Word of God the touchstone of all truth the best judge of all Controversies it appears there were no ecclesiastical Bishops or Elders in the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes but such as were either extraordinarily Called and sent by Christ as were the Apostles Prophets Evangelists Workers of Miracles and such as had the gifts of healing or speaking with or interpreting of divers Tongues a 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 c. Ephes 4. 11. or else such as were ordinarily called and sent by these or by the Presbytery of ordained Elders who impos'd their hands on them with Fasting and Prayer b Titus 1. 5 7. Acts 14. 23. 13. 2. c. 1 Tim. 3. 10. 4. 14. 5. 22. 2 Sith in each Congregation or Church we read of in Scripture there were more than one ordained Bishop or Elder in the Primitive Church placed there according to the bigness of the City or Church by the first Planters c Acts 14. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 20. 12. Phil 1. 1. Titus 1. 5 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Sith many were given by Christ to the Church Ephes 4 11. and placed there by the Holy Ghost Acts 20. 28. and 1 Cor. 12. 28. and by the Apostles Acts 14. 23. Titus 1. 5 7. yea Christ when he sent forth his Apostles paired them which also the Holy Ghost confirms in sending Paul and Barnabas after they had been separated or ordained by the Eâ—ders of Antioch for the work whereunto God had caâ—led them d Acts 13. 1 2. yea when these two holy men differed in judgement yet singly they went not alone to plant or water the Churches for Paul chose Silas and Barnabas Mark both which were teaching Elders e Acts 15. 39 40. 16. 13. 4 Sith we read of one Elder of a Church absent and so detained by St. Paul f Phil 2. 30. who had other Elders to feed them g Phil 1. 1. Câ—l 1. 7. and of Epaphras at Coloss Minister who was with the Apostle at Rome whilst the Church had Archyppus to teach them Colos 4. 12. 17. 5 Sith its inconvenient if not hurtful to have but one Bishop or Elder in a Congregation to feed and rule the people therein who being sick as was Epaphroditus of Philippi or otherwise lawfully imployed as was Epaphras of the Church of Coloss h Phil 2. 25. Col 4. 13. the Congregation in the mean time may starve or want food at least be neglected and exposed to danger as sheep without a Shepheard i Ezek 34. 8. and the publick Ordinances of Christ be omitted on the Sabbath day or at least not be so seasonably and perfectly performed as they ought to be as is evident by daily experience in many places and therefore its necessary at least convenient that there should be more than one ordained Elder in every Church otherwise how can he aright receive the Lords Supper when there is no Elder in Christs name authoritatively to bid him take and eat and to represent Christs person to command him to do it as Christ gave it to his Apostles and they distributed each to other and so to the Church as they had received of the Lord k Luke 22. 17 1 Cor 11. 23 24. Vt in prima coenae institutione discipuli oculos habuere intentos ad Dominum qui ad mensam sedens porrexit discipulis corporis sanguinis Sacramentum ita nos quoque levemus corda nostra ad Dominum qui illiâ— agens nobis ministrorum manibus porrigit verum suum copus c Haeming Comment in Loc August de Consensu Evang lib 3. Mat 5. â—7 for the Minister his action and words are herein Sacramental it belonging only to the Ministers of the Gospel to break the Bread and bless the Cup 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. though some unwarily of late have practised the contrary nor Secondly without there be two or more of those ordained Elders in a Church can christians perform the duty the Apostle requires of them in sickness viz. to send for the Elders of the Church to pray for them James 5. 14. nor can one Elder annoint the sick person with Oyl in the name of the Lord the Commission being given not singly to one Elder but jointly to two at the least Nor Thirdly can the people observe aright as I conceive those rules of giving them double honor 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1 Thes 5. 12. and to know them that labor among them and are over them in the Lord admonish them to submit to and obey them that watch for their Souls and are their guides Heb. 13. 7 17. if there be only one Elder in their Congregation Nor Fourthly can the Doctrine the Minister preacheth be so fully coâ—firmed unless there be two or three of the Elders to ratifie it Christ himself had his Father with him to bear witness of the truth he spake John 8. 