The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

THESE things are plain, and evident in themselves, and every way sufficient to divest all the Religious Societies and Fraternities that are erected in the Church of Rome, of all that Right and Power which belongs unto lawful Societies, constituted by voluntary confederation. And if any thing inconsistent with these principles of Natural Light be pretended in Churches, it divests them of all Power, as to the exercise of it, by virtue of any compact or confederation whatever.

2. IT is required that a Society, by voluntary consent vested with the Right and Power mentioned, do neither give nor take away any Right, Privilege or Advantage, to, or from any Members of the Society which belong unto them Naturally or Politically; but their Power is confined unto those things alone, wherein Men may be benefited and advantaged by the Society. And this is the foundation of all political Societies. Men, for the sake and benefit of them, may and ought to forego many particular Advantages, which, without them, they might make unto themselves. But they cannot forego any of those Rights, which in their several Relations are inseparably annexed unto them by the Law of Nature, nor give power over themselves in such things unto the Society. So is it with Churches; the power of expulsion out of their Society, extends only unto the Benefits and Advantages which the Society, as such, doth afford and communicate. Now these are only things Spiritual if Churches be an institution of him, whose ⟨p. 196⟩Kingdom is not of this World. The power then that is in Churches, by virtue of their being what they are, extends not it self unto any outward concernments of Men, as unto their Lives, Liberties, Natural or Political Privileges, Estates or Possessions; unless we shall say, that Men hold and possess these things by virtue of their Relation unto the Church, which is to overthrow all Natural and Humane Right in the World. De facto, Men are now compelled whether they will or no, to be esteemed to be of this or that Church, and to be dealt withal accordingly. But if they had not been divested of their natural Liberty, they know not how, without their own consent, and should be taught, that by entering into a Church, they must come under a new Tenure of their Lives, Liberties and Estates, at the Will of the Lords of the Society according to the Customs of their Courts, there would not be so many Wise Men in Churches, as now there are thought to be.