5. Herein do they give themselves unto the Lord and to one an- other, by their officers, in a peculiar manner, according to the will of God, 2 Cor. viii. 5.
6. To " give ourselves unto the Lord," — that is, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, — is expressly to engage to do and observe all that he hath appointed and commanded in the church, as that phrase everywhere signifieth in the Scripture; as also "joining ourselves unto God," which is the same.
7. This resignation of ourselves unto the will, power, and authority of Christ, with an express engagement made unto him of doing and observing all his commands, hath the nature of a covenant on our part; and it hath so on his, by virtue of the promise of his especial presence annexed unto this engagement on our part. Matt, xxviii. 18-20.
8. For whereas there are three things required unto a covenant between God and man, — (L) That it be of God's appointment and institution ; (2.) That upon a prescription of duties there be a solemn engagement unto their performance on the part of men; (3.) That there be especial promises of God annexed thereunto, in which con- sists the matter of confederation, whereof mutual express restipula- tion is the form, — they all concur herein.
9. This covenant which we intend is not the covenant of grace absolutely considered; nor are all the duties belonging unto that covenant prescribed in it, but the principal of them, as faith, re- pentance, and the like, are presupposed unto it ; nor hath it annexed unto it all the promises and privileges of the new covenant absolutely considered : but it is that which is pi'escribed as a gospel duty in the covenant of grace, whereunto do belong all the duties of evangelical worship, all the powers and privileges of the church, by virtue of the especial promise of the peculiar presence of Christ in such a church.
10. Whereas, therefore, in the constitution of a church, believers do give up themselves unto the Lord, and are bound solemnly to engage themselves to do and observe all the things which Christ hath commanded to be done and observed in that state, whereon he hath promised to be present with them and among them in an espe-
28 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
cial manner, — which presence of his doth interest them in all the rights, powers, and privileges of the church, — their so doing hath the nature of a divine covenant included in it; which is the formal cause of their church-state and being.
1]. Besides, as we have proved before, there are many mutual duties required of all which join in church-societies, and powers to be exercised and submitted unto, whereunto none can be obliged without their own consent. They must give up themselves unto one another, by the will of God; that is, they must agree, consent, and engage among themselves, to observe all those mutual duties, to use all those privileges, and to exercise all those powers, which the Lord Christ hath prescribed and granted unto his church. See Jer. 1. 4, 5.
] 2. This completes the con/edey^ation intended, which is the for- mal cause of the church, and without which, either expressly or virtually performed, there can be no church-state.
13. Indeed, herein most men deceive theinselves, and think they do not that, and that it ought to be done, and dispute against it as unlawful or unnecessary, which for the substance of it they do them- selves, and would condemn themselves in their own consciences if they did it not. For unto what end do they join themselves unto parochial churches and assemblies? to what end do thgy require all professors of the protestant religion so to do, declaring it to be their duty by penalties annexed unto its neglect ? Is it not that they might yield obedience unto Christ in their so doing ? is it not to profess that they will do and observe all whatsoever he commands them? is it not to do it in that society, in those assemblies, where- unto they do belong? is there not therein virtually a mutual agree- ment and engagement among them unto all those ends ? It must be so with them who do not in all things in religion fight uncertainly, as men beating the air.
14. Now, whereas these things are, in themselves and for the sub- stance of them, known gospel duties, which all believers are indis- pensably obliged unto, the moy^e express our engagement is concern- ing them, the more do we glorify Christ in our profession, and the greater sense of our duty will abide on our consciences, and the greater encouragement be given unto the performance of mutual duties, as also the more evident will the warranty be for the exercise of church- power. Yet do I not deny the being of churches unto those so- cieties wherein these things are virtually only observed, especially in churches of some continuance, wherein there is at least an implicit consent unto the first covenant constitution.
15. The Lord Christ having instituted and appointed officers, rulers, or leaders, in his church (as we shall see in the next place), to look unto the discharge of all church- duties among the members
OF THE FORMAL CAUSE OF A PAETICULAR CHURCH. 29