Though it has not been without concern, that I have held this debate with fo Reverend a Prelate of our own Church, especially, because I may not hold him as an Enemy, but a Friend in the cause of Church-Discipline, which he hath argued much for in divers places of that his Book: Which nevertheless bearing the Title of an Expofition of the 39 Articles of the Church of England, should in that respect be thought to have delivered the Senfe of Our Church, concerning thofe Scriptures, when they fell under confideration in any of the Articles that relate to the Govern- . ment, Authority or Difcipline of the Church. And if there were Reason to think the Church understood them in the Senfe of the Bishop; I must not hope my Arguments fhould prevail with thofe that have share in the Ministry of the Church, to acknowledge themselves under any fuch obligation, to restore a Discipline therein, as I pretend them to be. This therefore, and my present undertaking, obliging me to feek beyond the usefulness and advantage of Discipline, a foundation for it in Scripture, (feeing that the Expediency thereof, or its Congruity to the Design of the Christian Religion, may not be looked on as fufficient of it felf, to oblige, the Church otherwife to restore it) have been

the

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the fole Motives prevailing with me to undertake to retrieve thefe Scriptures to the Senfe, which in the Church of Chrift they have generally been understood in, and which the Practice of the Apostles, and of the whole Church inferreth.

Having thus far fhewed the Founda

tion of Ecclefiaftical Power, and therein confequently of Difcipline the chief Act thereof, to have been laid by our Lord Chrift himself; 'twill be now requifite that we look into the Acts of the Apoftles and Difciples of our Lord thereupon; and likewife what Scriptures we have to fhew the Course and Order taken and fettled by them, for the Government of the Church, and for Dif cipline therein.

Now though our Lord Chrift himself, as hath been fhewn, gave this Power and Authority to his Church for Government and Discipline therein; yet we must not expect to find the Exercife of it, whilft himself was upon Earth, his Church not being as yet Gathered. And for the fame Reason the Acts of this Fower, it is to

be

be fuppofed were few, if any, for fome time after the Apostles began their Preaching of the Gospel upon our Saviour's Afcenfion; for though they might understand our Lord to have given a power to his Church, and knew themfelves entrusted with the discharge of it, yet they must also know their Commiffion could not take place until a Church in his Name were Gather'd and Form'd.The Apostles alfo and Difciples, continued in the Synagogue with the Jews for a time, while there was hope of gaining these over to Christianity; in which space, though they had separate Meetings, for which they were to do as Christians, yet the Body of the Church not being as yet Formed, there could not much appear of the Method and Way of Government therein. There is also a Reafon to be given why we have not many Inftances in the Scriptures of the New Teftament, of Offenders brought under Difcipline in the Church, or Cenfures upon the Refractory that would not: which is this, That the Chriftian Religion was then New, and the Churches not well Setled, and withal, those that then became Christians could not well come to the Church, but with a Refolution to undergo the Crofs, and fuffer Perfecution, (the Church then being Perfecuted on every

fide, hated alike by Jew and Gentile) and fuch a Refolution, 'tis likely, would not foon depart from the Christianity it had undertaken to live after, as well as conftantly to profefs; and fo the Offenders 'tis very probable were not many. Moreover, the Apostles had not only Power and Authority to Cenfure Tranfgreffors, but an extraordinary power to punish Hypocrites, and fuch as were fo wicked as to Despise God and his Church, and Disobey the Gospel of his Son, with Plagues, Dileafes, and Death, as in the Cafe of Ananias and Saphira, so that in their time few Hypocrites durft offer themfelves to become Chriftians; and the Profeffors of Christianity, it must be supposed had greater regard to live as their Holy Profeffion obliged them, in refpect of the imminent danger, fhould they tranfgrefs, and not walk after the holy Commandment delivered unto them. According to what is faid, Acts 5. 11. upon what befell Ananias and Saphira, that great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as heard these things. Morever, neither may we expect in the Instances that are of this nature in the New Testament, an account at large of the Course and Order taken by the Apostles, concerning Government and Discipline in the Churches of their Plant

ing,

ing, but only References therein to fome Course and Order taken. For neither do we find the whole of the Chriftian DoArine delivered together in any of these Scriptures, they being occafional Epiftles fent to Churches that were before Inftru Яted in Christianity, and had a Summary or Form of Doctrine delivered to them before, of which mention is often made, and frequent reference thereto had therein. And fo the Order taken, and Course setled in the Churches about Government and Dif. cipline, is not to be fuppofed expressed, but referred to as occafion was, from the matter and subject about which the Apofles had occafion to Write to the Churches. But nevertheless thefe References are as much an Evidence of an Order fetled to this purpose, as if we had that Order it felf before our Eyes. Because it could not be, that the Apostles could write to their Churches, and refer to fuch Order or Course if fuch had not been, or had not been alfo fuch as their Writings intimate them. So that what we may gather to have been part of fuch Orders from Intimations in the Apostles Writings referring thereto, we have confequently the fame reason to believe, as if we had the Order extant in their Writings, and therein faw it to be part. For believing the Apo

ftles