The Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, Tract · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of the Addition of Members to the Church.
SECT. I.
THe Church being thus gathered and furniſhed with ſuch Officers, in ſuch manner as the Lord hath appointed; looke as in the firſt Primitive Church the Lord added to them daily ſuch as ſhould be ſaved, Acts 2.47. ſo doe wee admit and receive from the Lord ſuch as he ſendeth and addeth to us. The firſt and loweſt number of a Church, to which the other members are added, is not expreſly limited in the Word, onelyonly it is not ſo low as ſome have conceived, to conſiſt onelyonly of two or three, it is a miſtake of that place, Mat. 18.20. where a promiſe of Chriſts preſence is made to two or three, to conceive it made to the loweſt number of a Church-body; for thoſe two or three, are not conſidered there as a Church-body, but as a ſufficient number of witneſſes, to joyne with a brother offended, in convincing and admoniſhing the brother that gave the offence; againſt whom, if he doe not hearken to them, they are then further to proceed, and to tell the Church. Which argueth that they themſelves are not a Church, but a ſmaller company agreeing in a dutie of brotherly love, either to heale an offending brother by their own admonition, or to witneſſe againſt him before the Church; and yet they have a ſpeciall promiſe of Chriſts preſence with them in the dutie, leſt they might thinke ſuch a labour of love undertaken in vaine.
But the Church muſt needs be a greater number then two or three, ſeeing theſe two or three are to referre the perſon and the cauſe to a greater body then themſelves; for though there might be a domeſticall Church in Adam and Eve at the beginning, yet ſuch a Church which Chriſt hath inſtituted in the new Teſtament, conſiſteth of a greater number. The very Officers of a Church, compleatly furniſhed, are no leſſe then foure (a Paſtor, a Teacher, an Elder, a Deacon,) and therefore the body of the Church had need to be of a greater number then ſo. And though the eſſence of a Church may conſiſt without the integritie of all his members (as a lame man that wanteth ſome of his members may have the eſſence of a man,) yet under ſeven, a Church can hardly conſiſt of ſo many members as doe performe any part of a Church-body.
To ſuch a body, how many members may be added, is not limited expreſly in the Word, onelyonly it is provided in the Word, that they be no more then that all may meet in one Congregation, that all may heare, and all may be edified. For (as hath been noted above) the Apoſtle ſo deſcribeth the whole Church as meeting in one place, 1 Cor. 14.23. But if all cannot heare, all cannot be edified. Beſides the Apoſtle requireth, that when the Church meeteth together for the celebrating of the Lords Supper, they ſhall tarry one for another, 1 Cor. 11.33. Which argueth the Church indued with onelyonly ordinary Officers, ſhould conſiſt of no greater number then that all might partake together of the Lords Supper in one Congregation, and therefore ſuch Pariſhes as conſiſt of 15000. though they were all fit materialls for Church-fellowſhip, yet ought to be divided into many Churches, as too large for one. When the hive is too full, Bees ſwarme into a new hive; ſo ſhould ſuch exceſſive numbers of Chriſtians iſſue forth into more Churches. Whence it appeareth to be an error, to ſay there is no limitation or diſtinction of Pariſhes, meaning of Churches, (jure divino) for though a preciſe quotient, a number of hundreds and thouſands be not limited to every Church, yet ſuch a number is limited as falleth not below ſeven, nor riſeth above the bulke of one Congregation, and ſuch a Congregation wherein all may meete, and all may heare, and all may partake, and all may be edified together.
SECT. II.
THey that deſire to be added & joyned to ſuch a body, they firſt make known their deſires to the Elders of the Church, who take triall of their knowledge in the principles of religion, & of their experience in the wayes of grace, and of their godly converſation amongſt men; that if any of them be found ignorant, and graceleſſe, or ſcandalous, he may not be preſently preſented to the Church, till theſe evils were removed. The ſtones that were to be laid in Solomons Temple, were ſquared and made ready before they were laid in the building; neither iron, nor ax, nor any iron toole was heard in the houſe while it was a building, 1 King. 6.7. And wherefore ſo, if not to hold forth that no members were to be received into the Church of Chriſt, but ſuch as were rough-hewen, and ſquared, and fitted to lie cloſe and levell to Chriſt and to his members?
