The power of Congregational churches asserted and vindicated in answer to a treatise of…

2. From the Phrases, which imply covenanting to be that, whereby they became visible members of the Church. I shall instance in two. The first is used in Act. 2.41. [Greek or Hebrew], were added; and v. 47. [Greek or Hebrew], the Lord added: and ⟨p. 34⟩chap. 5.14. [Greek or Hebrew], were the more added. The word imports such an adding as did visibly and firmly knit them together.¹ Calvin saith, they were joined to Christs Disciples, or ingrafted into the same body. That which thus visibly ingrafted them, was not Gods working Faith in their hearts, or their visible profession of it: for it is said, Believers, were added. v. 14. which is of the same import with, those that gladly received the Word, in Act. 2.41. Therefore this adding was by something else; and what could that be, but their visible taking hold of the Covenant with that particular Christian Congregation, whereunto they now joined themselves notwithstanding their former state in the National Church of the Jews? And that they were thus added to the Church, Luke confirmeth two ways. 1. by the effect of this engagement, in Act. 2.42. [Greek or Hebrew], they were strongly and constantly knit together (viz. by virtue of their former mutual engagement) in the Apostles Doctrine, Hearing, Believing, Professing, Obeying it constantly; and in fellowship, i. e. in Church Communion, into which they were combined and compacted before, having solemnly given up themselves, first to the Lord, and ⟨p. 35⟩then to the Apostles and Church, by the will of God, as Paul expoundeth it, in 2 Cor. 8.5. 2. Luke confirmeth the same sense of their being added to the Church, by expressing the manner of it to be so, as of the rest durst no man join himself to them, in Act. 5.13. yet they did magnify them, i. e. they approved their doctrine and way, and confessed the truth and goodness of it. All which was not sufficient to add them so to the Church, as believers were added, viz. by public voluntary engagement with the Church, mutually. And this to be the meaning, Luke confirmeth, by using another word, synonymous with this, which more plainly expresseth the manner of their being added to the Church, [Greek or Hebrew], to be glued: which word, though it sometimes signifieth joining, in a more common and lax sense, yet not in matters of this nature.