Censures 5. Contribution for the support of Ordinances Ministry and necessity of the Saints 6. I may add unto this Holy Conference for mutual Edification These are given either as peculiar Priviledges to the Churches such as the Seals and Keys of Discipline or primarily though for the Conversion and in order to the Salvation of others but for the sake of the Churches for their Multiplication growth and Confirmation in Grace Phil. Speak to these Gospel Ordinances particularly as to the distinct Nature End and Use of them Christ 1. The Preaching of the Word comprehends 1. The reading of it frequently in the Church 2. The opening and expounding of it 3. The applying it unto the Consciences of Saints and unbelieving Sinners according to the true intent thereof by Instruction Reprehension Exhortation Direction Consolation in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit 4. By the instilling and promoting the knowledge of God in the Mysteries of the Gospel by Catechizing Children Youth in such a way and manner as may conduce most to the enlightning their understandings in and bringing over their affections to the things of God in their tender years Phil. Sir I doubt in the last thing mentioned many if not most of your Churches have been too defective Christ I grant it and fear the next Generation will have great cause to complain of us for the Children of Church Members do manifestly grow up in Ignorance carnality and looseness little care is taken of most religious Parents and less by the Churches to educate them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord all or the chief of Parents care is how to provide well for them in the World Besides every way of Catechizing will not answer the end to learn a Catechism meerly by rote and a preaching upon it will make no more impression on their Ages than other preaching there must be care to instill in to their understandings by little and little in a plain and familiar way of discourse with them as they are able to receive if a great deal of Water be flusht on upon a narrow-mouth'd Bottle very little or none will go in but you may by a small stream and gradually fill it Ignorance in Religion is destruction of Religion it hath been the mother of all false Worship and Error in Doctrine and it 's evident it is the cause for the most part of the disorders in and among Churches Phil. To what Officers doth the ministration of the word in Churches belong Christ To the Pastor and Teacher if there be any they being the Preaching Elders that labour in the Word and Doctrine The Pastors work in Preaching seems to lye most in dealing with the Consciences and Affections of the hearers whether for Conversion or Edification The Teacher insists most on the enlightning the understanding by doctrinal Truths Catechising Argumentation and Conviction of gainsayers Rom. 12.7 8. If one Officer according to the present circumstances can perform his Office to the full edification of the Church in all these things it 's well if not then both are requisite as hath been spoken And the word is to be so preached as hath been said 2 Tim. 4.2 3. Eph. 4.12 Act. 2.42 the Apostles doctrine is the word that is to be Preached and to be attended on by us Phil. I look upon prayer and praises ab be great Church Ordinances as well as duties of a Universal nature to all and individual persons in private and secret Christ It is a solemn Church Ordinance expressed either way in publick prayers or in praises not only in the Prayers of a single person the mouth of the Congregation but in Psalms and Hymns That prayer is a Church ordinance and a duty to be performed frequently in the Church service see Act. 1.14 These continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication so Act. 2.42 no other Ordinance can be duly administred without it Phil. I think there is no Christians but hold that Prayer is a Church Ordinance but I have heard some except against singing of Psalm in Metre as we do Christ That singing Psalms is an Ordinance of the Church I think is plain 1. That singing Praises to God with an audible voice was practised in the Apostles times by the Apostles Act. 16.25 2. That they are to be sung in the Church at the most solemn Ordinance of the Lords Supper is without dispute Mat. 26.30 Mark 14.26 3. That singing with words of Psalms and Hymns at the same time making melody in the Heart is recommended to us Eph. 5.19 so Col. 3.16 teaching and admonishing your selves so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred and not one another for thus Interpreters have rendred the same word your selves Eph. 5.19 in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Odes in Grace singing in your Heart to the Lord. From both which places singing Spiritual Psalms and Hymns for instructing and quickning a gracious Heart sweetly and affectionately carried forth in them is highly recommended to us by the Spirit of God And that