Cor. 14.40 doth not authorize the Church nor any Church-governours to make lawes for the observation of such things as they shall account decent and orderly but onely provideth that all the ordinances of God whether prayer or prophesie or singing of Psalmes or tongues or interpretations be all of them done decently without uncomelinesse and orderly without confusion and that this place reacheth no further appeareth evidently from hence that if this place should give unto the Church or unto Church-governours authoritie to prescribe and command decent and orderly things at their owne discretion a man could not transgresse the Commandement of the Church but he should also transgresse the Commandement of the Apostle but the contrary is evident For suppose the Church or Church-governours should make an order that Ministers should alwayes preach in a gowne the thing is decent enough but neverthelesse if a man shall preach in a cloake he shall transgresse the order of the Church but not of the Apostle for he that preacheth in a cloake preacheth decently also which plainly argueth that such a commandement of the Church is not grounded upon the commandement of the Apostle SECT II. FIrst then when wee come together in the Church according to the Apostles direction 1 Tim. 2.1 wee make prayers and intercessions and thanksgivings for our selves and for all men not in any prescribed forme of prayer or studied Liturgie but in such a manner as the Spirit of grace and of prayer who teacheth all the people of God what and how to pray Rom. 8.26 27. helpeth our infirmities wee having respect therein to the necessities of the people the estate of the times and the worke of Christ in our hands After prayer either the Pastor or Teacher readeth a Chapter in the Bible and expoundeth it giving the sense to cause the people to understand the reading according to Neh. 8.8 And in sundry Churches the other whether Pastor or Teacher who expoundeth not he preacheth the Word and in the afternoone the other who preached in the morning doth usually if there be time reade and preach and he that expounded in the morning preacheth after him Before Sermon and many times after wee sing a Psalme and because the former translation of the Psalmes doth in many things vary from the originall and many times paraphraseth rather then translateth besides divers other defects which we cover in silence wee have endeavoured a new translation of the Psalmes into English meetre as neere the originall as wee could expresse it in our English tongue so farre as for the present the Lord hath been pleased to helpe us and those Psalmes wee sing both in our publick Churches and in private The seales of the Covenant to wit the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lords Supper are administred either by the Pastor or by the Teacher and though with some godly learned Divines it be a question whether the Teacher may dispense the seales yet the question doth rather concerne Schoole-Doctors then the Teachers of a particular Church but wee who have onely the Teachers of particular Churches doe beleeve that they to whom the preaching or dispensing of the Gospel or Covenant of grace unto the Church is committed to them is committed also the dispensing of the seales of the Covenant but to the Teacher as well as to the Pastor is committed the dispensing of the Gospel the Covenant of grace unto the Church and therefore to him as well as to the other is committed the dispensing of the seales of the Covenant Both the Sacraments wee dispense according to the first institution Baptisme to Disciples and who are included in them their seed The Lords Supper to such as neither want knowledge nor grace to examine and judge themselves before the Lord. Such as lie under any offence publickly known doe first remove the offence before they present themselves to the Lords Table according to Mat. 5.23 24. The members of any Church if any be present who bring Letters testimoniall with them to our Churches wee admit them to the Lords Table with us and their children also if occasionally in their travell they be borne with us upon like recommendation wee admit to Baptisme The prayers wee use at the administration of the seales are not any set formes prescribed to us but conceived by the Minister according to the present occasion and the nature of the dutie in hand Ceremonies wee use none but are carefull to administer all things according to the primitive institutions The Father presenteth his owne childe to baptisme as being baptized by the right of his Covenant and not of the Covenant unto God-fathers god-mothers for there is no such covenant of God unto them and their god-sonnes and therefore we have no use of them but omit them in Baptisme as the Apostle cast out love-feasts from the Lords Supper being both of them alike superadditions to the Lords institutions 1 Cor. 11.23 24. The Lords Supper we administer for the time once a moneth at least and for the gesture to the people sitting according as Christ administred it to his Disciples sitting Mat. 26.20.26 who also made a Symbolicall use of it to teach the Church their majoritie over their Ministers in some cases and their judiciall authoritie as co-sessors with him at the last Judgement Luk. 22.27 to 30. which maketh us looke at kneeling at the Lords Supper not only as an adoration devised by man but also as a violation by man of the institution of Christ diminishing part of the Counsell of God and of the honour and comfort of the Church held forth in it In time of solemnization of the Supper the Minister having taken blessed and broken the bread and