18. though his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been sufficient for in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word shall be established l Mat 18. 16 Nor Fifthly can the discipline of Christ in each Church be rightly administred unless there be two or three of thâ—se ordained Elders gathered together in Christs name to bind or loose as Christ requires m Mat 18. 17 20. which makes up a Representative Church as the company of Prophets are called n 1 Sam 19 20 for so Christ speaks to his Apostles and in them to the Elders that succeed them What ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and what two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing ye shall ask it shall be done for you of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. 18 20. Nor lastly can the wicked be so fully convinced neither here in the Church nor yet hereafter in the day of Judgement unless there be two or three of these o Luke 10. 16 Acts 13. 46 2 Thes 1. 10 therefore St. Paul excommunicates not the incestious Person but as joyned with other Elders p which authority the Lord gave unto them for edification q 2 Cor. 10. 8 yea Christ himself distinguisheth the Elders l 1 Cor. 5. 4 and Angel of the Presbytery in Thyatira Rev. 2. 18 24. from the people and divers of the holy Martyrs in the Primitive Church confirm the same r Clem. Epist ad Cor pag 54 Polycarp Epist ad Phillip Ambros Com. in Eph cap 4 Iraeneus calls all the first overseers of the Church of Rome Presbyters s Iraen Epist ad Victor adv Haeres lib 4 chap 43 as Saint Luke long before had called all the Bishops of Ephesus Acts 20. 17 28. yea Evaristus Martyr who was the Angel or chief Presbyter of the Church of Rome ordained seven Presbyters to be in every City for Doctrine and Discipline t Gratian dist 93. cap legimuâ— Cyprian would do nought
sinful men subject to the like passions and frailties with others yet they have heavenly treasure contained in them q 2 Cor. 4. 7 they being sent to turn men from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that so they may receive remission of their sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus r Acts 26. 18 they are called Angels for their power and honour Å¿ Rev. 1. and can do more with their Keyes than the greatest Kings of the earth with their Swords for they only can cut off men from the earth and destroy the body t Mar. 10. 28 but these can exclude men from heaven and deliver their Souls over to Satan u 1. Tim. 1. ult which even Theodosius the Emperour confest when he was Excommunicated by St. Ambrose w Theod. hist Eccles l. 5. c. 17 Mihi autem non modo ad Templum verum etiam ad Coetum ipsum accessus perclusus est c. And St. Paul exercis'd upon Hyminaeus and Alexander that they might learn not to blaspheme As the Priests pronouncing a person unclean the people were to put him out of the Congregation x Numb 5. 2 So the Ministers of Christ pronouncing a person unclean the Congregation is to put away from their Society such a person y 1 Cor. 5. 3 4 13. till the Minister doth Absolve him z 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 c. In a word Christ speaks with their tongues from Heaven a Heb. 12. 25 they are w 1 Tim. 1. 20 placed by Christ and the Holy Ghost to feed the flock Christ hath purchased with his bloud b Acts 20. 28 they are Rulers of the Churches c Heb. 13. 7 and the glory of Christ d 2 Cor. 8. 23 Now if their Calling be more laborious and perilous more profitable and honourable than all other Professions Offices and Callings there is no reason nor Conscience but that their Persons should be Reverenced then Wages and Maintenance should be proportionable in some sort thereunto that so their Doctrine may be esteemed and they themselves may have sufficiency both to keep Hospitality which they of all others are obliged to do e Tit. 1. 8 A Bishop or Elder ought to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for they are to belovers of Hospitality and of good men and to buy Books Food and Cloathing for themselves and their Families by which means they may be the better able to perform well their Callings and with the more joy and chearfulness endure their perils and hardship and may with the more gravity reverence and honour and success preach the Word and administer the Sacraments and Censures of the Church to the glory of God and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath sent them and to the greater benefit and comfort of his Churrh to whom they are sent lastly to the etâ—â—nal salvation both of the preachers and of them that are taught by them who are free and bountiful in giving to them in the name of Prophets for they shall receive the Prophets reward f Mat 10. 