it 's a duty to sing in conjunction with others appears by what was practised by our Saviour and his Disciples at the institution of the Lords Supper that they Sang an Hymn And by Paul and Silas in Prison but what the Holy Ghost sayeth expresly he expects of us Rom. 15.6 that you may with one Mind and one Mouth i.e. with sameness of Words and Heart glorifie God Phil. Some may say this is to use forms Christ A. 1. Tho' it be to use a form in Singing it 's not an imposed form but freely taken and chosen no more than the Ministers Text is imposed 2. A form allowed or enjoyned by the Spirit of God may and ought to be used as the words of institution in administration of the Seal of Baptism or of the Elements in the Lords Supper 3. The nature of the thing requireth that it be premeditated that the Singing be melodious i. e. orderly not with confusion and not in absurd dissonies Phil. But some are against singing in mixt Congregations Chr. They may as well be against publick Praying in mixt Congregations Doth not he that Prayeth endeavour to use such expressions as most may joyn with him in So he that propounds a Psalm or Hymn endeavours to suit it to the Congregation where and the time and occasion when it is to be sung It 's due to God from all his creatures to praise him it 's his Saints only bless him but it 's not in our power to judge the heart of him that joyns in a publick duty and if it be to be performed publickly as Praying and Preaching we are not to hinder any that will joyn with us if they are not upright in one or profited by the other the sin lyes on themselves to answer for it Phil. Which be the Seals of
of it self Christ It is as the Church shall judge of it for they may be so well acquainted with the Faith as well as the visible holiness of some that there may not be the least doubt that the person offering himself is fit matter for the Spiritual building but the Church will it may be for the edification of others desire to hear the dealings of God with such an one rather than for satisfaction concerning his Spiritual state which they doubt not of Phil. But I pray Sir what is the nature of this verbal profession which you expect Christ There are two things besides what hath been said requisite in an adult Church Member 1. That he have a competent knowledge of God and Christ Prov. 19.2 He that hath not the knowledge of Christ cannot believe Rom. 10.14 ch 3.11 Pro. 9.10 Hos 4.6 2 Pet. 1.3 1 Tim. 2.4 therefore it 's requisite that such as are admited Church Members do shew that they have a knowledge of God in his essence and subsistences the person natures and offices of Christ the state of man by reason of the fall the nature of Christs Mediatory Office in his Humiliation and Exaltation and the great effects thereof in Justification Sanctification and Glorification Phil. I think indeed it 's very requisite that Church Members should have knowledge of Divine Mysteries so far as is necessary to Salvation or else they will but prophane holy things and turn them into meer superstition or Idolatry as the Papists have done who hugg Ignorance as the Mother of Devotion but many a man that hath had good Christian education may give a great account in these matters and not have a Grain of Grace in his Heart Christ So he may nay many â—n one that can discourse with much knowledge in all points of Divinity may be a very loose and wicked man in his life Rom. 2.17 18 19 20 c. nay he may do all externals in Religion and have no power of Godliness Wherefore 2. We go as far as we can to be satisfied and therefore inquire a reason of his Faith and Hope which when he hath satisfied us in we can go no further but own him fit to become a visible Member of the Church And these qualifications are expresly laid before us Rom. 10.10 The reason of the Faith that is in us is to be given when required 1 Pet. 3.15 be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in you It is therefore of the greatest weight to give this reason to a Church for their satisfaction when asked by it and we find that they that were added to the Church Act. 2. gave good evidence of their Repentance and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the effects of Peter's Sermon Phil. But they were presently added to the Church they allotted no time to make further inspection into their lives and conversations Christ There may be great reason for it for 1. It 's most probable these were all known to be very devout in the Jewish Religion such it may be for conversation as Zechary and Elizabeth and as Cornelius a Proselyte for they were Jews that lived at a distance in remoter Regions that came up constantly to Worship at the Feasts and now came to the Feast of 〈…〉 2. Peter and the rest of the twelve all presided in the Church who were extraordinarily inspired and therefore had a more infallible judgment or more infallible dictates of the Spirit to direct them in Church administrations