Chap. VI. ?he HISTORY of the PURITANS. 25 craments invalid. Hence they forbad their people to join with them in Qaeen prayer, in hearin g, or in any P art of public wor(hiPs nay they not E1izabeh, only renounced communion with the church of England, but with all other reformed churches, except fuch as (hould be of their own model. They apprehended, according to fcripture, that every church ought to be confined within the limits of a fingle congregation; and that the go- vernment fhouldbe DEMOCBATICAL. When a church was to be gather- ed, fuch as defired to be members, made a confeflion of their faith in the prefence of each other, and figned a COVENANT, obliging themfelves to walk together in the order of the gofpel, according to certain rules and a- greements therein contained. The whole power of admitting and exclu- ding members, with thedeciding of all controverfies, was in th'e brotherhood. Their church officers for preaching the word, and taking care of the poor, were chofen from among themfelves, and feparated to their feveral offices by failing and prayer, and impofition of the hands of fame of the brethren. They did not allow thepriefihood to be a difcinft order, or to give a man an indelible charaéîer 5 but as the vote of the brotherhood made him an of- ficer, and gave him authority to preach and adminifter the facraments a- mong them ; fo the fame power could difcharge him from his office, and reduce him to the date of a private member. When the number of communicants was larger than could meet in one place, the church divided and chofe new officers from among themfelves as before, living together as fitter churches, and giving each other the right hand of fellowfhip, or the privilege of communion with either. One church might not exercife jurifdiélionor authority over another, but each might give the other counfel, advice, or admonition, if they walked diforderly, or abandoned the capital truths of religion ; and if the offend- ing church did not receive the admonition, the others were to withdraw, and publickly difown them as a church of Chrift. The powers of their church officers, were confined within the narrow limits of their own fo- ciety; the paftor of one church might not adminifter the facraments of baptifm or the Lord's (upper, to any but thofe of his own communion, and their immediate children. They declared againft all prefcribed forms of prayer. Any lay-brother had the liberty of prophefying, or giving a Hord of exhortation in their church affemblies ; and it was ufual after fermon, for fume of the members to alit queftions, and confer with each other upon the do 'crines that had been delivered ; but as for church cen- fures, they were for an entire feparation of the ecclefiaftical and civil fword. In fhort, every church or fociety of chriftians meeting in one place, was according to the BROWNISTS, a body corporate, having full power within itfélf, to admit and exclude members, to choofe and ordain officers;, arid-when the good of the fociety required it, to . depofe them, without
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