the fervent Prayer of thy Souls Friend whosoever thou art that readest these Proposals so thou be Christs under what form soever thou livest A TREATISE AGAINST PERJURY SIth any way to take Gods Name in vain is such a sin that God will not hold the Offender guiltless a Com. 3 And God hath absolutely forbidden swearing falsly b Levi. 19. 12 Numb 30. 2 and Christ and his Apostle forbids us to swear at all c Mat. 5. 33. James 5. 12 not that he doth hereby abolish any part of his Fathers divine Worship commanded in the Law Deut. 6. 13. but to prevent all occasions of Perjury and rash and presumtuous swearing which is a sin sticks so fast unto the Soul that without a great deal of washing it will not out d Psal 51. 2 Therefore above all things St. James dehorts from it following herein the counsel of the Hebrew Rabbies e Maimon Trea. of Oathes c. 12 who advised their Scholars to beware of this sin more than of all transgressions it being one of the heavie iniquities greater than all iniquities St. Paul tells us the Law was made to condemn such f 1 Tim. 1. 9. 10 Zach 5. 1 c. Jer. 23. 10 for God sends his flying Roll against them which shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsly to consume the stone and the timber of it yea the whole Land shall mourn because of it g Mal. 3. 5 Christ in Judgement will come near to such and be a swift witness against them g. he will make the Land desolate and deprive it of man and beast for swearing is the Captain in that cursed company of Vices Hos 4. 2 3. The Heathen accounted it a fearful sin and therefore the wisest of them allowed it not but in great and weighty matters as in the vindication of a mans fame or preservation of his own or friends life h. St. Augustine called Isecrat in Stâ—baeo ser 25 it a dangerous Medicine never to be used but in a desperate Disease i August ser 28. de verbis Apost Deut. 28. 59 And indeed God threatens to make their plagues wonderful and of long continuance that fears not his great and glorious Name He knows not how to spare that People that persist in this sin k Jer. 5. 7 11 for they shall fall and not rise again l Amos 8. 14 he will surely cut them off m Zeph. 1. 4 5 Sith therefore punishment inseperably follows at the heels of this sin and lighteth either invisibly on the Souls of men as namely by Gods with-drawing his Grace and favours from them as from the ten Tribes that revolted from Davids house to whom they had sworn Allegiance for which they are said to rebel because of the Covenant they had made with David before the Lord n 1 King 12 19 compared with 2 Sam. 5. 3 although it be said the cause was from the Lord that Rehoboam hearkned not unto the people 2 Kings 12. 15. which was the ground of that Rebellion or else God permits Satan to blind and harden their hearts and to take full possession of their Souls as he dealt with Ananias and Sapphira who agreed together to tempt the Spirit of God and to lye unto the Holy Ghost o Acts 5. 1 c. So it happened to Judas the Traytor after he had perfidiously betrayed his Master Satan was permitted by Christ after the Sopp to enter into him and to fill him with all impiety and then to hurry him to the halter and Hell or else God suffers Satan to seduce them to beleeve those that speak lyes in hypocrisie and to credit his strong delusions which is a judgement threatned on all that receive not the love of the truth p 2 Thess 2. 9 10 11 And that are traytors truce-breakers lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God having a shew of godliness but denying the power of it q 2 Tim 3. 2 3 Or Lastly God departs from them for detaining the Truth in unrighteousness and so gives them over to a reprobate mind and vild affections r Rom. 1. 21 24 26 St. Augustine tells us That the life of the Body is the Sâ—ul and the life of the Soul is God the Body dieth when the Soul departs but the Soul dieth when God depaâ—ts when the Body is wounded with a sword the Soul departs and doth not God depart when the Soul is wounded with perjury s Or else visibly August in Epist Iacob Gods Judgement falls on the persons estates goods or good-name of the prophaners of his Name or they fall into condemnation and pit of destruction before they have lived out half their dayes t James 5. â—â— Pâ—a 55. â—0 23 for God is jealous of his honour and will not suffer it to be prophaned by any man but will have it recovered by their conversion or confusion Peter Martyr from the Rabbins tells us That when the Law was given in Mount Sinai against Perjury Heaven and Earth shook trembling at so horrible a crime u Martyr loc Com clas 2. c. 7 Cum in Sinai darentur tabulae statim ut lata lex est de perjurio totue orbis est concussus for to prophane Gods Name is the proper dialect of the damned in Hell who speak as the Devil gives them utterance their tongues being set on fire of Hell and fearful without repentance will their doom be w Rev. 16. 