.. Difcipline of Chrift's Church, and to Charge bome the Neglect of the Administration of what is, wherefoever the fault lies: Provi ded it be with deference and submission to Superiors, that they be allowed their Right to judge whether the Time be proper and Safe to make an Attempt towards the regain ing this Difcipline to the Church, (I mean fafe in reference to the Intreft of God's Church and the Unity thereof, not in reference to the Worldly Intreft of the Perfons concerned to act for the Church at their ut moft Peril and Hazard in every proper and needful Time) as alfo what means are to be ufed, as well for procuring the Establish ment thereof, as for the rendring it Effer itual when Establish'd. The only Offence that I need fear my self to bave given is in this, That I have une dertaken a Defign of this Confequence and am not able to go through with it as it deferves; which may indeed give Offence to Good Men, and which is worse, be a Prejudice to the Rights of God's Church: But I think this, That no Instrument is infufficient in the hands of God, who often chooses the Meaneft, that it may appear to be his Work, and that the Praife may be to God and not to Man; And if the Thing be from him that I ftand up for, he will stay up the Feeble and Heavy Hands that are held up for the Truch, Truth, even till, it shall have prevailed. I likewife think that there are many good? Men (Zealous for the Caufe of God and his Church) ready at hand to strengthen that. which in me is weak; and that fuch will excufe my weakness on the Score of my having appeared forward to do to the utmost of my Ability THE Church of England's WISH, In Reference to the Reftoring of Primitive Discipline, &c. T СНАР. І. HE Church of England (as it's well known) in the Commination against Sinners, hath declared a great Zeal for the renewing of that Ancient Difcipline of Penance which was in Force in the Primitive Church. Its Words are thefe: "Brethren, In the Priἐσ mitive Church there was a Godly Difcipline, that at the beginning of Lent; "fuch Perfons as ftood convicted of noto"rious Sin, were put to open Penance, B is and “and punished in this World, that their "Souls might be faved in the Day of the Lord; and that others admonish'd by "their Example, might be the more afraid to offend. Instead whereof, (until the "faid Difcipline may be restored again "which is much to be wished) it is thought good, &c. Concerning which Difcipline, in one of the Homilies it faith thus. Homily of In the Primitive Church, which was "most holy and godly, and in the which due the Right Ule of the Difcipline with Severity, was used against the Wicked, open Offenders were not "fuffered once to enter into the House of "the Lord, nor admitted to Common"Prayer, and the ufe of the Holy Sacraci ments, with other true Chriftians, until they had done open Penance before the "whole Church. And this was practised "not only upon mean Perfons, but upon "the Rich, Noble, and Mighty Perfons, " yea, upon Theodofius, that puiffant and mighty Emperor'; whom for committing a grievous and wilful Murder, St. Ambrofe Bishop of Milain reproved fharply, "and did alfo Excommunicate the faid Emແ peror, and brought him to open Penance. "And they that were fo juftly exempted "and banished (as it were) from the "House of the Lord, were taken, as they "be indeed, for Men divided and fepara ted "ted from Chrift's Church, and in most ર dangerous Estate, yea, as St. Paul faith, 66 even given unto Satan the Devil for a "time, and their Company was fhunned ❝ and avoided of all Godly Men and Women, until fuch time as they by Repen66 tance and Publick Penance were recon"ciled. Thus was the Practice, as it faith afterwards, When Religion was most Pure, and nothing fo Corrupt as it hath been of late days. Comparing this in the Homily with that Paffage in the Commination against Sinners, there is Reason to conclude, That the Church apprehended Discipline to be of Primitive Practice, ufed in the Pureft Times of Chriftianity; to be likewife neceffary and useful for the Good of Souls, for the well Government of Christians in Godliness, and for reducing Sinners to the Way of Righteousness; and that this was the true Ground of the Defire expreffed for its being reftored. This the Expedient devised and used by the Church in its ftead, until that may be effected, does alfo plainly fhew. For to what End ferveth the Commination against Sinners, but by Threats of God's Judgments (which 'tis a vain thing for any guilty Soul not to think, or not to acknowledge due to its Sins) to awaken Men to do of themfelves that which the B 2 Difci |