THE externall Government and Discipline of Christ, (though it be not necessary to the being, yet it) is absolutely necessary to the well-being of a Church: So necessary, as that we cannot but be deeply affected with grief and sorrow, when we consider how long the through setling of it hath been delayed, (notwithstanding the Covenant we have taken, with hands lifted up to heaven, to endeavor a reformation in point of Discipline) and cannot but conceive it to be one chief reason of all the miseries that are now upon us; because those that have been in Authority amongst us, have laboured to build their own houses, and have suffered the house of God to lye waste. If Nehemiah sate down and wept, and mourned certain days, because the wall of Jerusalem was broken down, &c. Much more have we cause to mourn, that the wall of Zion is not yet reared up; for as a City without walls, a Sea without banks, a vineyard without a hedge, so is a Church without Discipline, and he that shall consider the multitude of Heresies and Blasphemies, the abundance of iniquities and abominations, that have crowded into the Church, whilest this wall hath been unbuilt, and this hedge unmade; cannot but take up the lamentation of David[4], though with a little difference,----Why hast thou suffered thy Vineyard to be without a hedge, so that all they which do passe by pluck her. The Boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild Beasts of the field devour it. Return, we beseech thee, O Lord of Hosts; look down from Heaven, and behold and visit this Vine, and the Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thy self, &c. And likewise to pray the prayer of the same Prophet in another place[5], Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion, and build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

The differences, we confess, about this wall, are very many, and so many, as that it would require a large Volume to treat of them; and it cannot be denyed, but these differences have been the great apple of strife for these many years: And although it be our design (as we have said) to heal and make up the breaches of this wofully divided Church, and not to widen and increase them; yet notwithstanding, we cannot without prejudice to the truth, to our selves, and to our respective Congregations, but give the world some short account of two opinions about Church-Government.

There are some, that although they have taken a Covenant, to endeavour the Reformation of the Church in Discipline, according to the Word, yet are not afraid to say; That there is no particular Church-Government set down in the Word; that the Christian Magistrate is the Fountain of all Church-power, and that to assert a jus divinum of Church-Government, is destructive to all political Government. Now though this Opinion prevail much withState-Divines, and with Christians that study worldly-policy, more then Scripture simplicity; And though it be likely (if God prevent not) to swallow up in a short time, all other Opinions about Church Government: And though the asserting of a jus divinum in Church-Discipline, be with some men, the only heresie not to be tolerated, and more hated, then the abomination of desolation, standing in the holy place, was by the Jews; yet notwithstanding, we hold it our duties, especially in these times, to make it known to all our respective Congregations.

1. That Jesus Christ, as King and Head of his Church, hath appointed a particular Government in his Church.

2. That the Christian Magistrate, is not the originall of Church Government. Which two particulars, we shall endeavour with great brevity and perspicuity, to make out unto all unprejudiced Christians. And first.

1. That there is a particular Church-Government by divine right: not that we think, that every circumstance in Church Government is set down precisely in the Word, or is of divine right in a strict sence: But this we say, That the substantials and essentials, are recorded particularly in the Word by Christ, the King of his Church, and are unalterable by any State whatsoever; And that the circumstantials are set down under generall rules, sufficient for the ordering of them; and that therefore, even they also in a large sence may be said to be of a divine right. Now this we shall endeavour to prove by these ensuing Arguments.

1. From the fulness, and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures. The Apostle Paul saith, that his first Epistle to Timothy[6], was written, To teach him how to behave himself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth. And in his second Epistle[7] he tels us; That the holy Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Now to know how to govern the Church, is one of the great works that belong to the Minister: And therefore, to say, that this is not recorded in Scripture, is to make the holy Scripture a rule defective, and ineffectuall for the end for which it was written, and to cast a very great reproach and dishonour upon it. And surely, if some substantiall parts of Church-Government, are exprest in the Word (as few will deny) then (as we conceive) all of them of necessity must be expressed, or else the Word should not be able to attain its end; which to affirm, is no small errour: And for our parts, we cannot conceive any reason to induce us to believe, that the Holy Ghost should set down in the Word, some of the substantials of Church-Goverment, as binding and unalterable unto the end of the World, and leave other things as substantiall as they, arbitrary and alterable, according to the will and pleasure of the Christian Magistrate.

2. From the excellency of the Kingly Office of Jesus Christ; For Christ Jesus is the only King of his Church, governing it not only inwardly, and invisibly, by the working of his Spirit; but outwardly also, and visibly, as it is a visible, politicall, and ministeriall body, in which he hath appointed his own proper [8]Ambassadors, [9]Assemblies, [10]Lawes, [11]Ordinances, and [12]Censures, to be administred in his name, and according to his own way. As a King of this politicall and ministeriall Church, he breathed on his Disciples, and said, Receive the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained. As a King of this visible Church, he said unto his Apostles, All power is given to me in Heaven, and in Earth; Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. As a King of the same Church, he gave gifts to men, when he ascended up to heaven, [13]some to be Apostles, some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. As a King, he now sits at Gods right hand, and is made Head over all things to his Church; which Church is called the house of God; and who should appoint Orders for the Government of the House, but the Lord of the house? And to say, that he hath not ordained how his house should be governed, is [14]to make the Master less faithfull in his own house, then his Servant Moses was; which Church is Christs Vineyard, Christs Garden, and can we think Christ so negligent, as not to appoint a hedge to fence his Vineyard, and a wall to preserve his Garden? which Church is a spirituall Republique. And shall we deny that to Christ in the Government of his Kingdome, which we grant unto all Earthly Monarchs? Shall we say, That Christ hath ordained no Laws, by which his Kingdome shall be governed; no Censures, by which his rebellious subjects shall be punished; no Officers to dispence those censures? This is a high defamation to Jesus Christ, and his Kingly Office.