commanded all the people to take and eate it as the body of Christ broken for them he taketh it himselfe and giveth it to all that sit at Table with him and from the Table it is reached by the Deacons to the people sitting in the next seats about them the Minister sitting in his place at the Table After they have all partaked in the bread he taketh the cup in like manner and giveth thanks a new blesseth it according to the example of Christ in the Evangelist who describes the institution Mat. 26.27 Mark 14.23 Luk. 22.17 All of them in such a way as setteth forth the Elements not blessed together but either of them apart the bread first by it selfe and afterwards the wine by it selfe for what reason the Lord himselfe best knoweth and wee cannot be ignorant that a received solemne blessing expresly performed by himselfe doth apparently call upon the whole assembly to look againe for a supernaturall and speciall blessing in the same Element also as well as in the former for which the Lord will be againe sought to doe it for us After the celebration of the Supper a Psalme of thanksgiving is sung according to Mat. 26.30 and the Church dismissed with a blessing SECT III. IN the afternoone after publick prayer
the whole body of them could not doe but by deputing some eminent persons amongst them to the performance thereof But after they be furnished with Elders a Presbytery of their owne let Imposition of hands be given by them according to 1 Tim. 4.14 to such as for the future shall be ordained 6. For the making up of a Presbytery in stead of Parson and Vicar wherewith some Congregations are endowed let them choose Pastors and Teachers and Ruling Elders in stead of those who crept into their roome viz. the Church-wardens and Sidesmen But let them choose and ordaine them in a day of humiliation according to Acts 14.23 and not for a yeare onely but during life and let the Presbyteries of all neighbour Churches take all opportunities to make use one of another for brotherly consultation but not for Jurisdiction and Authoritie one over another And in stead of Collectors or Overseers for the poore who crept into the roome of Deacons let Deacons be chosen as hath been shewed above but not as members of the Presbytery 7. For set forms of prayer or prescript Liturgies let them not be enjoyned unto the Ministers of the Churches but let the Ministers as well give up themselves wholly unto prayer as to the Ministery of the Word Act. 6.4 8. Baptisme may orderly be administred to the children of such parents as have professed their faith and repentance before the Church as above Or where either of the parents have made such profession or it may be considered also whether the children may not be baptized where either the grand-father or grand-mother have made such profession and are still living to undertake for the Christian education of the childe for it may be conceived where there is a stipulation of the Covenant on Gods part and a restistipulation on mans part there may be an obligation of the Covenant on both parts Gen. 17.7 Or if these faile what hindereth but that if the parents will resigne their infant to be educated in the house of any godly member of the Church the childe may be lawfully baptized in the right of its houshold Governour according to the proportion of the law Gen. 17.12 13. 9. Let the Lords Supper be administred onely to such as have so professed their faith and repentance publickly and are received approved members of the Church endued with sufficient knowledge to examine themselves and to discerne the Lords body free from scandall and of good conversation 10. Let Officers in the Church be redressed and removed not by presentments to Officers of other Churches but according to the order of the Gospel described above Chap. 5. sect 1 2 3. 11. Where the Ministers of the Congregation are ignorant or scandalous meet it is that they were removed and better chosen in their roome by the people according to the counsell direction of the godly Ministers and brethren of neighbour Churches Hos 4.6 12. Where the people in a Congregation are generally ignorant and profane it were necessary godly Preachers were sent forth with countenance from the King and State to preach unto them till they were brought on to knowledge and to some measure of gracious reformation Thus Jehosaphat sent forth Priests and Levites to teach in the Cities of Judah and certaine Princes and Nobles with them to countenance the good worke in their hands 2 Chron. 17.7 8 9. 13. Till the people be in some sort duly prepared and growne up to some measure of knowledge and grace it were neither meet to receive them to a renewing of their Covenant formerly made at their Baptisme or to the seales of it But after they have been wrought upon by the Ministery of the Word to lament after the Lord as the Israelites did when the Arke had been long absent from them 1 Sam. 7.29 then let them proceed as other godly Christians were directed to doe Propos 2 3 c. for renewing of their Covenant for choice of their Ministers and Officers and for Communication in all the liberties of the Church of God 14. For the helpe of the Universities of the whole Kingdome and of all the Churches in it it were necessary that some experienced godly learned Nobles and Ministers were deputed to visite and reforme the Universities That subscriptions to Ceremonies and prescript Liturgies were removed That degrees in Divinitie were not abused unto qualifications for pluralities and non-residency nor allowed in the Ministers of Churches to put a difference between brethren of the same calling whence Christ hath removed it Mat. 23.8 9 10. