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CHAP. IX.

;

T must not be expected from me to fay now in the Clofe of this Discourse,what Things are neceffary to retrieve Difcipline to its Frimitive State and Ufe in the Church. This our Governours are to confult and. account for. The Thing I shall take upon me to say, is, That an Attempt of this nature ought to be made. Not but that it must be faid also for the Honour of the first Reformers of our Church, and of the Reformation in it That as our Reformation hath been of the greatest Service to Christianity, in removing thofe grofs and vile Abuses that were crept into the Difcipline of the Church in times of Popery (which not only had perverted it from the ufe it ought to have in the Church of Chrift, but fo changed it, that instead of being a means to reform, it became the occafion of a farther Corruption in the Lives and Manners of Chriftians): So our Church cometh confiderably nearer to the Apoftolical Institution in her Difcipline than most others; as

hay

having retained the use of Excommunication, and fome use alfo of Penance, having a Canon that Notorious Offenders be not admitted to the Communion, and a particular Order to Parochial Ministers to refuse fuch. Nevertheless the Church has owned that there is a great Defect in her Discipline, in that he could not reftore Publick Penance, and lamenteth that she could not bring about her Aim in this for a full Reformation. This we may fuppose would not have been mentioned, but with hope that in future time there would be an Endeavour and might be an Opportunity for that to be compaffed (which then could not be brought to pafs) for the Interest of Religion and the Church of God. 'Tis not however for private Perfons to make any attempt towards fo good a Purpose, any farther than by their Prayers, that God would put it into the Hearts of thofe to whom he has committed the Care and Government of his Church, to confider of means by which the Difcipline of Chrift may be restored in his Church, and the Authority and Power of the Church retrieved for the exercise of it to the ends of Religion and Reformation: And that God would please to infpire them with Godly Zeal and Chri

stian Courage to use all proper and just Endeavours in fo good a work.

What I may fpeak more freely in, as I hope, without Offence on the part of others, fo without fear of giving it, or having it taken on my own, is this: That there is a very great and unexcufable fault, that the Difcipline which the prefent Church of England hath Received and Established by its Rules and Canons, and Charged upon thofe that act in its Miniftry, is not executed to its due Purpose and End in the Church of God. Whether this be chargeable on those that act in the Ministry, or on them that perhaps not difown, but flight and defpife the Power of the Ministry, and will not be fubject to wholfom Difcipline, or on both; I fay, notwithstanding that it would be hard to fix the blame of this folely on the Ministry, both Ministers and People being in fault, both Corrupted together, and alike; nevertheless it more especially concerneth all who have any part in the Ministry of this Church, to fee the Difcipline of the Church be brought to fome better effect than it is at prefent, and that those Abufes, Corruptions, and Defects that are but too vifible in the Miniftration thereof, (and are the occafion that for the most part it

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is fet afide; or where ufed, not to the purpose it should be in the Church of Chrift, but in a manner that giveth Offence to good Chriftians, and Advantage to those that are otherwife to Reproach and Contemn the Discipline it felf, together with them that act therein) be removed, and fuch Remedy found, fuch Courfe taken that the Difcipline of the Church may be Executed with Authority and become effectual to Chriftian Purpofes. I will take the liberty therefore here to 'fay, that it is a fault of the Clergy in general, that there is not that done which is in our Power to do, not indeed that which by the Eftablished Rules of our Church we are obliged to do for the making the Discipline thereof of some effect, to put a Reftraint on the Looseness and great Corruption of the Age. It is our fault that we do not make ufe of that Authority and Power which we have, and may be fupported in from the Laws of the Land as well as of the Church; that I mean, of debarring and keeping back Notorious Evil Livers from the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, and Rubrick in fuch as are perceived to live in Malice and the Order Hatred, which the Rubrick impowers us 22 for damito do, and ftrictly enjoyns to be done. of the And the Reverend Bishops of or Church Lord's Sup

niftration

per.

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to whom all Curats are to give notice of thofe whom they fo repel, finding, I believe, very few Notices of this kind fent them, have but too much Reason to think that little or nothing of this kind is done, and confequently to require an account of it, and give Charge to their Clergy concerning it; reprefenting the Duty incumbent on them, as they are entrusted with the Miniftration of the Sacraments of Christ's Church, and the encreafe of Wickedness among Chriftian Profeffors through their Remilnefs and Neglect of Duty in this particular. I shall alfo defire Leave to fay, That 'tis incumbent on the Reverend Bifhops of our Church and all others, acting with Authority in the jurifdiction thereof, to make their Vifitations to the purpose and effect they were defigned in the Church of Chrift, the Reformation of the Church and all its Members. 'Tis but too visible to all the World that Vifitations have not their wished effect to the ends of Refor. mation. It must not be faid that the whole fault lies in them that have the Government of the Church, that these, from partial regards, from fome or other weak and Carnal Confiderations are defective in their Duty. Something of this may be, and this may be in part the cause that

Discipline