But when ſuch as offer themſelves are approved of the Elders, they are propounded by one of the Ruling Elders to the Church, with a motion to the brethren to make inquiry after them, and if they ſhall heare of any juſt exceptions againſt them, to give notice of it to one of the Elders.
But if no exception be heard of, they are called forth before the Church, after other holy duties are performed, and each one maketh confeſſion of his ſinnes, and profeſſion of his faith. In confeſſion of his ſinnes (that it may appeare to be a penitent confeſſion) he declareth alſo the grace of God to his ſoule, drawing him out of his ſinfull eſtate into fellowſhip with Chriſt. In the profeſſion of his faith, he declareth not onelyonly his good knowledge of the principles of Religion, but alſo his profeſſed ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt, with his deſire of walking therein, with the fellowſhip of that Church. Now before or after ſuch his profeſſion or confeſſion, thoſe of the brethren of the Church who are of his acquaintance doe give ſome good teſtimony (if need be) of his life and converſation; either according to their owne knowledge of him, or according to the credible reports or letters which they have received concerning him: which done, the Ruling Elder, or one of the Preaching Elders propoundeth it to the Church, whether from all that they have heard and ſeene, they finde any juſt exception againſt him? if ſo, it is cleared and removed before any further proceedings; if no juſt exception appeare, the Ruling Elder then moveth the Church to expreſſe their acceptance of him into fellowſhip with them, by lifting up their hands. Which done (and the like courſe taken with two or three more, as the time will permit) the Elder propoundeth to them the heads of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with his Church, what promiſes of grace he hath made to them; as alſo what duties of faith and obedience he doth require of them; As to take the Lord Jeſus for their onelyonly Prieſt and Atonement, their onelyonly Prophet and guide, their onelyonly King and Law-giver, and to walke in profeſſed ſubjection unto all his holy Ordinances; as alſo to walk in brotherly love with the brethren of this Church, unto mutuall edification and ſuccour, according to the rule of the Goſpel. And the new received members acknowledging this to be their dutie, and profeſſing their conſent unto it in the name of Chriſt; the Elder doth further acquaint them with what duties of holy watchfulneſſe over them they may expect from the Church; and ſo ſhutteth up his worke with ſome ſhort prayer unto the Lord, who keepeth covenant and mercy with thouſands of his people, to make us all faithfull to him, and one to another, according to the rules of his holy Goſpel in Chriſt Jeſus, the Mediator, and ſuretie of his Covenant, between the Lord and his people.
SECT. III.
NOw what offence is there in all this? or what ſcruple may ariſe in a godly minde againſt theſe things? Two or three things ſeeme herein offenſive, but are not.
Firſt, That wee require gracious qualifications in ſuch as we receive to Church-fellowſhip: whereas the viſible Church is ſaid to conſiſt of all ſorts, good and bad, and to be a garner containing chaffe and wheate, as a field wherein wheate and tares grow up together.
Secondly, That we receive ſuch into the Church by a covenant.
Thirdly, That we communicate too much power unto the people, and doe not rather referre all power (in this caſe) into the hands of the Elders. To give therefore ſome account of theſe, as the Lord ſhall aſſiſt.
For the firſt, though wee willingly admit all commers to the hearing of the Word with us (as the Corinthians admitted Infidels, 1 Cor. 14.24, 25.) yet wee receive none as members into the Church, but ſuch as (according to the judgement of charitable Chriſtians) may be conceived to be received of God into fellowſhip with Chriſt, the head of the Church.
