Spiritual Experiences of Sundry Believers, Title page 2 – Section 4
THE PRACTISE OF Gathered Churches IN The City of London, and other parts of England, stated: And proved to be rightly constituted according to the Rule of the Gospel: With a Covenant taken by each Member.
And a Confession of Faith, Professed. With an abbreviate of their whole Practise.
And some Papers presented by the Assembly of Divines to the Parliament, touching the right Constituting of particular CHURCHES.
London Printed for R. Ibbitson.
THE PRACTISE of the Gathered Churches In the City of London, and other parts of England.
THose that enter into Church fellowship, are to have some knowledge of each other, before they go about the work, that they are in the judgments of men fit materialls to make a Church, for how can they walk together except they be agreed, Amos 3.3.
When they goe about this great worke, it is the practise of the gathered Churches, first; to set a part a day of humiliation to pray unto the Lord for his directions, and assistance therein; and for a blessing upon the worke, 1 King. 8.28, 29. Phil. 4.6, 7.
Then they have consultations with severall Pastors, and the Members of other Churches that are rightly constituted, and have communion with the rest of the godly Churches. They have many debates in severall meetings; and put up many prayers in publicke and private, and send to the Churches to desire their prayers also, Act. 15.41. Act. 16.4, 5. 1 Cor. 7.17. 2 Cor. 8.18.
After all which, so many of them as are satisfied in the godly conversation, and piety of each other, set a part a day of humiliation, on which they make a register of their names, as persons propounded to enter into Church-fellowship together; if they shall be fully satisfied, touching the piety, and experiences of each other, on a day appointed for that purpose; for which worke they propound a day, wherein to give up themselves, first, to the Lord, and then to one another by the will of God, and so become a Church by the conjunction of them, or so many of them as shall be satisfied, touching the conversation of each other, in faith, utterance, knowledge, and in all diligence and love, 2 Cor. 8.4, 5, 6, 7.
And againe, at another day of humiliation, they proceed to joyne themselves together in Church-fellowship some other Pastors, or members, or both, of other Congregations; being present, and bearing testimony of their conjunction.
And after some time that day spent in prayer to God, and something spoken by the Officers or Members of other Churches then present, touching the occasion they proceed, thus.
1. So many of the persons, propounded before, as are fully satisfied touching the conversation of each other, draw together, and choose out one amongst themselves, or some other Church-member present, to take their names, to which they all make answer one after another, that they are satisfied as to matter of conversation touching each other, Ephes. 4.15, 16.
2. They then each of them, one after another, give an account of their faith and experiences of the grace of God by his spirit wrought in them, 1 Pet. 3.15. Mal. 3.16.
3, So many of the said persons approved for godlinesse of life as aforesaid, as shall receive such satisfaction touching each others faith, as that to them they appeare visible Saints, and such as God will save, they then proceed to enter into fellowship as a Church of Christ, Act. 2.47. 1 Cor. 1, 2.
The Covenant of the Churches is in these or the like words.
We doe promise and covenant in the presence of the Lord, that the Almighty Jehovah shall be our God; we doe give up our selves to serve him in spirit and in truth, and doe promise to walke together as a Church, according to the rule of the Gospell, and to watch over one another, and continue in fellowship together, and be helpfull to each other, as God shall enable us, according to our duties expressed in the word of God.
Every branch of this Covenant is grounded upon the word of God, as appears, Rom. 9.4. Act. 3, 25. 1 Cor. 3.8. 2 Cor. 8.5. Josh. 24.15. Prov. 3.1. 2 Thes. 2.13. 2 Thes. 1.1, 2. &c. 1 Tim 3.15. 1 Cor. 16.13. Mat. 18.15, 16, 17. Gal. 6.10.
For the lawfulnesse of this way of gathering Churches, here unto is asserted severall papers presented by way of humble advice from the Assembly of Divines to the Parliament; and the places of Scripture, by them collected, for their proofe of the same.
By the Assembly of Divines. Touching particular visible Churches.
1. Particular visible Churches, members of the general Church are held forth in the new Testament, Gal. 21.22. Rev. 1.4, 20. Rev. 2.1.