41 Qâ—i Prophetam sua largiâ—ate sustentat quam vis ipse Prophetiâ—m non habet apud Deum tamen prophetis praemium habebit August Ex. loc Maâ—th 10. For hereby they shall be fellow-helpers to the truth of God g 2 John 8 and by sowing these temporal things to the Spirit they shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting h Gal 6. 8 Arguit eos qui falso paupe tatem pretendebant ne doctores suos alerent nolite inquite eâ—rarare novit Deus vestras facultates neque irrâ—detur tanquam ludibrio dcceptus haberi potest hic enim Grâ—ci irridâ—ri profalli sumunt Gagnes in loc Now then sith the Lands Houses Gleabs and Tythes are the Ministers of the Gospel in this Land by Donation and Gift God having given them to them by our Ancestors Wills who devoted them as they were moved by his Spirit and they being confirmed to them and their successours for so many hundreds of years for ever and Ratified by many Parliaments both in the Saxon Danish and Norman Kings Reigns and some of them in the Brittains dayes when they were Lords of the Land And sith they have as good shewings Evidences Charters Deeds and Conveyances for the quiet and peaceable enjoyment of them as any other Persons have for the enjoyment of their Manors Lordships Honours or Free-holds Lastly Sith they are theirs by the Law of Nature and Nations and by the Command and Ordinance of Christ under the Gospel whose Law is irrepealable by man he being Lord paramount sith they are theirs by the Common and Civil Law which confirms the Wills and Testaments of dead men deccased sith they are the Hire for their Labour their Wages for their Work the honour due to them from the people they teach I cannot see how any person or persons on earth without destroying Property and committing injustice and Sacriledge can sell these away from them or alienate them to any other prophane or common use or prohibit the people to pay them to those that teâ—ch them Hearken what the Apostle saith Be not deceived neither by thine own heart which is naturally full of self love and adictâ—d to covetousness yea deceitful above all things and desperately wicked i Jer. 17. 9 Tam varium est cor versipelle insidiosum quod aestus suos multis iâ—â—olueris convolvat ac tegat ut ne homo quidem ipse fibi abunde notus esse vix unquam queat Ecol in loc nor by others who for self interests or by-ends perswades thee this is no sin out of Pride prejudice malâ—ce hypocrâ—sie or love of the world for God is not mocked nor will he be by carnal reasons and pretences But look in thâ—s particular what a man soweth that shall he reap If men will impiously make void the Wills and Laws not only of men but of God they cannot free themselves from the guilt of prophanness and Sacriledge and of more than Paganâ—sh injustice as the Apostle intimates k Heb. 9. 17. Gal. 3. 11 for the Heathen abhor'd to do it to their Priests though they were imploy'd in a false Worship And therefore Joseph in Egypt durst not buy the Priests Lands lest he should have been accused of Sacriledge by the Nobility or Comminalty l Gen. 47. 22 And they had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh and so had no need to sell them as others had I have heard it reported of certainty That when a Turkish Embassadour came into Spain and was by some Agents from the Pope sollicited to embrace the Christian Faith He beholding the gallantry of the Spanish Court and the rich garments and Robes they wore but withal espying the mean Habit of the Priests and how contemptible they were whom they stiled Christs Embassadours that he cryed out
have persisted in this sin and forgotten God lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you and confess and forsake your sin then shall you obtain mercy Prov. 28. 13. Having food and rayment be ye therewith content for he hath said He will not leave thee nor in any wise forsake thee p Heb 13. 5 Mat. 22. 21 Render thou to Caesar the things that be Caesars and unto God the things that be Gods and owe nothing to any man but this That ye love one another q Rom. 13. 8 and whatever ye would were you in the Ministry that others should do unto you the same do ye unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets r Mat. 7. 12 But he that doth wrong shall receive for the wrong he hath done and there is no respect of persons with God s Col. 3. 