Our Reaſons be;
Firſt, From the neare relation between Chriſt Jeſus, and the Church; as alſo between the Church and the other perſons in the Trinitie: the Lord Jeſus is the head of the Church, even of the viſible Church; and the viſible Church is the body of Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Cor. 12.27. The viſible Church is ſaid to be the habitation of God by the Spirit, Eph. 2.22. to be the Temple of the holy Ghoſt, and the Spirit of God to dwell in them, 1 Cor. 3.16, 17. to be Eſpouſed to Chriſt as a chaſte Virgin, 2 Cor. 11.2. The members of the viſible Church are ſaid to be the ſonnes and daughters of the Lord God Almightie, 2 Cor. 6.18. and are exhorted to be followers of him as deare children, Eph. 4.1. Now how can the viſible Church be the members of the body, or the Spouſe of Chriſt, or the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt, or the ſonnes and daughters of the heavenly Father, except the members in charitable diſcretion be (as indeed the holy Ghoſt deſcribeth them to be) Saints by calling, (1 Cor. 1.2.) and faithfull brethren, Gal. 1.2. and that not onelyonly by externall profeſſion, for theſe are too high ſtiles for hypocrites, but in ſome meaſure of ſinceritie and truth.
Secondly, We reade Act. 2.47. that the Lord added to the Church daily ſuch as ſhould be ſaved; and how then ſhall wee adde to the Church ſuch as God addeth not? ſuch as have no ſhew of any ſaving worke upon them to any ſpirituall diſcerning? ought not the Lords Stewards to be faithfull in Gods houſe, and to doe nothing therein, but as they ſee the Lord goe before them? receiving whom he receiveth, and refuſing whom he refuſeth, caſting out whom he caſteth out. Doth not the Apoſtle Paul upon this ground direct the Romanes to receive a weak beleever, becauſe the Lord hath received him? Rom. 14.1, 2, 3.
Thirdly, The Lord Jeſus maketh the profeſſion of the faith of his name, and ſuch a profeſſion as fleſh and bloud hath not revealed to a man, but his heavenly Father; to be the rocke on which his viſible Church is built; for he ſpeaketh of ſuch a Church whereunto he committeth the keys of his kingdome, and that is the viſible Church, Mat. 16.16. to 19. Now if ſuch a profeſſion be the rocke and foundation of a viſible Church, then wee ſhall build a Church without a foundation, if wee receive ſuch members into the Church as doe not hold forth ſuch a profeſſion, but either through ignorance make no profeſſion at all, or ſuch a verball profeſſion as ſavoureth not of any bleſſed worke of the Father by his Spirit upon their hearts. And doth not the lord expoſtulate with ſuch a gueſt as comes into the fellowſhip of his Church, even unto his Table, not having a wedding garment, Mat. 22.12? And doth not expoſtulation intimate a Taxation alſo of them, by whoſe connivence he came in, where he ſaith, how comeſt thou in hither? And doth not Chriſt in the parable impute it to the ſleepineſſe (that is, to the remiſneſſe and negligence) of his ſervants, that tares were ſowen in his field amongſt the wheate, Mat. 13.25.38.39.
Fourthly, Such as have onelyonly a forme of godlineſſe, and deny the power of it, wee are forbidden to joyne with, and commanded to turne from them, 2 Tim. 3.5.
Fiftly, Can any man judge ſuch perſons fit materialls for the conſtituting and edifying of a Church, who are more fit for the ruine and deſtruction of the Church; ſuch as leave their firſt love (as all hypocrites will at length?) They procure the removall of the candleſtick, Rev. 2.4. Wee paſſe by the types of the old Teſtament, which yet are not without their due weight; it was touched above, that rough ſtones were not laid in the building of Solomons Temple, till they were hewen and prepared before, 1 King. 6.7. and behold a greater then Solomon is here, and a greater Temple then that of Solomons; the attendance and watchfulneſſe of the porters ſuffering none to enter into the Temple that were uncleane in any thing, 2 Chro. 23.19. doth it not evidently type forth the watchfulneſſe of the Officers of the Church of Chriſt, to ſuffer none uncleane (uncleane in eſtate or courſe of life) to enter into the fellowſhip of the Church, which ought to be a Communion of Saints?
