ioS The Inflitution and Government there (hall come up Briers and `?'horns. I will alfo command the Clouds that they rain no Rain upon it. This was the Man- ner of God's ùnchurching his People of old, Love among the Members of a Church, is fomewhat like the Braces of a Houle, that hold the Building together; if the Braces decay, the Building is in danger of falling: So if Love de- cay among the Brethren, there will be but little bearing and forbearing one another, every thing will be taken in the worft Senfe: inilead of covering or hiding of Sin, there will be a laying open of Mifcarriages, with all the Aggravations imaginable, to reproach each other : Differ- ences will not eafily be made up, but remain it may be till they become incurable, and from Divilions come to a Separation ; and fo the Church falls piece -meal, till at length the Candleftick is quite removed out of its Place: And we may expel. Mifery enough of one kind or other, that will follow the Removal thereof, if the Lord deal with us as he hath dealt with others, whole Candleflick hath been removed out of its Place. C H A P. XI. Containing one Mark or Charaaer, by which a Perfon may try whether he he meet Matter, in order to join himfelf to an Inflituted Church, or not. TRY then whether you be difcipled to Chrift or no. Churches are Difciples, and are fo called in Scrip- ture, they muff not receive any but fuch as are difcipled. When Paul came to 7erujalem, Aas ix. 26. he affayed to join hmfelf with the Difciples (that was the Church) and they were all afraid of him, and would not believe that he was a Difciple ; nor did they receive him till Satisfaaion was given, when the firt Day of the Week was come, on which the Difciples came together to break Bread; the Difciples here were the Church, yfas xx. 7. Difciples are fit Matter to be baptized, and then added unto the Church
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=