( 137) 'ire not members of particular Churches : and they that are,are yet confiderablediftinâly, as meer Chriftians and as Church- members ( of particular Churches) And fo its clear , that 'men are Chriftians inorder of Nature, and frequently of time° before they are member ofparticular Churches : and therefore in thisrefpect the univerfal Church ( that is, initseffence) is beforea particular Church. But yet there muft beOne particu- lar Church,before therecan be many.. And the Individual Chur- ches are before the Af ociation or Connetlion ofthere individu- -aìs- And therefore though in its °Bence and the exiftence of that effence the univerfal Church be before aparticular Church ( that is, men are Chriflians before they are particular Church- members ; ) yet in its Order, and the exiftence ofthat Order, it cannot be Paid fo : nor yet can it fitly be Paid that thus the Par- ticular is before the univerfall. For the firft particular Church and the univerfal Church were all one ( when the Gofpel ea. tended as yet no further) And it was fimul few/an ordered univerfal andparticular Church: ( but yet not viauniverfal) But now , alltheVniverfal Church is not Ordered at all into particular Churches and therefore all the Church univerfal cannot bebrought thus into the Queftion. But for all thole pares ofthe univerfal Church that are thus Congregate (which /houldbe all that have opportunity ), they are considerable, either as difiin61 Congregations independent; and fo they are alft inorder of nature together (fuppofing them exiffent:,) Or elte as Connexedand dfo iatedfor Communionof Churches,or otherwife related to each ocher: And thus many Churchesare after the Indi. viduals, &theTingle Church is the Ecelefa'primaas to all Church forms ofOrder; and Affociationsare but Ecclefta orta, arifing from a combination or relationor Communion ofmanyofthefe. Se&. zo. The fourth part-of the Minifterial work is about particular Churches Congregate,as we are Paftoraof them. And in this they fubferve Chrift in all the parts of his office. I. Under his Prophetical óffice,they are to Teach the Churches Mar. :8. ze to obferve all things whatfoever be hath commanded them: & deli- Heb. ver & open to them that Holy doetrinewhich they have ricer- C'' 19,ao. ved from theApoftles that fealed it bgivi,'racles,anddelivered it to the Church.And as inChrifts name toperfwade and exhort meta to duty, opening to them the benefit,and the dangerof negle&r. T z. Under
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=