Well then, if all the members of the Church ought to be Saints by calling, and faithfull brethren, it cannot be thought an unſeaſonable curioſitie, but rather held a due and faithfull watchfulneſſe in the Officers and body of every Church of Chriſt, to take a due triall of men by a confeſſion of ſinnes, as John Baptiſt did, Mat. 3.6. and by a profeſſion of their faith, as Philip did, Act. 8.37. before they receive them into the church as members of the body of the Lord Jeſus; neither was it an exceſſive auſteritie in John, but an holy faithfulneſſe and godly zeale, not onelyonly to repulſe the Scribes and Phariſees, Mat. 3.7. but the prophane people alſo from his Baptiſme, Luk. 3.7. as thoſe who were a generation of vipers, and had not yet brought forth fruit meet for repentance, ver. 7, 8. and therefore themſelves were not meete for his Baptiſme, which was a baptiſme of repentance, Luk. 2.3. Nevertheleſſe, in this triall, wee doe not exact eminent meaſure, either of knowledge, or holineſſe, but doe willingly ſtretch out our hands to receive the weake in faith, ſuch in whoſe ſpirits wee can diſcerne the leaſt meaſure of breathing and panting after Chriſt, in their ſenſible feeling of a loſt eſtate; ☞for we had rather 99. hypocrites ſhould periſh through preſumption, then one humble ſoule belonging to Chriſt, ſhould ſinke under diſcouragement or deſpaire; and by reaſon of theſe hypocrites received into the Church, it is that the Church is ſaid to have in it good and bad, wheate and tares; for tares, (as Hierome ſaith) are like to wheate.
SECT. IV.
COme wee now to give account of the ſecond point, why wee receive ſuch into the Church by way of Covenant.
1. Meete it is that as the whole Church was received as one body unto Chriſt by profeſſing their entrance into covenant with God, as hath been ſhewed above in the third Propoſition of the fift part, ſo every member of the Church ſhould be received into the ſame fellowſhip, by profeſſion of their taking hold of the ſame Covenant; Eadem eſtratio partium & totius, there is the ſame reaſon of the whole and of the parts, in ſuch things as concerne the common nature of both; And as all relatives doe, they mutually argue one another. Hence it is that when godly ſtrangers (who had joyned themſelves to the Lord, to wit, by faith, to ſerve him, to love his name, and keep his Sabbath) were to be brought into the fellowſhip of the Lords houſe, they added this dutie over and above the former, they took hold of the Covenant of the Lord, Iſa. 56.3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Surely not by faith onelyonly, for their perſonall ſalvation, (for ſo they took hold of the covenant before when they joyned themſelves to the Lord, ver. 3.) but by their profeſſion of their acceptance of the Covenant, and ſubjection to it, which the Lord maketh with his Church and people, whom he cauſeth to paſſe into the bond of the Covenant, Ezek. 20.37.
Object. It is objected firſt, that the place in Iſaiah ſpeaketh of ſuch ſtrangers as were proſelytes, who in joyning themſelves to the Lord, were therein alſo joyned unto the Church, for ſo joyning to the Lord, implyeth joyning to the Church, Jer. 50.5. Zech. 2.11.
