62 The Ir!itution and Government is only in Appearance, not in reality. If every one that is received by the Church have a real Intereft in Chrift, then Hypocrites as well as thofe that are fincere have areal Intereft in Chrift. There are and may be fuch in the Church that never had an Intereft in Chrift, and loch as never had an Intereft in him cannot be laid to be cut off from him. 1 z. Once an Intereft in Chrift, and for ever an Intereft in Chrift. John x. 27, 28, 29. My Sheep hear my Voice, and they follow me; and I give to them eternal Life, and they (hall never perifh, neither (hall any Man pluck them cut of my Hands : My Father that gave them me is greater than all, and none 'ball ever pluck them out of my Father's Hands : I and my Father are one. 3. A Perfon may truly repent, and yet not arrive at Satisfaction, whether he do repent or no; he may fear the Lord, and obey the Voice of his Servant, and yet walk in Darknefs and have no Light, Ifa. 1. to. Or if he have fome glimmering Light, yet not enough to offer him - felf to the Church ; or poffibly he may die before he have Opportunity fo to do: Mull fuch a one be that out of Heaven, becanfe he is Phut out of the Church? Obje'?. But fame will fay, That Chr fi tells us, that ewhatfoever the Church (hall hind on Earth, Jhall be bound in Heaven. I anfwer, i. This muff be reftriEted to a juft regular Cenfure of the Church. But if the Church will put more into their Cenfure than Chrift allows them by his Word, that Ihall not be bound in Heaven. But Christ never gave the Church a Power by his Word to cut off thofe Mem- bers from him, that he had united to himfelf. 2. This Binding in Heaven is nothing elfe but Chrill's approving of and owning the Church in thofe Cenfures that are pall by them according to rule. Qua. 5. Whether the Power of the Church in binding and looting, or any other Church-ad, do not lie in the Majo- rity, and whether they muff not he called the Church; and the Minority be always bound to acquiefce in the Vote of the Major ? &c. I anfwer, r, If the Cafe to be determined, may be yielded to without Sin, the Minority are to refit fatisfied with
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