Churches of New-England, for the Ufe of fuch Letters. And unto that Queftion, Whether fuch Letters are not requifite in the Tranflation of Members from one Church unto another? the Incomparable Voetius anfwers, Ita babet ordo Ecclefiafticus, et laudabili more obtinet in Ecclefiis Belgicu. Church Order does require them; and the Dutch Churches do obferve them.

Inafinuch as many Church-Members, when they have Removed unto other Churches, without a Profpect of a Return, have been too Negligent in feeking for an Explicit and Orderly Tranflation, it is a Practice taken up, That the Churches Defire and Entrust their Pastors to fend unto fuch Perfons the Difmiffion which they fhould have asked for, and oblige them therewith to join themselves in the moft regular Manner to the Churches, with which they have now a fixed Abode; and let them know, it will be an Offence, if they do, without a very valid Reafon, delay to do it.

He that has thefe Letters of Difmiffion, is yet Actually a Member of the Church that gives them, until he be actually joined unto another; capable of a Voting with it, and liable to the Cenfures of it. But being thus furnished with Letters, like thofe written of old, on the behalf of Apollos to the Disciples of Achaia, Exhorting them to receive bim ; or like thofe written for Marcus to the Coa loffians; or, like thofe forPbabe to the Romans; he carries them to the Paftor of the Church where he now refides; and the Paftor propounds to the Church the Defire of this Perfon:: Whereupon, noObjection occur, he reads unto the Church 10 w the

the Letters of Difmiffion, and puts them upon figni fying their Willingrefs to receive the Perfon thus difiniffed unto their Communion, bv lifting up their Hands. This being done, he repeats unto the Perfon, the Substance of the Church Covenant, and upon his Confent thereunto, he declares the Promife of the Church to acknowledge him with all Chriftian Regards in their Sacred Fellowship.

They that have gone yet no further than the Covenant of Baptifm, for themselves and theirs, upon a Removal are to carry fome Certificate from their Paftor unto him under whofe Miniftry they are now to refide; which qualifies them to demand Baptifm for their Children, which may be there born unto them: and alfo entitles the Church there, to proceed with Rebukes upon them in Cafe of their falling into any Scanda lous Offences.

3. In the Primitive Church there was a Godly Difcipline, that fuch Perfons as were notorious Sinners, were put to open Penance in this World, that their Souls may be faved in the Day of the Lord, and that others admonished by their Exemple, might be more afraid to offend. Now as the Churches of New England, were at first planted, partly on the Defign of Obtaining and Maintaining the Exercife of fuch a Difcipline; A Defign for which they ap prehended, they had a fufficient Warrant of our SAVIOUR; So this Difcipline has been hitherto more or less exercised.

If one under the Covenant and Government of the Church; fall into a Scandalous Tranfgreffun a

4

gainft

gainst the Laws of our Holy Redeemer, and the Tranfgreffion be at once, and at first a Matter of publick Fame, the Paftor upon the Cry, reckons it his Duty to Enquire into it, and bring it immediately under an Ecclefiaftical Cognizance.

In the Primitive Churches, we find not only Schifm, Idolatry, Herefy, Covetousneß, Gluttony, Drunkenneß, Fornication, and Adultery, exprefly among Cenfurable Evils, [Quære, How did they convict any Man of Covetousneß; a Fault which ordinarily no Man ever thinks himself guilty of!] but also as Origen writes, All other Sins whatsoever. Cyprian therefore tells us, That not only, Gravif fima et extrema Delicta, Groffer Offences, but also, Minora Delicta, leffer ones, were Cenfured among them. The Churches of New-England have no exprefs and agreed Catalogue of the Crimes, that fhall expofe to Cenfures, except what is in the Bible it felf: But the Rule which they profefs,is, That an Ecclefiaftical Animadverfion belongs to fuch plain Trefpaffes against the Rules of a Godly, and a Sober, and a Righteous Life, as we may juftly Judge, that a Perfon under our Measures of Illumination cannot obftinately perfift in, without forfeiting an Intereft in the Kingdom of GOD. Such Opinions, and fuch Practices, as it may be our Duty to believe Confiftent with true PIETY, the Cenfures of the Churches do not animadvert upon. The Evangelical Church-State, being in fome fort the Kingdom of Heaven, the Churches of New-England endeavour to make theirs a Vifi ble Sermon to the World, upon the Requifites of Mens being received into Heaven at the laft. As in their Admiffions they ftudy Practically to

de

declare, Who shall abide in the Tabernacle of the Lord, and who shall dwell in his holy Hill; So in their Exclufions, 'tis their ftudy Practically to declare, What crooked Ways they are, which will procure Men to be led forth with the Workers of Iniquity; to declare, Who are thofe Workers of Deceit, which our Lord will not have to dwell in His Houfe. They have been willing to make Origen's Declaration, We use our utmoft Endeavour, that our Affemblies may be compofed of Wife and Good. Men.

Indeed, while no body queftions, Whether profane Swearing and Curfing, evident Sabbath-breaking, Drunkenneß, Fighting, Fornication and all Scandalous Unchaftities, Cheating, Stealing, an Abandonment unto Idleneß, Lying, unrighteous Defamations, and fuch Herefies as manifeftly overturn the Foundations of the Chriftian Religion and of all PIETY, are Cenfurable Evils; the Churches have fometimes had fome Difficulties, about Precocious Nativites. But if a Child evidently come to the Growth which Nine Months, are ordinarily allowed for, be born within about Seven Months after Marriage, it is ordinarily expected, that the Fault of an Unlawful Congreß be publickly and penitently acknowledged; except the fufpected Perfons offer a Purgation by an Oath, or a Declaration that fhall be equivalent, for their Innocency. But the Birth may be fo Premature, that no fuch Purgation may be admitted of

But a fcandalous Offence against Wisdom and Goodneß arifing, 'tis thus proceeded with.

The

The Paftor fends for the Delinquent, and ufually he defires a few of the chief Brethren to be with him in the Action; and enquiring into the Merit of the Caufe, he finds one of thefe to be necef fary. Either the Delinquent manifefteth himself fo fenfible of his Mifcarriage, that only a Publick Acknowledgement before the whole Church is to be expected from him; or elfe there is yet manifeft that hardneß of Heart, that bespeaks for him a publick Admonition.

When 'is judged that a public ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, may make the Plaister for the Wounds which the Tranfgreffor has given to Religion as broad as the Sore, he is pur either upon Writing of his Acknowledgement, (which is moft ufual) or upon speaking o it, as 'tis foreseen will be moft for Edification. And then in fome Congregation of the Faithful, either the Church alone (which is thought moft Advifeable where the Neighbourhood is very Populous, and full of Strangers) or the Reft of the Neighbourhood ftaying with the Church (which is the Cuftom. in moft Places ;) the Paftor gives the Church a true Report of the Scandal, and adds his Hope. of the Man's having Repented of it; who now appears before them, to teftify it with a Confeffion proper to the Occafion, which is then exhibited.: Thus, there was an Exomologefis enjoined on the Penitents in the Primitive Churches; and there: was that whereof. Tertullian fo. expreffes himself, Satisfactio Confeffione difponitur, Confeffione Pænitentia nafcitur. This being done, the Paftor puts it unto the Vote of their uplifted Hands, Whether they accept