Anſ. 1. They that joyned to the Lord in thoſe Texts of Jeremie and Zachary, did indeed in ſo doing joyne in a Church-body alſo; for they who are there ſpoken of were a multitude, concurring and conſenting in the ſame Covenant, to joyne to the Lord, and to become his people; but here in Iſaiah, the Eunuch and ſtrangers are ſaid to be joyned to the Lord, who yet were not joyned to the Church, but ready to complaine that the Lord had utterly deprived them of that libertie of joyning to the Church, and had utterly ſeparated them from his people, ver. 3. As indeed he had by expreſſe Law ſeparated them, that is, prohibited them from entring into the Congregation of the Lord for ever, Deut. 23.1, 2, 3. Againſt which Law the Lord comforteth them with this promiſe of the Goſpel, that in the new Teſtament, neither their Eunuchicall eſtate, nor the alienation or ſtrangerneſſe of any Nation, ſhall be an impediment unto their entrance into the Lords houſe, which is the Church.
The joyning (there ſpoken of) is not their joyning to the Lord and his people as Proſelytes of the Church; for though they were joyned to the Lord, yet they complained of their disjoyning and ſeparating from the Lords people, but the Lord comforteth them with this promiſe, that ſuch as are joyned to the Lord, he will hereafter bring them to his houſe; no bodily infirmitie, (as that of the Eunuch) nor nationall pollution (as that of ſome ſtrangers) ſhould hinder their admittance into his Church, onelyonly this the Lord requireth both of the Eunuches, ver. 4. and of the ſtrangers, ver. 6. who had joyned themſelves to the Lord before, that they doe alſo take hold of his Covenant (as antecedent to their entrance into Church-fellowſhip,) to wit, take hold of it by ſolemne profeſſion of their acceptance of it, and of their ſubjection to it.
Object. 2. It is not credible that the Lord would ever ſeparate or debarre ſuch from Church-fellowſhip as were joyned to himſelfe by faith, who can thinke it? what reaſon can you give for it?
Anſw. The text is plaine, that Eunuches, Moabites, and Ammonites, were ſeparated from the Church or Congregation of Iſrael for ever, without exception of godlineſſe or ungodlineſſe. Some indeed make a doubt whether the Law againſt Moabites and Ammonites reached to the women of thoſe Nations; but againſt men the Law is cleare. But if the Law had excluded them onelyonly upon point of their own ungodlineſſe, that was no ſingular curſe to them. No Nation under heaven could expect admiſſion into the Church of Iſrael, unleſſe they beleeved in the God of Iſrael. What reaſon God might have for excluding the Eunuches, wee leave to his ſoveraigne wiſdome. But yet himſelfe giveth a plaine reaſon for it againſt the Moabites and Ammonites, taken from their malignant enmitie againſt Gods people, Deut. 23.4, 5, 6. Againſt the Eunuches he giveth no expreſſe reaſon; the authoritie of the Law-giver is reaſon ſufficient; who can tell whether God would not thereby type out the debarring of barren Chriſtians from Church-fellowſhip?
Object. 3. The word ſeparation, implyeth they had been ſometime of the Church; for it cannot be ſaid in common ſenſe, that any can be ſeparated from that ſocietie of which they never were.
Anſw. Why not? What is ſeparated but ſevered? May not England be ſevered from Scotland by the river of Tweed? and from France and Germany and Holland, by the Sea? though they were never joyned to any of thoſe Nations? Did not God make the Starres to ſeparate between the day and the night? (for it is the ſame word in the Originall, Gen. 1.14.) and yet day and night were never joyned in one ſocietie.
So that from the place in Iſaiah, wee have two paſſages of our practiſes in admitting Church-members, witneſſed unto and confirmed by the Lord.
1. That thoſe whom the Lord joyneth to the Church in the new Teſtament, are ſuch as have been joyned to himſelfe, to love him, and to ſerve him, and keep his Sabbaths.
2. That they doe alſo take hold of his Covenant with his Church, before he bring them into his holy Mountaine which is his Church.
Both which are the more to be obſerved in this place, becauſe the place is a propheſie of what the Lord will doe in the dayes of the new Teſtament, to wit, when his houſe ſhall be called an houſe of prayer unto all Nations, ver. 9. which is proper to the times of the Goſpel.