than ordinary Church Officers since have as appears by many instances in the matter of Simon Magus Ananias and Sapphira c. but we are acquainted by the Spirit of God how true steps they made in receiving of Members that they were still such as should be saved we read not of any false-hearted of all that 3000 unless Ananias and Sapphira were of that number Phil. But is it absolutely necessary that every adult person be admitted into Church Communion and give credible evidence that he is a Member of Christ Christ Yes for 1. Visible Membership of the Catholick Church gives right of claim to Communion with a particular Visible Church a supposal of a persons mystical union to Christ is the true ground of claim of Communion with Christ and his People in instituted Ordinances 2. We have no other sort of Members but visible Saints spoken of as admitted in the primitive Apostolick state of the Churches Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 Phil. 1.1 Eph. 1.1 Coâ— 1.2 Saints and faithful Brethren in 〈…〉 Thes 1.1 Eph. 2.1 2. those of the Church of Thessalonica were in God the Father and in Christ Jesus In Solomon's Temple all the Stones were to be squared and fitted before laid a Type of Christ Mystical and Politick in visible Church-state the Apostle Peter alludes to it 1 Pet. 2.2.3 5. he shews the first effects of the Word of God's grace on Converts and then they come to Christ the corner-stone as living stones to be built a spiritual house in visible Communion of the Saints 2. That a Church-Member who ought to be cast out when in is not to be received in but if any surreptitiously crope in be made manifest not to have the fear of God before his eyes he is to be cast out therefore he that doth not appear to have the fear of God is not to be admitted a Church-Member See 1 Cor. 5.11 12. Phil. Your strictness in this kind keeps off many that would otherwise joyn themselves Christ And doth not the holiness of Gospel-Truths as much or more keep off carnal and wicked men from embracing them as they will say but the true reason is their rebellious hearts bigotted to their beloved sins Besides it 's very necessary there should be a bar to keep off unworthy persons from sacred things It is not meet to give holy things i. e. such as are peculiar to God's Children unto Dogs and such are Church-Priviledges 3. We would not willingly debar one even the least Babe in Christ from the appointed ways and means of Communion with Christ and therefore do willingly condescend to the modesty and weakness of any Age or Sex manifesting a spiritual hunger and thirst after the Lord Jesus Christ if there be a ground to judge there is truth of grace in the heart it is accepted and this is ordinarily perceived by them that are spiritual Phil. But you will ask hard Questions in the points of Knowledge Christ No harder than are asked in our ordinary Catechisms which we teach our Children trying only whether a grown Person understands in any competent measure what he saith according as Philip dealt with the Eunuch Phil. But this giving a reason of the hope that is in us is that which most are against and are loath to comply with Christ They that have it not cannot do it unless some glozing Hypocrite that by his Education and Parts hath got much brain-knowledge and can counterfeit any external part of
Doctrine the commandments of men I was much startled at that Text once by an able Preacher slipping in a strange place into a Conventicle where no body knew me who did open and apply that place notably I wished in my mind some of my acquaintance had heard him but that was not a day for such as I and them to be seen at a Conventicle Christ Sir I shall now most gladly comply with you in the command you lay upon me but I pray Sir how came you so in love with the Lord Jesus Christ you may remember how in your familiar discourses with me at your Table you would take occasion a little merrily to descant upon my name and say it was a marvelous Puritanick name sure thy Father was a great Puritan Brownist or Anabaptist Phil. Sir I remember it very well and I am convinced I did very ill in it to jest with spiritual things for I find now I had as good have joked on the name Christian for indeed he is not worthy of that name who is not a friend of Christ and such I desire to be and hope through the free grace of God I shall be for ever hereafter and oh that through the Word of God and the effectual operation of his Spirit I may be made wise unto salvation and then my name will not only be Philomathes but Polumathes Christ Amen It is my hearty desire and prayer to God for you that you may be saved and always hath been since I knew you but I pray how came you all of a sudden to be so great a friend unto Christ as I hear you now profess to my unspeakable rejoycing Phil. On a sudden no no man it is not on a sudden God hath been longer dealing with my heart than you or any one hath known