(In ExpoFtion of the Epiflle ~ N,ow then read all over the Ac1s of the Apoflles, read over all the Epiflles &rmpn if you c~n find one man called a Church and a Body to Ch rifl:, if you can find th~ XXXV. ~Elders of feveral Churche.s met together, called a Church, and may be called ~ a Body of Chnfl:, for that ll filii necelfaty to a Church to be ab.ody to Chrifi (TheChtirchwhichi6hi6Body,) If you can find this, theo imbrace and fubmi: to that as a Church, for it is that which Jefus Chrifi intended , it is an ordi– nance which you may warrantably be fubjeCl: to, and apply all ~hofe pla– ces to, Ohy your Elders, ~c. Apply it thus, they ar~ the Church , they are our Elders. · This rule ( my Brethren,) to begin with the firll infiitution of a Church. un– der the New Tefiament and to take the interpretation of it afterwaxd, it is the faire(l rule that can be given, and it is fair upon two grounds. For when Jefus Chrill mentioneth a Church where he would have men'go for difcipline, for ex– communicatiofl, certainly he doth not fpeak in obfcurity, that is, that it 1hould not be interpreted by the examples of the New Tefiament, namely of the Apofi– les that followed him, !or there was no Churca extant under the NewTellame.n~ ~n Chri!l:'s time while he lived, therefore it was le!t to be interpreted by what was called Church afterward. Now, Look what was familiarly called a Church by the Apo!l:les, look into the Ac1s, and from thence to the end of the Reve!atio11, that whioh f fay is ufu. ally called a Church, and is a particular Church, a body to Chrifi, certainly that is t he Church Chrifi meaneth; otherwife we were llill to feek what Church Chrill fendeth us unto ; if we cannot find that thofe which fhquld exercife Difci– P-Iine over us are called a Church fome where or other in the .Ac1s of the .Apo~les, or in feme of the Epiflles, how can our Confciences be fatisfied ? Bere we J1avc a Church meptioned, Go ttll tht Church faith he, the Confciences of men,there– lore mu!l: have it exprefly determined by the Apo!l:les what Church we mu!l: r~lt in. Now go all over l:J~r and fee to what thing they give moO: familiarly that name unto. And the fairnefs of this rule appeareth likewife in this, that certainly that mull have the name of a Church which carrieth the authority of a Church ; will you call apy one a King that bath not the Authority of a King? They that have the authority of a Church mull have the name of a Church, efpecially when Jefus Chrifl will firll infiitute and give a name to it. Now look and fee to what the name of a particular Church is given, and let that be the Decider of this great Controverlie. That is all I will fay of that point. I have avoided difcourling upon it becaufe it is not natural to the Text, only it was necelfary tQ give you this difiinCl:ion of this word Church for the comfort of all Churches particular, th~t Jefus Chri!l: is their Head as well as he is of the Church Univerfnl, that they may look at Chri!l: to fill them, (and he is their Head to fill them anc:J ail the Members apd Officers of 1 hem,) as well as he filleth the Univerfal Church; I will add but two Cautions,toinform you concerning two Divifions; The ope from the Univerfal Church, aiid the other from particular Churche-s. It is pro– per to thethiQg in hand, Chnrch, The Ch~rchwhich is his Body; and there is no fchifm to be in the body, no fchifm from the Univerfal Church, no fchifm from particular Churches that are truly Churches of Chrifi. I will tell you of two gre:1t Divifions from either. You have heard of two forts fpoken of, the one of old the other oflatter years; The one the 'Donatif!s ofold, the oiher th~ Brown– i{lsof late. You call the Brow1zijls the qew 'DotJaftfls and the 'Do11atijls the new lJrownifls ; I will explain that which is the wor!l: in either opinion, an~ you lhall fee it is proper to the thing in hand. · Fir!l:, For the 'Donatifls that were in A11{li11s time. I have examiQed diligently the writings ofAuf/in,among them I find the highe!l: venome ot their Opinions to ly in this,and it is high enough (if we may know men by the writings of their M– verfaries again!l: them,fa. there is none oftheir own writings e~tanr,) the 1ruth i.•• they denied the Ch~rch Univerfal, they denied that the Church was any whefe but in that part of Africawhere they were,and this inflamed that holy man .Au– jlill again!l: them. They might h~ve put out of the1r Creed, 1 believe the Church Catho!ick, and put in I believe a ltttle part ofthe World to be the Church. Here' you fee a fchifm halh been from the Church Uuniverfal, Now
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