Object. 4. But the Covenant here ſpoken of, hath nothing to doe with the Church Covenant, for the Covenant is the Lords between him and his people, but the Church Covenant is between the members of the Church one towards another.
Anſw. This objection was prevented before in the firſt point; for when the Lord entreth into covenant with his people, that is, with his Church, his Church either expreſly, or by ſilent conſent covenanteth with him, and alſo one with another, to yeeld profeſſed ſubjection to him, as hath been ſhewed above.
But though this place prophecying of the dayes of the new Teſtament, ſpeak expreſly of taking hold of the Covenant before entring into the Church, yet let no man wonder why there is ſo little expreſſe mention of the poeples taking hold of the Covenant in the new Teſtament, when this promiſe commeth to be accompliſhed. In the old Teſtament, where the Church and Common-wealth grew up together in divine inſtitution and adminiſtration, there is expreſſe mention of this Covenant, and the Church being nationall, and all the Magiſtrates being members of the Church from the firſt plantation of it, the Covenant of the Lord with his Church was not at all ſuſpitious to them, (who were parties to it themſelves) but very acceptable; but in the dayes of the new Teſtament, the Magiſtrates and Princes of the earth being Aliens and enemies to the Church, the Apoſtles thought it meete to ſpeake of this Covenant not plainly, but as it were in Parables and ſimilitudes, as knowing the name of Covenants and Covenanters might breed no ſmall jealouſies in Civill States, as ſeeming moſt dangerous to civill peace, but yet in apt ſimilitudes they ſo deſcribe the eſtate of Churches as doth neceſſarily imply a joynt Covenant, both between the Lord, and them me with another: which may ſerve for a ſecond argument to prove the point in hand, the receiving of Members by way of Covenant; for 1. they ſo deſcribe every Church of God, as a Citie of God, as the new Hieruſalem, as the Church of the Jewes at their firſt converſion is ſtyled, Rev. 21.4. and the Church of the Jewes, though it may be a more glorious Church then any of the Churches of the Gentiles, yet it partaketh in the common nature of them all, every true Church is as well a Citie of God, as the Church of the Jewes; and hence the Members of the Church of Epheſus are called fellow-Citizens with the Saints, as being of the houſhold, or Church of God, Eph. 2.19. Now every Citie is founded in ſome confederacy by oath, or ſuch like bond, and every Citizen is received into the ſame Citie, by taking the ſame oath, or entring into the ſame bond, wherein the whole Citie ſtandeth ingaged; which holdeth forth to an intelligent heart, that if every Church of the new Teſtament be a Citie, and the Members thereof fellow-Citizens, then as the whole Church is planted and founded in ſome Covenant or Confederacie; ſo every Member of the Church is implanted and received into the ſame body, by taking hold of the ſame Covenant, and profeſſing ſubjection thereunto.
Againe, when the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the planting of the Church of Corinth, calleth it eſpouſing of it as a chaſte Virgin unto Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2. It implyeth plainly, that he drew them all as one body to profeſſe their acceptance of Chriſt as an husband to them all, and of one another, as member of the ſame body: if he had ſpoken of his converſion of their particular ſoules unto Chriſt, he would not have ſpoken of them as one virgin, but ſo many ſoules ſo many virgins; but now ſpeaking of them all as one virgin, it plainly argueth he joyned them all as one virgin into one body, and that one body into a Covenant of Eſpouſalls with Chriſt Jeſus; for there are no Eſpouſalls without a covenant; and therefore they that will take hold of their Eſpouſage, muſt take hold of their covenant.