of though you hear of it but now It would be too long to acquaint you with the dealings of God with me the many convictions of conscience that I have wrestled with and at last through the prevailing power of Sin and Satan palliated with some Religion or stifled with merry companions or by resolutely casting off convictions from reading the Word from hearing it from the good Education my good Parents gave me for indeed to tell you the truth they were Puritans and I the Lord forgive me an Apostate wretch from the Principles I was instructed in however all was palliated under the name and carriage of a prudential man convictions from the conversation of good men from the sins of prophane ones that I was often an eye and ear-witness of convictions from the preaching of our Parson that preached against some sins that he was too too much guilty of I was convinced it was my duty to do as he said not as he did but all this while I was in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity whatever I or others thought of me for I knew not Christ and tasted no true savour of him I had something of a form of godliness but no power my Religion such as it was was a meer slavery to me the world and the lusts of my own heart kept me a slave to the Devil Christ When do you think those bonds began first to be broken and how Phil. Truly it was by the Word of God for when I considered some places of Scripture such as Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing c. Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth it wrought upon me to look out a little in my prudential way after good Preaching that I might find the gates of Wisdom And I would hear some of the ablest men of our Church especially when I went to London and truly I heard many notable discourses for Eloquence and Learning and they seemed for to make a great jingle in my imagination for the present but no impression on my heart that remained very lean still And the main substance of their discourses was usually to cry up our Church for the purest in the world and natural Religion and the power of the natural man's free will to the imbracing the things of God the Doctrine of Non-Resistance and Passive Obedience and in the hearing of those Doctrines I was so far from profiting that my heart told me still while I heard that I sufficiently knew by mine own experience that they preached Lies and that they caused the people to err such as are spoken of Jer. 14.14 23.25 26 32. Ezek. 13.8 9. 16.29 22.28 I pitied the poor Souls that sate constantly under such teaching and resolved to give them off and betake my self to Conventicles but my covetous heart in love still with the world was too hard for me for there was danger yet in it whereupon I talked with some Whigs that were not so strait-lac'd but that they would hear good Preaching in the Church and Common-prayer too if need were but would shake their heads and make great complaint of the Publick Ministry In brief I find they were sick of my disease though I liked them the better for it then they told me of a man or two which the Whigs that had been affrighted from Conventicles had smelt out and went to hear but they are say some reckoned but Phanaticks in a Mask the true Sons of the Church hate them with a perfect hatred quoth I it 's no matter for that I will hear them what they say if it please God Indeed I was so dissatisfied in the preaching of some of their London Dons that I had rather hear our Country Doctor which I look upon as more orthodox and was just resolving to leave the Church and venter it at the Conventicles No say my honest Latitudinarian Whigs as true Blues for the Peoples Civil Rights as any in the world but since I find them meer bogglers at the Interest of Christ and there are some N. C. Divines that give large measures to their consciences too but no more of that don 't do any thing rashly consider you have a plentiful Estate God be thanked and you have a Wife and many Children it becomes you to mind the main chance these are but Punctilio's of difference between the Church of England and the Dissenters the great danger is of Popery let 's all combine against that and not let Protestants break one another by these small Indifferences We confess we are troubled at this Devil of Persecution that is broke out in the Church but we think too they are a sort of imprudent rash People that will be cast into Prisons and ruine their Estates and Family's for non-compliance in indifferent things in which cause we believe they could not justifie themselves to die There are many things indeed should be rectified in our Church but you know our Articles are very sound and as for the Prayers and Ceremony's they are as our first Reformers and Martyrs left them These things being spoken at a noted Coffee-house for Whiggs took
