of a v fble Church, of Chr f. 9g (2.) If this will not take, the Church mull deal with them ; and if the Cafe be apparent Negligence, and the Perfon remain obflinate, and will not hear the Church, acknowledge his Evil, and endeavour Reformation, the laff Remedy is to rejeët. Now there are three Things on which the Church may proceed. z . Their breach of Promife, which was folemnly made when they frrft entred into Communion. It is he that fpeak- eth the `Truth from his Heart, that (hall abide in this holy Hill, Pfai. xv. 1. If Men will not be perfwaded to keep their Promifes, when it is in their Power fo to do, can they be . fuppofed to fpeak the Truth from their Hearts when they ftrft made them ? z. NegleEt of Duty unto God. That negative Precept, Mb. x. implies a pofitive Duty ; Not forfàking the a11im- bling of your felves together, as the Manner of forne is, but exhorting one another, &c. What fhould they exhort each other to, but to afíemble and meet together to worfhip God, to keep their Places in the Church? It is their Duty to bring an Offering, to come into his Courte, to wor (hip the Lord in the Beauties of Holinefs. All the Worfhip that God hath appointed to be perfomed in an Inllituted Church, is a Glory due to his Name; and fuch as live in the neg- led of it, do keep back that from God which is his due. 3. Obflinacy, in that they do not, nor will not hear the Church when all due Means have been made ufe of to reclaim them: If he neglea to hear the Church, let him be to thee as a Heathen Man, or a Publican. Secondly, Members had need beware that they be not negligent oftheir Duty of private Admonitions in Cafe of private Offences, known only to one or to a few, not yet made publick. r. Confider, there is too great a neglea of this Duty; this is evident by Experience, and there is no other way to evidence it by. It is rare for Members to difcharge this Duty as it ought to be. z. There is a double Evil that doth commonly follow the neglea thereof. (1.) The Mifcarriage obferved doth not die in the Breaft of him that obferved it, there is vent I z ode
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=