Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

190 The LIFEof the LIB.I ordinarily capable of perfonal local Communion in God's Worlhip, which is a ` chief end of their Confun Lion. ` 6. We are agreed that thefe particular political Churches fhould emir: ft of two ` pans, Officers and their Flock, the ruling part and the ruledpart ; and all the ` great Controverfies that have troubled us about the Peoples Power of Govern- ` ment, (hall be thus agreed ; confers but this [that Paftors are the Overfeers, leach- ` ers, Guides, or Rulers of their Flocks, and are over the People in the Lord, and ` that the People are bound to obey thofe that rule over them, that watch for their ` Souls J and let all the-rell be filenced. `7. We are agreed that it is meet that in everyparticularChurch there beufual ` Meetings of theOfficers andDelegates (if the Church fee caute) or other perlons that (hall delire to be prefent for the hearing and trying caufes, before they are ` brought to theopen Affembly. And therefore where they can be had, there Ihould ` bemany Officers in a Church. 8. Whereas there be three Opinions about aflifling Elders : r: That they fhouldbeMenof the fame Office with the PaPors,, Ordained and Authorized to ` Adminifer Sacraments, and Preach when it is neceffary, though they may divide ` their Work in the Execution. 2. That they should be a difind Office unordained, andnot authorized to Preach or Adminifter Sacraments. 3. That they fhould be `unordained and noOfficers, but the meer Tm/lees of the People, deputedby them to ` do that only which private Members may do, let this Controverfie be wholly laid ` afide , and all left to their liberty in this matter. `9. Thefe'particular Churches Ihall have poweg to govern within themfelves (being once Confiituted) Excommunication it felf not excepted. Only their ` Confliturinn and Ordination of -their Pallors mutt be agreed on as follow- ' eth. so. It is the Judgment of the Presbyterians that Ordination by Overfeers or Pa- `:Ears is of NecelEty to theBeing of an Over/eer or Pallor, where it may be had;, ` and that fence RulingOfficer is an Effenrial part of a Political Church ( thoughnot ` of a meer Community) ; andthat Impofsrion ofHands is a fit Ceremony, and to ` be ufed as of Divine Appointment, thoughnot Ej/énrial to Ordination. It is the ` Judgment of theCongregational that Ordination by filch Teaching Elders is lawful, if not ofnecellity ; and that ImpoGtion of Hands iflawful : In all this therefore let the liter floop to the spartet. Agree that you will not de fallo efablifh any Pa- ` (tor or Teacher over a particular 'Church without Ordination by teaching Elders, ` leaving the point of neceffty undetermined, ( except in cafe of »eceffry when fach ` Ordination.cannot be had ). And alto that you will fubmit to impofition of Hands, as a thing lawful : Only for thofe that think Impofition to be unlawful, agreeing in other things, anOrdination without ImpoGtion (as an extraordinary Indulgence to a tender Connfcience) may be tolerated: `. r r. As a local perfonal Communion of individual Chriltians is neceffary in particu- lar Churches to a Concatination, or Union and Communion of thefe Churches, by Officers, Delegates, as the Joints and Ligaments, is a great Duty and defrable Mercy, which I hope we are all agreed to value, leek andmaintain. 12. For this end it is agreed by us, that there (hall be known times and places of meeting agreed on, which all thePaftors :hall frequent as oft as theywell can, ` not forbidding any of our People that are defrous to be with' us. 1;. None (hall be taken into thefe Affociations, but approved Men for Godli- nefs and Ability, and that by confent of the affociated Minifters, and none refu- fed that are fir for our Communion. 14. The Worksof thefe Affemblies (hall notbe to makeLaws, to the Church- ` es or any of theirBrethren, to bind themex autboritare Imperantis, as if they were to exercife a proper Legillative Power : Nor yet by Agreement to determine ofany unneceffary things, and make thofe to be Duties which are not fo in them- ` felves; much lets to lay the Union of the Churches on filch unneceffary determinations; nor yet to exercife any coercive Power by bodily Penalties or ` Mules, and leaft of all to bind Men to fin againft God : But it (hail be to agree upon theunanimous Difcharge of our Duties which God hath impofed to main- ` tain Love and Concord, and remove allOffences and Strangenefs and other Oc- ` talonof Divifion ; toencourage and ftrengthen one anotherby Exhortation ` and Prayer, to know who are cart out of thefeveral Churches, that we may concur in avoiding thofe that are to be avoided ; to difcern to whomour Corn- ` munion Ihould extend; to increafethe Reputation, of God's Work inour Hands, ` both to thofewithin our Communion and thofe without it, by our Concord and ` Unani'

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