much impression upon me and fix'd me with more Resolution to adhere to the Church for I knew they were old Professors and as cunning Shifters as I was or I could be in matters of Religion I thought my self now but a fool to them seeing they had studied and practised this Point so thorowly and condemned a narrow throated Conscience for one of the worst things in the World for a Wise man it was fit only for Religious fools But I told them if I did keep my Church I would hear some or other that preached Salvation by Jesus Christ and if I found such an one I would go near to move my Family and come up to London so I took my leave and went away paying my Dish Christ And did you go to hear the man or men they directed you to Phil. Yea I 'le warrant you and with a greedy appetite and there was a great crowd of Whiggs many of which I knew when they would not have gone to Church for a great deal sed tempora mutantur nos c. Christ And what was the Subject he was upon Phil. Eph. 2.1 And you hath he quickned who were dead in Trespasses and Sins c. He insisted on the dead state of the Natural man shew'd how all the Imagination of his Heart was evil he could not of himself do any good Rom. 3.12 and backed his Doctrine with so many full and plain places of Scripture that my mouth was fully stopped and my Heart became guilty before God I said with my self Blessed be God I hope some men in the Church have got the cue of the Gospel I hope all have not abdicated the thirty nine Articles from their Pulpits I went in the Afternoon to hear a man much commended too and he was on that Text Mat. 16.26 What will it profit a man c. And he described the excellency and worth of a mans Soul so well shewing nothing could be a valuable ransom for it but Christ and decried the world at such a rate especially when it comes in competition with the Eternal welfare of the Soul that my two great bulwarks were battered down in a manner in one day and Christ even ready to take possession I saw now I was but a poor undone wretched wicked condemned creature and that I had hitherto sold my Soul to preserve my Estate Whereupon I retired my self to my Lodging and spent much time in Prayers and Tears and resolved now if God would give me strength I would slip into a Conventicle which accordingly I did next Sunday where I heard a very awakening discourse upon Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse Whereby I understood the desperate Condition I was in in Relation to the Law which he opened exceeding well Whereby the Law came Sin revived and I died Rom. 7. After this I made a shift to get into a place where I heard a worthy man preach very lively and clearly on Act. 16 31. whence he opened the Nature of Faith and shewed how it saved viz. Instrumentally by closing with and laying hold upon the Lord Jesus Christ for Justification and Sanctification and how Christ was made Sin for us and bare the Curse After this I began to savour the preaching of Jesus Christ and found my Soul more refreshed with one of these Sermons than with an hundred others I heard also from Acts 4.12 There is no other Name under Heaven given whereby we can be saved and from Heb. 7.25 He is able to save to the uttermost all them that come c. from Joh. 14.6 I am the Way the Truth c. It would be endless to acquaint you with the precious discourses that I have since heard in London when I came up especially from the time of Liberty and what warmth of Love was wrought in me to the Lord Jesus Christ with some measure I trust of a true and lively Faith that through the strength of Free-grace I hope I shall be a Christophilus now all my days but I must tell you one thing that the Devil is a Conventicler too as well as a Son of the Church for I see many very loose persons there for hearers and not a little false Doctrine deliver'd in many of them Christ These things always have and will be as for prophane hearers I dislike not that for there is then the more matter for a converting Ministry to work upon and as for false teachers they were many in the Apostles time as Paul and Peter tell us in their Epistles This should not discourage you But be faithful to the Death and you shall have a Crown of Life Rev. 2.10 Phil. I hope by the help of God I shall but I will tell you there is one difficulty I cannot get over yet and that is this I have heard you say it 's the Duty of a Believer to follow Christ fully to deny himself and take up his Cross and to add or joyn himself to some Church which I have not done any otherwise than to partake sometimes with the Church of England and sometimes at a Meeting which I am much dissatisfied in for many weighty reasons not to be now insisted on That which keeps me at this day is my great Ignorance of and Estrangedness to the order of the Gospel I being not fully satisfied whether Christ hath instituted any Stated Gospel Church and if he hath where among all your different perswasions in matters of worship it is to be found I wish you would be pleased to give me the clearest account you are able