THE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH, &c.

Eph. V. 23. Christ is the Head of the Church.

Acts vii, 28. This is he that was in the Church in the Wilderness.

Rev. ii, 27. All the Churches shall know I am he.

Eph. iii, 21. To Him be glory in the Church.

To the congregational Churches of Jesus Christ, particularly that one over which the Holy Ghost hath made me an Overseer: Grace be to you all. Amen.—I thought it necessary to write to you on some Subjects which are very interesting, and to give you in sundry articles, the particulars of the Faith we profess, as believers in our most adorable Redeemer; with a few agreements which claim the conformity of all those who have given themselves up to the Lord, to walk in all well pleasing to him. I haw endeavored to keep close to the sacred pages, which are the grand standard of Faith and Practice, and as many as walk according this rule, peace be on them, and on the whole Israel of God.

The first Subject I wish my brethren well instructed in is the Church of God. It must be allowed that the ever blessed God, for the purposes of glorifying his grace, hath chosen a number of persons in Christ—that he gave them to Christ—that the Redeemer accepted them, and delighted in them as his Bride—and though he foreknew their fall in Adam, yet he covenanted with the Father to be their Surety, Righteousness, and Mediator—to deliver them from the hands of their enemies by his precious sacrifice, and in due time to call them by his holy Spirit, to the knowledge of himself; to preserve them in himself till called, and maintain them in the wilderness of this world till their glorification. All these things being planned before all worlds, in due time the Redeemer came, according to his engagement, and paid down his life for their Justification and Pardon—in consequence of which, Justice being satisfied, the Law honoured, Sinners redeemed, and the Holy Spirit, with all its blessing secured, the Church of God is called, one member after another, and will be so till the whole body is complete: hence the Apostle says, Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might save it with the washing of water, by the Word—the glorious Gospel of the blessed God is the means made use of, to bring poor sinners to the knowledge of Jesus—truth having an entrance into the heart, influences all the powers, enlightens the understanding, subdues and reconciles the will, sways the affections, captivates the thoughts, and quickens the conscience. Thus the entrance of God’s word giveth light, and God shines into the heart, sooner or later, to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the Person of Jesus. This is attended with love to God, as seen in Jesus—love to the Redeemer, in his Person, Work, and Offices—love to the Holy Spirit, who has done so much for the soul, and stands engaged to do much more. This love is led forth to ministers who are sent of God, especially to those whose ministry is most blessed to us, of whatever denomination they may be. This same principle of love is led forth to those who bear the image of Christ, who are divinely taught, whether they are Children, young Men, or Fathers—for, he that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God—Ye are taught of God to love one another—he that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten. This fire within catcheth itself wherever it is—in another—thus there is a unity of heart; this unity of heart is attended with a willingness to know, and do the will of God; to worship him according to his declared will, as laid down in the New Testament—to assemble together for Prayer, reading the Word of God, and hearing it faithfully preached by those whom God hath sent. It is to submit to all his Ordinances, Baptism, as we are led to see it right, and the Lord’s Supper, with the rest of the Lord’s people; and a walking in holy obedience to the revealed will of God. This appears to be the Church of God, which he purchased with his blood; that he always protects, and will maintain as long as the world lasts. This is called his invisible Church (not to himself) but to the work, they being attended with others in the same profession, though not the same possession; and making this profession public in their non-conformity to the world, in being called from among them as well as redeemed from among them; in consequence of these things they are called the visible Church of Christ, which has been called Catholic, or general Church.

This Church is variously set forth in Scripture, which is worthy our attention, with its present and future glory. Permit me to remark, that many persons suppose a Church to be nothing but a large building: this is not called a Church in Scripture—it does not mean the Place but the People—the professors of the Gospel, whether called effectually or not, yet walking together in the Ordinances, and appearing to serve the same Master, the whole body is called a Church. There is no pure or perfect Church this side Heaven; in this great House there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but of wood and stone; the wise and foolish virgins must be together till the midnight cry is made—the tares and the wheat must grow together till the harvest—the net will contain good and bad fish, till the final separation takes place.

