(ISS) thegood andhad; they may not think that preaching is but idle talk and falfltocd, and that they are as fate as others. 16. It is needful tokeep the better people from offending Godby their familiarity and communion with the notorioufly wicked. 17. It iîneedful to break the Serpents head, that inChrifis'Church the Devils works may be renounced and call out, and fin be publickly made a fhame, as the Devil out of the Church endea- voureth todo by Truth and Holinefr. 18.11 is needful to thecafe and peace of Magifirates, that they maynot he overwhelmed with the cares,troubles, dangers, that come bymultitudes of Wicked Men ; but the Pafiors- la- bours with the voluntary may prevent much of the Magiftrates trouble . with the involuntary,_ sp.. It is needful to the fafety ofCommonwealths_ and Kingdomes, that they be not poyfoned by wickcdnefs, and fo expof- ed tó the judgment of God. ao. And laftly, it is needful to the fcan- dalbus Sinners themfelves, that they may not be fuffered to die and pe= rida in their fin, but have all poflible means ;Jed to bring them to repen. tance, that they,may beraved. Confider whether,all thefeReafons prove not Difcipline to be needful. Objet. II. But till. Conllantines time there was no Chri;lian-,Magiltrate, which made it then needful: Butfince the cafe is not the J me. Anfa,. 1. Down then withBifhops now, if, their work be needlefs. But why then were they fet fo much higher, and had fo much more power fmce thedayes ofConßiantine then before? 2. Are you wirer than all the .Councils ( Nice, Ephef Chaired.. Conftance, &c.) which have ever fince made Canons for Difcipline ? 3. Again,., try whether none of the fore- going reafons, be bill in force. 4.: Read Galafpies .4arons Rod, which fully proveth the continued need of difcipline. Objc61-. III, But difciplineis not to be ofed on all that.deferve it, but only one now and then, one to bea terror to the roll : You are for too much ftriEïnfr, rigidnefr and feverity. Anf. r. I am not for half' the rigidnefs and feverity of the Ancient Bifhops and Churches, whomade the penitents waite at the Church door; andcall down themfelves with eryes and tearsto beg abfolution andre- admit-lion, and inmany cafes to waite thus many years together,, and in fome, till their deathbed. I am for accepting the firfi credible pro- ftllion of Repentance: Iam for gentle exhorting them and prayingfor them longbefore wecafi them out; I am not for troubling any for fnall faults : Nor for bringing any mans fecret .fins to light, or making then more .pubiick than he maketh" them himfelf; Iam not for impofing fuch penances as the Papifls,do. And is a firiFknefs thort of theirs into- lerable to you, that pretend to. be more holy than they ? Yea more, I am not for the ufe of difcipline at all, where it is notorious to true reafon that-its liketo do more harme thangood. And is al this too muchltria- nefs? But I amnot for keeping it out, and then making fuch pretences, . norfor caufingthe inconveniexces, and then pleading them againfi the
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