The admonished must, in good manners, abstain from the Communion, and must goe on to satisfie the Church, else Excommunication follows. Admonition. tion. [p. 13.] The excommunicate is held as an Heathen and Publican: Yet it hath been declared at Boston in divers cases, that Excommunicachildren may eate with their parents excommunicate; that an elected Magistrate excommunicate may hold his place, but better another were chosen; that an hereditary Magistrate, though excommunicate, is to be obeyed still in civill things; that the excommunicate person may come and heare the Word, and be present at Prayer, so that he give not publique offence, by taking up an eminent place in the Assembly: But at New-haven, alias Quinapeag, where Master Davenport is Pastor, the excommunicate is held out of the meeting, at the doore, if he will heare, in frost, snow, and raine. Most an-end, in the Bay, they use good moderation, and forbearance in their censures: Yet I have known a Gentlewoman excommunicate, for some indiscreet words, with some stifnesse maintained, saying, A brother, and others, she feared, did conspire to arbitrate the price of Joyners worke of a chamber too high, and endeavouring to bring the same into civill cognizance, not proceeding to take two or three to convince the party, and so to tell the Church, (though the first told the party of it) and this without her husband. I feare she is not yet absolved; I am sure she was not upon the third of August last, when we loosed from Boston. causes. There hath been some difference about jurisdictions, or cognizance of causes: Some have held, that in causes betweene breth- Cognizance of ren of the Church, the matter should be first told the [p. 14.] Church, before they goe to the civill Magistrate, because all causes in difference doe VOL. III. THIRD SERIES. 10 amount, one way or other, to a matter of offence; and that all criminall matters concerning Church members, should be first heard by the Church. But these opinionists are held, by the wiser sort, not to know the dangerous issues and consequences of such tenets. The Magistrates, and Church-leaders, labour for a just and equall correspondence in jurisdictions, not to intrench one on the other, neither the civill Magistrates to be exempt from Ecclesiasticall censure, nor the Ministers from Civill: & whether Ecclesiasticall, or Civill power first begin to lay hold of a man, the same to proceed, not barring the other to intermeddle. Every Church hath power of government in, and by it selfe; and no Church, or Officers, have power over one another but by way Churches inde pendent. of advice or counsaile, voluntarily given or besought, saving that the generall Court, now and then, over-rule some Church matters: and of late, divers of the Ministerie have had set meetings to order Church matters; whereby it is conceived they bend towards Presbyterian rule. In Boston, they rule, most an-end, by unanimous consent, if they can, both in admissions, Difference of rule and censures, and other things. In Salem, they rule by the major part of the Church: You that are so minded hold up your hands; you that are otherwise minded, hold up yours. A better Consis In Boston, when they cannot agree in a matter, they will sometimes referre it to some Consistory. select brethren [p. 15.] to heare and tory is, and may end, or to certifie the Church, and any be constituted in brethren, that will, to be present at the England. discusse in private. Some Churches have no ruling Elders, some but one, some but one teaching Elder, some Difference in num- have two ruling, and two teaching El i ders; some one, some two or three Deacons; some hold that one, Minister is enough for a small number of people; No Church there hath a Deaconesse, as far as I know. ease. Where farmes or villages are, as at Rumney-marsh and Marblehead, there a Minister, or a brother of one of the congregations of Chappels of Boston for the Marsh, and of Salem for Marblehead, preacheth and exerciseth These, you see, prayer every Lords day, which is called are necessary in prophesying in such a place. And it England in some SO places. : was heretofore at Mountwoollaston within or Also when a Minister preacheth abroad, in another congregation, the ruling Elder of the place, after the Psalme sung, saying Prophesying, publiquely; If this present brother hath Preaching by any word of exhortation for the people, Licence. at this time, in the name of God let him say on; this is held prophesying. Also It ought not to the confessions or speeches made by in England. members to be admitted, have beene by be otherwaies some held prophesying, and when a brother exerciseth in his [p. 16.] own congregation (as at Salem they doe sometimes) taking a text of Scripture, and handling the same according to his ability. Notwithstanding, it is generally held in the Bay, by some of the most grave and learned men amongst them, that none should undertake to prophesie in publique, unlesse he intend the worke of the Min * Universities, Cathedrals, Churches. istery, and so in some places, as in 1 Cor. 13. 2. sion, or permission, because prophecie properly hath its denomination from * understanding propheticall Scriptures, which to know discreetly to handle, requireth good learning, skill in tongues, great fidelity, and good conscience. Thouse The publique worship. HE publique worship is in as faire a meeting as they can provide, wherein, in most places, they have beene at great charges. Every Sabbath or Lords day, they come together at Boston, by wringing of a bell, about nine of the clock or before. The publique worship. morning. Every Sunday The Pastor begins with solemn prayer continuing about a quarter of an houre. The Teacher then readeth and expoundeth a Chapter; Then a Psalme is sung, which ever one of the ruling Elders dictates. After that the Pastor preacheth a Sermon, and sometimes ex tempore exhorts. Then the Teacher concludes with prayer and a blessing. ✔ Once a moneth is a Sacrament of the Lords SupLords Supper. per, whereof notice is given usually a fortnight [p. 17.] before, and then all others departing save the Church, which is a great deale lesse in number then those that goe away, they receive the Sacrament, the Ministers and ruling Elders sitting at the Table, the rest in their seats, or upon forms: All cannot see the Minister consecrating, unlesse they stand up, and make a narrow shift. The one of the teaching Elders prayes before, and blesseth, and consecrates the Bread and Wine, according to the words of Institution; the other prays after the receiving of all the members: and next Communion, they change turnes; he that began at that, ends at this: and the Ministers deliver the Bread in a Charger to some of the chiefe, and peradventure gives to a few the Bread into their hands, and they deliver the Charger from one to another, till all have eaten; in like manner the cup, till all have dranke, goes from one to another. Then a Psalme is sung, and with a short blessing the congregation is dismissed. Any one, though not of the Church, may, in Boston, come in, and *see without one of saw the adminis the Sacrament administred, if he will: * Once I stood But none of any Church in the Country the doores, and may receive the Sacrament there, with looked in, and out leave of the congregation, for which tration: Besides, purpose he comes to one of the ruling ble relation of all Elders, who propounds his name to the the particulars congregation, before they goe to the members. Sacrament. I have had credi from some of the Afternoone. Baptisme. About two in the after-noone, they repaire to the meeting-house againe; and then the Pastor begins, as before noone, and a Psalme being [p. 18.] sung, the Teacher makes a Sermon. He was wont, when I came first, to reade and expound a Chapter also before his Sermon in the afternoon. After and before his Sermon, he prayeth. After that ensues Baptisme, if there be any, which is done, by either Pastor or Teacher, in the Deacons seate, the most eminent place in the Church, next under the Elders seate. The Pastor most commonly makes a speech or exhortation to the Church, and parents concerning Baptisme, and then prayeth before and after. It is done by washing or sprinkling. One of the parents being of the Church, the childe may be baptized, and the Baptisme is into the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost. No sureties are required. Which ended, follows the contribution, one of the Deacons saying, Brethren of the congre- Contribution. gation, now there is time left for contribution, wherefore as God hath prospered you, so freely offer. Upon some extraordinary occasions, as |