Chap. VI. The HIST 0 RY of the PuRITANS. 1 95 •' tion of government and difcipline therein. A pqflo1· is oRe who is to K. Charles I. ,, feed his {beep; and if fo, how improper Q1Uft it be for fuch to defire ~ '' to excommunicate any, or keep them fi·om food; to forbid any to eat, ' '' or whomfoever they fhall judge unworthy, when Chrifl: has fa id, take, <' eat,and drink ye all of it, though Judas was one of them. But fome '' have faid, 'tis the duty of a !11epherd, when he fees a ilieep feeding up- ,, on that which will do him hurt, to chafe him away from that pafture, '' and they apply this to fufpending thofe from the fa"crament whom they '' fear, by eating and drinking unworthily, may eat and drink their own •' damnation. But it ought to be obferved, that it is not receiving the '' facrament, but the unworthinefs of the receiver that brings deftruCl:ion, <' and this cannot be within the judgment of any but the perfon himfelf, '' who alone can examine his own heart; nor can can any one produce a •' commiOion for another to be judge thereof. But it is faid, that ruling •' elders are to be joined with the pall:ors; now in fome country villages <' and congregations, perhaps they may not be very learned; and yet the '' authority given them is very great. The word elders, amongft the he- ,, bre~vs, fignified men of the greateft power and dignity ; fo it was a- ,, mong the romam, whofe fenate was fo called, from.fenes, elders. The '' higheft title among the french, JPaniards, and italians, feigneur, and "Jeigniori, is only a corruption of the Iatin word fenior, elder. The " fame may be obferved in our englijh corporations, where the beft '' and moft fubftantial perfons are called aldermen or eldermen. '' Thus the title of elders m~y be given to the chief men of eve- ,, ry preibytery, but if · the power of excommunication be given " them, they may challenge the title of elders in the higheft fignifi- ,, cation. " " Power is defired to be given to fufpend from the facrament two forts « of perfons, the ignorant and fcandalous ; now 'tis poffible, that they '' who are judged to be competent in one place may be.deemed ignorant ~· in another; however to keep them from the ordinances is no way to " improve their knowledge. Scandalous perfons are likewife to be fufpend– " ed, and this is to be left to the difcretion of the paftors and ruling el– " ders; bnt where have they fuch a commiffion r Scandalous finners " (hould be admoniilied to forfake their evil ways, and amend their lives ; " and how can this be done better, than by allowing them to hear good " fermons, and partake of the holy ordinances. A man may be a good " phytician though he never cuts off a member from his patient; and a " church my be a gcod church, though no member of it has ever been " cut off. I have heard many complaints of the jurifdietion of the •· prelates, who were but few; now in this ordinance there will be a ~! great multiplication. of Wiritual men in government, but I am of opi- . .c c 2 .nion 9
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