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The Hebrew commonwealth was a kingdom of God, formed by a special covenant which he made with that people when he brought them out of Egypt. Jehovah was their Law-giver, Judge and King. But this was an earthly theocracy, a kingdom of this world, conftituted and governed in this peculiar manner, that it might, as a type, represent the kingdom of heaven, the gospel church.

As all who were interested in the Sinai covenant, which was ratified and fealed by the blood of facrificed beafts, belonged to the commonwealth of Ifrael, and were entitled to fome at least of its peculiar privileges; fo all who are interefted in the newcovenant, ratified and fealed by the blood of Chrift, belong to the kingdom of heaven, and are members of the church of God.

The covenant then, being the great charter and law of the kingdom of heaven, contains a grant or promise of all those special privileges to which the people of God are entitled, and prefcribes all that worship, service and obedience, which they are to render to him. And all who are in the covenant, and so members of the church, are under fpecial bonds and engagements to comply with the duties prefcribed to them; and are by a covenant grant entitled to peculiar privileges. But fome have a greater intereft in the bleffings of the covenant than others, and belong to the church in a fpecial and more important fenfe.

For it is to be obferved, that the church is a word, which in feripture, and by the common ufage of chriftians, bears feveral different fenfes, which fhould be carefully noticed, explained and diftinguifhed; otherwife we fhall be in danger of great confufion and mistake in our conceptions and difcourfes. Thefe various acceptations, I fhall now endeavour to ftate and define, fo far as may be needful to our prefent design.

I. The Catholick or Univerfal Church, taken in its largest acceptation, includes or comprehends all who are in any respect interested in the covenant, fo as to be under its bonds, and entitled to any gofpel privilege either external or internal, to which others, who are not in covenant, have no right. All who belong to the church in any of thofe more fpecial acceptations which are to be mentioned and explained, however different in their character and quali

fications,

fications, and in the privileges to which they are intitled, are comprehended in this univerfal church above defined, which confequently can be but one. But

II. Sometimes we are to understand by the church, the whole collective body of true faints, who fhall finally be admitted to the bleffedness of the heavenly state. This is commonly termed the invifible church, and by the Apostle the body of Chrift; which in its largest acceptation comprehends all who fhall have an inheritance in the kingdom of glory; many of whom may not yet be actual members, but only in the foreknowledge and purpose of God. But in a ftricter fenfe, the invifible or mystical church is that part of the mystical body of Chrift which is actually formed; confifting of those who are now the children of God by regeneration and special adoption. Of these fome are glorified faints, who are termed the church triumphant. Some are faints conflicting with their enemies on earth, who are the church militant. This collective body constitutes the univerfal invifible church; and being univerfal it can be but one. It is called invisible, not only because a great part of them being perfected spirits, are removed from human fight, but also because though members of the church militant are vifible in their perfons, yet thofe fpecial qualifications and privileges by which they are effentially difcriminated from all others, cannot be seen or known by men; and also by way of contradiftinction from the visible church; which

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III. Third acceptation of the term, the import of which is next to be confidered. For it is to be observed that the kingdom of heaven makes an appearance on earth, in perfons and focieties profeffing the chriftian religion, obferving its outward ordinances, and exhibiting in their lives its proper effects. And the whole collective body of profeffed and visible chriftians, together with their children, are confidered as conftituting one univerfal vifible church. Indeed I do not conceive that the whole number of vifibie faints are, by a divine ordinance, formed into one confociated body. I find no gofpel rule or warrant for organizing, and adminiftering a general government over the whole, to which all particular focieties and perfons profeffing the christian religion are bound to be subject; or that any general officers are authorized by Christ for any fuch purpose. In this sense we admit not the notion of a univerfal vifible church, formed by divine in

stitution;

ftitution; but as a general denomination, by which profeffed chriftians, collectively confidered, may be diftinguished from the reft of mankind, we readily admit it. All who credibly profess christianity are to be confidered as belonging to the houshold of faith; as holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling. And fome special acts of brotherly fellowship feem to be due to them; though for want of a convenient opportunity, or for other weighty reafons, they may not have joined or confederated with any particular chriftian fociety. There feems to be fome brotherly rela tion between all who profefs the common faith. And so all such may be confidered as compofing one vifible church; which, though not properly an organized body, yet the feveral members are to maintain fome external obriftian communion with each other. But there is alfo

