A37205:52
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…
The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget entitled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of Mr. J. Paget intituled The defence of church-government exercised in classes and synods / by John Davenport.
London: printed for Rich. Chiswell and to be sold by John Usher of Boston, 1672
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Consect. 1 If this be so; then more is required, as the essential property of Church-members, as visible, than that they profess before men the Faith, crave fellowship with the visible Church, and desire the visible seals of the Covenant. For men may have all these three properties, who are notoriously scandalous in their lives, Drunkards, Adulterers, profane Swearers and Cursers; in a word, such as are described, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4. Who have a form of Godliness, denying the power of it, concerning whom the Apostle's charge is, from such turn away, v. 5. If in ordinary converse, the People of God must not exercise needless familiarity with such: much less may they receive them into spiritual fellowship and fraternity. ⟨p. 20⟩If such, being Members, must be cast out, certainly, being out of Church-fellowship, they may not be received in, whilst they continue such.
Consect. 1 If this be so; then more is required, as the essential property of Church-members, as visible, than that they profess before men the Faith, crave fellowship with the visible Church, and desire the visible seals of the Covenant. For men may have all these three properties, who are notoriously scandalous in their lives, Drunkards, Adulterers, prophane Swearers and Cursers; in a word, such as are described, 2 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4. Who have a form of Godliness, denying the power of it, concerning whom the Apostle's charge is, from such turn away, v. 5. If in ordinary converse, the People of God must not exercise needless familiarity with such: much less may they receive them into spiritual fellowship and fraternity. ⟨p. 20⟩If such, being Members, must be cast out, certainly, being out of Church-fellowship, they may not be received in, whilest they continue such.
Consect. 2 If Christ will build his Church upon this Rock; then it is the bounden duty of Churches to see, so far as they can according to rule, that all whom they receive into Church-fellowship, be visible Believers, such as have been described in the Conclusion above propounded, explained, and proved; lest otherwise they build without a foundation. Particularly; 1. They are to see, so far as in charity they may discern, that they are Believers in Christ; Else, they cannot answer the titles given them in Scripture,