are not many that think it a difficulty to recover the Favour of God after wilful Sins, nor that are apprehensive that there is difficulty for a Man to assure himself, that the refolution of his Heart to live after God's Will for the future is fincere, or will be effectual and durable: But when the Difcipline of the Church removeth thofe Sinners from the Church that vifibly fail of the Profeffion made at their Baptifm, and maketh difficulty to Re-admit them, till they fhall have given fatisfaction of the fincerity of their Repentance; this muft fhew Sinners that they are not lightly to prefume for the pardon of thofe Sins, which the Church can hardly presume that a Man can repent him of enough; and that the renewing the Heart to a fincere and lafting Refolution of this kind is no cafie nor flight Work, which the Ministry of the Church has fo much ado to bring about, by a long and strict course of Penance. Befides, Difcipline in the Church is useful to more than those upon whom it is immediately exercifed. S. Paul intitimates to Timothy, that if they that fin are Rebuked before all, others will fear to fin in like manner; will have fear alfo in respect of their fecret Sins, which being known to God and their ownConfciences they cannot hope will be remitted, unless they

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forthwith betake themselves to that Repentance which the Church, concerned for the Salvation of Souls, would put them to, in case their Sins were known. It was this fear that put fo many good Christians heretofore upon bringing their fecret Sins to the Church for Cure, for their being better aflifted in the Work of Repentance, not having reafon to think, (upon fo good grounds as the fafety of the Soul requires) that they could of themfelves perform the Work of Repentance effectually without that help which the Ministry of God's Church might furnish. And if the fame fear do not again prevail, whenever Discipline fhall come in ufe in the Church, to make Men seek the Ministry of the Church in refpect of their fecret Sins; it will at least make every one concerned, voluntarily to charge himself with that Hu miliation that may mortify Sin in himself, and work fuch a change in his heart, that the fame fhall for the future deteft and hate Sin, as much, and more than it formerly loved it; inasmuch as otherwise a Man cannot affure himself of God's Pardon, feeing the Church will not become the Warrant of it to any but those that its Miniftry hath wrought to use the necessary means of Repentance. Moreover, Difcipline is useful and necessary for the Church

in General, to keep all the Members of, the Church in the way of their Duty, to preferve the Body pure, and likewife clear from Scandal; for both the Church and the Ministry thereof cannot be clear from Scandal if there be not a Difcipline thereint Reprove, Rebuke, and put away, if need be, Notorious Sinners from the Com munion of the Church. The Honour of the Chriftian Religion always fuffereth, when the Profeflors thereof live in Unrighteoufnefs: The Honour of the Church as a Society must therefore fuffer, if being conftituted a Society, to promote God's Service and the things that appertain to Godlinefs, it fhall do nothing as a Church, to reftrain the Wickedness of Men. Its Miniftry alfo muft lie under Reproach as tho' it were a Miniftry of Sin, if the Church be remifs in Difcipline; for how faithfully foever the Truth of Chrift be Preached according to the Tenour of his Commiffion, that Repentance and Remiffion of Sins fhould be Preached in his Name, the former as of absolute Neceffity in them that would affure their hope of the latter; yet if the Church in Miniftring the Sacraments, which are means of affuring and confirming the hope of Chriftians as to the Remiffion of their Sins, fhall not concern it felf to difcern how fit they are for them,

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that pretend to them; as alfo to procure that difpofition which maketh Men capable of forgiveness; refusing those that are visibly not qualified by Repentance, as its Ministry in this refpect is by no means truftily discharged; fo it giveth but too great advantage to Sinners to prefume on God's Mercy upon undue grounds, and bringeth blame on the Miniftry, as giving countenance and encouragement to Sin, and Sinners. So that the Honour of Religion, and of the Church of God, and the Reputation of its Miniftry will all fuffer through the neglect of Difcipline.

And yet alas! this Difcipline, though Cas hath been proved) of Divine Inftitution, having its beginning from the exprefs Laws of Chrift and his Apostles; though obferved with all firictness in the Primitive and Apoftolical Church; though given in Charge as a part of the Miniftry by the Apostles, and in it self moft neceffary, in refpect of fuch as may have Erred from the Truth and Righteoufnels, to reftore them and fave their Souls from Death, even effectual to inftruct them in Repentance unto Life; though alfo in its own nature of abfolute ufe to preferve Religi-. on in its Purity; is nevertheless in the prefent ftate of the Church discontinued and in a manner wholly difregarded, as though

though it never had been mentioned in that Scripture which we acknowledge for the Rule of Religion. And though the want of Discipline be an Evil that may be felt in the great Loofnefs and Irregu larity of the Manners of Chriftians, yet the Remedy is not looked after. There were Abuses its true, crept into the Dif cipline of the Church, even fuch as made that Difcipline not effectual to the Purpofes of its Inftitution; but the Question is, whether those Abuses ought to be remo ved, and Difcipline continued in the Church, or whether this be to be fet afide wholly for the fake of those. I am perfuaded, if the things be true, that have been premised upon grounds from Scripture, and the Practice of the Primitive Church, touching the Original Institution, and concerning alfo the Ends of Discipline and its Use in the Church of Christ, the Reformation of the, Church confifts in retaining Difcipline, and by removal of Abuses, reftoring it to its right ufe in the Church of Christ.

sBut before I come to prefs this home upon: those whom it will concern, I think it expedient to take notice of the decay of Difcipline in Chrift's Church, and the Abuses crept into its Practice; for that will fhew us what the Discipline of Chrift's A.; Church

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