The Members of a Congregation are bound to carry on the Worship together, this is Gods appointment, that his People that live together should carry on his Worship together, the Christians at Corinth are the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.2. And the Christians at Ephesus are the Church of Ephesus; Order calls for it, that where Men live, there they join together to carry on the Work of Christ. If a Christian live in a Town, where there is a Church, he is immediately bound to join with that Church; and that Church is bound to him to govern him, and give him Christian Privileges; there be some cases wherein there is need of humane prudence in determining how many Churches shall be in some Towns: Some Towns arise to be numerous, so that it is fit they should be joined in several Societies: And some are so small and lye so near together, that it is fit that two or more should make one Church, in such cases God has appointed that the bounds of Churches be set either by General agreement, or by order from Authority, but there is no occasion that every Member should Covenant particularly with the Church: Grant this particular Covenant to be the form of a Church, and then a Christian may continue a considerable time, without any relation to a particular Church, tho he lives, where there is a Church: And then a Man may be a Member of the Church of Corinth for seven years together, and live all that while in Communion with the Church at Jerusalem; a Covenant which he lives in the continual breach of, makes a Member at Corinth, and according to some, gives him a right to all Ordinances: Grant this particular Covenant and we shall be to seek, what Church many Children do belong to, the father is in Covenant with one Church, the Mother with another, the Child was Baptized in a third and lives in a fourth: This Doctrine of the particular Covenant which is wholly unscriptural, is the •on that many among us are shut out of the Church, to whom Church Privileges do belong.
The Members of a Congregation are bound to carry on the Worship together, this is Gods appointment, that his People that live together should carry on his Worship together, the Christians at Corinth are the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 1.2. And the Christians at Ephesus are the Church of Ephesus; Order calls for it, that where Men live, there they joyn together to carry on the Work of Christ. If a Christian live in a Town, where there is a Church, he is immediately bound to joyn with that Church; and that Church is bound to him to govern him, and give him Christian Priviledges; there be some cases wherein there is need of humane prudence in determining how many Churches shall be in some Towns: Some Towns arise to be numerous, so that it is fit they should be joyned in several Societies: And some are so small and lye so near together, that it is fit that two or more should make one Church, in such cases God has appointed that the bounds of Churches be set either by General agreement, or by order from Authority, but there is no occasion that every Member should Covenant particularly with the Church: Grant this particular Covenant to be the form of a Church, and then a Christian may continue a considerable time, without any relation to a particular Church, tho he lives, where there is a Church: And then a Man may be a Member of the Church of Corinth for seven years together, and live all that while in Communion with the Church at Jerusalem; a Covenant which he lives in the continual breach of, makes a Member at Corinth, and according to some, gives him a right to all Ordinances: Grant this particular Covenant and we shall be to seek, what Church many Children do belong to, the father is in Covenant with one Church, the Mother with another, the Child was Baptized in a third and lives in a fourth: This Doctrine of the particular Covenant which is wholly unscriptural, is the •on that many among us are shut out of the Church, to whom Church Priviledges do belong.