11. Mat. 5. 37 James 3. 6 Psal 109. 27 God is known to abhorre this sin by the judgements he hath in this world executed on such as have been guilty of this sin as in the three years Famine in Davids dayes which came on Israel for their breaking the Oath with the Gibeonites x. Sauls Family felt the y 2 Sam. 21. 1 vengeance of their Fathers folly And the Kingdom of Judah and Israel mourned because of this sin y Jer. 23. 10 Hoses 4. 2 God removed the Diadem took off the Crown and over-turned the glory of King Zedekiah and brought shame and confusion on his posterity and Army for his prophanness and perjury z Ezek. 21. 23 25 c Ezek. 17. 18 19 And what hapned to the late unhappy King and his damning cursing and perjured Army is too fresh in memory to relate I have read of a Soulâ—â—er in Germany who being sick gave his Money to the Host w 〈…〉 e he lay and being recovered he demanded it which he denying the Souldier sued him but the Host forswore it against his Conscience and presently the Devil carried him away in the presence of the Court nor could he ever after be heard of a Fincelius libr. 1 demirac 'T is as one calls it A God provoking and a Devil impowering sin b Heavens Alarm to Jurors It so provoked the Lords wrath against the Christians in the Holy Land and so impowered the devilish Turks
ENGLANDS Deplorable Condition SHEWING The COMMON-WEALTHS Malady By Sacriledge and want of Duty in the People Contention want of Charity in the Ministery Perjury and want of Truth in both And Its Remedy By The Peoples Obedience and Liberality The Ministers Love and Unity Both their Repentance and Fidelity Briefly Declar'd in THREE TREATISES Of The Ministers Patrimony and Peoples Duty Proposals to reconcile such as are for Lordly Episcopacy and Un-ordain'd Presbytery for Popular Independancy and Upstart Antipaedobaptistry And against Perjury Also a Petition for the JEWS As they that served at the Altar lived of it so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of it 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. Every Devoted thing is most holy to the Lord it shall be the Priests it shall not be sold nor redeemed Lev. 27. 21 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Intentione Dantis Exod. 20. 2 6. Extentione Recipientis 1 Cor. 16. 14. Impletione Mandatorum Rom. 13. 8. Acceptatione Evangelii Luk. 10. 27 28. Origine Obedientiae 1 Cor. 13. 1 c. Operatione nullius mali Rom. 13. 10. Who shall inherit heaven He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Psal 15. 4. That hath not sworn deceitfully Psal 24. 4. I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and I cannot go back Judg. 11. 35. Even so hath the Jews now not believed that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy Rom. 11. 34. London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Richard Skelton or at the Hand and Bible in Duck-lane 1659. To all that tremble at Gods Word and fear an Oath Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ who is our Hope BELOVED AFfliction the Rod God useth to correct us with for he scourgeth every Son he receiveth Heb. 12. being laid on me it made me in Jan. 8. 1651. to search and try my wayes and to turn unto the Lord and because no man as David saith knoweth his errors therefore I prayed in the words of Elihu Job 34. 32. that which I see not shew thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do so no more and knowing it a truth by experience formerly which he spake Job 33. 15. That God speaketh in a dream in visions of the night when deep sleep falleth upon men in slumbring on the bed then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction c. though I abhor those filthy Dreamers St. Jude speaks of and those Enthusiasts condemn'd by Eusebius Eccles Hist Tripart lib. 7. cap. Epiphan scholast Interpr Hi enim cujusdam Daemonis operationem expectant hanc sancti spiritus presentiam arbitrantur whose successors most of our Ranters and Quakers are who believe things contrary to the written Word and practice what the Scriptures condemn as did these old Messalians Euchitae for by all these three names they are call'd there After which God shewed me according to my Prayer my not performing my Oath and Covenant in a Sermon by accident I heard in Bathe as I was travelling through that Town and shortly after moved me exceedingly in a Dream to write against the sin of Perjury and to add it to my former Tract in my first Book I delivered to the King 1647. against this sin for sith the Lord punish'd him for this sin how can he spare us unless we repent of it And though I humbled my self for this sin presently yet was I not resolved to print it till in March following reading Ezek. 9. 