Again: unto this mystical church is only essentially necessary a mystical union unto the Lord Jesus Christ, by the gift of the Father, acceptation and covenant- undertaking of the Son : the powerful and efficacious work of the Spirit of the
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Father and the Son working true saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and sincere love to liim and all his true members ; whereby, as they have a firm and unshaken union, so they have a spiritual communion, though without those desirable enjoyments of external church privileges and means of grace which they are providentially often hindered from, visible churches being but Christ's tents and tabernacles, which he sometimes setteth up and sometimes takes down and removes at his pleasure, as he sees best for his glory in the world.
But of these he hath a special regard, as to their foundation, matter, constitu- tion, and order. He gives forth an exact pattern from mount Zion, as of that typical tabernacle from mount Sinai of old.
1. The foundation part of a visible church is the credible profession of faith and holiness, wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is the corner-stone, Eph. ii. 20; Matt. xvi. 18. This profession is the foundation, but not the church itself. It is not articles of faith, or profession of them in particular individual persons, that make an organized visible church. We are the " household of faith, built upon the founda- tion," etc. 2. It is men and women, not doctrine, that are the matter of a church, and these professing the faith and practising holiness. The members of churches are always called in the New Testament, " saints, faithful, believers." They were such that were added to the churches. Neither is every behever so, as such, but as a professing believer; for a man must appear to be fit matter of a visible church before he can challenge church privileges or they can be allowed him. 3. It is not many professing believers that make a particular church ; for though they are fit matter for a church, yet they have not the form of a church without a mutual agreement and combination (explicit, or at least implicit), whereby they become, by virtue of Christ's charter, a spiritual corporation, and are called a " city, house- hold, house," being united together by joints and bands, not only by internal bonds of the Spirit, but external. The bonds of union must be visible, as the house is by profession.
This is a society that Christ hath given power to, to choose a pastor and other officers of Christ's institution, and enjoy all ordinances, the word, sacraments, and prayer, as Christ hath appointed.
Hence a visible church must needs be a separate congregation; separation is a proper and inseparable adjunct thereof. The apostle speaks of church-member- ship, 2 Cor. vi. 14, " Be not unequally yoked together," IrtpoZvyoZvTis, yoked with those of another kind (the ploughing with an ox and ass together being for- bidden under the law), " with unbelievers," a^iffrois, — that is, visible unbelievers of any sort or kind: " for what participation, /«sTo;t;^, hath righteousness with un- righteousness? what xoivuina, communion or fellowship, hath light with dark- ness? " Verse 15, "T/j Ss (ruf^(paii^(ri;, What harmony hath Christ with Belial? " men of corrupt lives and conversation; " or what part f^ifU cfurru fura. kvlaTov, hath a believer," that is, a visible believer, "with an unbeliever?" It ought not to be ren- dered " infidel," but it was done by our translators to put a blind upon this place as to its true intention, and to countenance parish communion; for why did they not here, verse 14, and everywhere else, render o.'ziffTos, " an infidel? " Verse 16, " T/; Ti trvyKarahffis vau 0£»u fiira ii^MXutt, What consistency hath the temple of God," that is, the gospel church, " with idols ? " etc. I take this place to be a full proof of what is before spoken, — that a gospel church is a company of faithful professing people, walking together by mutual consent or confederation to the Lord Jesus Christ and one to another, in subjection to and practice of all his gospel precepts and commands, whereby they are separate from all persons and things manifestly contrary or disagreeing thereunto.
Hence, as it is separate from all such impurities as are without, so Christ hath furnished it with sufficient power and means to keep itself pure, and therefore hath provided ordinances and ministers for that end and purpose ; for the great
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end of church-edification cannot be obtained without purity be also maintained in doctrine and fellowship.
Purity cannot be maintained without order. A disorderly society will corrupt within itself; for by disorder it is divided. By divisions the joints and bands are broken, not only of love and affection, but of visible conjunction ; so that, roots of bitterness and sensual separation arising, many are defiled.
It is true, there may be a kind of peace and agreement in a society that i.s a stranger to gospel order ; when men agree together to walk according to a false rule, or in a supine and neghgent observation of the true rule. There may be a common connivance at each one to walk as he listeth; but this is not order, but dis- order by consent. Besides, a church may, for the most part, walk in order when there are breaches and divisions. Some do agree to walk according to the rule, when others will deviate from it. It is orderly to endeavour to reduce those that walk not ordei'ly, though such just undertakings seem sometimes grounds of dis- turbance and causes of convulsion in the whole body, threatening even its break- ing in pieces; but yet this must be done to preserve the whole.