200 / 846
166
IheLIFE
ofthe
LtB.I,
s
To
ywr
fecund we
fay, Its true
that
we take
our Parsfhes
for
true Political
Churches;
and we
take
it
as
probable
(
and
fo
to
be
judged
by
us
and
others)
that
all
thole
that
con
-
feantly fubmit
to the
Ordinances
and Minifterial
Offices,
are true
viftble
Members,emd
take
themfeenet
for
fuch
; except they do otberwife difcover
their
diffeat.
But
becaufe
wherePro-
fe
ons
are but implicit,
or
kf
expreß we
have
but
a
probability,
and
not'
a
full
certainty
that
adfacb
Perfam
do takes-hamlet-vet
indeed
for
Members
,
and
becaufe
when we
call
them
to acquaint
us expreßy,
whether
they
take tbemfelves
for
Members, or
not;
tbeÿ deny
it,
or
refute
to profeß
it,
and
fo
difclaaim
it,
we now
firfl
difcern
that
they
are
no
Members;
either
not
intending
to
be
frith all this while,
or
voluntarily departing now.We have
more affarance
of
the
Truth
of
our
particular
yifible Churches,
than
we have
of
each
Man's
memberfhip
par
-
:titularly. For
force
do
plainly profeß thewfelves Members,
and
mote
others
do
that
wbicb
amounts
to
a
more ebfeure
Profefon, and which
makes them
guilty
of
Hypocrifee,
f
they
in-
tendnet what
theyfaene to
profeß
:
Best
yet when
they
contradifl
the teeming
darker Pro
-
feeon
by
an
open
difdeiming
it,
then
they
undeceive
as, and
ceafe
that
diffembling :
And
Multitudes
do openly profefi
in many
places, longago,.
that
it
n
their
liberty
to
bear
all
Men,
but
they
take as
for
no
Churches, or
at
leaft
they
take.
not tbemfelves ee Members. Beftdés,
when
they
difclaim
our
Power over them,
they
will
not
come
near
us to
be quefhsoned,or
give
any
account
of
their
ways, but
tell
us,
We
have
no
more
to do
with
them, than others have
wbofeCbargethey
sire
not
under. Moreover, when
they
have
cafe out
tbemfelves,
they are
not capable
of
the
fame Calling
but
by no,
ai tbof
that_
are
in
for it-
cannot
be
wholly
ab
eodern termino.
Tot
we
do
not,
as
you
jay,
refolve
to
exertif
our
Dif
ipline
on
thole only
that
tefIile
Confent
;.:but.
only
agree
on no
more,
leaving
the
rife
to
be
done
as above,
and
be-
yond this Agreement..
But that's
your.
third, grunion,
to
which we fay, That we
do
not
Prop.
x8. limit
our
Publick
Confines to thole only
that exprß
Confnt,
as excluding
all others,
or refol'oing not
to do
it
on any others
:
but
only
refolvtng
bare to do
it.
Indeed cur
Judgment
u,,
that
fo
far
as
a fcandaleur Chriltian. bath
Communion
with us,
fo
far
he
may be
cafe
out
(not
breaking
Natural
and Civil
Bonds)...
f
fame
bave
the Communion of
particular
Chinch-
Member,
withas,
and
others
bave but
the.
Communion
of
Cbrsf
Lam
in Neighbourhood,
and
ordinary
Converfe wherein
we have
accafton to
manifefl familiarity, we
may
and
Ought-to
Cafe the
former
(
on
jute
caufe
)
out
of
Church-Communion,
and
eke
later,
out
offamiliar
Society, or Communion
in
any
,
Ordinance
that
intimates
Familiarity;
but
out
of
that
Church we cannot
can
him, when
he
is not in
it.
Tot
for
many Reafons
we judged
it
un-
meet to
put this late into
our
Agreement.
I.
Tou do
mifeake
our
Reg.
to.
of
Prop.
19.in
fop
ofmg
that
the
Profelon of
Confine
there mentioned,
detb
carry in the
not
of it, a
plain
refofal
of
our Difcipline.
For
if
be
profeß Confine, we mule
take
him as
a
Member,
and
rife
bins
accordingly
; and
by
that
Profeon,
be
manifefletb
Content to our Guidance
and
Difcipline in
general and
the thing.
that
be
refufetb
is
only
Actual
Obedience to
a
particu-
lar
Ate
of
Difcipline,
andthat after
the difcovery
of
Content; which
any corrupt Member
may do.
As
for
the
two
Points
before mentioned
by you,
wherein you
went
not fo
far
as we,
this
much
we
briefly
fay,
x.
Our
x9th
Prop,
Reg.
9.
ffeaks of
no
Ignorance but
what was
before
eeepreffed,
viz. of
Fundamentals,
and that
only
where we bave
jail
ground
of
Safficion
of
it. z.
We
dare
not diffivadeyour
mutual Affiance jn
Pafeoral
Offices
to
particular
Con-
gregations, where there
is
no offence
taken
at
it. But
if
the Congregational Brethren
flrould
take
it
at
a
makingyour
many Churches
to
be
but
one
particular
Church,
or
a
giving
the
Patter of
one
Church
a
true
Pa/oral
Power,
and
confequently
Charge
and
Duty over
other
Churches,
(
which
you
know Mr. Burroughs
in
bis
Irxnic.
makes their
great
Offence),
then
for
Unity
and
Peace
fake, we
could with
you
did
forbear
it.
Brethren, Our hearty prayeris
that
the
Lord wouldguide ,
quicken, encourage,
and
fuc-
aeed
you, in this
blefféd (York.
But
the more
excellent
it
is, the more Oppefitian expetl
from
Men
and Devils, andyourown
Corruption:
But
the dearer
it
eo/eetb
you,
and
the
more
unrefervedlyyou devoteyour
felves.and
reftgnall you
bave
to God,
for
the
faithful
perform-
ance
of
it,
the
more
Comfort mayyou
expeá from
God, and.the
Tweeter
will
be
your reviews
of it at a
dying
hour.
Brethren,
imitate
your
Lord:
Do the
Work
of
him
that
fine
you
while
it
is
day
; for
the
night
cemetb
when
none
can work.
Farewel
Kiderminlier,
OAob.
Your Brethren
16I;.
and
fellow Servants,
Rich.
Baxter,
Jarvis
Bryan,.
in the
Name
and
at theAppointmentof
the relit
Brethren