2 The Lord open the eyes of those that have been blinded with self-love and with the love of the world or been deceived with humane laws customes and evil examples of the mulitude that have been guilty of this sin that they may see it and repent of it remembring Christs saying It will profit a man nothing to gain the World and lose his own soul t Mark 8. 36 Now that I have shewed you the light do not walk in darkness and hate the light because your deeds are evil for to him that knows to do well but doth it not to him it 's sin with a vengeance u Jam. 4. 17 The wrath of God being revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men who detain the truth in unrighteousness w Rom 1. 18 And if you shall not speedily repent the same judgement may befal you which befel Ananias Sapphira or Simon Magus for their covetousness and sacriledge for such impenitent persons are in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity x Acts 8. 23 as they were by reason of those sins And the Lord avert his wrath from this Land and Nation which hath been horribly guilty of this sin to that end let the Magistrates find out some way or means for the Reformation of this sin as Nehemiah did in his Reformation y Neh. 13. 10 11 12 who caused the portions of the Levites to be given to them and the Tythes to be paid to the Priests and Levites for their service in their Churches according to their Courses As also zealous Hezekiah ordered it z 2 Chron. 31 12 13 c. and appointed Officers to see them faithfully distributed which thing was good and right and truth before the Lord his God z verse 20 For the Lord had blessed his people Mal. 3. 10 12 Deut. 26. 10 12 Prov 3. 9 10 Mat. 10. 40 Psal 4. 18 and brought a blessing on the Land and people z. Secondly Let those Impropriations whose heard-hearted Owners tremble not at Gods Word nor fear his threatning be bought in at the Wisdom and Discretion of the Honorable House of Parliament which I conceive in a short time may be effected by the Revenue coming into the Honourable Trustees for Bishops and Dean and Chapters Lands over and above what they now pay for Augmentations Lastly for the right ordering of Ministers in every Church for to receive these Tyths and devoted Lands and Goods and to perform the work of the Ministry and for the gathering and building up of Gods Church Let these proposals be considered by them To the Magistrates of England E. F. on the Jews behalf Humbly Dâ—clareth THat siâ—h its apparent by the Scriptures That the Jews Gods ancient People shall be converted to the Faith as these Scriptures testifie Rom. 11. 25 26. Psal 5â— 6 67. 5. 6 69. 35 36. Isa 1. 25 26 11 1. Zeph. 3 9 c. And being converted they shall be a blessing unto the Godly amongst whom they live they ministring to them exceeding cause of joy for if their Fall be the Riches of the world and their Diminution is the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world what will their Assumption be but life from the dead Rom. 11. 12. Zach. 8. 13. And sith by our mercy they shall obtain mercy Rom 11. 31. And many shall seek their favour as it s prophesied Zâ—ch 8. 23. And God will execrate and destroy thâ—se Nations that have been enemies to them as the Prophets fore-tell Isa 11. 13. Gen. 12. 3. Jer. 3. 16. Zeph. 3. 19 20. Isa 51. 21 22. 47 6. Jer. 2. 3. Zach. 1. 12 15. And sith in our Directory made by the late reverend Assembly and confirmed by the High Court of Parliament the Ministers of the Gospel were commanded to Pray for their conversion and so to use all means to effect the same unless we will flatteringly mâ—ck God in our Prayers especially sith they are beloved according to the Election for their Fathers sake of our heavenly Father whâ—m we are to imitate and whose gifts and callings are without repentance Rom. 11. 28. and whâ—m we are to follow as dear Children sith from them came the Adoption and the Glory fâ—â—m them we received the Covenants and the Law the Worship of God and the Promises for theirs were the Fathers and from them Christ came who is â—od â—ver all bâ—â—ssed for ever Rom. 9. 4 c. Lastly Sith they abound in Wealth Arts and Sciences and excel in ingenuity and Tongues and God is able to graft them in again and the Redeemer shall come to Zion to turn away iniquity in Jacob and the time of fulfilling this is by the common suffrage of the Godly at hand Rom. 11. 