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

All things are plain, familiar, and exposed to the common Understandings of all Believers, whose minds are any way exercised about these things, as indeed are all things that belong unto the Discipline of Christ. Arguments pretendedly deep and learned, really obscure and perplexed, with logical Notions and distinctions, applied unto things thus plain and evident in themselves, ⟨p. 77⟩do serve only to involve and darken the Truth. It is plain in the place; (1) That there was a Church-State for Christians, then designed by Christ, which afterwards he would institute and settle. (2) That all true Disciples were to join and unite themselves in some such Church, as might be helpful unto their Love, Order, Peace and Edification. (3) That among the members of these Churches, Offences would, or might arise, which in themselves tend unto pernicious Events. (4) That if these Offences could not be cured and taken away, so as that Love without Dissimulation might be continued among all the Members of the Churches, an Account of them at last was to be given unto that Church or Society whereunto the Parties concerned do belong as Members of it. (5) That this Church should hear, determine and give Judgment with advice in the cases, so brought unto it, for the taking away and removal of all Offences. (6) That this Determination of the Church is to be rested in, on the Penalty of a Deprivation of all the Privileges of the Church. (7) That these things are the Institution and Appointment of Christ himself, whose Authority in them all, is to be submitted unto, and which alone can cast one that is a Professed Christian into the condition of an Heathen or a Publican.

All things are plain, familiar, and exposed to the common Understandings of all Believers, whose minds are any way exercised about these things, as indeed are all things that belong unto the Discipline of Christ. Arguments pretendedly deep and learned, really obscure and perplexed, with logical Notions and distinctions, applied unto things thus plain and evident in themselves, ⟨p. 77⟩do serve only to involve and darken the Truth. It is plain in the place; (1) That there was a Church-State for Christians, then designed by Christ, which afterwards he would institute and settle. (2) That all true Disciples were to join and unite themselves in some such Church, as might be helpful unto their Love, Order, Peace and Edification. (3) That among the members of these Churches, Offences would, or might arise, which in themselves tend unto pernicious Events. (4) That if these Offences could not be cured and taken away, so as that Love without Dissimulation might be continued among all the Members of the Churches, an Account of them at last was to be given unto that Church or Society whereunto the Parties concerned do belong as Members of it. (5) That this Church should hear, determine and give Judgment with advice in the cases, so brought unto it, for the taking away and removal of all Offences. (6) That this Determination of the Church is to be rested in, on the Penalty of a Deprivation of all the Priviledges of the Church. (7) That these things are the Institution and Appointment of Christ himself, whose Authority in them all, is to be submitted unto, and which alone can cast one that is a Professed Christian into the condition of an Heathen or a Publican.