This Church of Christ is not Parochial, men do not become church Members by living in the Parish, for Jews and Turks may live in the same Parish; nor is it Diocesan, for we never read of more than one Church under one Bishop or Pastor—nor is it Provincial, for we read of more Churches than one in a Province—nor is it National, for we not only read of more than one in a Nation, but of Churches in private houses—nor is a Presbyterian, for we never read of a Church of Presbyters or Elders, no; but only of Presbyters and Elders ordained in Churches; this must plainly prove that Churches existed before the Presbytery or Elders were in them—then it appears plain that the visible Church of Christ is congregational—so the Church of England has justly defined it—“The Church of God is a Congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly administered;” for only the Lord’s faithful people can have fellowship with each other—they must be regenerated by the Spirit, called out of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son—they are called Saints because of their Sanctification, faithful men to God and truth, such as should be saved. They are spiritual men, understanding spiritual things; men of holiness, whose lives and conversation are becoming the Gospel—baptized into Christ, invisibly, by the Spirit, and outwardly by Water, if God is pleased to shew them that it is right, for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. These are the Persons who have a right to chuse their Ministers, their Officers, and to use all the Ordinances and Privileges granted to the Church by our glorious Lord and Master, Christ, who is the king, head, and saviour of his Elect. It appears the word Church signifies a sacred Assembly or Society, called of God by the Gospel, met together to worship God according to his revealed will. Let this suffice, the Church, in its just and expensive sense, includes the whole body of the redeemed.

This Church has appeared in every age of the world; been kept up and supported in a very wonderful manner, which made Solomon exclaim, in raptures of affection, wonder, and delight, Who is this that cometh up from the Wilderness, like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankinsense, with all the powders of the Merchant?—The History of the Old Testament is but an History of the Church, which, though afflicted, tormented, and tossed with many tempests, yet was miraculously preserved by the Lord Jesus, who never left the world without a witness for himself, nor never will. ’Tis wonderful to trace her rise and prosperity, her persecution and deliverance, till the present hour—and as my dear friends (many of them at least) have but little time to read History, I presume to give them a brief Account of the Church in the Wilderness, for which I am indebted under God, to Historians.

When our Lord made his appearance in the likeness of sinful flesh, he thoroughly purged the floor of his Old Testament Church—he effected a wonderful revolution, set aside every carnal ordinance, and fulfilled all laws, moral and ceremonial. After his death and resurrection he went to glory, that he might fill all things. He endued his Apostles with power from on high—raised up a company of preachers, who were means in the hands of the Spirit, for building Sanctuaries to God. The middle wall of partition was now broken down—the Gentiles were fellow-citizens with the Jews, and both made up one household. We shortly after read of Churches in many parts of the world. For the first fifty years after our Lord’s resurrection, the Gospel was most powerfully successful—God sent forth the rod of his strength, and much good was done in the name of the holy child, Jesus.—But Satan roared loudly; the Church was in the Wilderness—and as it had been persecuted as related by the Apostle in the 13th of the Hebrews, so it was again—they under the New Testament Dispensation, were persecuted, beaten, sawn asunder—they wandered about in Sheep’s and Goat’s skins, and hid themselves in dens and caves of the earth. Surely the New Testament Saints are included in that pathetic address, Oh! thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted. Errors in doctrine soon appeared, even to the denying of the resurrection of the body—Ordinances were soon corrupted, and worldly-mindedness was prevalent. Persecution wasted the Church of God very early in the year 66; it began by imperial authority. Nero having burnt a part of the Roman City, charged it upon the Christians, and enacted laws to destroy them, and multitudes of them were burnt alive in his garden, for nightly illumination: in this Persecution, it is supposed Paul and Peter suffered death. About the year 72 Domitian raised a new Persecution, but he was soon murdered by his wife. About three years after it began, in 105, Trajan, the Emperor, raised a third Persecution, which lasted about two years. Then a fourth Persecution by Adrian, which lasted ten years—besides, vast numbers of Christians were murdered by the Jewish rebels. For a long time the Church was quiet from outward Persecution, but awfully infested with errors, which became an internal Persecution. About the year 302, the infernal Emperor raised a dreadful one against the Christians; many were scourged to death, had their flesh torn off with red hot pincers, and mangled with broken pots. They were cast to wild beasts, beheaded, crucified, burnt, drowned, torn to pieces between trees, roasted by gentle fires, and some, having holes made in the body, had melted lead poured into their bowels. In Egypt alone, an hundred and forty thousand were cut off by violent deaths, and seven hundred thousand by banishment and hard labour. In every part of the Empire churches were razed to the ground, and the copies of the Scriptures burnt. Now they thought they had utterly abolished the Religion of Jesus; but the vengeance of God followed the hellish tyrant, as it had Herod, Nero, & Domitian before. Cæsar obliged him to resign his post, and retire to a private life, where he soon ended his days by a draft of poison.

