The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

THERE hath been great enquiry about the nature and exercise of this Ordinance, under the Old Testament, with the Account ⟨p. 194⟩given of it by the latter Jews. For the Right and Power of it in general, belongs unto a Church as such, every Church, and not that which is purely Evangelical only. This I shall not enquire into; it hath been sifted to the bran already, and intermixed with many Rabbinical conjectures and mistakes. In general, there is nothing more certain, than that there was a doubl• Removal of Persons by Church-Authority, from the communion of the whole Congregation in Divine Worship. The one for a Season, the other for Ever; whereof I have given Instances elsewhere. But I intend only the consideration of what belongs unto Churches under the New Testament. And to this end we may observe,

1. THAT all lawful Societies, constituted such by voluntary confederation, according unto peculiar Laws and Rules of their own choice, unto especial Duties and Ends, have a Right and Power by the Light of Nature, to receive into their Society those that are willing and meet, engaging themselves to observe the Rules, Laws and Ends of the Society; and to Expel them out of it who wilfully deviate from those Rules. This is the life and form of every lawful Society or Community of Men in the World, without which they can neither coalesce nor subsist. But it is required hereunto,

1. THAT all lawful Societies, constituted such by voluntary confederation, according unto peculiar Laws and Rules of their own choice, unto especial Duties and Ends, have a Right and Power by the Light of Nature, to receive into their Society those that are willing and meet, ingaging themselves to observe the Rules, Laws and Ends of the Society; and to Expel them out of it who wilfully deviate from those Rules. This is the life and form of every lawful Society or Community of Men in the World, without which they can neither coalesce nor subsist. But it is required hereunto,