Burroughs - Houston-Packer Collection BX7233.B87 G67 1660

478 Mif ake of the plot fchi fsne, the caufe of 6reáltirg peace. might : Let become of peace what will,for that that the Scrip- ture accounts fchifine, certainly we are bound by all lawfull means according ro the Coveninc to oppofe. But I befeech you Confider this fitfl ; Whether if any man that is a member of a Church ; for this is cryed out of, that whofoever (hall depart from the Church, that is ackríowled- ged by himfelfe a true Church, and efpecially ihall joyne with others,, this man is a fchifmarick. For to underitand this aright , That there may not be the breaking ofmore peace then need.Suppofe that there be Lome men truly godly and confcientious tharare in a Church ; but there is fomething done in the Church that they cannot be- lieve to be the mind of Chrift ; Nay after all examination, af- ter prayer, after Peeking to God, yet they cannot fee it t4 be the mind of Chriff, but they fhould fin if they fhould joyne with them ; they can teflifie to God, their owne Confcitnces witnefling for them, that they would gladly joyne with fuck a Church in all the wayes of Gods woríhip, but m fuch and filch wayes they cannot without fin to their Confciences ; they la- bour to informe themfelves, they goe to the Elders, goe. to o- thers in all humility to thew their doubts in this thing ; And after the receiving of reafons from them they depart, and they doe in Confcience to God examine them between God and their foules, and pray over them that God would re- veale there things unto them if they be his mind. Now after all this is done , yet if they cannot fee, what would you have' there men doe ; Suppofe there be a hundred of them,they can- not communicate, yet they are not prefently to rend from the Congregation,but to wait a while to leewhether God will con- vince them, now after all means ufed, and they cannot be con- vinc'r,ihall there men live without the Ordinance -of the Sacra- ment all the dayes of their lives ?Hath Chria fo tyed a member of a Congregation, that if he cannot without fin to him joyne Zvi h the Church, that he mußt never ioyn with any other, truly there had need be deer warrant for this if any one !hall afhrme is : tut now fuppofe thefe íhould in all humility defire that they might have liberty together, to joyn in the Ordinances of _ Chrift

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