26. Therefore to hasten their Conversion and to procure the Blessing and life to us and our Posterity to have the honour and glory to be happy instruments of their Conversion through out mercy spread towards them to get to us and our Posterity deliverance from the evil threatned to fulfil the Prophesies avert all Judgements and to obtain our Petitions for ingrafting and Salvation Therefore your Petitioner humbly prayeth That they may have Liberty as well as other Nations to Trade and Traffick in our Common-Wealth without peril of their lives To that end let the Statutes of Bannishing them be Repealed And if the Parliament think fit let them on good Cautions and Conditions as shall seem meeteâ—t to their wisdom be suffered here to Continue and Dwell amongst us as formerly before the Conquest that so living with us they may with the Sweetness and Fatness of our Land receive into their Souls the wholsome and saving knowledge of the Gospel which in no Country under Heaven blessed be God and continued still be this Mercy to us and ours till Christ come is so purely and powerfully preacht and held forth as in this Common-Wealth To effect which Your Petitioner shall alwayes Pray c. The Proposals 1. SIth by the
because he had no Presbyter before him as Ambrose saith and let the Ordination be with Fasting Prayer and Imposiâ—ion of the hands of the Presbytery according to the example and precepts of the Apostles Acts 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. 1. and 4. 14 and 5. 22. Titus 1. 5. Heb. 6. 2. 6. To prevent envyings emulations dissentions which may arise between the Presbyters themselves or any other of the Church let all Tythes Glebes Rents Pensions Oblations Augmentations or any other annual profits whatsoever belonging to the Presbyters of each Congregation as Presbyters there be paid in kind according to Law or be valued by a Jury of men of another Congregation on Oath before a Judge of Assize yearly and let each particular proportion of Land be rated what it ought to pay in lieu of the Tythes c. and the time of payment be by a Law prefixed to be paid to the Presbyters or their Deputies on the penalty of treble dammage according to the Satute of King Edward the Sixth still in force for predial Tythes i and Vide Statut. Edwardi 6 de decimis sâ—lâ—eâ—d let these Tithes Gleabs Rents c. thus valued be paid in unto the Angel of the Presbytery who shall repay faithfully the same according to each mans need Acts 4. 35 in the Presbytery and according to the number of each Pretbyters Family for which by the command of Christ he is to provide for k 1 Tim. 5. 8 Rom. 12. 17 and let the Angel be accountable for his distribution to the Presbyters Thus was it decreed by God amongst the Levites of old they were to eat portion like portion l Lev. 6. 16 17 c. 10. 13 14 Num. 18 9 10 19 Lev. 22. 11 Deut. 18. 8 and this was put in execution by those two zealous Reformers Hâ—zekiah and Nehemiâ—h m â— Chron. 31. 15 Nehem. 13. â—3 and was also practised by the Primitive Saints n Acts â— 3â— 1 Cor. 9 â— 13 14 2 Cor. 8 14 Gal. 6. 6 and untiâ—l this in Parliament be established let every Presbyter enjoy the profits of their own particular Parishâ—s as now they do and accept if they please of better livings as they fall in the Congregation by Seniority in the Mâ—nistry that so the youngest Presbyters may have the least and the eldest the greatest Means old age being honourable if found in the way of Righteousness And let all Avowsons 〈…〉 sentations Impropriations Donations Tenths and First-Fruits be taken away out of the Church of Christ as being inventions of Sathan to allure men to simony and corruption which were brought into the Church in the time of Antichristian darkness approved of to feed and enlarge the Popes and Prelates Revenues and sold to others and bought by others for self ends and worldly advantages and hath occasioned abundance of horrid sins to the destruction of many mens souls yet let there be a just and reasonable satisfaction made to the Impropriators for them out of the Bishops and Deans and Chapters or other Church-land as the Supream Authority of the Nations shall think fit in each place according to the proportion of money paid for them or Land given in the Lieu of them and in consideration of the time they have already and are for the future to enjoy them Lastly The Presbyters thus setled and provided for let them diligently by praying in publick and Teaching from house to house as Saint Paul did o Acts 20. 20 gather together the Saints and labour in the Word and Doctrine to convert Souls and to separate the precious from the vile p Ephes 4. 12 1 Tim. 5. 17 Jer. 5. 