Church-Fellowship, to which we then engage ourselves, are mutual Duties between a Community or Society of Christians, therefore there must be a Confent on both Sides; and as a Perfon muft judge concerning the Society, whether he will join himself to them, fo the Society muft judge concerning him, whether they think him fit to be received as one of them.

It is into Union with that Society that the Perfon propofing himself is to be admitted, either in a conftant or occafional Way; and they give him the Leave and Privilege of becoming a Partner with them, or a Member of their Body; and furely the Light of Nature tells us, that every voluntary Society muft judge who fhall be Members of their Society, and enjoy Fellowship with them in their peculiar Privileges.

It must be confeffed indeed, that where this voluntary Society profeffes a Subjection to the Will and Law of any fovereign or fuperior Power, and this Sovereign has given them a Rule whereby they are bound to admit Persons into their Society, in this Case, their own meer arbitrary Will and Pleasure cannot violate or neglect this Rule without Guilt; nor can they appoint any new Rules, and make them neceffary Terms and Conditions of fuch Admiffion: And this is the Cafe of all Chriftian Churches. For though they are fo many voluntary Societies, yet Chrift

their common Lord and Sovereign has appointed the general Rule of admitting Members into his Churches, (viz.) that all fuch Jhall be admitted who make a credible Profeffion of Chriftianity.

But wherefoever there is fuch a fuperior acknowledged Rule given to direct in this Affair, ftill the Society itself muft judge concerning the true Senfe and juft Application of this Rule to particular Cafes. It is this Society that will fuffer Reproach, and bear the Trouble of it, if a Perfon admitted, prove scandalous and unworthy; and it is but reasonable therefore that they should determine whether he be a Perfon fit and worthy to come among them or no; but still according to the Rules of Chrift, fo far as they can understand his Meaning. And as this is the Voice and Language of common Reafon, fo it is alfo the Appointment of Chrift in his Word, and this was the Practice of the primitive Times, as I fhall fhew hereafter.

The Society ought furely to have the fame Liberty which the proposed Perfon has, and if he has Liberty to judge whether he should seek Communion with them, they ought to have Liberty to judge whether they should receive him. Each has a Right to judge of the Senfe and Application of the Rules of Scripture to direct their own Actions.

Now fince there can be no regular or proper Christian Communion held and maintained but in and with a Church of Chrift, we muft enquire into the Nature of the Chriftian Church to find out which are the Perfons in, or of this Church, that muft judge and declare others fit for Communion with it.

SECT. II. The Church of Chrift is either visible or invifible. The invifible Church includes all the real Saints that are in Heaven or on Earth. But our Question has not to do with the Church in this Sense.

The whole vifible Church of Chrift upon Earth, confifts of all thofe Perfons in the World that make a visible and credible Profeffion of the Chriftian Religion, however scattered through all Nations, and whether joined together by mutual Agreement in particular Societies, or not. The New Testament sometimes ufeth the Word Church in this Sense, Matt. xvi. 18. 1 Cor. xii. 28, and other Places; and it is in this Senfe when a Person is baptized, he is said to be received into the Chriftian Church, for hereby he becomes a Member of the Catholick Church vifible on Earth,

But all this vaft fcattered Multitude can never maintain and perform Acts of Christian Communion together in the Lord's Supper, which is the other chief Ordinance of fpe

up

cial Communion: Nor indeed can they keep the publick Honour of God, a publick Profeffion of the Name of Chrift, nor the Duties of publick Worship, without their being divided into particular Societies, which agree at stated Times and Seafons to come together to one Place, as the Apostle expreffes it, for Purposes of Christian Worship, 1 Cor. xi. 18, 20. and xiv. 23.

Such a Society or Congregation of Perfons, both Men and Women, making a credible Profeffion of Chriftianity, and united by mutual Agreement or Confent to meet together ufually at the fame Time and Place for the Performance of Chriftian Worship, is a Church of Chrift; and this is the clearest and plainest Notion that I can frame of a particular Church of Chrift, according to the Language of the holy Scripture. Confult the Book of Acts, confult the facred Epiftles, where the Word Church is used at least forty or fifty Times in this Sense.

I will not deny but the Word Church (even where it does not fignify the Catholick Church, vifible or invifible) may in fome few Places be used for a larger Number of Christians than could meet in one Place, as the Church of Jerufalem in the very beginning of Christianity, while Chriftians multiplied faster than they could well be formed into regular diftin&t Societies; yet even in fome of those Places perhaps it includes no

more

more than did meet together for fome fpecial Purpose. See Acts xi. 22. and xv. 22.

The Word Church may also in a few other Places be used for a smaller Collection of Christians, that might occafionally meet, or perhaps dwell together, as the Church in the Houfe of Aquila and Prifcilla, 1 Cor. xvi. 19. and in the Houfe of Philemon, Phil.

V. 2.

But the most common Acceptation of the Word Church (where it fignifies a vifible Company of Chriftians) implies fuch a Number, as met ufually by common Confent in one Place for Chriftian Communion, in ftated and folemn Ordinances of Worship, and efpecially the Lord's Supper, as in the fore→ cited Texts of the Epiftle to the Corinthians, and many others.

This is the Church that is defcribed in the 19th Article of the Church of England (viz.) "A Congregation of faithful Men in which "the pure Word of God is preached, and "the Sacraments be duly miniftered, according to Chrift's Ordinance, in all those Things that of Neceffity are requifite to "the fame".

Yet let it be noted here, that fuch a Society as this may be properly called a Church, when their Preachers, Minifters, or all their Officers are dead, or even before they have any Minister, or any Officers fixed amongst them; and without doubt they have Power

to