14. Seeing the Sister-Churches of Coloss and Laodicea, Col. 4. 16. and of Corinth, Macedonia, Achaia, Galathia, 2 Cor. 8. 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 23, 24. chap. 9. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. are consociated together in a visible body, in external acts of Gods worship, as to hear one and the same word of God, Col. 4. 16. and to doc Church-business and works of mercy toward the poor by their delegates and commissioners: We ask if consociated Churches tied together in a visible Church-communion of acts of divine worship be not with as good reason a visible politic body of Christ, as many believers consociated in a Church-communion, if acts of divine worship doth make a particular Congre-gation. 2. If the former Church hath not the power of the keys upon the grounds of a visible Church-communion among themselves, as a Congregation hath the power of the keys upon these same grounds? 3. If these consociated Churches be not a visible Body, Spouse, and covenanted people with God in Christ, as well as a little Congregation of six or ten believers? 4. If such a greater body may not meet in their overseers, and exercise discipline, and govern the particular Congregations, as a Congregation doth meet in their principal members, and govern themselves, and all the members of the particular Congregation 5. We ask a reason, why in a Congregation of three hundred believers partaking one Word and Sacrament, a hundred of the three separated from the other two hundred cannot meet and exercise the power of the keys by themselves alone, because one worship, and one government doth equally concern them all, and by that same reason it should not be affirmed of ten Congregations, all partaking one Word and Sacraments upon occasions which neighbourly consociation doth furnish, that one cannot meet to exercise discipline in matters which in reason equally concerneth all the ten Congregations without subordination to the joint authority of all the ten? For if a hundred of three hundred cannot exercise discipline there alone, ⟨p. 276⟩without the other two, reason would enforce one or two congregations of ten consociated congregations cannot meet, without subordination to the whole ten, whereof one or two congregations are part;
14. Seeing the Sister-Churches of Colosse and Laodic•a, Col. 4. 16. and of Corinth, Macedonia, Achaia, Galathia, 2 Cor. 8. 1, 2, 3, 18, 19, 23, 24. chap. 9. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. are consociated together in a visible body, in externall acts of Gods worship, as to heare one and the same word of God, Col. 4. 16. and to doc Church-businesse and works of mercy toward the poore by their delegates and commissioners: We aske if consociated Churches tyed together in a visible Church-communion of acts of divine worship be not with as good reason a visible politick body of Christ, as many beleevers consociated in a Church-communion, if acts of divine worship doth make a particular Congre-gation. 2. If the former Church hath not the power of the keyes upon the grounds of a visible Church-communion among themselves, as a Congregation hath the power of the keyes upon these same grounds? 3. If these consociated Churches be not a visible Body, Spouse, and covenanted people with God in Christ, as well as a little Congregation of sixe or ten beleevers? 4. If such a greater body may not meet in their overseers, and exercise discipline, and governe the particular Congregations, as a Congregation doth meet in their principall members, and governe themselves, and all the members of the particular Congregation 5. We aske a reason, why in a Congregation of three hundred beleevers partaking one Word and Sacrament, a hundred of the three separated from the other two hundred cannot meet and exercise the power of the keyes by themselves alone, because one worship, and one government doth equally concerne them all, and by that same reason it should not be affirmed of ten Congregations, all partaking one Word and Sacraments upon occasions which neighbourly consociation doth furnish, that one cannot meet to exercise discipline in matters which in reason equally concerneth all the ten Congregations without subordination to the joynt authority of all the ten? For if a hundred of three hundred cannot exercise discipline there alone, ⟨p. 276⟩without the other two, reason would inforce one or two congregations of ten consociated congregations cannot meet, without subordination to the whole ten, wherof one or two congregations are part;