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there mentioned is not to be translated Master for it is a Title common to all Ministers but Doctors and the Academicall title of Doctors is fitter for Masters of Colledges Readers in the Schooles then for Church-officers Here also speciall care would be taken for setting up of such Preachers in both the Universities as whose spirit and gift and Ministery might be examplary patterns to young Students 15. For the effectuall and orderly expedition and transaction of all these things it were requisite that as King Jehosaphat did so the King and State should depute some choice persons to doe the same to wit to goe throughout all the Kingdome to see the people returned and all the Churches restored to a true state and course of Reformation 2 Chron. 19.4 All which things are humbly presented by us not as if we would undertake to give Counsell to them that are wiser then our selves much lesse Injunctions But as Subjects who desire to approve our faithfull service to the Lord and our King and Countrey hold them forth as true Consectaries from the Rules of the Gospel which should rule us all FINIS An Alphabeticall Table containing the principall things handled in this Treatise A OF Addition of members to the Church page 52. chap. 3. Sect. 1. Sect. 2. Of communion of Churches by way of Admonition pag. 108. Sect. 6. The Antiquity of the Church way intimated in the Bishops Common-prayer book p. 12 Of disclaiming Advocations by Patrons to livings p. 113. Sect. 2. B Whether all Baptized are fit for Church-fellowship p. 9 Why by the same reason that beleevers children circumcised were admitted to the Passeover now they are baptized may not be admitted to the Lords Supper p. 9 All Baptized by vertue thereof are not members of a particular visible Church p. 9. No place in Scripture for succession of Diocesan Bishops after the Apostles p. 46. Sect. 8. p. 49. Sect. 9. Whether unbeleevers giving up their infant to be educated in the house of a godly member of a Church it may not according to Gen. 17.12 13. be Baptized in the right of that houshold p. 115 C. The part of all true Christians to joyne themselves into some particular visible Church p. 2. Joyning into a particular visible Church cannot be but by Covenant p. 2. 3. 4 c. Particular visible Churches to be gathered must have the concurrence of
offered up to God either by the Pastor or Teacher and the Word read and expounded by them who preached in the morning if there be time and preached by the other and the Sacrament of Baptisme administred if any of the Church doe offer their children thereunto the Deacons who sit in a seate under the Elders yet in sundry Churches lifted up higher then the other pewes doe call upon the people that as God hath prospered them and hath made their hearts willing there is now time left for contribution presently the people from the highest to the lowest in sundry Churches do arise the first pew first the next next and so the rest in order and present before the Lord their holy offerings For in the old Testament at their solemne feasts none was to appeare before the Lord empty Deut. 16.16 And the Lords day is onely unto Christians the ordinary solemne feast of the Lord in the new Testament the Christians laid downe their oblations at the Apostles feete Acts 4.35 into whose place for that service Deacons were substituted Acts 6.3 And to that purpose the Apostle gave order unto the Churches that upon the first day of the weeke every one should lay by him into the treasury as the word signifieth for the supply of the Saints as God had prospened them 1 Cor. 1.2 Which ordinance Justin Martyr speaketh of in his time that the abler sort on the Lords day did contribute to the necessities of the brethren in the end of the second Apologie And Cyprian rebuketh a wealthy rich widow for beleeving shee could celebrate the Lords day as holy and yet neglect to contribute to the Lords treasurie in his first Sermon de Eleemosynâ Locuples dives Dominicum celebrare te credis quae Corbonam omnino non respicis After the contribution ended the time left is taken up in sundry Churches in the publike tryall and admission of such as are to be received Members into the Church in such manner as hath been before declared and so after a Psalme of praise to God with thanksgiving and prayer to God for a blessing upon all the ordinances administred that day and a blessing pronounced upon the people the Assembly is dismissed Besides the celebration of the Lords day every weeke we sometimes upon extraordinary occasions either of notable judgements doe set a part a day of humiliation or upon speciall mercies wee set apart a day of thankesgiving The grounds whereof wee conceive are generally knowne and approved amongst Christians Moreover every weeke in most of our Churches Lectures are kept on some or other of the weeke dayes so that such whose hearts God maketh willing and his hand doth not detaine by bodily infirmitie or other necessary imployments if they dwell in the heart of the Bay may have opportunitie to heare the Word almost every day of the weeke in one Church or other not farre distant from them SECT IV. IN all these administrations onely two or three things may seeme to require clearing from the Word of God as 1. Why in our publick prayers wee forbeare to use set formes of prescript Liturgies 2. Why in our Sacraments wee doe not admit the members of the Church of England to the fellowship of the Lords Table and their children to Baptisme as was said before wee did receive the Members of other Churches in this