17Jat (brift /Jat/J inftitutecljlatedSocieties of (briftiun ·'Pc.Jlors a111l ftoclufor perfonal com. 83~ •· The Apo!Hes w~re cornmiffionc:d by Chrift to deliver his comma~ds to all the Chun:hts, and {c:ule them according to his will,Jolm 2o. 2Y..---M~ttb. 28. 19,20, 6"".:. z. Thcfe comrniffioned perfons h.id the promife of an i.nfJ!lible Sp1ric tor the due p~rformance of their work, J ohn 16. 13, Lh I5· & 15·26. 6"' 14· 26. Mattb.z8. 20. 3· Thefe Apoll:les where everthe fuccefs of the Gorpel prepared themm1tcrials, ·did fer1l: Chrijli.m (f11wi {ocieties, confifling of Pajlors or Elders with their fiqcf:J, affidated for perfonal comm:~;zion in p.,b- , Jic/t wor{hip, and holy living. Thefe fetled Churches they gave order! w for thcit .dirdtion and prefCrvation, and reformation : Thefe they took the chief cue: of themfelv.ts, and exhom:d their Elders .to fidelity in their work. They gave command rhat none fhould forfakc fuch affcrnbiies and they fo fully defcribt them, a!i that they canno_r t:afily be mifunderllood. All this is proved, All; li-· 23. '1ituf J, 5• Rom. 16. 1· 1 Cor. I 1.18, 20. 22 , 26. I Cor. q .. 4, 5, 12.' 19, 23_, 28, 33, 34· Col. 4· t6. AUs II• 26. & 13· I· r Cor. 16. I, 2· A!JI If·'47· 6.. 1~·'3· to omtt many more. Here are proofs enow thac fuch puticular Churches were de fat:Jo fcdcd by the Apollles , .Htb. IO· 2 5•' Forfok! not the affembling of yourfolver together, So James 2, 2· they are called Syn>gogues, , 2. It is confetTed that there is a natural ncceffity of fuch fiucd Churches or A!f.:mblies, fuppofing but the lnfiitution of the Worjhip it felf which is there performed : And if fo, then we may fay that the Law ofNature it fclf cloth putly require them. • , , It is of the Law of N•ture, that God be publickly worlhipped as moll ExpolicoiS of the fourth Commandment do confefs. ' 2, le is of the L•w ofNature that the pwple be taught to know God and their duty, by fuch as are able and fie to teach them. 3· The Law ofNuure requirc:th, that man being a fociablc: creature, and conjunCtion working firongefi affectionS, we ihould ufe our fociablenefs in 'he greatefi IDitters) and by conjunction help che .zeal of our prayers and pnifes of God. 4• Gods in!licution of publick Preaching, Puycr and Praife, are (c·uce denyed by any Chri!lians. 5· None of thefe can be p~<blickly done but by aJTtmbling. 6. No AjJembly can fuflicc for chefc without a Minijler ofChrill; Becaufe it is only bis Office to be the ordinary Teacher, and to go before the people in prayer and prailC, and to adminilter rhe Lords Supper; which without a Minilter may not be celc:brated, becau(e Cbrijit p:Jrt Clnnot be orherwi(c: performed, than by fome one in hil name, atid by his w!rranr, w deliver his fealcd CoVenant to the 'receivers, and to inveft them villbly in tHe Benefits of it; and teceivt them thilt offer rhernfdves in C)vcna·nr w him. 7·h is alfo a Minillerial duty ro inllruct the people perfonally, and watch over them, at other times, A[! I 20. 20, 28. And to be examples ofrhe flock, I Pet. 5• r, 2, 3· To h.tvc rhe Rule over rhc people, and hbour among them, and admoni{h them, 1 '1hcjf 5· 12. Heb. 13. 7, 17. 1 Tim. 5· 17. To exercife holy difi:ipline among them, 1it:u 3· zo. MtJtth. 18. 17, zS. I Cor. 5· To. villt 1hc: lick and pray over them) JameJ 5· 14. Yea, to take cue of the poor. See Dr. H.1mmond on 1 Cor. 12• z8. And all this c1nnot portibly be well do.ne by uncertain tranfient Minifi:ers, but only by a refidentftatedPaj~nr, no more than tranfient !hangers can rule all our families, or all the Chrifiian Kingdoms of the world. 8. And as this cannot be done but by fiated P.1fiors, fo neither on tranfient perfons, ordinarily; For who can teach them that are here to day and gone eo morrow: When the Pallor fhould proceed from day to d1y in adding one infiruCl:ion to another, the: he:lrcrs will be gone, and new ones in their phce ? And how can vigiLmcy and difcipline be cxercifed upon fuch tranfient perfons, whofe faults and cafes will be unknown ? Or how ca.n they mutually help each other ? And fceing rnofi in the world have fixul habitation!, if they h1ve not alfo fixed Church-rel:Jtioni, they mull leave their ha– bitations and wander, or elfe h~ve no Church Communion at all. 9• And as this Nm[Jity of fixed PJfiors and fiocks isconfdfcd, fo that fuch de fa/1o were ordina– rily fecled by the Apoflks is before proV<d, if any Scriptures may p•fs for proof. The Inftitution and fetlcment then of particular worjhipping Chu_rchcs is out of doubt: And fo that two Formt of Church Government are Jure Divino, the Vniverfol Church Form, and the particul~r. · 4• Bdides this, in the Apofilt~s dayes there were under Chrill in the Church UniverfaJ, rntny Ge– 'ttral Officen thu had the care of gathering and ovcrfeeing·Churches up and down, and were fixed by fia.ted relation unco none. Such were theAp.jileJ,EvangelijtJ,and many of their helpers in their dayes. And moll Chrifii•n Churches think that thoagh the Apollolical extraordinary Gifts,priviledges and Qf. fices ceafc, yet Government being an Ordinary put of their work, the fame form ofGovernment which Cbrijl and the Holy Gbojl did feet!<, in the tirfi age, Wet< fetled for all following ages, :hough not With the fame extraordinary Gi[ti and Adjun8s. Becaufe •· We read of the jftling of that form, (viz, Gtneral Officerr as well as particular) but we never read of any abolition, di(charg! or cdiltion R~lfons ~or a' of the inllitution. 2. Bccaufe if we affirffi..a ccff:.~tion without proof, we (eem to accul"e God of mu- brg(rEptfco: tability, as fctling one form of Government for one age only, and no longer. 3· And we leave room pacy. for audactou5 Wits accordingly to qudlion other Gofpcl Inllitutions, as Pallors, Sa.cramems, &c. and to fay that they were but for an age. 4· It was General Officers that Chrilt promifed to be with to the: end of the world, M.zttb. ~8. 20. Now either this will hol eor not. Ifnot, then this General Minifiry is to be cumb:rcd IVith the
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