19 and those that are not scandalous in life or Doctrine but are ready to give the Presbyters a reason of the hope that is in them with meekness and reverence and are willing to own them as their Guides and Pastors and to obey them in the Lord as such q 1 Pet. 3. 15 Heb. 13 7 17 let them be received as perfect members of that Congregation to partake in all the Ordinances of Christ in that Congregation administred But as for such as are ignorant before they be admitted to the Lords Supper let them be first Catechiz'd untill they are able in some reasonable measure to give an account of their Faith and to declare their willingness to walk in Christs wayes and to observe all his commands as Members of that Church and then let them being approved of by the Presbytery with the peoples consent be admitted to the Lords Supper after one or more of the Presbyters have prayed for them and laid their hands on them r Heb. 6. 2 Acts 8. 17. 19. 6 for this Ceremony followed Baptism to compleat Church-members s See Hanmers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which even the Presbyters did perform the Angel or Bâ—shop being absent t Ambr. Com. in Epist. Eph. cap 4. Apud Aegiptum Presbyteri consignant si presens non sit Episcopus as Saint Ambrose affirms Secondly Let the Children of Church-members who are though un-Baptized yet holy u 1 Coâ— 7 14 Ezra 9. 2 on the desire and profession of one of the Parents Faith be admitted to Baptism as the holy Seed of Israel was to Circumcision the Promise being made not only to the Jews and their Seed but also to as many of the Gentiles and their Seed as are called of God and faithful Acts 2. 39 Gal 3. 7 14 26. who are also Abrahams Seed to signifie which God called his Name Abraham Gen. 17. 6. compared with Rom. 4. 16. But let Baptism be administred if it may be without danger by immersion and not aspersion as it was generally practised by the Church for many Centuries as the most common and landible way of Baptizing w Aquin sum part 4. 66 art 7 Chris Hom. 24 in Iohan cap. 3 and only used unless incases of necessity x Cypr. Epist 26 which caused those so Baptized to be called Climici but as for such as allow not of Infant Baptism contrary to the custom of the Church and gracious Promises and priviledges belonging to them y Gen. 7. 17 and 28. 4 Mark 10. 14 Acts 2. 39 for the Seed are in the Blessing Psalm 37. 27. as Heirs called to inherit it 1 Pet. 3. 9. yet so they hold no error contrary to the foundation of Religion and behave themselves in our Assemblies without farther offence we may bear with them that by the Word they may be convinced or converted we are not rashly to judge them for their weakness but ought to bear with them and not please our selves but them for their good to edification as Christ did But if by holding this Opinion or other of like nature they cause division and offences contrary to the Doctrine received we are to avoid them a Rom. 16 17 In things superstructive which are dubious or indifferent we ought not to condemn or contemn
our weak Brother b Rom. 14 per totum Phil. 3. 15 16 for if it be necessary for him God will sooner or later reveal the same unto him nevertheless whereunto we have attained we should walk in love and speak the truth in love c Eph. 4. 15 2 John 1 and love one mother in the truth Thirdly But for those who have been Baptized in their Infancy and through ignorance shall not be able to give a reason of the hope that is in them nor do not know how to examine themselvs nor undeastand nor in any competent measure the Covenant of Grace nor the nature use and end of receiving the Lordâ— Supper d 1 Cor. il 28 29 26 27 or are scandalous in their Lives and Conversations and so unfit to eat with the Godly e 1 Cor. 5. 11. 13 or through prophaneness carnal shame or fear or out of hardness of heart or perverseness of spirit shall refuse to give an account of their Faith or to obey and submit unto their Guides cleaving unto them f Acts 17. 34 willâ—ngly freesy and sincerely g Psalm 110. 3 Mark 8. 38 Luke 14. 23 Philem 14 let them be suspendâ—d from receiving the Lords Supper that they may be ashamed yet let not the communicates count them as enemies but admonish them as Brethren 2 Thes 3. 14 15. and the Rule by which all Members are to walk is the Scriptures which â—s able to make the Man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work h 2 Tim. 3 16. 17 hereby the Spirit is to be tryed by which we speak i Esay 8. 20 1 John 4. 1 for if any speak not according hereunto 't is because there is no light in him nay if an Angel from Heaven should bring anothsr Doctrine than that which is to be plainly proved by the Scriptures we are to repute him accursed k Gal. 1. 