in brief of your perswasion and practice in these matters Christ Sir I shall chearfully endeavour it but that things may be more clear and plain to your understanding I pray make your enquiries of the points you would be resolved in and your objections as they occur Chap. I. Of the Church Catholick CASE II. Phil. I Pray Sir what doth the word Church import Christ Church or Kirk is but an abreviation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the proper idioms of Languages English and Scotch it signifies the House of God and hence our places of publick assembling are called Churches in Conformity to the Jews of old who called the Temple the House of God according to which Christ speaks Mat. 21.13 there being a Levitical Holiness ascribed to it which Holiness of places hath ceased with it and the Gospel Church is made only of living stones Heb. 3.8 1 Pet. 2.4 though when we in England speak of a place for publick assembly we call it a Church not that any wise Protestants do take it so in a proper sence but Metonymically only as for others they think and speak after the Papists Phil. What do the Greek and Hebrew words import Christ They always signifie an Assembly or Congregation there was two words used for it in the old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both signifie
of that since neither doth the Spirit seem to limit to a certain number The Church is to Judge how many are requisite to perform the duties required in that Office according to their present stare and standing yea they may increase their number if they see need requires Phil. Is there any help in this Ministration speciffied by the Holy Ghost Christ Yes and it seems to be pretty plain that there were Widdows or Deaconesses or Matrons who were to do that part of the Office which was not so convenient for men such as to visit the Sick especially Sisters and enquire into their necessities and bring an account to the Deacons if any be without necessary supply for food raiment physick attendance and the like see 1 Tim. 5.5 9 10. And Phabe seems to have been a Deaconess to the Church of Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 Phil. You have spoken to all the fixed Officers in a particular Congregation although there are some who would deny some of these to be distinct Officers yet seeing here is in every Church these Office services to be performed and the Holy Ghost speaks of them distinctly under these two Heads Bishops and Deacons that the Pastor Teacher and ruling Elder all concur to the fulfilling the Pastoral or Episcopal Office for the Churches Edification and Men and Women Deacons make up the Liturgical or Diaconal Office I have received much satisfaction upon this account but methinks I am much to seek about one great concern of Christ and his Kingdom viz. The propagation of the Gospel to the unconverted for which work and service I cannot see how Christ hath provided since the Apostles times for all the Officers you have mentioned are Officers only in and to the Church and so far as men are capable of hearing the Word preached in the Churches they have a converting Ministry but they that are remote must be without a Ministry because there is no Churches Christ Christ hath constituted no stated Officers but in and to a particular Congregation He hath not called and sent any to the work of the Ministry for Conversion in the purest state and standing of the first Churches but from the Churches the first Apostles themselves went out from the Church of Jerusalem Paul and Barnabas from the Church at Antioch so that it is according to the prophesie of the latter days The Law shall go out from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And Christ hath provided a way to send the Gospel to Infidels and unconverted ones for Rom. 10.14 15. How shall they preach except they be sent And though I doubt not but God hath had his way in a providential manner of sending the Gospel into the blind parts of the Earth when visible Churches were hardly to be found through Antichristian Darkness that overspread the Earth yet Christ hath an instituted way of sending the Gospel to the unconverted world For men may have a Call and Dedication to some peculiar work and service to be done for Christ out of the Church viz. To be an Ambassador for Christ to beseech men to be reconciled unto God The Word of the Lord hath providentially been sent to many places as the scattering the Church by Persecution was the occasion Act. 11.19 Of preaching the Gospel at Phoenice Cyprus and Antioch c. and when tidings of these things that were done came to the Church at Jerusalem they sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch and afterward he was sent forth again from the Church at Antioch I shall not enlarge now on this point I may meet with it again elsewhere the due and orderly way of going forth to the exercise of the Ministry is by the mission of a particular