4. that we ought not to mourn for our own sins only but for the sins of the Land I bethought my self of them and then was moved as I conceive by Gods Spirit for his glory and his Churches good and the discharge of my duty to makâ— a Vow to write against the sins in this Book specified and then I prayed for direction and assistance for grace wisdom and prudence for strength health and means to effect it so as it may accomplish the ends desired c. And though Satan hitherto hath much bindred me together with mine own infirmities whilst I too much looked on the things seen and conferr'd with flesh and blood Yet now Christian Reader for he ends alone above-specified and to pay my Vow with fear and trembling at Gods Word and the judgements that hang over our heads and not for any by-interest to any Person or malice or hatred against any or out of pride prejudice or self-seeking have I imprinted this as God is my Record whom I serve in the Spirit I speak the truth and lie not And therefore what is of God and agreeable to his Word I desire thee only to hold fast and practice What hath not warrant thence impute it to my ignorance and weakness which in Christs name I desire thee to pardon but before thou judge any thing prove it by the Word to be an error without partiality or hypocrisie self-self-love interest or fear of Man and the Lord grant us both the Spirit of Discerning to know the things that differ and to approve the things that are most excellent and to walk in the light when we have it without detaining the truth in unrighteousness lest the wrath of God be revealed from Heaven against us for it but grant that we may be sincere and without offence now and hereafter in the day of Christ which the Lord grant for Christs sake AMEN So wisheth thy Souls Friend E. F. de C. V. ERRATA PAge 2. l. 2. justly claim p 3 l 4 Chemosh l 15 per l 37 chad p 4 l 12 Nicephorus p 5 l 16 the Maintenance l 22 he which l 27 de fructibus p 7 l 30 Judae l 24 in coâ—spectu p 8 l 5 admoveat l 19 Areopagitae l 38 this p 13 l 10 and to bring p 14 l 15 ademi possit p 20 l 26 clargiti p 22 l 1 Haeres p 26 l 4 Gal 3 15 p 30 l 33 for their p 31 l â—6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 37 l 35 ab authore p 38 l 38 Advowsons p 40 l 9 Clinici l 36 another p 47 l 21 Alfred p 56 l 35 fraus p 58 l 11 yet p 60 l 28 dele they THE MINISTERS OF THE Gospels Patrimony AND THE Saints Duty THE Earth is Iehovaehs and the plenty thereof the World a Ps 24. 1 2. Deut. 10. 14. and they that sit therein both by right of Creation for he hath founded it on the Seas and establisht it on the Rivers and by right of conservation for as all things were made by him so he upholdeth all things by the word of his power b Heb. 4. 1. Psalm 50. 12. In him we live move and have our being c Acts 17. 26 And he hath made of one blood all Nations of men for to dwell on the face of the whole earth and hath determined the times
in force still Therefore I humbly conceive that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to live of those things that are given and by devout men consecrated to Gods service according to the Laws of God and man and that their maintenance ought to be according to the greatness of their employment and to the number of Wife and Children in their Families which they are obliged to provide for e Acts 4. 37. 6. 2. 1 Tim. â— 8. Lev. 22. 11 12 as the Priests and Levites did of old with their Families And the Civil Magistrates if there be disorder in the dividing of the Churches Goods or ignorance and slouth in the Ministers or obstinacy and neglect in those that should pay their Tythes and Offerings may command the same to be rightly divided and see it be done as did Hezekias f 2 Chron. 31. 45 c who is said to do that which is good and right and truth before God verse 20. and they may punish or remove those Ministers that are ignorant or prophane even the chiefest of them as David and Solomon did of old g 1 King 2. 26. and 35. and Câ—nstantine the Great and Theodosius other Christian Princes under the New Testament h Theod Eccles Hist lib. 1. c. 20. lib. 5. c. 19 and cause the Tythes to be paid to the Ministers as Nehemiah did i Nehem 13. 10 11 c. who caused the portions of the Levites to be given and so did the pious Magistrates in our Land who made those Laws above specified requiring all sorts of persons to pay their Tythes on penalty as being due to Christs Ministers both by the Law of God and man Well they knew it was not in mans power to detain or take from God that which God required or by the motion of his Spirit was devoted to him and his Service such Houses Lands Goods under the Law was not to be sold or redeemed it was holy to the Lord k Levit. 