CHAP. VI. Of Church Discipline; Lodg'd in the hands of the Ministers of Christ. Who are to be own'd and receiv'd as Church Members. What the Power of the Church is, in taking in, Censuring and Rebuking, and casting out such as Repent not.

THe Lord Jesus Christ, who is the King and Supream Ruler and Governer of •…s Church, hath appointed a certain Rule and •…rder of Church-Government to be own'd, •…bey'd, and submitted to by all the Members 〈…〉 the Church; and they who oppose and re∣•…t that Government Christ has appointed in •…s Church, they oppose and resist Christ him∣•…f.

Now, as the Churches are Parts and Mem∣•…rs of a Nation, or Kingdom, so they are •…bject to the Civil Magistrate; and all the •…embers of the Church, whether Ministers 〈…〉 private Christians, are, and ought to be •…ject to the Magistrates; for, so hath God •…mmanded, 1 Pet. 2.13, 14. Submit your •…ves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lord's •…e, whether it be to the King, as supream, or •…o Governours, as unto them that are sent by •…n, &c.

But we are speaking of the Church, as cal∣•… out of the World, and separated from it, Page  70 and Incorporated together in an Holy Socie¦ty, to Serve and Worship God: And, in th•… respect, the Church has Peculiar Laws, a•… Rules of Government, distinct from the Ci•… Laws of Princes.

The Church is a Spiritual Society, Gover•… by Officers and Laws of Christ's Appoi•…¦ment.

I. In whose Hands is the Government o•… the Church Lodged?

Ans. 1. Not in the Hands of all the People•… that would be a strange Confusion to have〈…〉 Rulers; Christ never gave the Power of〈…〉 Keys to the Whole Church.

2. Not in the Hands of a Lay-Chancelor Registers, Surrogate, Appariter; these are C•… Officers the Scripture knows not.

3. Not in meer Lay-Ruling Elders;〈…〉 by careful Inquiry into God's Word, there•…¦pears to me no such Church-Officers,〈…〉 had a Power to Rule in the Church, but〈…〉 to Preach and Administer the Sacraments; t•… place so much pleaded for it, in 1 Tim. 5.•… The Elders that can Rule well, &c. seems to〈…〉 nothing to the purpose: For, as Mr. Fo•… Notes upon the Place,

Page  714. But this Power is Lodged in the Hands •…f the Presbyters and Ministers of the Church; •…is is very plain from Scripture, they are cal∣•…ed Rulers, Heb. 13.7.17. And to them the Keys of Church-Power and Discipline are com∣•…itted, Mat. 16.19. Neither is there any •…cripture to shew, Christ committed this Go∣•…erning-Power to any other.

II. But what is the Governing-Power given •…y Jesus to these Church-Rulers?

Answ. It is a Power given by Jesus Christ, •…nd entrusted with the Guides and Officers of •…e Church; to Order, Rule, and Govern the •…hurch; and to Administer all Christ's Ordi∣•…ances according to the Gospel.

But here I only take notice of Four Things.

1. The Power of Admitting Members into Particular Church, and what manner of Per∣•…ns they are that are to be received and own∣•… as Church-Members: In this, as well as o∣•…er Cases, we must be guided by God's Word; 〈…〉 speak here only of Members in full Com∣•…union; and here let it be carefully observed, •…at such Persons as were by the Apostles and •…rst Planters of the Gospel-Churches, re¦•…eived, owned, and taken in for Church-Mem∣•…ers; are, by us, to be received and owned 〈…〉 such now, the Rule to them and us being •…e same.

Now the Persons that were the Subject-•…atter of the New Testament-Churches, are •…lled Saints, Rom. 1.7. Called to be Saints: Page  72 They were, many of them, so in Truth, all〈…〉 them so in Profession; while Persons make〈…〉 Tollerable Profession of the Christian Religi•… not contradicting that Profession, by such a•…¦lowed Sin, as will prove them no Saints;〈…〉 are bound, in the Judgment of Charity, to e¦steem them Saints, tho' many of them may〈…〉 be really so: So likewise the Church of Cori•… 1 Cor. 1.2. Ʋnto the Church of God which i•〈…〉 Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Je¦sus, called to be Saints, with all that in ev•… place call on the Name of the Lord Jesus.〈…〉 2 Cor. 1.1. Gal. 1.2. Ephes. 1.1. P•… 1.1. Col. 1.1. 1 Thes. 1.1. 2 Thes. 1.1, &c. In all which places you have eit•… Saints or Church in such a Place, which are•…¦nonimous Phrases; the Saints were the Ch•… the Church were all Saints; i. e. such, wh•… having received the Doctrin of the Gosp•… and Professed to own Christ as their Savio•… were united in one Ecclesiastical Body for•…¦ly Worship and Christian Communion; t•… there were yet not only many Imperfecti•… in the best, but many who were Scandalo•…¦ly Guilty, as is very evident in the Church〈…〉 Corinth; in some Errors in Judgment,〈…〉 their very undue Approach to the Lord's T•…¦ble, 1 Cor. 11. But we must not supp•… these Persons, known to be Erroneous〈…〉 Scandalous, when first admitted, but aft•…¦wards appeared to be so.