3. The mutuall relation wherein all the members in the Church ſtand one to another, members to members, and all of them to their Officers, and their Officers to them, together with their mutuall intereſt one in another, and mutuall power one over another, doe all of them neceſſarily imply a mutuall confederacie one with another; and that whoſoever will partake herein, muſt partake in their confederacie. Suppoſe a godly Chriſtian come over into theſe parts, (as every yeare ſome or other doe) there is not any Miniſter of any of our Churches can uſurpe Paſtorall authoritie over him, unleſſe that Chriſtian call him thereunto, or profeſſe his ſubjection to his Miniſtration, according to God. Nor can ſuch a man expect any Miniſters watchfulneſſe over him as his Miniſter, unleſſe the Miniſter ſee juſt cauſe to accept ſuch a charge, and profeſſe ſo much. No Church in the Countrey, nor all the members of any Church, can take upon them to Cenſure any ſtranger, though an inhabitant amongſt them, unleſſe he give up himſelfe to them, and profeſſe his ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt amongſt them. Nor can he challenge ſuch watchfulneſſe from them, unleſſe he have given them a juſt call to take upon them that care over him. That Chriſtian libertie which the Lord Jeſus by his bloud hath purchaſed for his Church, and for all his children, giveth them all libertie to chooſe their owne Officers, and their owne fellow-Members, unto whom to commit the care of their ſoules according to the rules of the Goſpel. We ſpeak not of Infants, who make choice in their parents, but of ſuch who know their libertie, and are called to ſtand faſt in it: till then that a man tender and offer himſelfe to the Church, (to the Officers and Members of it) they have no power to receive him; For the Churches receiving a beleever (which is the Apoſtles word, Rom. 14.1.) implyeth and preſuppoſeth his offering and giving up of himſelfe unto them, in a profeſſed ſubjection to the Lord, and unto them, according to the will of God; and their receiving of him, implyeth and holdeth forth no leſſe then their profeſſed acceptance of him unto all thoſe holy liberties with them, and performance of all ſuch ſpirituall duties to him, which belong to all the fellow-members of the ſame body; and let men call this expreſſion of mutuall agreement by what name they pleaſe, this is no other then what wee call Church-Covenant.
SECT. V.
LEt us proceed then to give account of the third point, why we communicate ſo much power to the people, as to propound receiving of Members, unto their approbation and conſent: our reaſons are theſe:
1. From the like power given unto them by Chriſt, for the caſting out of ſcandalous and corrupt members, Matth. 18.17. 1 Cor. 5.5. if the Church muſt be told of every member that is to be caſt out, and when he is to be caſt out, they are to deliver him to Satan: then the Church muſt be told of every member that is received, and when he is to be received, they are to receive him into the fellowſhip of the Lord, and of his Church; but the former is cleare from thoſe Scriptures, and conſequently the latter. It is a received Maxime, Ejuſdem eſt poteſtatis aperire & claudere, inſtituere & deſtituere (as they call it,) they that have power to ſhut the doores of the Church by Excommunication, they have power to open the doores of the Church by admitting to Communion.
2. From the Example of the Church at Hieruſalem, Act. 9.26. who when Paul aſſayeth to joyne himſelfe unto them, did not at firſt receive him, becauſe the Diſciples were not ſatisfied in his ſpirituall good eſtate, untill Barnabas by his teſtimony of him had removed their ſcruple: which argueth the private brethren in a Church as well as publique Officers, muſt be ſatisfied in him who is to be received into Communion with them.
3. From the Churches power in Electing and calling Miniſters to office. It hath been ſhewed above, that it belongeth to the people, the body of the Church, to chooſe and call their owne Officers, according to the ſpeech of Cyprian, Lib. 1. Epiſt. 41. Plebs maxime poteſtatem habet, vel ſacerdotes dignos eligendi, velindignos recuſandi. And if they have ſuch power of chooſing worthy Miniſters, and refuſing the unworthy, how much more of receiving worthy Chriſtians, and refuſing of unworthy. Yea, in the Epiſtle going before, he ſpeaketh expreſly, he had much adoe to perſwade the people to receive ſome, whoſe repentance was not ſo cleare to them; which argueth evidently their power in receiving Members.