Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754

Tbe HIS T 0 RY of the PuRITANsi VoL. II. K. Charles I. 19. " Such as !hall be legally attainted of barretry, forgery, extortion, 16 45· " or briberv ~F'-J ;• " And the feveral elderlhips !hall have power to fufpend all MINISTERS · cc who £hall be duly convicted of any of the crimes abovementioned, from « giving or receiving the Lord's fupper. '' Perfons fufpended by one congregation £hall not be admitted to the ·-cc facrament by another, without certificate from that congregation of -« which he was a member. But in all cafes of fufpenfion, if the party ·" fufpended £hall manifefl: his repentance before the elderthip by whom he " was fufpended, he £hall be re admitted to the Lord's fupper, and the ·_" fufpenfion taken off." And then follow the provifo's, which fl:ripped the preibyteries of that power of the keys which they were reaching at. Parliament's Provided alway3, " that if any perfon find himfelf aggrieved with provifo's. " the proceedings of the preibytery to which he belongs, he may '' appeal to the claffical elderfhip; from them to the provincial af• ·« {embly; from them to t.he national; and from them To THE PAR· " LIAMENT." 'Tis further provided, " that the cognizance and examination of all " capital offences !hall be referved entire to the magifl:rate appointed by " the laws of the kingdom, who upon his committing the party to pri– " fon, (hall make a certificate to the elderlhip of the congregation to which " they belonged, who may thereupon fufpend them from the facra- « ment. cc The preibytery or elderiliip {hall not have cognizance of any << thing relating to contraCl:s, payments, or demands; or of any mat– '-' ter of conveyance, title, interefl:, or property, in lands or goods. " No ufe (hall be made of any confeflion, or proof made be.– '" fore an elderiliip, at any trial at law of any perfon for any of- " fence. " And ''tis further ordained, that thofe members of parliament who " are members of the affembly of diyines, or any [even of them, fhall " be a fl:anding committee, to confider of fuch other offences or fcandals '" not mentioned in this ordinance, which may be conceived to be a fuf– ,, ficient caufe of fufpenfion from the facrament, and !hall lay them be· ·« fore the parliament." By an ordinance of June 5· I646. a difcretionary power was lodged in <{l committee of lords and commons, not lefs than nine, to adjudge and determine fcandalous offences, not form~rly enumerated, and report thern to

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