Difcipline of Christ's Church, and to Charge home the Neglect of the Administration of what is, wherefoever the fault lies: Provided it be with deference and fubmiffion to Superiors, that they be allowed their Right to judge whether the Time be proper and Safe to make an Attempt towards the regaining 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 oncerned to act for the Church at their utmoft Peril and Hazard in every proper and needful Time) as alfo what means are to be used, as well for procuring the Establishment thereof, as for the rendring it Effedual when Establish'd. The only Offence that I need fear my Self to have given is in this, That I have undertaken 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 Inftrument 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 Truth, 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 fcore of my having appeared forward to do to the utmost of my Ability. THE THE Church of England's In Reference to the Reftoring T CHA P. I. HE Church of England (as it's 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 Pri"mitive Church there was a Godly Difci pline, that at the beginning of Lent, "fuch Perfons as ftood convicted of noto"rious Sin, were put to open Penance, B " 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 reftored again, "which is much to be wifhed) it is thought good, &c. Concerning which Difcipline, in one of the Homilies it faith thus. Homily of In the Primitive Church which was Ule of the "moft holy and godly, and in the which due 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 CommonPrayer, and the use of the Holy Sacraments, with other true Chriftians, until they had done open Penance before the "whole Church. And this was practised the Right Church. 66 66 not only upon mean Persons, 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. Am"brofe Bishop of Milain reproved fharply, "and did alfo Excommunicate the faid Em peror, and brought him to open Penance. "And they that were fo juftly exempted "and banished (as it were from the "Houfe of the Lord, were taken, as they "be indeed, for Men divided and fepara "ted "ted from Chrift's Church, and in most "dangerous Estate, yea, as St. Paul faith, " even given unto Satan the Devil for a "time, and their Company was fhunned and avoided of all Godly Merrand Wo " 66 men, until such 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 Homi ly 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 Righteoufnefs; and that this was the true Ground of the Defire expreffed for its being reftored. This the Expedient devifed and ufed 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 Judg ments (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& Difcis |