g¢ le Inßitution and Government be great Prefumption now for a Church to make Decrees, and to fay, It jeerxethgood to the Holy Ghoß and to Us. (5.) When fuch Laws are made that Chrift never made, without doubt they will be profecuted more ftrialy than the Laws of Chrift will be. For Churches would not af- feEt a Legiflative Power, if they did not affect an Intereft of their own. Did they defign to promote the Intereft of Chrift, the Execution ofhis Laws would be the belt Expe- dient to effeét it; but they defigning to promote their own Intereft, the Execution of their own Laws, fuited by their Penalties to anfwer that End, are the belt Expedient to effect it. C H A P. X. Containing f me d'hings by way of Caution to particular Members of the Church or Churches. TIRST, each particular Member or Members had need beware they co not grow negligent in keeping their Place in the Church. But here, that I be not n,i',laken, do not call every abfence a Negligence ; Perfons may be providentially debared either by Sicknefs or Weaknefs, the Infirmities of old Age, or many other Ways, that yet would gladly be in their Place, could they attain it. I would here offer a few Things to be confidered. t. There is too much Negligence in many :This is evi- dent by common Experience; Meetings would not be fa thin as they are, if all were fo diligent as force are. This may be fpoken with grief; it is too evident that fuch Ob- ftruaions as would not block up the way to outward Ad- vantage, do fometimes block up the way ro a Church - Meeting. This is to me a great Argument of Negligence and Siothfulnefs, and that there is an Abatement of the Kindnefs
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