Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

Every Natural Body, and Civil Body, or Society, hath a power to take in or cast out, such as are for the Benefit or Damage of the Community, to Enfranchise or Disfranchise when there is just cause. The Church is Christs Body, and a Society of visible Saints. Most Epistles to the Churches in Scripture were directed to the Saints at Rome, Rom. 1.7. at Corinth, 1 Epist. 1.2. and so on. Now if out of Custom, carnal Policy, Flattery, or other ill motive, the whole World must come into the Church, and the Church and the World (which lieth in wickedness, 1 John 5.19.) are one thing; then in cometh also the god of this World too, And will Christ have fellowship with Devils? If Swearers, Drunkards, and Unclean persons come in, it may be a Market-house, or House for Merchants, but not the Lords-house, John 2.16. A Drunken Saint, an Unclean Saint, a Swearing Saint, if they be not contradictions, yet they sound very harshly. No sin hath less tentation of gain or pleasure than Swearing and Cursing, and no sin more debaucheth the Conscience, and strips it even to Atheism of all reverence; and for Men to have no more pity on them than to let them cram damnation down their Throats, as soon as they have made the imprecation on themselves is dreadful. I remember an Ear-witness told me, he heard Dr. Ham. preach before King Charles the First, at Oxford, when his Affairs were at a low ebb, and he told him, While God-dam-me led the Van, and the Devil confound me brought up the Rear, he would be routed in all his designs. And they are very unlikely to be good Subjects to Princes who are open Rebels to the Laws of God and Men, and their own reason. But let us keep to the Rule, the Principles of Christs Kingdom are Rock and Steel, not calculated for the soft Meridians of this World, but can abide and stand in all times the same; they need not load the secular Arm to hold them up. Let us be faithful Executors of our Lords Will, not Law-makers or Testament-makers, for untempered Mortar will be always falling and fowling them who daub it up. Let us therefore stand fast in ⟨image 109⟩that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free; he and his Truth only can make us free from all Errors and mistakes,