Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

(68 ) any holy ufes. So that to turn a Congregation into a Diocefan Church,is to change the very fubject of Government, Obj. This is meer independency, to make aTingle Congregati- on, thefubjeR ofthe Government. Anfn. a. I am not deterred from any truth by Names. I have formerly raid, that its my opi- nion that the truth about Church- Government,is parcelledout into the hands ofeach party, Epifcopal, Presbyterian, Indepen- dents, and Eraftian And in this point in Qu,eftion the Indepen- dents are moll right. Yet I do dot affirm (. nor I think they ) that this one Congregation may not accidentally be necefiìtated to meet in feveral places at once either in cafe of perfecution , or the age and w.eaknefs offomemembers, or the fmalnefs of the room : But I fay only that the Church: fhould contain no more then can hold communion when they have opportunity of place and liberty; and fhould not have either leverai fettled So- cieties or Congregations,nor more in one fuch Society then may, confif}with the Ends. And that thefe Affemblies are bound to Affociate with other Affemblies,and hold communion with them by the mediation of their Officers this, as I makeno doubt of, fo I think the Congregational will confefs. And whereas the common evafion is by diflinguifhing between a Worfhipping. Churchand a Governed Chuch I deire them to give us any Scripture proof that a Worfhipping Church and a Governed:` Church were not allone, fuppofing that we (peak of a fettled fociety orcombination, I findno fuck <diflinélion of Churches in Scripture A family I knowmay perform forne werfhip,and accordingly have forceGovernment : And an occafional meet - ing of:Chrifuans without any Miìtifler,may perform force Wor- (hip without Government among them. But where was there ever a Society that ordinarily affembled for pubIick worfhip, fuch as was performed by the Churches on the Lords dayes,and held communion ordinarily in worfhip, and yet had-not -a Go- verning Pallor of their own ? Without a Presbyter they -could haveno Sacraments and other publikeWorfhip' And wherewas there ever a Presbyter that was not a Church Governour ? Certainly iffubjeâ Presbyters were not till after Scripture times, nor any fettled W.orfhipping Church without a Presbyter (un iefs-the people preached and adminiftredothe Sacraments, ) then there couldbe noWorfhippjngChurch that battant -their own proper

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