The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

THE Bond of this Union is Love; not the common regulated Affection of Humane nature so called; not merely that Power and Duty which is engraven on the Hearts of Men, by the Law of Creation, towards all of the same kind and blood with themselves; but an especial Grace of the Holy Spirit, acting in the Church as the Principle and Bond of its Union unto its self; whence the command of it is called a New Commandment; because in it self, as unto the only Example of it in the Person of Christ, the Causes and Motives unto it, with its peculiar Ends and proper Exercise, it was absolutely New and Evangelical. An Explanation of the Nature of it belongs not unto this place although it be a Grace and a Duty of so much importance, wherein so much of the Life, Power and peculiar Glory of Christian Religion doth consist, and is either so utterly lost, or hath such vile Images of it set up in the World, that it deserves a full Consideration; which it may receive in another place.

THE Bond of this Vnion is Love; not the common regulated Affection of Humane nature so called; not meerly that Power and Duty which is engraven on the Hearts of Men, by the Law of Creation, towards all of the same kind and blood with themselves; but an especial Grace of the Holy Spirit, acting in the Church as the Principle and Bond of its Union unto its self; whence the command of it is called a New Commandment; because in it self, as unto the only Example of it in the Person of Christ, the Causes and Motives unto it, with its peculiar Ends and proper Exercise, it was absolutely New and Evangelical. An Explanation of the Nature of it belongs not unto this place although it be a Grace and a Duty of so much importance, wherein so much of the Life, Power and peculiar Glory of Christian Religion doth consist, and is either so utterly lost, or hath such vile Images of it set up in the World, that it deserves a full Consideration; which it may receive in another place.

I SAY the Holy Spirit of Grace and Love, being given from Christ, the Fountain and Centre of all Church-Union, to dwell in, and abide with his Church, thereby uniting it unto himself, doth work in it, and all the Members of it, that mutual Love, which may, and doth animate them unto all those mutual Acts which are proper unto the Relation wherein they stand, by virtue of their Union unto Christ their Head, as Members of the same Body one with another.