8 9 Christ and his Apostles have already revealed the whole Will of God to the Church and who so shall add to it or diminish from it shall be damn'd for it l John 17. 6 Acts 20. 20 21 Rev. 22. 18 19. 4. In all cases of Offence between Brethren let that golden rule of Christs be observed m Matt. 18. 15 16 c. If any be obstinate in any scandalous sin or fundamental error after the first and second admonition reject him and repute him as a publican n Tit. 3. 10 11 Mar. 28. 17 If he shall refuse to hear the Church after that the Presbitery gathered together in the Name of the Lord Jesus have by Christs power delivered him over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh o 1 Cor. 5. 4 and the people have put away from themselves that wicked person p 1 Cor. 5. 1. 3 until he shall to the whole Church shew evident testimony of his Repentance after his Excommunication as the incestuous peâ—son did q 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 c to 1â— But if he shall Apostatize from the Christian Faith and become an open and wilful blasphemer of the Truth or an Idolater and false Teacher seducing others from the Faith to believe and receive his fundamental Errors and blasphemies he ought by the civil Magistrate if he be a Christian to be put to death as God commanded r Levlt 24. 16 Deut. 12. 6 c or at least to be severely punished Å¿ Zach 13. 3 as Pious Kings in Israel and Christian Princes in the Primative times have done t Euseb Eccles Hist 2 Chron. 15. 13. But in superstructive Points of Doctrine each man ought to walk according to his knowledge and conscience Phil 3. 15 16. Rom. 14. 22 23. Siâ—h whatever is not of Faith is sin and we ought to bear with the weak and not to judge each other about meats or dayes or such like things u Rom. 15 1 14. 3 â— c. If any man be overtaken in a fault such as are spiritual ought to restore such an one with the Spirit of Meekness considering himself lest he also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Each man should abide in that Vocation wherein he is called with God w 1 Cor 7. 20. 24. 14. 33 12. 17 25 and not usurpe each others Calling or Office no more than the Members of the natural Body do but having Gifts differing according to the Grace given us so let us use them x Rom. 12. 6 Ephes 4 2 3 for the profit of the whole Body endeavouring in all lowliness meekness and long-suffering forbearing one another in love to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace Every one should observe those general rules Rom. 12. 1 9 c Phil. 2. 2 c. Eph. 4. 31 32. Heb. 3. 10 11. 10 24. 12. 1. 14 c. ad finem Epist 1 Cor. 1. 40. in particular for our thoughts all of us should observe those two rules Pro. 4. 23. Phil 4. 8. Col. 3. 1. for our words those two Eph. 4. 29. Col 4 6. remembring that he whatever he be in his seeming Devotions that bridles not his tongue his Religion is vain y James 1. 26 And for our actions those rules of the Apostle Col. 3. 16 17. Heb. 11. 6. Matth 7. 12. 1 Cor. 16 14. 1 Cor. 10. 31. doing all things in Charity and in Faith in Christs Name to his glory denying our selves taking up our Cross le ts follow Christ z Mat. 16. 24 and deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly godly and righteously a Titus 2. 14 following God as dear Children b Ephes 5. 1 walking in love as Christ hath loved us being ready to lay down not only our Goods but our Lives for the Brethren c 1 John 3. 16 and le ts abstain from the appearance of evil 1 Thes 5. 22. Le ts do nothing doubtingly against Conscience or undutifully against Authority for Conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. 14 22. or uncharitably against our Brother in things that d 1 Cor. 8. 7 c. Rom. 14. 5 c are indifferent but le ts walk as Children of the light circumspectly as wise men Eph. 5. 15. daily growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ abounding more and more in well-doing and persevering therein unto the end e Mat. 10. 22 being faithful unto the death that so we may receive the crown of life f Revel 2. 10 In observing of these things through Gods blessing the Churches of Christ which are amongst us shall be edified and walking according to these rules and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 31 be multiplyed and all the Saints be in one united to serve God with one lip g Zeph. 3. 9 and shoulder h Zach. 14. 21 and no Canaanite shall dwell in the House of the Lord unwarn'd or unpunished which is the earnest Desire and shall be