Confirmation and restoration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…Confirmation and restauration the necessary means of reformation, and reconciliation; for the healing of…

2. And consider also how much this way would facilitate your course of Discipline: you would be much more clearly satisfied, who are your Church-members, and of your special charge, and on whom you are specially bound to exercise Discipline, and to whom you owe your special care and labour: and your people will be better satisfied then now they are, both of the quality, and regular reception of members, and who they be, to whom they owe the special Duty of members, and whom they are more specially bound to communicate their worldly goods in their necessity. How much uncertainty, confusion, dissatisfiedness and neglect of duty, remaineth in those Congregations, where this work is quite omitted, is obvious to common observations.

2. And consider also how much this way would facilitate your course of Discipline: you would be much more clearly satisfied, who are your Church-members, and of your special charge, and on whom you are specially bound to exercise Discipline, and to whom you owe your special care and labour: and your people will be better satisfied then now they are, both of the quality, and regular reception of members, and who they be, to whom they owe the special Duty of members, and whom they are more specially bound to communicate their worldly goods in their necessity. How much uncertainty, confusion, dissatisfiedness and neglect of duty, remaineth in those Congregations, where this work is quite ommitted, is obvious to common observations.

3. And if any should have a jealousy of this design, as seeming to set up the Congregational way of Covenanting, I entreat such to remember; 1. What an enemy to the Unity of the Church, and how unbeseeming a charitable Christian, a spirit of causeless jealousy is. 2. That it should be the more ⟨p. 224⟩grateful to you, because it is acceptable to your Brethren: If you are Lovers of Unity and Peace, you will be far from avoiding a Practice, because those hold it with whom you would be united, that is, because it tends to Unity; but rather you will be glad of such a healing means. 3. Consider that it is no more the Congregational mens Principle, then the Episcopal, Presbyterians and the Erastians. It is our common Principle, let us therefore make it our common Practice; an easy, a reasonable way of Agreement. The not Practising of this hath cast us into confusions; and the Practise of it must be it, that must restore our Church Order, and heal most of our Divisions. I know it is agreeable to your Judgments. I move you not to forsake your Principles, but to Practice them. Do but enrol those only for your Adult Church-members, that are Confirmed, or Approve, upon a personal credible Profession, of true Christianity, and consent to live under your Ministerial Discipline; and it will do more, then you can easily now apprehend, for an Union with your Brethren, and for the closing of the sad, and long-continued divisions of the Churches.