Congregation by the suffrage and Prayers thereof and he may be called a Teacher such as were in the Church of Antioch and so I distinguish of Teachers 1. Such as are stated Teachers to the Church wherein they are 2. Such that are sent forth to open blind eyes c. To preach to the World men lying in their infidelity Phil. You having given me a distinct account of the several Officers of a Gospel Church I desire to understand how they are made and constituted in an orderly regular manner Christ It can be but by Ordination Phil. What all of them by Ordination Elders and Deacons the Lay-Officers Christ I told you before we own no such Officers but them that are Ecclesiastically so and therefore not Lay-Officers the way of Ordination of ruling Elders and Deacons is the same with that of Pastor and Teacher Phil What by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery it seems to be a mighty prophanation of that Sacred ordinance to apply it to men that are illiterate and have not been at the University Christ Christ did not limit any Ordinances to Literate men and to University men his practice was quite contrary but I pray Sir tell me 1. Where imposition of hands is called Ordination 2. Whether the Deacons had not imposition of hands Act. 6.3 Where any other ordinary Church Officers had imposition of hands And therefore if there had not been some more reason of the Holy Ghost than ordinary for applying it to Deacons whether they should have had it If it was in an ordinary way of Administration and therefore all Church Officers to have it then they have eminent right to it still And then what prophanation is it to apply an Ordinance according to it's first institution Phil. You suggest strange notions about Ordination I must get you to clear them up to me Christ Sir you shall excuse me for the present I shall do it another time I only tell you now that all Church Officers are made by Ordination and ordained alike and that imposition of hands is not Ordination and if the most be made of it it 's but a Ceremony annexed which now is obsolete And that all Ordination belongs to the Church of whom the Person ordained is a member yea if imposition of hands be a necessary Ceremony therein it 's not to be performed by the Elders of other Churches but by the Presbytery or delegated Brethren of the said same Church These things shall be demonstrated to you according to that measure of light which Christ hath given Phil. These things look not only Heterodox in respect of the common sentiments of ordinary Professors of the reformed Religion but contrary to what many yea most of our Learned Divines have wrote and practised but I shall wait till you give me further light into them and demonstration for the assertions you have laid down In the mean time give a brief account of Gospel ordinances instituted by Christ for a Churches Edification Chap. VI. Of Church Ordinances of Christs Institution Christ THe instituted Ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ are 1. Preaching the Word 2. Prayer and Praises 3. The Seals of the New Testament 4. The Keys which are the
to assemble and meet in The Primitive Churches assembled in upper rooms of ordinary Houses Act. 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they went up into an upper room And Paul preached in his own hired house Act. 28.30 31. The Churches were at the charge of hiring places to meet in and so have been ever since the Profession of Christian Religion they are built or hired There are Elements for the Lords Table which are matter of charge There are the Poor to be supported and relieved And that it was the practice of the Churches to have frequent Collections for these ends and purposes is beyond all dispute 2 Cor. 9.1 1 Cor. 16.1 2. The time and manner for making these Collections seems to be left to the prudent Consideration of each Church as may be most agreeable to it's circumstances though Paul seems to intimate to the Corinthians that the first day of the week when the Church assembleth is a suitable and meet time for it As for the administration of other Ordinances of Christ and the proportion that every one is bound in Conscience to give to all such occasions of Contribution is from time to time as God hath prospered him and the manner specified He that giveth with simplicity he that sheweth Mercy with chearfulness Rom. 12.8 Phil. You seem to add one thing more to be observed and practised in Churches as an Ordinance of Christ for Edification the frequent assembling of the Church for Prayer and Conference Christ Whatever may have a manifest tendency to Edification is undoubtedly required and is to be practised in a Church of Christ This assembling of the Church all together or in parts or neighbourhoods doth undoubtedly do so and if there were no other place of Scripture to be pleaded for it that is enough to encourage it Mal. 3.16 17. But the Apostle seems Heb. 10.24 25. to lay