Countrey For the former the reasons usually given may suffice 1. From the patterne of all the Churches both in the old and new Testament God never gave leave to any ordinary Officers of his Church neither did any of them take leave to impose any formes of Liturgie upon any Church And yet if ever there had been place for prescribing set formes to any it had been most seasonable in the Jewish Synagogues whose members being as children under age Gal. 4.2 3. might stand in most need of such a help It is easily acknowledged Moses prescribed a forme of blessing Nunb 6.23 to 26. and David sundry Psalmes of praise and prayers and the Lord Jesus taught his Disciples not onely to pray after this manner but thus or these words Luk. 11.2 But neither were these ordinary Officers of the Churches neither did they prescribe any use but arbitrary and occasionall of these formes as they might suite our occasions God by immediate revelation and by the hand of his extraordinary Messengers may prescribe this or that forme to his Church but will not warrant ordinary Officers who have onely received a common measure of the Spirit to doe the like God who forbad his people to make to themselves Images or imaginations inventions and formes of worship hath not restrained himselfe to set up what images or formes himselfe seeth good Object These formes of prayer or praise though as they be parts of holy Scripture they are of God yet as they are applyed without speciall commandement to be the matter or forme of a prayer or thanksgiving at this time so they are the device of man c. Answ They are not applyed to be matter and forme of prayer or thanksgiving without commandement or at least without such directions as amount to a lawfull warrant from God for Moses expresly saith On this wise shall yee blesse the Children of Israel and say unto them Numb 6.23 The 102. Psalme is expressed in the title not onely to be a prayer of one that was afflicted but of any in like estate And the Apostles exhortation is generall concerning all the Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs of David as well as of others that wee should sing them with holy melody unto the Lord Eph. 5.19 and Christs words Luk. 11.2 When yee pray say our Father c. A second reason why wee forbeare a set forme of prescript Liturgies is taken from the meaning of the second Commandement which wee conceive prohibiteth such prescript Liturgies It is a rule generally knowne in the exposition of the Commandements that all sinnes forbidden in the Word of God are reduced to the ten Commandements and fall under the prohibition of one of them or other for there is no sinne but is a transgression of some or other commandement of the law 1 Joh. 3.4 and upon the two Tables of the Law hang all the Law and the Prophets Mat. 22.40 Now it is plaine that all sinnes are not contained in the letter of the ten Commandements and therefore there is no judicious Expositor of them but openeth the letter of the Commandements by Synecdoches and Metonymies Synecdoches to comprehend all sinnes of the like kinde and all the degrees thereof and Metonymies to comprehend all causes and meanes and occasions thereof so that for opening the second Commandement which forbids both making and the worshipping of any image or similitude it is requisite to consider in what sense or respects Images or similitudes are forbidden Images or similitudes are forbidden in the second Commandement not as objects of worship for all false objects of worship are the
false gods forbidden in the first Commandement Images then and similitudes are forbidden in the second Commandement not as false objects of worship wherein the worship is terminated and fastned but as false meanes of worshipping the true God For so are the Images considered that are forbidden in the Word The golden calfe was not considered as the God of Israel that brought them up out of the Land of Aegypt but as an Image of that Jehovah which did bring them up out of the Land of Aegypt Whence it is said that Aaron proclaimed a feast not to the calfe but to Jehovah whereof the calfe was but an Image To morrow saith he is a solemnitie or feast to Jehovah Exod. 32.5 The Calfe therefore was not the god but the Image of the god which they worshipped as that which resembled him and put them in minde of him helped their hearts nearer to him or his presence nearer to them As it is written in the Psalme that they turned their glory into the similitude of an oxe that eateth grasse Psal 106.20 And in this oxe or calfe they looked at Jehovah as neare unto them and as going with them and before them Exod. 32.1 Furthermore the Image forbidden in the second Commandement is not onely a false meanes of worship devised by man but a false manner of worship also and therefore when the Samaritane-strangers knew not the manner of worshipping God in the Calves of Jeroboam it is said they knew not the manner of the god of the Countrey 2 Kings 17.26 and one of the Priests of the high places was sent to teach them the manner of the feare or worship of Jehovah ver 28. and so they feared Jehovah after the former manner ver 34. and that was in serving him in the graven Images of their owne devising ver 41. So that under this one kinde of false worship of God in graven Images is forbidden by a Synecdoche not onely all worship of God in carved or molten or painted Images all bodily representations of God but all spirituall Images also which are the imaginations and inventions of men whether they be ordained for worship as the high places erected to the true God 2 Chron. 