The way of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The way of churches…The vvay of the churches of Christ in New-England, or, The vvay of churches…

But though this place prophesying of the days of the new Testament, speak expressly of taking hold of the Covenant before entering into the Church, yet let no man wonder why there is so little express mention of the poeples taking hold of the Covenant in the new Testament, when this promise cometh to be accomplished. In the old Testament, where the Church and Common-wealth grew up together in divine institution and administration, there is express mention ⟨p. 62⟩of this Covenant, and the Church being national, and all the Magistrates being members of the Church from the first plantation of it, the Covenant of the Lord with his Church was not at all suspicious to them, (who were parties to it themselves) but very acceptable; but in the days of the new Testament, the Magistrates and Princes of the earth being Aliens and enemies to the Church, the Apostles thought it meet to speak of this Covenant not plainly, but as it were in Parables and similitudes, as knowing the name of Covenants and Covenanters might breed no small jealousies in Civill States, as seeming most dangerous to civill peace, but yet in apt similitudes they so describe the estate of Churches as doth necessarily imply a joint Covenant, both between the Lord, and them me with another: which may serve for a second argument to prove the point in hand, the receiving of Members by way of Covenant; for 1. they so describe every Church of God, as a City of God, as the new Jerusalem, as the Church of the Jews at their first conversion is styled, Rev. 21.4. and the Church of the Jews, though it may be a more glorious Church then any of the Churches of the Gentiles, yet it partaketh in the common nature of them all, every true Church is as well a City of God, as the Church of the Jews; and hence the Members of the Church of Ephesus are called fellow-Citizens with the Saints, as being of the household, or Church of God, Eph. 2.19. Now every City is founded in some confederacy by oath, or such like bond, and every Citizen is received into the same City, by taking the same oath, or entering into the same bond, wherein the whole City standeth engaged; which holdeth forth to an intelligent heart, that if every Church of the new Testament be a City, and the Members thereof fellow-Citizens, then as the whole Church is planted and founded in some Covenant or Confederacy;