-------- --- ~---- - ---------- - Of Lay.mem Worp1ip. Of fnbfcribill!, to Humane Writil!gf. Qgell:. 151. May [lmrclJ AjJemblies be l1eld where thm is no Mil1ijler? Or wl:at publick Worjhip 7HilJ beJo perfonn:d by Lay,men? (.fir amOI!g Infidels, or Papijls, tvbere PerjectJtlOil hat/1 ktlled, tmpnfoned, or expelled t!Je Minijlm.) An[w. I· snch an A!ftmbly,as hat?_no P•fior, or Minificr ofChritl, is not aCbHrcb, in apJlitic3l fenfe as the word figmheth a Society confijling of PtJjior and flock,_; Bnt i1 m 1 y be a Church in a larger fenft·, as the word tignitieth only a Community or .Affoci:JJiotJ of privrJte Chrijii.sns for mutual help in holy tl>in~r. z, Such an A1fcmbly ought on the Lords daycs, and at orh~r fit times to meet together for mutull help, and the publick wor£hipping of God, as they may, rather than not to meet at all. ~ 3· In thofe mee<ings they may do all thll followeth. •· They may pray together; a Lay-man being the Speakor. 2· They m•y jing Pf>lmr. 3· They may Read tlu Scriptum. 4· They may read fome holy edifying Writings of Divines, or repeat feme Minifiers Sermons. 4.Some that are abldl may ipcak to the inHrnction and exhortation of the reH, as a M1lh:r may do in his f•mily, or neigh– bours to fiir up Gods graces in each other, as was opened beforr. 5• And feme fuch may Catechize the younger and more ignorant. 6. They may by mutual Confertnce open their cafes to each other and communicate what ~nowledge or experience they have, to the: praife of God a~~d each other~ edification. 7· They may make: a folc:mn profdftonof their FaitiJ, Covemmt, and SubjEl1im to God the Father, Son and Holy Gbo/1: And all this is better than nothing at all. But I• None of them may do any of this at a Paftor,Ruler, Pridl, or Offict-Teacbtr ofthe Chcrcll! 2· Nor may they Baptizr; 3• Nor adminifier the Lord1 S"pper; 4· Nor excommunicate by fcntenc~ (but only e:l(ecutivcly agree to avoid the nororioufly impenitent). ~·Nor Abfotve MiniJlerially 1 or as by authority : nor exercife any of the power of the Kcyer, that is, pf GllVtrnmtht. 6. And they muJ..t do their btll to get a Pafio1 as Coon as they ..e ab_le. ,J,.)' Qktell:. 152. Is it lawful to fuhfcrihe or profefs full "Ajfent and (anfent to any fJ\!ligiom 'Books befides the Scripture, (eeirzg all are fallible! Anfw. I· IT is not lawful to profe(S or fubfaribe that any Book istruer or better than it is: or that there is no fault in any that is faulty ; or to profefs that ~e believe any morrd man to be totally Infallible in all that he £lull write or fay, or impeccable in all that he fh•ll do. 2· B~caufc all men arc fallible, and fa are we in judging, it is not )awful to fay of any large and dubiOlJS Books, in which we know no fault, tbat there i11to fault or trror iH 1hem ; we being uncer· rain, and it being ufual for the befi men even in their bel\ wrirings, praytrJ or works to be faulty, as theconfcquent or effect of our 'ommon 'ulpable'irnpcrfeClion. Bu[ we may fay, 1'/uH we ltwl¥' Hil foul! or.errur in it, if indeed we do no[ knowof any. 3.It is lawful to profefs or fubfcribe our AJ!enl and Confent to any humane Writing which we judge to l?e1rut and Good,according to the meafurc of its Truth and Goodnefs: As ifChurch-Confeflions that are found be offered us fo1 our Confcnt, we may fay or fubfcribe, I bold aU the Dollrint in this Boo"– lo be true and good. And by [o doing I do not affert the InfaUibility of the A1ttborr, bur only the Verity of the Writing. I do not fay, tha[ Ht c11nnot err, or tha[ he never erreth; but tha[ he crrttb not in 1hi1, as far as I am able to difcc:rn. ~e!1:. 153· May Jve laJVfulfy [wear Obedience in afl thil!gS Lm!JftJ! and honeft, eitber to Ufnrpers, or to 011r lawful Paftors ~ Anf,.. 1. IF the quefiion were of Impofing [uch Ol!hs, I would fay, that it was m•ny a hundred years bdorc: the Churches ot Chrift ( either under perti:cuuon, or in their profperity and glory) d1d ever know of any fuch practice, as the people ur the Presbyters (wearing obcdi · encc to the: Bi(hops. And when it came up, the Mlgifiracy, Princes and Emperours, fell under the feet of the Pope; and the Clergy grew to what we fee it in the Ruman Kingdom, called a Church. And far fl10u!d I be from dcfiring fuch Olths to be itnpoled. . z. But the que!lion being only of the 'faJ;ing fuchOatbr, and not the lmpofinz of them , I fay, thar
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