The Gofpel of the Leprofy. l'bey !hall Thew tbee the Sentence of udgmeut. There is the like Rule for Gofpel- times, Exek. 44. 23, 24.. 2. To pronounce the Leper Unclean : Tomake him Unclean, that is authoritatively to declare him fo. Thisbelongs to the Elders of the Church, Levit. 13. 3. Some body muft do it, and who fitter thatb. the Officers, who have the .Governmentof the Church in their Hands? Whore Sins ye retain, they are retained. Whole Sinsye retain, that is, in a Minifterisl Way, in Chrift's Name, they are retained. Now when the Minifter hath done his Part ; What is the People's Part in this Work. As 1 Paid before : I (hall not wade into Controver iet. There be two Things which are clear.. There is a double Aft of Obedience on the People's Part. r. To give an ghat Confent of Heart and Mind and Affeaions to what the Officers do in the Name of Chrift, fuppofing the Officers to have done their Part aright, Dent.. 27. r s. &'c. all the People (hall fay, Amen. So the Apoftle to the Corinthians, i Cor. S. 12. do not you Page them that are within? Their Judgments fhould concur in it. As at the Great Day the Saints (hall judge the World, i Cor. 6.2. how ? By approving the Righteous Judgment and Sentence of Chrift upon. them : So here, the People are to approve and confent unto the judg- ment declared by the Elders from the Word of God. 2. It is the People's Duty to forbear keeping company with fuch, a Perton. r Cor. s. Keep no company with Fornicators. Verf. 9. With an one. not to eat. Verf. r 1. Withdraw from every Brother that walk etb diforderly, that be may be a(hamed, 2 Theft: 3.6. The Reafon hereof is plain. Either the People muft thus concur ; or elfe diffent, or elfe ftand by as idle Speaators, and Perlons unconcerned : But they may not difó fent , for remember how the Cafe was ftated concerning Officers that are faithful in the Difcharge of their Truft.. In fuch a Cafe for the People to diffent, is, not fo much to difobey them, as todifobey the Lord Chrift. They have not rejelted (thee, but me, i°Sam. 8. 7. Neither are the People to Rand by as Neuters, and Perfons meerly unconcerned;, for this were to fruflrate the Sentenceof Excommunication, and to make it void, for the Sentence doth exclude him from the Fel- lowfhip of God's People; and therefore unlefs they make Confcience.. of it, to forbear keeping company with him, the Sentence is vain,. It remains therefore that there is, and ought to be a Concurrence of the People in Church Cenfures. 0bjc0A,.
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