IV. The inflituted church, which is plainly distinguishable from the vifible universal church, of which we have fpoken. An inftituted church is a vifible fociety of profeffed chriftians (including their children) formed according to the rules of the gospel, by the mutual confederation of the feveral members, either exprefs or at least implicit, for the purpose of observing the ordinances of worthip and discipline which Chrift has inftituted for the edification of the whole body and the feveral members, and that the light of the gofpel might be held up to the world by a public profeffion of faith and obedience, by the reading and preaching of the word; and that its proper influence and effects might be manifested and exemplified in the chriftian and orderly converfation of the members in their feveral places. Whether there be any rule or warrant in the gofpel for forming claffical, provincial, or national churches, by a coalefcence of feveral particular congregations, I fhall not now enquire. But fuch focieties of profeffed chriftians as thofe above defcribed, are confeffedly of divine inftitution; and in the New Teftament are commonly termed churches. And their form, order, officers, ordinances and administrations are prescribed in the gofpel. An instituted church is a part of the visible church universal. It is the kingdom of heaven on earth, reprefenting the heavenly theocracy in the place where it is formed. And though chriftians as members of civil focieties are to be fubject to the lawful authority therein eftablished, yet as members of a church they are to call no man master on earth, but acknowledge Chrift alone as their Lord and Lawgiver.

V. But

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V. But as the members of inftituted churches are not all fit to be admitted to, or ufe the privileges of full communion, this has occafioned a yet more limited and special meaning of the word: and those members who are in full communion are termed the church, in diftinction from those who are not communicants. And this fifth acceptation of the word is not only common with us, but is thought to be authorised by the Apoftles; who in their epiftles to churches addrefs them as thofe whom they suppo1ed to have been communicants at the Lord's fupper, and give them directions for a due attendance on that ordinance. But many who are members of a church in a larger sense, are not members of the communicating church; nor are to be admitted to the Lord's table without further qualifications. Again,

VI. By the church is fometimes meant those who have a part in the exercise of church authority, a power of voting in the election, difmiffion, or depofition of officers, in admitting, cenfur-, ing, or reftoring members, and in other church acts. Those who hold the keys of government in the kingdom of heaven may be called, for diftinction, the reprefentative church; there are great disputes in whofe hands this authority is lodged, and to whom it properly belongs, to exercise it. But all agree that not every member is to be admitted to the privilege of voting. When Chrift directs his disciples, in case an offending brother will not hearken to more private admonition, to tell it to the church, he seems to mean the representative church, who only have a right publickly and authoritatively to judge and cenfure offenders. For to what purpose would it be to carry a complaint to any but those who had authority to take cognizance of, and redress the grievance ?

From the account which has been given of the church, and the several acceptations in which the word is used, it appears that perfons of very different characters and defcriptions are members. Some are departed fpirits. Some are inhabitants of this world; and of these some are infants; fome are adult persons, and of both fexes; fome are profeffors of chriftianity, others have not yet made a profeffion of their faith: And of profeffing chriftians, fome are true faints, and belong both to the invisible and visible church; others are only credible profeffors; who though regular members of the vifible church, are not living members of Chrift's myftical body. And of those who belong to the visible church in its largest acceptation, some are not, and fome are formed into inftituted churches. Some are, and fome are not confirmed members, and in full communion. Other differences might be mentioned. But however, they are all fubjects of the kingdom of heaven, members of the church, interested in the new covenant,

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covenant, entitled to peculiar privileges. They are all (in fome fenfe) holy perfons, the children and people of God; and have fome union or relation to Chrift the head of the church, which thofe who are out of the church and covenant have not.

CHA P. II.

Of the NEW COVENANT.

HE new covenant is a divine and gracious conftitution ref pecting fallen man, founded in the mediation of Chrift, and administered by him, according to which the church is formed, and governed. It contains a law, or rule of duty and obedience, inforced by penalties; and also a grant of special privileges; and establishes a mutual relation and connection between the du ties prescribed and the privileges granted to thofe who are therein interested or concerned.

SECTION I

Of the preceptive part of the Covenant.

THE preceptive part of the Covenant contains all the laws of Chrift, requiring all exercises or acts of piety towards God, of righteousness and benevolence towards men; which are enjoined in the moral law. In addition to thefe it prescribes what are called evangelical duties, repentance towards God on gofpel principles, faith in Chrift, doing all in his name, with a due regard to him in all his mediatorial offices, and for thofe fpecial ends and purposes for which he requires our obedience; with dependance on his grace to affift our endeavours, and his merit and interceffion to recommend us and our performances to the divine acceptance. It requires also an observance of all outward ordinances of gospel worship, and an attendance on the inftituted means or inftrumental duties of religion.

Thefe laws of Chrift, are enforced with penalties: which are of two kinds, corrective or vindictive. The former are fatherly chaftifements, with which the children of God are vifited by him for their reformation and profit, when they tranfgrefs, and

violate

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