The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in…

It was in those days objected against them, Fratres non habent Ecclessam apertam, that their Churches were enclosures, and their Church doors were too strai•. But they knew that the Scripture calls the Church a Garden Enclosed, a Spring shut up, and a fountain Sealed. Cant 4 12 They were wont to Answer such as made that objection against them, Christ has taught […] that we must not give Holy things, Except to Holy Persons Religion (said they) is not to begin with the Sacrament, but with Repentance and Faith. And as Christ would not commit himself to all that Professed Faith, so neither must we. There are many that prove Abortive Christians, we must be as careful as we can, that we be not deceived with such Communicants▪ And therefore the Consciences of such as offer themselves to our Communion are to be searched into, and they must be tried concerning their sincerity again and again; and Observation made what Fruits that are Evidences of true Repentance do appear in them. This was the Doctrine: This was the Discipline of those famous Churches▪ Thus did they Practise for many years. But by reason of an Universal Toleration, and through Corruption in their Schools, they ⟨p. 6⟩degenerated, and wonderfully lost their Discipline, until the Jealousy of the Lord dissipated and destroyed them all. A late writer observes, that for the space of Forty years the Reformed Churches in France kept close to their Ecclesiastical Discipline, but after that they grew remiss. And what has God done to them all at this day? It was spoken to the Church in Ephesus, Rev. 2 4, 5. Thou hast left thy first Love, Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and do the first works, or else I will come to thee quickly, and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place. The Revelation was written Forty year• after the Church in Ephesus was first planted. The First Generation of Church Members in that time were doubtless the most of them dead: their Successors wanted the First Zeal for the ways of Christ wherein their Predecessors had Excelled. This at last issued in a Removal of the Candlestick.

It was in those dayes objected against them, Fratres non habent Ecclessam apertam, that their Churches were enclosures, and their Church doors were too strai. But they knew that the Scripture calls the Church a Garden Enclosed, a Spring shut up, and a fountain Sealed. Cant 4 12 They were wont to Answer such as made that objection against them, Christ has taught that we must not give Holy things, Except to Holy Persons Religion (said they) is not to begin with the Sacrament, but with Repentance and Faith. And as Christ would not commit himself to all that Professed Faith, so neither must we. There are many that prove Abortive Christians, we must be as careful as we can, that we be not deceived with such Communicants And therefore the Consciences of such as offer themselves to our Communion are to be searched into, and they must be tryed concerning their sincerity again and again; and Observation made what Fruits that are Evidences of true Repentance do appear in them. This was the Doctrine: This was the Discipline of those famous Churches Thus did they Practise for many years. But by reason of an Vniversal Toleration, and through Corruption in their Schools, they