Gospel-worship, or, The right manner of sanctifying the name of God in general and…

But now on the other side, if we be in a place where either this Congregation will not take upon them any such power to cast out unworthy ones, or are not convinced of this power, then there is no rule that Christ hath set, that we must he forced all our days to continue to be in such a Congregation as denies one of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ; if so be there be any such that are wicked, and we do first what we can to have them cast out, and we wait with patience in such a Congregation for to have them cast out, and yet we see that either the Congregation doth not understand that they have any such power, or deny such a power that they have, and so upon that all people are left in a mixed way, I say then there is no rule in all the Book of God that should force men to continue to be Members of such a Communion where they cannot enjoy one Ordinance of Jesus Christ, which is the Ordinance of Separating the precious from the vile, the Ordinance of casting out the wicked and ungodly. It where a very diseased body, and in danger quickly of the loss of life, to take in every thing into it, and to have no expulsive ⟨p. 238⟩faculty to purge any thing out again; so a congregation that is altogether without such an Ordinance as that is of expelling such as are wicked and ungodly; I say, I find no Scripture that doth force people, and require them as bound in conscience to continue there where they may not enjoy all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ, and the right understanding of what I saw now, will help us to answer all those Scriptures that are brought. As if it be that of Judas, first it is hard to make it out clear whether it were the Lords Supper that he received yea, or no: but suppose it be granted that he did, yet I make no question but such as Judas was, that shall continue to make such an outward profession as he did, and could not be discovered in the Church-way, but that we may receive with such as are close hypocrites.

But now on the other side, if we be in a place where either this Congregation will not take upon them any such power to cast out unworthy ones, or are not convinc'd of this power, then there is no rule that Christ hath set, that we must he forced al our dayes to continue to be in such a Congregation as denies one of the Ordinances of Jesus Christ; if so be there be any such that are wicked, and we doe first what we can to have them cast out, and we wait with patience in such a Congregation for to have them cast out, and yet we see that either the Congregation doth not understand that they have any such power, or deny such a power that they have, and so upon that all people are left in a mixt way, I say then there is no rule in all the Book of God that should force men to continue to be Members of such a Communion where they cannot enjoy one Ordinance of Jesus Christ, which is the Ordinance of Separating the precious from the vile, the Ordinance of casting out the wicked and ungodly. It where a very diseased body, and in danger quickly of the loss of life, to take in every thing into it, and to have no exexpulsive