A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…

31. A particular Church of Christ's Institution by his Apostles, is [A sacred Society consisting of one or more Pastors, and a capable number of Christian Neighbours, consociate by Christs appointment and their own consent, for personal communion in God's public worship and in holy living.] In this definition, 1. The Genus is [a sacred Society] so called, 1. to distinguish it from a mere community, or unbodied company of Christians; 2. and to distinguish it from Civil and profane Societies, (For the Genus is subalternate, and the species of a superior Genus.) 2. The constitutive parts are Pastor and People. 3. I say [Pastors] as distinguishing it from all other societies as headed by other Officers or Rulers; As Kingdoms by Kings, Colleges by their Governors, Schools by School-masters, Families by Parents, &c. For Societies are specified by their Governors. 4. I say [one or more] because it is the Office in some person that is the constitutive part, the number being indifferent as to the Beings, though not as to the well being of the Society. 5. The People being the other material part of the Society, I call them [Christians] that is Baptized Professing Christians, to distinguish them from all Infidels, who are uncapable to be members. 6. I call them [Neighbours] because the Proximity must be such as rendereth them capable of the Ends of the Society, For at an uncapable distance they cannot have Church-communion. 7. I put in [a capable number] because too few or too many may be utterly uncapable of the Ends▪ One or two are uncapable defectively: such multitudes as can have no Church communion, are uncapable through excess (of which more after.) 8. The form is the Relative Union of Pastor and People, in reference to the Ends; Which I mean in the word [Consociate.] 9. The foundation or prime efficient, is [Christ's Institution.] 10. The Condition, sine qua non, is [their mutual consent.] 11. The end or terminus is their [Communion.] 12. The matter of this Communion, is both [God's public worship] and a holy▪life; which distinguisheth them from such as associate for civil ends, or any other besides these. 13. The proper species of this holy Communion is that it be [Personal.] By ⟨p. 34⟩which I mean such as Pastor and People may ordinarily exercise in presence; to distinguish it from that sort of Communion, 1.

31. A particular Church of Christ's Institution by his Apostles, is [A sacrrd Society consisting of one or more Pastors, and a capable number of Christian Neighbours, consociate by Christs appointment and their own consent, for personal communion in God's publick worship and in holy living.] In this definition, 1. The Genus is [a sacred Society] so called, 1. to distinguish it from a meer community, or unbodied company of Christians; 2. and to distinguish it from Civil and prophane Societies, (For the Genus is subalternate, and the species of a superiour Genus.) 2. The constitutive parts are Pastor and People. 3. I say [Pastors] as distinguishing it from all other societies as headed by other Officers or Rulers; As Kingdoms by Kings, Colleges by their Governours, Schools by School-masters, Families by Parents, &c. For Societies are specified by their Governours. 4. I say [one or more] because it is the Office in some person that is the constitutive part, the number being indifferent as to the Beings, though not as to the well being of the Society. 5. The People being the other material part of the Society, I call them [Christians] that is Baptized Professing Christians, to distinguish them from all Infidels, who are uncapable to be members. 6. I call them [Neighbours] because the Proximity must be such as rendereth them capable of the Ends of the Society, For at an uncapable distance they cannot have Church-communion. 7. I put in [a capable number] because too few or too many may be utterly uncapable of the Ends One or two are uncapable defectively: such multitudes as can have no Church communion, are uncapable through excess (of which more after.) 8. The form is the Relative Union of Pastor and People, in reference to the Ends; Which I mean in the word [Consociate.] 9. The foundation or prime efficient, is [Christ's Institution.] 10. The Condition, sine qua non, is [their mutual consent.] 11. The end or terminus is their [Communion.] 12. The matter of this Communion, is both [God's publickworship] and a holylife; which distinguisheth them from such as associate for civil ends, or any other besides these. 13. The proper species of this holy Communion is that it be [Personal.] By