The HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. VoL. II. K. Charles I." nion, that where the temporal fword is fufficient for puniihment of of– ~ " fences, there will be no n).ed of this new difcipline." Though the parliament did not deem it prudent wholly to reject the ordinance for excommunication, becaule it had been the popular complaint in the late times, that pajlors if churches bad not power to keep unworthy commzmicants from the Lord's table; yet the fpeeches of thefe learned gentlemen made fuch an impreffion, that they refolved to render it ineffeCtual to all the purpofes of church tyranny; accordingly they fent to the atfembly to fpecify in writing, ~:Jbat degrees if knowledge in tbe chr!ftian religion ~vere necelfary to qualify perfom for the commzmion? and, what .forts if ftandal dejen1ed fujjm!fion or excommunication ? Which after much controverfy, they prefented to the houfes, who inferted them in· the body of their ordinance for jzifPe~?Jion from tbe Lord's jilpper, dated Ov'lob. 20. I 645, together with certain provifo's of their own. Ordinance The ordinance fets forth, that the feveral elderihips within their refpec– Jar Jujpenjion tive limits, i11all have power to fufpend from the facramen t of the Lord's and excom· r 11 · d r d 1 r · h' l 1 d d' · munication. 1upper, a Ignorant an 1can a ous perJons, Wit m t 1e ru .es nn Iret1:1on~ Ru!hw. hereafter mentioned, and no others. part IV. · Vol. l. p. 211, RuLEs for Jujpending .from tl:e focrament ill crife if IGNORANCE.~ r. •' All th1t do not know and bdieve the being of a God, and the " holy trinit y. z. " They that are not acquainted·with the original fin, and the fall of / " man. 3· " They thJt don't believe Chrifl: to be God and man, and our only– ., Mediator and Redeemer. 4· --" That Chri-!l: and his benefits are applied only by faith i ' ' which faith is the gift of God; and implies a trufiing in him, for the re~ " mifiion of fins, and life everlafl:ing. 5· -- " The necefiity of fincere repentance; and·a holy life, in or.: " der to fa lvation. " 6. -- " The nature and importance of the two facraments efpeci~ " ally of the Lord's [upper. ' - 7· -- " That the fouls of the faithful" do i'mmediately live with " Chrifl: after death;· and· the fouls of the wicked immediately go t~ " hell. 8. --"The refnrreetion of the body, and a final judgment.'~ RuLE~
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