Answer. That were more and time, which in very deed no man would admit, all boasting themselves for household servants into his house: which even the very Idolaters have not done, crying out in their services, away away, be ye far of, O ye profane people: which thing also the Lord in times past so severely forbade, that he took it impatiently that strange fire should be occupied in his holy services: who also with so many outward laws commanded that even they which were unawares defiled, should first be purged before he admitted them into his house, & specially before he admitted them to the ceremony of the Passover: & shall that be thought now to be done lawfully under this colour, that every one shall be believed to come worthily to the Lords table, which having ⟨image 166⟩heard the Sermon shall rush thither? But I suppose that the Pastors ought necessarily to know the sheep even by the same order that reason it self hath appointed. First therefore for avoiding of profanation, I think that with a good conscience strangers are not to be admitted, altogether unknown to the Pastor: Moreover those whom age it self showeth not to be fit to make examination of them selves, indeed not as unworthy, but to be warned as yet not fit, least they heap upon them selves damnation. But of those that are grown in years none to be admitted, unless he have first after a sort rendered a reason of his Faith, as one not only borne in the Church of God, but as such a one of whom the Pastor may probably conjecture, to be a Christian, who must render account of all his sheep before the Lord. Last of all, I would account those for strangers by the word of God, whose hypocrisy by the just and lawful judgement of the Ecclesiastical presbytery shall be convicted to be such, that for a time they shall be inhibited from ⟨image 167⟩the common profession of Christianity, until they be found, heartily to acknowledge their sin, not that they should perish, but that at the least being enforced by shame, they might repent and amend, and so the whole Church might rejoice again of the receiving again of a sheep that had gone astray. I say and am ready to prove, that this hath been the order always kept, even until these times ever since the Church began, of severing the profane from the holy, and revealed hypocrites from the rest of professors of Christian religion.
Answeare. That were more and time, which in very deed no man would admit, all boasting themselues for housholde seruants into his howse: which euen the very Idolaters haue not done, crying out in theyr seruices, away away, be yee farre of, O ye proophane people: which thing also the Lorde in times past so seuerely forbad, that hee tooke it impaciently that strange fire shoulde be occupied in his holy seruices: who also with so many outwarde lawes commanded that euen they which were vnawares defiled, should first be purged before he admitted them into his house, & specially before he admitted them to the ceremonie of ye Passeouer: & shall that be thought now to bee done lawfully vnder this colour, yt euery one shalbe beleued to come worthily to the Lordes table, which hauing ⟨image 166⟩heard the Sermon shall rushe thither? But I suppose that the Pastours ought necessarily to knowe the sheepe euen by the same order that reason it selfe hath appointed. First therfore for auoyding of prophanation, I think that with a good conscience straungers are not to be admitted, altogether vnknowen to the Pastour: Moreouer those whom age it selfe sheweth not to be fit to make examination of them selues, indeede not as vnworthie, but to bee warned as yet not fit, least they heape vppon them selues damnation. But of those that are growen in yeeres none to be admitted, vnlesse hee haue first after a sort rendred a reason of his Fayth, as one not onely borne in the Church of God, but as such a one of whome the Pastour may probably coniecture, to be a Christian, who must render account of all his sheepe before the Lorde. Last of all, I would accompt those for strangers by the word of God, whose hypocrisie by the iust and lawfull iudgement of the Ecclesiasticall presbytery shalbe conuicted to be such, that for a tyme they shall be inhibited from ⟨image 167⟩the common professiō of Christianitie, vntil they be found, heartily to acknowledge their sinne, not that they shoulde perish, but that at the least being enforced by shame, they might repent and amende, and so the whole Church might reioyce againe of the receiuing agayne of a sheepe that had gone astray. I say and am ready to prooue, that this hath bene the order alwayes kept, euen vntill these tymes euer since the Church began, of seuering the prophane from the holy, and reuealed hypocrites from the rest of professors of Christian religion.
