their Duty,but giving Power from God, to make the Discipline of his Church Effe Atual beyond that of the Jews, and to Terve more Spiritual Ends: as he was pleafed to do in another cafe; namely, in Appointing Baptifm, (which was a Ceremony used by the Jews in their Admission of Profelytes of the Gentiles, to Live among them and resort to their Temple for the Worship of the God of Ifrael) to be a Rite in his Church for the Admiffion of fuch as defired to be Members thereof, but this, with power from himself making it of another Effect, and to ferve other more Spiritual purposes than the Jews used, or pretended it for. So that though Excommunication were only of Humane Institu tion among the Jews, and defigned to ferve a prefent Turn, and fupply their not having power to Execute the Law of Mafes whilst they were difperfed among other Nations, and whilft they were under the Government of Strangers in their own Land; it fhall not thence follow, that Excommunication is no other in the Church. of Chrift, nor that it was taken up for no other purpofe, and must be laid afide when the occafion of that purpofe ceafeth: But as it had its beginning in the Church from our Lord Christ and his Apostles, fo that which may appear of their purpose

in doing it, fhall determine its ufe in the Christian Church, and its continuance shall be necessary as long as these purposes remain, to which it may be useful.

H

СНАР. VI.

ERE is the place for me to take notice of the usefulness of Difcipline in the Church of Chrift, and of that Power and Authority which Excludeth Sinners from it. Now there can be no doubt of the usefulness hereof in any Man that rightly confiders the Ends defigned therein, and looks upon it as fufficient for the accomplishment of those Ends: There be many I know in the World, who finding not the Church endued with any Temporal Power, to enforce by way of Constraint, that Difcipline it pretendeth to Exercise, or thofe Cenfures which pass therein against Offenders, do for that very Reason think and fpeak Contemptuously of this Inftitution of the Gofpel; But a True Chriftian, that looketh upon our Lord Christ as having power over the Souls and Confciences of Men, will think him able to give Power and Efficacy to this as

well

well as other Spiritual Inftitutions of his Gospel, when Adminiftred in his Name, and according to his Mind and Will, though the Power thereof being Spiritual, appear not to us in the way of its Operation, but only as when the Effect is wrought, it appeareth to have had its Operation on the Confciences of Men by the Power of Chrift. It was on this Account that S. Paul I Cor. 10. 4. Speaking of the Power and Authority of his Apoftlefhip, and the Inftruments of his Miniftry acting against fin and finners, faith, The Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal, but Mighty through God, to the pulling down of Strong Holds, cafting down Imaginations, and every high thing, that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ: that is, The Difcipline and Cenfures of the Church. are not Weak and Contemptible, but Mighty, fuch as have a Force, through the Power of God upon the Confcience, for the Beating down all the Fortifications which Sin may have Raised in Men's Hearts to Defend it felf there, and Subduing the moft Refractory Offenders. Let Credit be given to S. Paul in this which he faith of this Act of the Ministry, that it is Mighty through God, a Divine Force accompanying it to render it Effectual upN

on

on Men's Consciences, and the usefulness therof cannot but appear from the Ends defigned it in the Church of Christ, and its effectually ferving thofe Ends, indeed the neceffity of it will hence appear. Among the known Ends of Difcipline in the Church the principal is the bringing of Sinners to Repentance, and to this End, of all the Means in the Gospel Miniftry, this is the most Efficacious. Preaching may fhew Men the guilt of Sin, and convince them, that without Repentance and Converfion, there is no Remiffion of Sin, nor hope of Everlasting Life: yet whilst Sinners are fuffered to live in the Society of the Faithful, and left to themselves to fet upon the Work of Repentance at their own time, and to fatisfic themselves only as to their fincerity therein, it is to be feared, they may endeavour to Reconcile the Hopes of Heaven with the Enjoyment of their Lufts; they may not be very strict in searching into themselves and their hearts, touching the fincerity of their Converfion, nor very fevere upon themfelves in taking Revenge upon themselves for that wherein they may have prefumptuously finned; But being admitted to the fame privileges with other Members of the Church, may prefume on God's Grace and Mercy; and though they continue in

Sin,

Sin, think nevertheless that they are as good Chriftians, and have as much right to Salvation as others, which is a most dangerous, but withal, a moft common Imagination. But when Difcipline and the Power which God hath given the Church over them that Tranfgrefs the Profeffion of Christianity after they have made it, fhall be employed to procure the Repentance of Sinners, to constrain them to a course that may be effectual toRepentance; to inftruct them in the work, and by meet helps forward them in it, or Exclude them the Communion of the Church if they refuse it, and therein difallow their Hopes, and pretenfions to God's Favour and Mercy, forafmuch as they have departed from that Profeffion which is the ground of a Christian's Confidence in God through Je fus Chrift:Men must be very much hardned in Sin, if when the Church Rebukes them with Authority, they will not be Reclaimed; if they refufe the courfe of Repentance when they fee they fhall not be spared, but that the Church hath power in readiness to Revenge their Difobedience, as S. Paul's Expreffion is; or at leaft, if when the Church fhall not think fit to allow them to partake with other Chriftians in the Sacrament that affures the Benefits of Chrift, they become not hence concerned

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