Answ. We answer each of us in the words of Zuinglius , to a like argument , Representativam credo veram esse non credo : i. e. That such a Church is a representative I believe , but I believe not that it is a true Church .

3. It 's a holy company , a company of Saints , Rom 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2. said therefore to be in God the Father , and in Jesus Christ , 1 Thes. 1. 1. —

1. It 's the Kingdom of Christ , the Body of Christ , the Church of Christ , yea Christ , 1 Cor. 12. 12. implying neerness of relation unto him ; but none visibly related unto Satan , as the visibly uncalled are , can be respected as visibly related unto the Lord Jesus ; therefore not of his Kingdome , Body , Church , &c.

2. The visibility of that which constitutes a member of the invisible Church , declares a man meet to be received unto Communion in the visible ; but the Heavenly Call constituteth a member of the invisible Church , ergo the visibility of that Call declares a man meet to be received unto Communion in the visible , the members whereof are Saints by calling : no Churches of Christ by institution , but are Churches of Saints by constitution , 1 Cor. 14. 33.

3. Every Body is to be considered , first in its essential state , before it can be determined such a body in its integral , or organical state : as man is compounded of soul and body , and so constituted an essential whole , who hath further more eyes and ears , hands and feet , parts and members , which put him under another notion ; yet cannot all his parts and members which are integral , compleat him in the being of a man Univocally , if he be deficient in any part which is essential : so is every aggregate in forming a flock of sheep ; 't is necessary to consider the nature of the creatures to be formed ; and none , not sheep , can be numbred to such a flock : in forming a Church of Saints , 't is necessary to consider the nature of the members to be formed ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints visibly , can be numbred to such a Church : Invisible unbelievers may as well belong to the invisible Church , as visible unbelievers to that which is visible .

We forbear multiplying arguments for further proof , because we have the consent of our Brethren in the general : as to the necessity of Saintship , the whole strife being at the door of visibility , and about the rule for the judgement thereof ; which some mistaking , have their charity so large , as to embosome nations of men , Separatim & conjunctim , as Saints , upon the account of a bare dogmatical faith , especially if it be not contradicted with enormous scandals ; reckoning it among the errours of Jus Divinum Regim . Eccles. preface . the Independents , that they affirme , the matter of the visible Church must be ( to the utmost judgement of discerning ) such as have true grace , real Saints . Concerning therefore a judgment of visible Saintship , we are thus minded according to rule .

1. Errours of judgement overturning the foundations of faith , are inconsistent with grace & Saintship , Tit. 3. 10 , 11.

2. Errours of life everturning the foundations of holiness , are inconsistent with grace and Saintship Gal. 5 19 , 20 , 21 , 24. and thus far we suppose our Brethren will walk with us .

3. Total ignorance of the way and working of Christ in the heart , is inconsistent with grace and Saintship , 1 Pet. 3. 15. We ask our Brethren , what rule they would walk by , in applying comfort to particular souls ? if they would not enquire after truth of grace , what experience of sins burthen ? what experience of Christs relief ? yea further we would know , what reason they have to justifie a practise of enquiring after truth of grace in order to Communion in the Lords Supper , and yet condemn us for the same practise in order to the Communion of Vindication of the Presbyterial Government , and Ministry , printed 1650. Saints , who write thus : He that would come to the Sacrament must examine himself : 1. In general , whether he be worthy to come , &c. 2. In particular , whether he have true faith in Christ , without which he cannot worthily eat this bread , nor drink this cup. 2. Whether be truly repent , &c. 3. Whether he be truly united by love to Jesus Christ & his members &c. Vind. p , 52. 53. They further say , that such as are grosly ignorant ( and such they intimate them to be , that cannot examine themselves , their faith , repentance , &c. ) should be kept from the Sacrament by Church-Officers , upon diverse reason : else , 1. Church-Governors should be very unfaithful Stewards , 2. They should be guilty of polluting and prophaning the Sacrament . 3. They should express much cruelty to the Soul of him to whom they give the Sacrament , because they give it to one who will eat and drink his own damnation . 4. They make themselves accessary to his sin of unworthy receiving . 5. They grieve the Godly members of the same congregation ; and as much as in them lieth , defile the whole Congregation , For know you not ( saith the Apostle ) that a little leaven doth leaven the whole lump ? 6. They bring down the judgments of God upon the Congregation , pag. 54 55. 56. Upon this they build a third proposition , viz. It is the will of Christ , that Church-Governors have some way sufficient to discover who are ignorant , &c. page 57. What they would do at the table , we would do at the door , and entrance into the house , receiving thereinto all those whom the Lord hath received ( to the best of our discerning ) and no more ; knowing no rule for an ordinary suspension of compleat and owned members of the body , from the priviledges given , and by our Lord bequeathed thereunto .