Now, forasmuch as the Lord's Supper is〈…〉 Page  73 Ordinance of full Communion, only for such •…s are Church-Members; therefore that Person •…hat hath a Right to sit down at the Lord's Table, hath a Right to Church-Fellowship. There∣fore let us enquire what is necessary to fit us for that Ordinance, and the same will qualify us for Full Communion and Church-Membership.

1. There must be a Competent Measure of Knowledge in the Doctrines and Mysteries of •…he Gospel; this Knowledge must be especial∣•…y in the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion, particularly in the Person and Offices of Christ, John 17.3.

2. The Persons admitted must be such, as are Dedicated to Christ in the Sacrament of Bap∣•…sm; such as have not received the First Sa∣•…ament are not to come to the Second.

3. Such as come to the Lord's Supper, or to •…ull Communion in the Church, must Solemnly •…enew and Ingage to stand to their Baptismal •…ovenant, i. e. to Repent of Sin, to Believe in •…esus Christ, to Deny Ʋngodliness, and Worldly •…usts, and to live soberly and righteously in this •…esent evil World, Tit. 2.11, 12. A prophes∣•…d Subjection of Soul to Jesus Christ, or of •…egeneration and Holiness in Christ's Name; •…ogether with a Promise of performing the •…uties of a Church-Member to God, to our Pa∣•…ors, and Fellow Christians (as before.) I know Page  74 no reason why such a Person should be deny'd Full Communion, unless the Person should be Guilty of such known Sin, or Disorderly Walking, as may evidence the Profession he makes to be meerly in Hypocrisie: And, i•… this case, 'tis better to be too Large in o•… Charity, then too Sensorious; for when we have done all, the Heart is God's Fort-Royal, none but God can search it out: many that are unsound, will yet have such a Right to Vi∣sible Church Membership, as that we shall not be able to keep them back.

Now the Whole Church ought to be Judge of the Conversations of Persons Admitted; because they live amongst them, and are be able to Judge.

But the Officers of the Church are the〈…〉 meet and fit Judges of their Knowledge〈…〉 Qualifications for Church Communion, for〈…〉 they, by the Ministry of the VVord, Ga•… and Plant Churches, 1 Cor. 3.5, 6, 7.

II. Likewise the Care of Feeding, Watc•…¦ing over, and Rebuking, Reproving, and A•…¦monishing belong to the Pastors and Officers the Church. Indeed the Duty of Rebuk•… and Reproving belongs to all the Me•… of the Church, as is shewed before; But es•…¦cially to the Officers of the Church, 1 Thess.〈…〉 12. And we beseech you, Brethren, to know th•… that labour amongst you, and are over you in〈…〉〈◊〉, and admonish you, 2 Thess. 3.6.〈…〉 Page  75 we command you to withdraw your selves from every Brother that walks disorderly.

III. To the Officers of the Church doth it likewise belong to debar Persons of Church Fellowship, and Full Communion, i. e. to Sus∣pend Persons from the Lord's Table, which is, by some called, The Lesser Excommunication; or, Excommunicate and cast them out of the Church, 1 Tim. 5.20. Them that sin rebuke be∣fore all, that others also may fear, Mat. 7.6. Cast not that which is holy to Dogs, neither cast your Pearls before Swine, and 1 Tim. 1.20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have deli∣vered unto Satan, 1 Cor. 5.4, 5.5.13. Mat. 18.17.

IV. To the Officers of the Church likewise •…t belongs to Revoke these Censures, that when Admonish'd, Censur'd, or Excommunica∣ted Persons Humble themselves and Repent, to Admit them again to Full Communion. Mat. 16.19. And I will give unto thee (i. e. to Peter, in the Name of all the •est) the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loo∣sed in Heaven, Compare with 2 Cor. 2.6, 7, 8.