27. 28. or as it is in the Original t was holiness of holiness that is most holy in respect of them that devoted them and therefore not to be sold detained or denied l God would not suffer them to redeem it to teach them constancy in all good purposes and words that so in them we may be unchangeable as God is Ainsw Annot. in loc no part of it may be held or kept back without theft that I say not Sacriledge the property being altered after it 's devoted as St. Peter told Ananias m Acts 5. 1 4. both before he sold 't was his own and after he had sold and received the mony 't was in his own power to dispose of it but when he had devoted the whole money to the free use and benefit of the Church to be distributed by the Apostles for him then to keep back part of it and to lay down the residue as the whole and to confirm it to be the whole with a wilful lye for this the Apostle sharply reproved him for thereby he tempted God and lyed to the Holy Ghost and therefore God made him a spectacle of divine vengeance for his detaining the truth in unrighteousness and for his Sacriledge for such a sin there is under the Gospel n Rom 2 22. as well as there was under the Law which is theft in the highest degree which St. Austin compares to Judas treachery o Ideoque Ananias Saphira in consâ—etu Ecclesiâ—e mortui sunt ut Apostolica Atthoritas quanta esset ostenderetur quam magnum peccatum esset quod oblatum iterum ab Ecclaesia retraheretur monstraretur caeteri exemplo hujus castigarentur Aug. lib. 3. de Mirab. Sacr. Script for if he be accounted a Thief that steals goods from a private man how much more is a sacrilegious person a thâ—ef who dares to steal from God and his Church Qui aliquid de Ecclesia furatur Jurae perdito comparatur He which steals from the Church is to be compared with cursed Judas p Aug. in Evang John tract p. 50. the Heathens abhord this sin therefore we read that Joseph when in the Famine in Egypt he bought with Corn all the Land of the Egyptians yet the Land of the Priests he bought not for they had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh nor sold they their Land q Gen. 47. 22. whence Theodoret saith if wicked men so much reverenced â—hose gods which were not gods so that their Priests Lands given to them for the worship of those gods were not sold nor taken from them what impiety do those commit under the Gospel who will not suffer the Ministers of the living God to enjoy this liberty r Theodor. quest in Gen cap. 27. that so his service may be preserved and continue with them The Heathen to preserve their gifts devoted from the hands of prophane sacrilegious persons engraved on them these words Sunt bona Decrum ad hâ—c ne quis manum admoliretur s Valcrius max. lib. 1. cap. 2. and the Jews calld their devoted things chosen in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t Levit. 27. 28. Luke 21. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wishing and judging them accursed that turnd them to any other use than to that they were devoted unto and so amongst us Christians the most of the Lands in this Island they were given to God and the Church with an execration on those to be separated from Christ and given to the Devil that should alter them or employ them to any other use than by the Donors they were at fiâ—st devoted unto which in general was the service of God although many in the times of Popery faild in the superstitious observing and requiring of many things which might have been Reformed and the deceased devout persons wills been observed inviolably in the general though not in that specifical service required 'T was so high a crime in the eyes of those that saw only by the light of nature that the Areopagit condemned Aelians boy for this sin u Aelian Hist lib. 5 cap 16. Var Hist God almost miraculously killd King Rufus w See Hoywoods History of the death of King Rufus by an Arrow shot by Sir Walter Tirrel at a Deer He was wont to call that got from the Church sweet-bread but it proved bitter to him at the last when he was slain in his sports in the new Forrest which for his pleasure he had made thereby depriving seventeen Churches of their Revenues and the Ministers of the Churches and also the people of dwellings depopulating those Parishes God had warned him x Prov 20 5. that it was a snare to devour that which was holy and after vows to make enquiry He had at that time also in his hand three greâ—t Bishopricks viz. Canterbury Winchester Sarum and twelve Abbies in Farm his Brothers Son also was slain there y Fox Acts and Mon 1 Part
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
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