2. Particular Churches in the Primitive times were made up of visible Saints, viz. of such as being of age, professed faith in Christ, and obedience unto Christ, according to the rule of faith and life, taught by Christ, and his Apostles, and of their children, Act. 2, 38.41. Act. 2. ult. compared with 2 Cor. 9.13. Act. 2.39. 1 Cor. 7.14. Ro. 11.16 &c. Mar. 10.14 compared with Mat. 19.13, 14. Luk. 18.15, 16.
By the Assembly of Divines. Touching Pastors of Churches.
The Pastour is an ordinary and perpetuall Officer in the Church, Jer. 3.15, 16, 17. Prophecying of the time of the Gospel, 1 Pet. 5.2, 3, 4. Eph. 4.11, 12, 13.
It belongs to his office;
To pray for, and with his flock, as the mouth of the people unto God, Act, 6.2, 3, 4. & 20.36. Where Preaching and Prayer are joyned as severall parts of the same Office, Jam. 5.14, 15. The Office of the Elder, that is the Pastor, is to pray for the sick, even in private, to which a blessing is especially promised, much more therefore ought he to performe this in the publique execution of his Office as a part thereof, 1 Cor. 15, 16.
To read the Scripture publickly; For the proof of which;
1 That the Priests and Levites in the Jewish Church were trusted with the publicke reading of the Word, as is proved, Deut. 31.9, 10, 11. Nehem. 8.1, 2. and 13.
2. That the Ministers of the Gospell have as ample a Charge and Commission to dispence the Word, as well as other Ordinances, as the Priests and Levites had under the Law, proved, Isa. 66.21. Mat. 23.34. Where our Savior intituleth the Officers of the New Testament, whom he will send forth by the same names of the Teachers of the Old.
Which Propositions prove, that therefore (the duty being of a morall nature) it followeth by just consequence, that the publique reading of the Scriptures belongeth to the Pastors Office.
To feed the Flock by preaching of the Word, according to which, he is to teach, convince, reprove, exhort and comfort, 1 Tim. 3.2. 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. Tit. 1.9.
To Catechise, which is a plain laying downe the Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5.12. or of the doctrine of Christ, and is a part of preaching.
To dispense other divine mysteries, 1 Cor. 4.1, 2.
To administer the Sacraments, Mat. 28.19, 20. Mark 16.15, 16. 1 Cor. 11.23, 24, 25. compared with 1 Cor. 10.16.
To blesse the people from God Numb. 6.23, 24, 25, 26. compared with Rev. 14.5. (where the same blessings and persons from whom they come are expresly mentioned, Isa. 66.21. hereunder the names of Priests and Levites to be continued under the Gospel, are meant Evangelicall Pastors, who therefore are by office to blesse the people, Deut. 10.8. 2 Cor. 13.14. Eph. 1.2.
To take care of the poor, Acts 11.30. and 4.34, 35, 36, 37. and 6.2, 3, 4. 1 Cor. 16.1, 2, 3, 4. Gal. 2.9, 10.
And hee hath also a ruling power over the flock as a Pastor, 1 Tim. 5.17. Acts 20.17. and 28. 1 Thes. 5.12. Heb. 13.7, 17.
For the lawfulnes of visible Saints entring into Church-fellowship, see these places of Scripture following, viz.
Acts 2.47. 1 Cor. 12.18. Ephes. 4.1, 12, 13. Math. 28.19, 20. Isa. 59.21. 1 Tim. 4.14. Acts 15.2, 4, 6. Rom: 12.7, 8. 1 Cor. 12.28. Acts 6.2. Acts 11.30. Acts 15.4, 6, 22. Act. 21.17, 18. Act. 20.31. Act. 19.10.17, 18, 19, 20. 1 Cor. 16.8, 9. Act. 18.19, 24, 26.
Rules for the Ʋnion and Peace of Churches.
The Lord Jesus, gives an expresse rule to act by, against disorderly members, Matth. 18.15, 16, 17.
The Apostle Paul hath laid down excellent rules to bee observed for the orderly walking of Church-members, Rom. 12.