A second admonition to the parliament

Neither may any other church receive him / till he have satisfied that church / but the¹ minister and consistory of that church / whereto he newly repaireth / shall inquire from whence he came / and have testimony from thence / and not admit him / no more then the other church / or if otherwise / to answer it at some conference or council provincial / or national. And besides / the civil magistrate / the nurse and foster father o• the church / shall do well to provide some sharp punishment for those that contemn this censure and discipline of the church / for no doubt it is in the degree of blasphemy / of a heathen our saviour saith / that renounceth God / and Christ / and thus much of that. A Deacon is an officer of the church for the behoof of the poor / chosen to this office by the congregation / by such means as afore is prescribed in the choice of Elders / by advise and consent / being a noted man for godly judgement / and faithfulness / as it is plain out of the scriptures / that such a one he should be. His office is to visit the poor in deed / to look ⟨p. 50⟩diligently what they lack / and how many they be / and what be their names / and to certify the Consistory / or such a number in one parish they may be / that they shall need a general contribution / and then the deacon / or deacons / with those of the Consistory afore named / may certify the council provincial / that a provision may be levied for the sustentation of those pore / which provision shall be delivered into these deacons §10hands / to be distributed and turned to y• behoof of that pore / and to give an account of that they distribute / and the rest in their hands to their own Consistory / for that which is collected there / or they / and those of the consistory / as afore / to certify it to the council provincial / for the general contribution / how it is truly employed. This office howsoever papistry hat•e converted / or perverted it / is an office needful / and commanded to the church of God / used by² the Jews before the coming of Christ / Christ §20