Let not any stumble at the corruption found in some of the Gospel-Churches : an incestuous person was a member in that of Corinth ; and more disorder may be found in it : to which we say , filthy matter may be found in a Church rightly constituted , which is not fit matter in the constitution thereof . It were absurd to affirm , an unclean person may de jure be a Church-member , because a Church-member de facto was unclean . As for the National body of the Jewes , we respect it as a typical president : purge out the leaven , remove the leper , him that hath an issue , that is unclean by touching of the dead , &c. and we are satisfied concerning the matter of the Church .

4. It 's an united Company . A Company however qualified , are not a Church , except an united Company : Member-hood speaks relation : relation , if Political , is founded in consent : my brother indeed is my brother whether I will or no , this relation is natural ; so beleevers are brethren without consent : but my companion not so , the mutual relation found in Companies and Societies of men , is not so . We would not quarrel about a word , expressing the meaning of union ; may we obtain a grant of the thing it self , call it consent . agreement , covenant , or joyning , Act. 5. 13. Thus we argue , That whereby a number of fit persons are joyned together , to walk and worship God together in the same Ordinances , is the form of a particular Church . But by Covenant , consent , or agreement , a number of fit persons are so joyned : Ergo. The Minor we prove thus : That which giveth being of Member-hood , distinction of Churches , and power of Ecclesiastical operation , is that , by which a number of fit persons are joyned together , &c. But Covenant , consent , or agreement , giveth being of member-hood in a particular Church , distinction of Churches , and power of operation : Ergo.

1. The being of Member-hood is conveyed in Covenant : not in profession or baptism , Ergo , in Covenant : the excommunicate Corinthian was a visible beleever , and also under baptism , before he was received into the Church again by consent ; yet till then , he was no member .

2. The distinction of every member , and so of the whole Church , from other members and other Churches is by Covenant . The members of Smyrna are not members of Ephesus , nor è contra : the distinction is not in place : Phebe is a member and servant of the Church at Cenchrea , when she is at Rome . Did the Church of Smyrna convene at Ephesus , and do an act there , it were the act of the Church of Smyrne , asmuch as if it had been done in Smyrna , where ordinarily they meet and walk together : nor is the destinction from profession : what is common to the Members of every Church cannot be the form of any Church ; but the destenction is from mutual ingagement . The power of acting as Members one towards another is hereby ; when a way is solitary , work solitary , a man may walk alone work alone ; not so where social : how can two walk together except they be agreed ? The Associated Pastors and Churches in Worcestershire upon their debate about consent , conclude : We have reason to require , as things now stand , a more express signification of our peoples consent to our Ministery , and Ministerial actions , and their Membership of our particular Churches : Christian Concore , pag 11. Which conclusion is strengthned with many reasons , wherein they urge Antiquity , Reason 11. Conveniency , Reason 12. and speaking of the Primitive Churches to that Question , Whether express consent were required then , among other things they ( or M. B●xter for them ) affirm , that without the peoples express consent none could then have ruled them by meet Ecclesiastical rule . pag. 15. Who have therefore the form of a covenant drawn up and added to the profession of faith to be taken by the Members of every particular Church respectively .

And the late Assembly in their answer to the reasons of the dissenting Brethren , against the instance of the Church of Jerusalem , attribute so much to consent in a Church organical that although they say Elders receive their power and commission for the whole Church of Christ . yet they may not exercise that without a Call ; and the mutual assent and agreement of the persons among whom and to whom they should exercise it is proximum fundamentum exercitii , pag. 10. So it is of every act of special duty , by one man in reference to another , according to Mat. 18. 15. that should a man proceed upon that rule in dealing with one not in special covenant ingaged , he would soon see his error , and that he had no call , because no consent .

Our Brethren need not be so much offended , that we make consent the form of a congregational Church , when themselves , as it seemeth unto us , make it the form of a Presbyterial : For granting that the Elders of a bordering Presbytery ( though Neighbors ) may not intermeddle with the congregations under , another Presbytery , they say , They take themselves bound in a special relation to those Congregations , who are associated in that Presbytery , in those things for which they are asscciated ; and their mutual consent and agreement Assemblies Answer . gives them that relation and calling to those things . pag. 11.

Moreover , considering how far our Brethren are agreed in this matter , we much wonder at their offence at our Covenant or Agreement : for they will grant ,

1. That the members of particular Churches are under special engagement , to special duty in taking the care of , and in watching ever one another ; so that the Church neglecting duty herein is guilty of the sin of every member , as the Church of Corinth of the sin of the incestuons persons , 1 Cor. 5. and the seven Churches of Asia of the sin of their several members respectively : and not otherwise .

2. That members of a particular Church ought by the institution of Christ to walk together in Ordinances ; and that walking in Ordinances with another Church , and not with the same Church , is sinful separation .