in doing it, Thall determine its ufe in the Chriftian Church and its continuance fhall be neceflary as long as thefe purposes rémain, to which it may be useful.

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ERE is the place for me to take notice of the usefulness of Discipline 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 thofe 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 Exercife, or thofe Cenfures which pafs 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. Chrift as having power over the Souls and Confciences of Men, will think him. able to give Power and Efficacy to this as

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well as other Spiritual Institutions 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, buc only as when the Effect is wrought, ic 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 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 felf against the knowledge of God, and bringing into Captivity every thought to the Obedience of Chrift: that is, The Discipline 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 most 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

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on Men's Confciences, 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 neceflity of it will hence appear. mong 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 Gofpel Ministry, this is the most Efficacious. Freaching may fhew Men the guilt of Sin, and convince them, that without Repentance and Con verfion, there is no Remiffion of Sin, nor hope of Everlasting Life: yet whilst Sin, ners are fuffered to live in the Society of the Faithful, and left to themfelves to fet upon the Work of Repentance at their own time, and to fatisfie themfelves 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 ftrict in fearching 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, 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 most common Imagination. But when Difcipline and the Power which God hath given the Church over them that Tranfgrefs the Profeffion of Chriftianity after they have made it, fhall be employed to procure the Repentance of Sinners, to conftrain 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 Jefus Chrift: Men must be very much hardned in Sin, if when the Church Rebukes them with Authority, they will not be Reclaimed; if they refuse 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 Christ, they become not hence concerned N 2

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to affure and recover by repentance their hope in him; especially if finding themfelves under the Power of Satan, by being caft out of the Church of Chrift, his Terror, the Terror of their own Circum ftances, and the Terrors of the Lord, have not an influence on their Minds, so as to occafion their Sorrowing unto Repentance. It was this Sorrow, even fuch as produ ced Repentance to Salvation, according to God, wrought by the Cenfure inflicted on the Incestuous Perfon at Corinth by S. Paul's Epiftle. And tis reasonable to think, that the Repentance of Sinners will, in likelihood be more fincere and du rable by their going through the preferi bed Penance, and having not only the Inftructions, but Prayers alfo of the Church to affift them, and obtain the affiftances of God's Spirit for them, to make their Repentance Effectual. It is not every one that is fenfible what measure of Humiliation and Mortification is neceffary to Subdue the Corruptions and Lufts of a Heart defperately wicked, nor is it every one that knows it, that will of himself under༢༠ that Humiliation and Mortification that is neceffary: But the courfe of Humiliation, which the Church prefcribeth, humbleth the Hearts of Sinners, that they repent with perfect Repentance. There

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