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THE

PREFACE TO THE READER.

THE church of Christ, according as it is represented unto us, or described by the Holy Spirit of God, in the Old and New Testament, hath but a twofold consideration, as catholic and mystical; or as visible and organized in particular congregations. The catholic church is the whole mystical body of Christ, consisting of all the elect which are purchased and redeemed by his blood, whether already called or uncalled, militant or triumphant; and this is the church that God gave him to be head unto, which is his body and his fulness, and by union with him Christ mystical; Eph. i. 22, 23. and this is that wavńyupis (the only word most fully expressing the catholic church, used in Scripture), the church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven,' Heb. xii. 23. i. e. in the Lamb's book of life, and shall all appear one day gathered together to their head, in the perfection and fulness of the New Jerusalem-state; where they will make a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish. The day of grace which the saints have passed in the respective ages of the church was but the days of its espousals, wherein the bride hath made herself ready; but then will be her full married state unto Christ, then will be the perfection not only of every particular member of Christ, but of the whole body of Christ, called 'a perfect man,' and 'the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ,' to which we are called edifying and building up, by the ministry

and ordinances of Christ, whilst we are in via,' in our passage unto this country, a city with a more durable fixed foundation, which we seek.

In order therefore unto the completing this great and mystical body, Christ hath his particular visible churches and assemblies in this world, wherein he hath ordained ordinances, and appointed officers for the glorious forementioned ends and purposes.

There is no other sort of visible church of Christ organized, the subject of the aforesaid institutions spoken of, but a particular church or congregation (either in the Old or New Testament), where all the members thereof do ordinarily meet together in one place to hold communion one with another, in some one or more great ordinances of Christ. The first churches were economic, when the worship of God was solemnly performed in the large families of the antediluvian and postdiluvian patriarchs, where, no doubt, all frequently assembled to the sacrifices as then offered, and other parts of worship then in use.

After the descent of a numerous progeny from Abraham's loins, God takes them to himself in one visible body, a national but congregational church, to which he forms them four hundred and thirty years after the promise in the wilderness; and although all Abraham's natural posterity, according to the external part of the promise made to him, were taken into visible church fellowship, so that it became a national church; yet it was such a national church always, in the wilderness, and in the holy land, as was congregational; for it was but one congregation during the tabernacle, or temple-state, first or second; they were always bound to assemble to the tabernacle, or temple, thrice at least every year; hence the tabernacle was still called the tabernacle of the congregation. They were to have but one altar for burnt-offerings and sacrifices;

what others were at any time elsewhere called high places, were condemned by God as sin.

Lastly, when Christ had divorced this people, abolished their Mosaical constitution, by breaking their staff of beauty and their staff of bonds, he erects his gospel church, calls in disciples by his ministry, forms them into a body, furnisheth them with officers and ordinances; and after he had suffered, rose again, and continued here forty days; in which time he frequently appeared to them and acquainted them with his will, ascends unto his Father, sends his Spirit in a plentiful manner at Pentecost, whereby most of them were furnished with all necessary miraculous gifts, to the promoting the glory and interest of Christ among Jews and Gentiles.

Hence the whole evangelical ministry was first placed in the church of Jerusalem (so far as extraordinary, or such a part of it as was to descend to churches of after ages), neither were they placed as abiding or standing officers in any other church, as we find. In this church they acted as the elders thereof, and from this church they were, it is very likely, solemnly sent by fasting and prayer to the exercise of their apostolic function, in preaching, healing, and working miracles, gathering churches, and settling officers in them; even so as Barnabas and Paul were sent forth by the church of Antioch.

Their distinguishing apostolic office and charge (from which the evangelist differed but little) was to take care of all the churches, not to sit down as standing pastors to all, or any particular congregation, but at the first planting, to gather, to direct, and confirm them, in practice of their doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread, and in prayer. Wherefore, this apostolic care committed to them proves nothing either of the catholic authority claimed by an ecumenick pastor, or that

charge of many congregations claimed by diocesan bishops.

Whence it is most evident, that all church officers, so far as they had any pastoral or episcopal office, were given to a particular congregation, as the purov déKTIKOV. We read of no pastors of many congregations, nor of no church made up of many congregations, to which officers were annexed, nor of any representative church, as some would have.

That apostolic power did descend to successors we utterly deny, it being not derivable; for none after them could say, they had been eye-witnesses of our Lord before or after his resurrection; none since so qualified by an extraordinary measure of the Spirit for preaching and working miracles; and none but the pope challenges such an extensive care for, and power over, all churches. That which descends from them to the ordinary ministry, is a commission to preach and baptize; and why not to head? it being always in the commission that Christ gave, a pastoral relation, or presbytership, which was included in their apostleship, and exercised toward the church of Jerusalem. presbytership John and Peter both had. Hence there remains no other successors 'jure' to the apostles, but ordinary pastors and teachers.

Such

These are relative officers, and are always in and to some particular congregations; we know of no catholic visible church that any pastors are ordained to. 1. The Scripture speaks of no church as catholic visible. 2. The thing itself is but a chimera of some men's brains; it is not in rerum natura;' for if a catholic visible church be all the churches that I see at a time, I am not capable of seeing much more than what can assemble in one place. And if it be meant of all the churches actually in being, how are they visible to me? where can they be seen in one place? I may as well

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