of a v f b e Church of Chrifl. 7 I on each fide; Churches may not be impofed on, nor may they impofe on Perfons to join with them, there being no Rule in the Word for fuch Impofitions. And when fuch Impofitions have been ufed, the molt fruit they have yield- ed have been the Ruin of force, and making Hypocrites of others, Paul, though he was an Apoftle, did not attempt to impofe himfelf on the Church, nor would the Church be impofed upon : They muff have Satisfaaion that he was a Difciple before they would receive him, fuch only being meet Matter to be added to them. z. This Agreement muff be verbal or explicit; Perfons can no otherwife know each others Minds but by their Expreffions. Query. What is it that fuck as o f r themfelves to Commu- nion and the Church, mull immediately agree about, that fo they may comfortably ft down together? I anfwer, fuch Things as are plainly laid down in the Word, as Matter of Duty to be performed, or Matter of Privilege to be injoyed in a Church -fta:e. We may not make the Bounds of Communion in this refpeét, ftraiter than God hath made them in his Word. Some Light as to the Matter of this Agreement is afforded by the Prophet, lia. lxii. 5..4s ayoung Man marrieth a Ttirgin, fo fhall thy Sons marry thee. As there is a mutual Agreement in all Marriages, fo the Matter of that Agreement is mutually to perform the Duties, and to enjoy the Privileges of this conj ugal Relation. i. Then they muff mutually agree that the Word of God is theRule both of Worfhip and Difcipline, and allo of that which is Matter of Faith and Praaice. Ifthere be no Agree- ment here, there will not long be an Agreement about any thing; this muff be owned to be the Standard by which Cafes muff be tried, and by which Churches muff Reform when there is any thing of Diforder among them, or elfe there can be no Determination in any Cafe; they cannot agree what is Diforder, unlefs they are agreed that the Word is the Rule of Order. Nor can they agree how to Reform, unlefs they are agreed that the Word is the Rule by which they muff reform : This Agreement binds to no more than what is our Duty. 9 o the Law and to the cl'efiimony,
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