52 The klitution and Government Candleftick before there can be a Candle put into it. Now if Chriftians have a Power to embody into a Church - State, they have alto a Power to inlarge that Body. If ten Difciples have a Power to imbody to day, they have allo a Power to enlarge that Body to morrow : If others do tender themfelves, and if they have a Power to receive Mem- bers before they be organized, then they have the fame Power refiding in them after they be organized ; they do not nor cannot put this Power out of their Hands, into the Hands of Elders when they choofe them. When the Inceftu- ous Perfon was meet to be received again, the Apoille writes to the Church to forgive him, and to comfort him, and to confirm their Love to him, z Cor. ii. 7, 8. it was the Church that call him out, and it is the Church that muff receive him ; it is the Church that binds, and it is the Church that loofeth ; the Marriage -knot is to be between the Church and them, Ifa. lxii. 5. Thy Sons ¡hall marry thee ; the mutual Compaq is between the Church and them, therefore the Church mutt be fatisfied in them, before they receive them. TTirdÿ, The Power of dealing with Members, even to the rejecting or cafting them out, is in the Hands of the Church ; this appears in two or three Particulars. i. In that Power of binding and looting is in the Hands of the Church. Matt. xviii. 17, 18. Tell it unto the Church ; and if he negleâ to hear the Church, let him be to thee a; a Heathen Man or Publican. Verily I fay unto you, avhat foever ye (in the plural Number, that is the Church)Thall bind on Earth, fhall be bound in Heaven. Againrt this there lies a great Obje&ion, by thofe that are for Prefbytery : By the Church here (fay they) is intended a Re,refentative Church, conf¡ling of Officers, in whole lianas is the Power of Church-Cenfures. In anfwer to this, I would propofe a few Queries. (I.) If this be a Reprefentative Church, a Church of Officers, is it a Parochial Church, or a Claffiical, Provincial, National, or Oecumenical Church ? If you fay a Parochi- al Church, or the Officers of a particular Congregation, then I would enquire what Need there is of a Claffical or Provincial Church, &c. for there is no Appeal to be made from
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