God raised up Constantine, the Man Child spoken of in the 12th chapter of Revelations; he tolerated the Christians. His colleague revoked it in the East, and, instigated by the Heathen Priests, made war against Licinius. The brother-in-law of Constantine, enraged at his army being routed, he murdered a multitude of the Priests, who had promised him the victory. He was just going to venture a second battle, when he was smitten with blindness and terrible pain: he poisoned himself, and amidst rage, pain, and despair, acknowledged his trouble the just reward for his cruelty to the Christians. Licinius for a time seemed to favor the Christians, yet soon turned a bitter Persecutor; but Constantine being now a Christian, marched a great army against him, and defeated him in three great battles, in the last of which an hundred thousand were slain, Licinius taken, and put to death. Thus we see the Bush long burning, and not consumed, because the Angel of the Covenant was in it—and this is he that was with the Church in the Wilderness.

The Christians now enjoyed a great calm under the reign of Constantine and Theodosius; but Satan always took an opportunity to ruin the Church by Heresies when he could not by Persecution. Arianism, and many other errors were propogated, which occasioned dreadful troubles to the Church. Julian the Apostate, endeavored once more to extirpate Christianity, but was killed in a Persecution he raised, before he had reigned two years. Errors increased daily. About the beginning of the sixth century the Church seemed more tranquil, but the Devil was incessantly working her ruin by the introduction of Popish errors; ignorance and profaneness was almost universal. The Government was almost one perpetual struggle between the Bishops, which should be the greatest. Gregory the Great, by immense superstition, troubled the Church; and her discomfiture was soon universal. This was the case of the Church in the West; while, about this time, Mahomet the Arab, took his rise in the East, and propogated his delusion there. Thus the Beast rose about 606, or 666; and now, in another sense, the Church entered into her Wilderness state, the outer Court being given to the Gentiles, to be trodden under foot for forty-two months, or 1260 years. Sad indeed the consequence of the rise of the Man of Sin. For many years worse Persecutions than under the Pagans took place, but God did not leave the World without a Witness for himself. Every now and then the Lord raised up faithful men, who opposed the Pope’s Supremacy; particularly Luther, in Germany—Zuinglius, in Switzerland, and Calvin; in France. The christian Religion, as taught by Luther, was established in Demark, Sweden, and Germany. The Doctrines taught by Calvin, in Holland, Scotland, England, and Ireland; but in Ireland the Persecution was dreadful indeed, and not much less in England. The Popish massacre of about three hundred thousand Protestants in Ireland, and the Persecution in England, bid fair to abolish the Protestant cause among us. In France the Persecution was dreadful—Lewis the 13th distressed the Protestants greatly; numbers were barbarously murdered, and several hundred thousand with difficulty fled to Holland, England, and elsewhere. But blessed be God for the glorious Reformation! for a Protestant King and Princes; for the Will of God in our mother Tongue; for Parliaments that secure our Rights; for the clear Preaching of the Gospel, which is our joy, though we have to lament great decays among Churches; a dry, speculative, legal System, in opposition to the pure truth, which is branded with the odious term of Antinomianism; and in the world an infidel spirit of Free-thinking, in opposition to the Word of God. But we are looking to a glorious period, when truth in its native simplicity, shall fly with the rapidity of lightning, and illuminate the World; when Anti-christ, in the East and West, shall fall, to rise no more—when Zion’s Watchmen shall see, eye to eye—when Jews and Gentiles form one fold—when peace and holiness shall be universal—when kings shall be nursing fathers to the Church, and the whole earth serve the Lord! Happy period! the Lord hasten it in his time.

Brethren, we shall soon be done with time, and through rich grace, join the chorus of the skies.—Hold fast the form of sound words: be concerned to feel the power of truth in the heart; keep in the fear of God, obeying his will, walking as he has set forth his mind; looking unto Jesus; praying to be kept in all danger, temptation, persecution, and trial, and so we shall give him glory in the Church below, and in the Church above.—Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory—to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory, dominion, and power. Amen.

The following are the Articles of Faith I read at my Ordination; and are necessary for every Christian to know, feel, and enjoy—they are the Sentiments I preach, and you, as a Church, believe. May we rejoice in the truth, and yield obedience thereto.—

We think if requisite that every Member of the Church should give his or her assent to the annexed