Chap.; r . The Old and New Covenant... 2 9 and Samaria, Acts a. ñtls 8. If all muff vote in bufineffe of fo high concernment, as in proceeding againft officers, and to give definitive fentence concerning their proceed- ings , either many a meet member will be kept without , or elfe many an incompetent judge muff be taken in, . nia- ny a poore foul weak in the faith is fit for the Lords Table, who is not yet 'fit to judge of the abilities of his Paftour. All that I know that is produced with any colour , is that diretlion of Tao/ to the Church of Corinth, i Cor. 5. 4, 5. When ye are gathered together With the power of our Lord lei' *I Chriff , to deliver fuck a one unto Satan for the defirullion of thefe/h , that the Spirit may belayed in the day ofthe Lord le- fiu. But if it be confidered , that Corinth had more then one Congregation (as feverall Difenting brethren have yielded, and as to other Churches may eafily be proved) then it mutt follow that this meeting was only of Officers, and not of all Members. And how this power is eflentiall to a community, I cannot conceive. The engliJh Nation have judged themfelves a .community , and yet there is ma -: ny a free -borne Subject, that never had a thought of inter. elfing himfelf by way of vote; to naturalize f }rangers, or to make them free- Denizons , nor yet to expulfe them in cafe of intrufion. The Corporations of England are commu- nities, vet every Member bath not his intereft for vote to re- ceive into their body. When the chief Captaine bought his Freedome in Rome, fle`ls 22. 2' . I fcarce think every Free- man of that fociety was confulted in it neither did Paul when he heard of it enter his exception , becaufe his intereft was infringed. The feverall Companies in London are fo many leveral communities; yet every one of the Members of thofe Companies, doth not claime an intereft in recei- ving in men, as free of their refpective myfteries; an opinion of fuch a Liberty will loon bring Church- Members under an heavy yoke , taking themfelves to be fo farre in- terefled in every publick ati of their Officers , that they may not without open oppofition ( which is feldome borne) or aauall feparation keep themfelves from guilt in their aberrations. Fi fF:h
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