An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…

God laid the foundation of Church Societies and the necessity of them in the Law of Nature, by the creation and constitution of it. I speak of Churches in general, as they are Societies of Humane Race, one way or other joined and united together for the Worship of God. Now the sole End of the Creation of the Nature of man, was the Glory of God, in that Worship and Obedience which it was fitted and enabled to perform: For that end, and no other, was our nature created in all its Capacities, Abilities and Perfections: Neither was man so made merely that every individual should singly and by himself perform this Worship, though that also every individual person is obliged unto. Every man alone and by himself, will not only find himself indigent, and wanting supplies of sundry kinds; but also that he is utterly disabled to act sundry faculties and powers of his Soul, which by nature he is endued withal. Hence the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone, Gen. 2.18.

God laid the foundation of Church Societies and the necessity of them in the Law of Nature, by the creation and constitution of it. I speak of Churches in general, as they are Societies of Humane Race, one way or other joyned and united together for the Worship of God. Now the sole End of the Creation of the Nature of man, was the Glory of God, in that Worship and Obedience which it was fitted and enabled to perform: For that end, and no other, was our nature created in all its Capacities, Abilities and Perfections: Neither was man so made meerly that every individual should singly and by himself perform this Worship, though that also every individual person is obliged unto. Every man alone and by himself, will not only find himself indigent, and wanting supplies of sundry kinds; but also that he is utterly disabled to act sundry faculties and powers of his Soul, which by nature he is endued withal. Hence the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone, Gen. 2.18.

These things therefore are evident in themselves, (1) That God created our nature, or made man for his own Worship and Service, and fitted the powers and faculties of his soul thereunto. (2) That this nature is so fitted for Society, so framed for it as its next end, that without it, it cannot act itself, according unto what it is empowered unto. And this is the foundation of all Order and Government in the world among Mankind. (3) That by the Light of nature this acting in Society is principally designed unto the Worship of God. The Power I say and Necessity of acting in Society, is given unto our nature for this end principally, that we may thus glorify God, in and by the Worship which he requires of us. (4) That without the Worship of God in Societies, there would be an absolute failure of one principal end of the Creation of man; nor would any glory arise unto God from the Constitution of his nature so fitted for Society, as that it cannot act its own powers without it. (5) All Societies are to be regulated in the light of Nature by such circumstances, as whereby they are suited unto their end; for which they may be either too large or too much restrained.