[177] fiderable, I. As aDuty. 2. As a Berìefit. And noMan bath au- thority, r. To difoblige us from a Duty of (.hrif s impofing 2. Or to deprive us of a Benefit of Chrifi's giving. But confor- mity Both both il thefe to the Laity in a great degree. L What mean you by that Difcipline ? i thought our Church had rather too fbarp Difcipline ? 1hope you mean not the Geneva Difcipline, or the Scots Presbyteries and Stool of Repentance. M. I meannothing but what as to the Matter, the Epifcopal Party write for as the Ordinance of Chrift : The true exercife of the Keys, and the previous Ads. That is , That God bath made the Church to be as it were the Porch of Heaven, a So- ciety gathered out of the Infidel World , fandified to God , and prepared for Glory ; and therefore he would have none in his Church, but fuch as profefs Faith, Love and Holinefs, and re- nounce a flefilly, fenfual , worldly and profane Life : And the Paftors bear the Keys ofTruft and Government to judge of fuck ; that is, who are to be taken in, and who to be caft out, and who to be admonished and cured of fcandalous Sins : And all the Members are bound to preferve the Purity of themfelves , and the Society in their places; And therefore ifa Brother live fcan- daloufly,contrary to hisProfefion, his Neighbour that bath no- tice of it, is to tell him ofhis fault, and if he hear not, and re- pent not, to warn and admonifh him before witneffes : and ifyet he repent not, to tell the Church; and if yet he repent not, and hear not the Church, he is to be avoided, as one that is noneof their Communion. But ifwarning, perfwafion, Prayers and Pa- tience, bring him to Repentance , the Church is gladly to pro - nounce his forgivenefs byGod, and to receive him. This is the Difcipline which Chrift hath inftituted, and the Chriftian Chur- ches have Profeffed. L. This calling Men to Repentance perfonally will but difturb and diffract the Parifhes : Men will never endure it And that's no Duty that will do harm. M. They are not fit to be Communicants or Members ofa Chriftian Church that will not endure it. It is the Crime of :he Church-Governours that they receive, yea, drive fuch into the Church,as will not endure the LawsofChrift,and Church-Duties, and then caft by fuch Duties, becaufe Men will not endure them. As ifyou took Scholars into a School that will not endure Go- vernment and Correction, or Soldiers into-an Army that will not A a endure
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