The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

4. IT is required, that the case of the Person to be censured as unto his profession of Repentance on the one hand, or obstinacy on the other, be judged and determined by the whole Church in love and compassion. There are few who are so profligately wicked, but that, when the Sin wherewith they are charged, is evidently such in the Light of Nature and Scripture, and when it is justly proved against them, they will make some profession of Sorrow and Repentance. Whether this be sufficient, as in most cases it is, to suspend the present proceeding of the Church, or quite to lay it aside, is left unto the judgment of the Church it self, upon consideration of present Circumstances, and what is necessary unto its own Edification. Only this Rule must be continually observed, that the least appearance of haste or undue precipitation herein, is to be avoided in all these cases, as the bane of Church-Rule and Order.

AGAIN, The manner of its Administration, according to the mind of Christ, may be considered. And hereunto are required, (1.) Prayer, without which it can no way be administered in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Administration of any solemn Ordinance of the Gospel, without Prayer, is an horrible profanation of it. And the neglect or contempt hereof, in any who take upon them to Excommunicate others, is an open Proclamation of the nullity of their Act and Sentence. And the observation of the Administration of it without any due Reverence of God, without solemn invocation of the Name of Christ, thereby engaging his Presence and Authority in what they do, is that principally which hath set the Consciences of all mankind at liberty from any concernment in this Ecclesiastical Censure; and whence those that Administer it expect no other success of what they do, but what they can give it by outward force. And where this fails, Excommunication is quickly laid aside. As it was when the Pope threatened the Cantons of the Swissers, that if they complied not with some of his Impositions, he would Excommunicate them; whereon they sent him word they would not be Excommunicated, which ended the matter. Wherefore, when our Lord Jesus Christ gives unto his Church the power of binding and loosing, directing them in the exercise of that power, he directs them to ask assistance by Prayer, when they are gathered together,