frequent assemblings in this kind as a great charge upon the Churches of Christ And we find that there was a practice of this nature frequent in the Primitive Churches when Brethren spake by way of Exhortation in Conference one with another and it was called prophesying 1 Cor. 14.3 4 5. And it 's plain that it was but speaking and praying in this manner of the Brethren for the edifying of the Church and to this practice doth the Apostles discourse 1 Cor. 11.2 3 4 c. seem plainly to look Phil. How were those meetings for Conference or mutual Edification managed Christ It was by Brethrens speaking one after another not several talking of spiritual matters in the same roomin divers Companies as it was before that the Apostle corrected that disorder 1 Cor. 14.29 But the regular way of carrying it on is that one speak at once and the rest judge viz. That a practical question be propounded and two or three or more speak briefly in answer thereto one after another if that an Officer should be there or one appointed in chief to Judge to review the Consonancy to Truth of what is spoken then Let others submit thereto according to the light brought 1 Cor. 14.30 CHAP. VII Of Communion of Churches Phil. IS the Supream Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical in every particular Congregation Is there none Superiour to appeal to Episcopal or Classical Christ None but Christ himself For all Churches are coordinate in Power one with another nextly and immediately under Christ neither hath Christ constituted any Officers with Apostolick Power over many Churches Phil. But what if matter of difficulty arise ought not Elders of neighbouring Churches to assemble and decide it Christ There are two sorts of things wherein matters of Controversie do usually lye 1. There may be a case in Thesi which to understand the Mind of God clearly in is of great concernment to the Church and if the Pastor and other Officers cannot sufficiently satisfie the Mind of the Brethren then it 's requisite to consult other Churches and Elders who when they give their Judgment in the Case it is no further binding than it carries the light of Truth with it for no Elders can impose any rule of practice upon the Churches and their Judgment hath no more force than Ministerial so far as carrying the Authority of Christ in his declared Mind and Will Here then it 's very necessary and requisite that in matters of greater and weightier concern other Churches should be acquainted and consulted Other things are referrible all to matter of fact in elections admissions translations and exclusions And here the Church is the supream Judge and none to be appealed to Why should not a Church of Christ be as able to judge in any case of this Nature as well as a Jury in Civil Affairs to whose Judgment as to matter of fact our Lives and Estates are left daily Therefore if we hold the distinction de jure de facto this matter of the Jurisdiction of Churches will be clear In cases de jure a Church can be led only by the best light they can have and the more the better and knowing this they have a foundation to proceed upon in matter of fact whereupon the binding and loosing lyes in themselves Phil. What if a Member or Minor part of a Church think themselves wronged upon the supposed irregular proceedings of the Majority Christ He or they may complain to another Church That Church is to hear what the Sister Church saith in vindication If it satisfie not nor is convinced of it's error then another Church i. e. the Elders with Messengers thereof to deal with the offending Church And if it hear not then the case is to be brought before the vicinity of Churches All which finding this Church justly chargeable with sin and incorrigible therein agree to declare Non-communion with it which is virtually an Excommunication for the rule of Churches dealing with each others is of the same nature as that Mat. 18. where a rule is laid down by our Saviour for the orderly proceeding of one Church Member with another Phil. What if an Elder fall under offence in a Church is it in the power of that Church to deal with him as with an ordinary Brother Christ There is no doubt of it the Jurisdiction is in the Church as to Officers who are Brethren as well as to others and the manner of proceeding is the same but an accusation against an Elder is not presently to be received it must be clearly evidenced by two or three Witnesses Again in such cases it 's good for the Church to proceed with the advice and approbation if possible of other Neighbouring Churches and Elders Phil. Wherein consists the practical part of Communion of Churches Christ 1. A concurrence in principles of Faith and Order 2. In giving each other the Right Hand of Fellowship As 1. In receiving each others Members unto transient Communion as due occasion requires 2. In dismissing Members to each others or receiving Members orderly dismissed 3. In refusal to