Owen - BX5085 O84x 1681

i q2 Whit fort:ofChurches ofDifcretion in and about the things of Religion, this or that orany Church in the World, can have or exer- cife. But to allowmen a Judgement ofDifcretion, and not to grant it their Duty to a& according unto that Judgement, is to oblige them to be Fools, and to a&, not difcreetly, at leaft not according unto their own D f z-retian. 4. The fame is to be fpoken ofGafpel Difcipline, with- out whichneither can theDuties of Church Societies be obferved, nor the Ends ofthem attained. The negle&, the logs, the abufe hereof, is that which hath ruined the Glory of Chriftian Religion in theWorld, and brought the whole Profeffion of it into Confufion. Hereon have the fervency and fincerity of true Evangelical mu- tual Love been abated, yea, utterly loft. Forthat Love which Jefüs Chrift reqúirethamong his Difciples, is filch as never was in the World before amongft Men, nor canbe in the World, but on the Principles of the Go- fpel, and Faith therein. Therefore it is called his New Commandement. The Continuation of it amongft the Generality of Chriftians is but vainly pretended ; little or nothing ofthe Reality ofit in its due Exercife is found. And this bath enfued on the Negle& of evangelical Di fiipline in Churches, or the turning of it into aWorldly Domination. For one principal End of it, is the Pre- fervation, Guidance, and a&ing of this Love. That mutual Watch over one another that ought to be in all the Members ofthe Church, the Principal Evidence and fruit of Lovewithout Difíimulation, is alto loft hereby. Molt men are rather ready to fay in the Spirit and Words of Cain, ./fin Imy `Brothers Keeper, than to at- t_nd unto the Command of the Apoftles, Exhort one another

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