That common and popular discipline consisteth chiefly in these matters: first, for the beginning, when any is received into the church, he must learn to know God, and Christ, and to call upon him, and to understand what is his will. This is done by catechizing, wherein every one is taught the sum of christian religion: and being taught, he must profess his faith before the whole congregation, & promise obedience unto Christ and to his church according to the doctrine of the gospel. Then, 1because not to go forward in the way of god is to go backward: therefore they which are godly, that they may truly proceed, and go on in godliness, must often frequent the holy assemblies at appointed times and places, and give themselves to hear the word of God, & make prayers with others, and practise charitable deeds towards the poor bestowing their gifts and oblations liberally. But seeing even in our proceeding we do all fall, some more grievously and with greater offence to ⟨p. 237⟩the church, some less grievously, therefore the third part consisteth in the censure of our lives and actions: namely that every one be subject to the censure, 2all the time of his life, & yield unto brotherly correction. And if any have fallen into a grievous fault, known unto the congregation, and being reprehended, hath not truly repented, for which cause he may deserve to be driven forth of the church for a time, and to be bound, until he make amends, and till he make public signification to the church of his true repentance: let such a brother be excluded out of the church, and be bound: but when he hath repented, let him be loosed, received into favour, and admitted into his former communion. This is the first discipline, the end whereof is, that every one should live unto God, and at last also dye in the Lord Jesus.
That common and popular discipline consisteth chiefly in these matters: first, for the beginning, when any is receiued into the church, he must learne to know God, and Christ, and to call vpon him, and to vnderstand what is his will. This is done by catechizing, wherein euerie one is taught the summe of christian religion: and being taught, hee must professe his faith before the whole congregation, & promise obedience vnto Christ and to his church according to the doctrine of the gospel. Then, 1because not to go forward in the way of god is to goe backward: therefore they which are godly, that they may truely proceed, and goe on in godlinesse, must often frequent the holy assemblies at appointed times and places, and giue themselues to heare the word of God, & make prayers with others, and practise charitable deedes towards the poore bestowing their gifts and oblations liberally. But seing euen in our proceeding wee doe all fall, some more greeuously and with greater offence to ⟨p. 237⟩the church, some lesse greeuouslie, therefore the third part consisteth in the censure of our liues and actions: namely that euerie one bee subiect to the censure, 2all the time of his life, & yeeld vnto brotherly correction. And if any haue fallen into a greeuous fault, knowne vnto the congregation, and being reprehended, hath not truely repented, for which cause hee may deserue to bee driuen forth of the church for a time, and to be bound, vntill he make amends, and till he make publike signification to the church of his true repentance: let such a brother be excluded out of the church, and be bound: but when he hath repented, let him be loosed, receiued into fauour, and admitted into his former communion. This is the first discipline, the ende whereof is, that euerie one should liue vnto God, and at last also dye in the Lord Iesus.
- 1Rom. 10.10 Mat. 28.20.
- 2Mat. 18.15 1. Tim. 5.20
