s
kept by some one appointed for that service, or that hath voluntarily
undertaken it. These meetings are opened and usually concluded in their
solemn waiting upon God, who is sometimes graciously pleased to answer
them with as signal evidences of his love and presence, as in any of
their meetings of worship.

It is further to be noted, that in these solemn assemblies for the
churches' service, there is no one presides among them after the manner
of the assemblies of other people; Christ only being their President, as
he is pleased to appear in life and wisdom in any one or more of them, to
whom, whatever be their capacity or degree, the rest adhere with a firm
unity, not of authority, but conviction, which is the divine authority
and way of Christ's power and Spirit in his people: making good his
blessed promise, "that he would be in the midst of his, where and
whenever they were met together in his name, even to the end of the
world." So be it.

Now it may be expected, I should here set down what sort of authority is
exercised by this people, upon such members of their society as
correspond not in their lives with their profession, and that are
refractory to this good and wholesome order settled among them: and the
rather, because they have not wanted their reproach and sufferings from
some tongues and pens, upon this occasion, in a plentiful manner.

The power they exercise, is such as Christ has given to his own people,
to the end of the world, in the persons of his disciples, viz. To
oversee, exhort, reprove, and, after long suffering and waiting upon the
disobedient and refractory, to disown them, as any longer of their
communion, or that they will stand charged with the behaviour of such
transgressors, or their conversation, until they repent. The subject
matter about which this authority, in any of the foregoing branches of
it, is exercised, is, first, in relation to common and general practice.
And, secondly, about those things that more strictly refer to their own
character and profession, and which distinguish them from all other
professors of Christianity; avoiding two extremes upon which many split,
viz. persecution and libertinism, that is, a coercive power to whip
people into the temple; that such as will not conform, though against
faith and conscience, shall be punished in their persons or estates; or
leaving all loose and at large, as to practice; and so unaccountable to
all but God and the magis