33.17 and the devised feast of the eighth moneth 2 King 12.33 or whether they be brought in and used for helpes and meanes of worship as the strange fire of Nadab Levit. 10.1 2. and Davids new Cart to carry the Arke 2 Sam. 6.3 with 1 Sam. 15.13 or whether they be used for manner and forme of worship as preaching in the wisdom of mans words or in carnall Eloquence which is but a painted Image of preaching 1 Cor. 2.4 and so forbidden in this second Commandement In like sort Womens praying in publick bare-headed and men covered 1 Cor. 11.4 5. Mens praying or prophecying in strange tongues and many of them at once 1 Cor. 14.22.26 the celebrating of love-feasts in holy Assemblies together with the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11.21.23.34 are all of them Images or imaginations of men formes or manners of worship devised and used by man but not ordained by God and so forbidden in this second Commandement The reason whereof is taken from the perfection of the wisdome of God revealed in Scripture to make the man of God perfect to every good worke 2 Tim. 3.17 No wisdome of mans device as any other worship or any other helpes or meanes of worship or any formes or manners of worship acceptable to God but what the wisdome of God hath directed us in his Word Besides the Church is compleate in Christ Colos 2.10 so as wee need no other Priest to make atonement but him nor other spirituall King but him to rule our consciences no other Prophet to teach us but himselfe and such as he hath appointed to that end thus the sum and substance both of Law and Gospel lead us to rest in the ordinances of God and not to helpe our selves by the inventions of men for the administration of the worship of God To apply this then to set-formes of prayer devised by man and prescribed to be read out of a brooke and so taken up by one Church from another as the formes of their worship and as the meanes and helpe of their devotion wee finde no command or patterne for them in the Word nor any promise of their acceptance They are injoyned for means and helps of Gods worship which he hath not sanctified and for formes of worship which God hath not acknowledged What difference is there between the carrying of the Arke upon a Cart and our prayers upon a Booke whereas both should be carried the one upon the shoulders of the Levites the other upon the gifts of the Ministers Object 1. God hath in generall commanded us to worship him in publick with all manner of prayers and supplication 1 Tim. 2.1 but prayers upon a booke stinted Liturgies are some manner of prayers Answ God that in generall commandeth all manner of prayers commandeth also in speciall the severall kinds of prayers whether supplications intercessions thanksgivings or the like He that commandeth the Genus commandeth the distribution of it into all its species but he that commandeth the subject doth not alwaies command the distribution of it into all its adjuncts he that commandeth prayer in generall alloweth every kinde of prayer but not every forme of prayer for then God should allow prayer in a strange tongue prayer before Images prayer in the corners of the streets and the like Object 2. If set-formes of prescript prayers be unlawfull then set-formes of confession of faith set-formes of Catechisme were unlawfull also Answ 1. It followeth not for the Apostle commandeth us to keepe a forme of sound words in faith and love that is in the principles of Religion 2 Tim. 1.13 but he no where commandeth us to keepe a forme of sound prayer unlesse it be a forme of directions and instructions how to pray and that is included in the former and wee dislike it not Answ 2. The Apostle did not command Timothy to devise himselfe a forme of sound words to prescribe the same to the Churches without suffering ought to be added to it or taken from it but what he must commend to others were the things that he heard of Paul among many witnesses which he was to commit to faithfull men who might be able to teach others also 2 Tim. 2.2 Thirdly For a third reason why we doe not take up set-formes of prescript Liturgies is taken from the like proportion of set-formes both of prescript Liturgies and of prescript Sermons and Homilies Prayer and preaching are both of them publick duties of the ministeriall office The Apostles tell the Church they will lay down the Deacons imployment that they may give themselves to the ministery of the word and prayer Act. 6. In the one they are the mouth of God to the people in the other they are the mouth of the people unto God If wee prescribe
to one another set-formes of prayer why not set-formes of Homilies and then neither the Apostles nor their successors needed to have left off their imployment in ministring to Tables to attend the ministry of the Word and prayer Acts 6.4 for both are prepared to their hands by the prescriptions of others Whence also it will follow that Ministers shall little need to edifie the Church by their owne gifts received of Christ to that end but may edifie them by the gifts of others Yea Ministers though destitute of ministeriall gifts may be fit for the publick discharge of their duties by the helpe of other mens gifts both in prayer and preaching and so indeed a prescript Liturgie is properly a maintenance to all Idoll dumb Ministers And in this forbearance of prescript prayers as we follow the example of the Church of Israel and of the Apostolicall Churches so wee are not destitute of patterns in this case of those that succeeded them Justin Martyr in his second Apologie for Christians a hundred and fifty yeares after Christ speaketh of the ruler of the Church sending up prayers and praises to God without mentioning any prescript forme according to his power or facultie of prayer or thanksgiving left him by the Apostles or others And Tertullian about 203. yeares after Christ in his Apologie for Christians saith they prayed sine monitore quia de pectore without a prompter because they prayed from their heart Tertull. Apolog. 