BooK IV. THE C I-I U RC H COMPARED To A FAMILY, &c. 69'7 METAPHOR. offered in the Houfe of the Lord, jhe was aflonifhed, &c. 1 Kings x. r, 3• 4> 5· In a Family, the Gover· nor ought to know his Place, and all the reft to be in SubjeCtion; or elfe great Confufion and Diforder will break forth. Hence a Bifhop ought to be one that rules well his own Houfe, having his Children in Jubjeflion, with all Gra·vity. What is more lovely in a Family, than to fee every one behaving himfelf well, living in fweet Concord, Peace, and Love together. PAR ALL EL. What is any Society of Men, "ithout Rule, and good Government? Strict Difi::ipline muft be kept up in Chrift's Family. Every Member ougiH to know his Place, and to ftrive to behave himfclf well. To this very end Paul wrote to Timoth;•, 'I' hat thou mayeft, faith he, know how thou oughtejl to behave thyfelf in the Houfe of God, &c. I 1im. iii. I5, All the Saints fhould live in perfect Peace, Unity, and fweet Concord together, as Chilcircn of the fame Father, and Heirs of the fame Crown and Kingdom. Hence the A poll:le exhorteth the Saints, to mdeavor to keep the Unity of the Spirit; in the Bond of Peace, Eph. iv. 3· Nothing is at this Day more grievous to a fin cere Soul, than to fee the g reat Divifions, anti \'Vant of Love, that is arnongfl: us; nor doth any Thing more encourage our Popilh Adverfaries. Jovianus. the Emperor, was much troubled at the Divifions that were amongf1: Chriftians in his Time, and !hewed his Difiike at their Contentions, in thefe vVords: " I tell you truly, "I cannot bear with Contention, but fuch as are for Concord and Unity I willingly " honor and embrace; and certain lam, that fuch as ftrive fur Truth and Peace, Chrift " will embrace, Difcord amongft Brethren being one of thole Things he chiefly hates, . '~ Prov. vi. 1 6.'' Vlll. There is, and ought to VIII. So in the Church, or f.ryiritual Family, be, fame fpecial Order and Difci· there is a fpecial Order and Difcipline to be learn• pline kept up in a Family, that ed and kept llp, and every one is to know his every one may know his Place, Place, Work, and l.lufinefs, fame of which we \Vork, and Bufinefs. fh all brieOy hint in this Place. The firft Thing that I !hall mind is, the Choice of-Officers, viz. Elders and D ea– cons: They fhould be chofen according to the Rules and Directions God hath left in his Word, viz. Men fitly qualified: A Bi/hop muff not be joo11 angry, not givm to Wine, 110 Striker, not felf-willed, not a Braw/<1', 11ot covetous, ntt a No-:Jice. He mufl be bla•ulefs, one that rules well his own Houfe, apt to tench, a Lover of good Mm, fober, jufl, temperate, able by found Doflrine to con~·ince Gainfayers, I 'Jim. iii. 3-8. Tit. i. 5, 6, 7· There are DireCtions alfo given about their Wives. 2. Every Member hath his peculiar Vote in chufing of their Officers; after Elec· tion, they are to be ordained, by Prayer, and laying on of Hands, Atls vi. 6. and xiii. 3· 3· The Paftor or Bifhop is to feed tre Flock, to be faithful and laborious in preach· ing the Word of Life, exhorting, reproving, .comforting, according as he finds oc– cafwn, 1 'J'im. iv. r2, 16. 4· It behoveth him, together with the Church, to be careful whom they receive into the Family, viz. none but fuch as are converted, true penitent and believing Perfons, as near as they can. 5· They ought to know the State of the Flock, and to watch over every Member thereof, Prov. xxvii. 23. Heb. xiii. r7· 6. The Members of the Church ought to fwdy their Dut)', (1.) To their Paftor, to provide for him a fufficient Maintenance, that he may not be encumbered with worldly AffJirs, and thereby made unfir for his o-reat Work and Bufinefs he is called to, 1 Cor. ix. 9-14. See Planters, Laborers, &~. (z.) To pray for him, and !hew him all due RefpeCl:, as the Steward and Embaffa· dor of Chrift, Eph. vi. '9· (3.) As to their Duties one to another, as Fellow-Members of God's Church, it is needful for them to know how they fhould carry and behave thcmfclves towards their offending Brethren. And as touching this, it is ncceffary to confider, 1. The Rule rouching private Offences. 2. Touchiog public and fcandalous Offences and Oi·~ fenders. 1. Touching private Offence~, Chrift hath left us DireCtions, io .lliatt. )(viii. 15, I6. If thy Brother offend thee, tell him his J:o(m!t between thee and bim alone; but if he will not hear thee, take one or two more, &c. But if he flil/ negle{l to henr them, tel! it to the Church: But if he will not hear theChurch, then be is fit forChurcb-dealing, or E.<eo;mmmica8 1' t!on.
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