30. that is as Zeph. on the place expoundeth it they prayed not according to the dictate of the Saints to wit in any forme of words prescribed by them And indeed if in those bloudy times of persecution the Church had any set-forme of Liturgie wherein they had been injoyned a forme of solemne prayers for their Emperour it had been an unskilfull and sinfull neglect both in Justin and Tertullian to omit such publick evidences of their professed loyaltie and devotion to the State SECT V. Object THe second thing in our administration of publick ordinances whereof many require account of us is why in the administration of the Sacraments wee doe not admit the Members of the Churches of England either themselves to the Lords Supper or their children to Baptisme as wee receive the Members of other Churches in this Countrey Answ Let it first be knowne what we doe and then consider upon what ground wee doe it 1. Wee doe not admit the members of other Churches in this Countrey unlesse they bring with them Letters of recommendation from the Churches whence they came or at least unlesse those Churches have made knowne to us their desire that their Members coming occasionally amongst us may be received to the Lords Table with our owne by vertue of communion of Churches 2. Wee doe not admit the Members of other Churches to fellowship of the Lords Table if either the persons themselves or the Churches from whence they came lie under any offence before the Church Now the grounds upon which wee thus walke are these 1. From the power requisite to the administration of the Sacraments viz. to administer a Sacrament is not an act of Christian libertie that every Christian may dispense to whom he please but an act of power which Christ hath given to them who are called to be Ministers of the Word and by them to be dispensed unto the Church whereof the Holy Ghost hath made them over-seers They then over whom wee have no ministeriall power unto them wee may not dispense an act of power but they who are Members of no Church wee have no ministeriall power over them and they who are Members of other Churches not of our own wee have no power over them further then they are recommended to us from their own Churches either by Letters or by word of mouth and such are all the members of the Churches in this Countrey whom wee doe admit to communion with us at the Lords Table But now for our Brethren who come out of England many of them are altogether unknowne to us and those who are well known and it may be also well approved yet they bring no Letters of recommendations to us from those Churches who had interest in them and power over them And besides wee know that those who have been members of any parish Church in England when once they remove their dwelling out of that Parish they are accounted as no longer members of that Church so that they come over to us as members of no particular Church at all either in old England or in new and so they are under the power of no Church either there or here how then can wee dispense an act of power to them over whom wee have no power at all either commended to us by themselves or by the Churches from whence they came Would it be thought reasonable in case that any of our Country-men comming over to us should fall into drunkennesse or whoredome or other scandalous crimes if the Church where he sojourneth amongst should proceed to excommunicate him for the same were it not an act Coram non judice might he not demand justly by what authoritie we cast him out of our Communion who was never yet entred into our Communion This may therefore yeeld us a just defence They over whom we have no power to censure in any case by Excommunication to them wee have no power to dispense the Communion but so it is we have no power to censure any of our Congregation though never so scandalous by excommunicating unlesse they first commend themselves to our fellowship Therefore neither have wee power till then to receive them into our communion 2. A second ground of their practise wee take from the nature of the Sacraments which though they be seales of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 yet not to all the faithfull as such but as they are confederate and joyned together in some particular visible Church None may ordinarily dispense a Sacrament of the new Testament but a Minister of a visible Church nor may he dispense it to any but to the members of a visible Church In the old Testament none were partakers either of the Passeover or of Circumcision unlesse they were either Israelites borne or Proselytes to the Church of Israel Job and his three friends and Elihu with them though all of them righteous by faith and all of the stocke and kindred of Abraham yet wee read of none of them to be circumcised nor is it credible they were for had they been Circumcised they would not have kept so deep silence of it throughout all their conference with Job as they doe especially having so often occasion to urge the pollution of nature from the birth whereof Circumcision had been a most pertinent and pregnant evidence to convince the same And wherefore were they not all circumcised being all of them righteous by faith but onely because they had not opportunitie to joyne themselves to the house of Israel to