3. From the immediate, and proper end of Church Government, which is not only matter of order and decency, but spiritual and supernatural, being appointed for the [15]Edification of the body of Christ in grace unto glory; and more particularly, for the gaining of an offending brother unto repentance, and for the saving of his soul in the day of the Lord Jesus. Now this is a certain rule, whatsoever hath a spiritual efficacy, must of necessity have a divine originall; humane institutions can but produce humane effects: And therefore, seeing Church Government is designed for divine and supernaturall ends, it must of necessity, plead its originall from God himself.

4. We argue from an enumeration of the substantials of Church-Government. The Word of God declares unto us, That there are Church-officers, and who they are, viz., [16]Pastors and Teachers, [17]Ruling-Elders, and [18]Deacons; And how they are to be [19]qualified for, and [20]externally called unto their respective Offices, together with all the Ministerial duties in those Offices, by them to be performed respectively; as [21]publike prayer, the Ministry of the Word, [22]by reading and [23]preaching, the [24]blessing of the people in the name of the Lord, [25]Administration of the Sacraments, [26]Censures and [27]distribution of Alms. The Scripture also tells us of a [28]Church, consisting of no more then can conveniently meet in one place to partake in all the Ordinances of publike Worship: and of [29]a Church consisting of divers congregations. The Scripture also speaks of [30]Synods, with Ecclesiasticall Authority, together with the [31]subordination of the lesser, to the greater, and appeals thereunto. Now all these are the substantials of Church Government, and are sufficiently set down in the Word, as may partly appear by the quotations in the Margent, and shall further appear by what we shall say afterwards. And more then these, and such as are necessarily included in these, are not (as we humbly conceive) substantials in the outward Government of the Church. The rest are circumstantialls, for which Christ hath given general rules sufficient to direct the Church in the ordering of them, and from which therefore she may not depart. These rules are set down, 1Cor. 14.26, 40. Let all things be done unto edifying, decently and in order, 1Cor. 10.31, 32. Do all to the glory of God, &c. Rom. 14.19. Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace, &c.

The second thing, which with the like brevity and perspicuity, we shall endeavour to evidence unto you, is, That the Christian Magistrate, is not the Fountain and Origin of Church-Government. The former assertion, gave unto God, the things which were Gods; and this doth not at all take away from CÆsar, the things that are CÆsars: For we freely acknowledg, that Magistracy is an Ordinance of God, appointed for the great good of mankind; so that, whoever are enemies to Magistracy, are enemies to mankind, and [32]to the revealed Will of God. We desire to hold up the honour and greatness, the power and authority of lawful Magistracy, against Papists, Anabaptists, and all others, that despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. We say, that the Magistrate is, in a civil notion, the supream Governor in all causes Ecclesiastical; the [33]keeper of both tables; [34]the nursing father of the Church: [35]that it belongs to him, by his Political power, to reform the Church, when corrupted; to preserve it, when reformed; to suppresse blasphemy, idolatry, heresie, schisme, and prophanenesse, and whatsoever is contrary to godlinesse and sound doctrine; that the people under him, may lead a quiet life, in all godlinesse and honesty. [36]That he is sent of God for the punishment of evil doers (amongst which, are heretiques, as well as others, and therefore called evil workers; and heresies, evil deeds, Phil. 3.2. 2ep.Joh. ver. 11.) and for the praise of them that do well. That he is the [37]Bishop of those things that are without the Church; as Constantine stiled himself. That to him belongs to punish Church-Officers, with civil punishments, when they abuse their power; and to give protection to the publique exercise of Church-Government, within his dominions.

But yet, notwithstanding all this, we affirm, That though the Magistrate be a nursing father of the Church, yet he is not the begetting father; That the Magistrate, as a Magistrate, is no Church-Officer, neither are the keyes of the Kingdom of heaven committed unto him. Neither did Christ ever say to the Kings of the Earth; whose sins you remit, shall be remitted; and whose sins you retain, shall be retained; and whatsoever you shall binde on earth, shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Neither is the offended brother directed to tell the civil Magistrate, but to tell the Church. Neither doth it belong to him to preach the Word, or to administer the Sacraments. Neither is he, as a Magistrate, seated by Christ in his Church, but is to be subject to the Church in all spiritual things, as a member thereof. Neither is it in his power to appoint what Government he please in the Church; no more then what Religion he please. And this we prove:

1. Because Jesus Christ (as hath been already shewed) hath appointed a particular Church-Government in his Word, to be observed by all Kingdoms and States immutably, and unalterably, for the substantials of it.

2. Because the Church of Christ had a Government within it self for 300 years before it had a Christian Magistrate. The Scripture tells us, that the Church, in the Apostles dayes, had power to meet for ordering Church-affairs, for excommunicating scandalous offenders, and obstinate heretiques. And this power was not derived to them, from the Magistrate, being then Heathen; nor were they Traytors and Rebels against the State, in challenging this power. And when the Magistrate, afterwards, became Christian, the Church did not lose that power which it had before, when he was heathen. For the truth is, when a heathen Magistrate becomes a Christian, he doth not acquire more Authority over the Church of Christ, then he had before, no more then a heathen husband converted, doth over his wife, which he married, when unconverted. A Magistrate, by becoming Christian, is better inabled to do service to Christ, and his right is sanctified to him; but his Authority is no greater then it was before. 3. Because the power of the Magistrate, in reference to the power of the Church, is not privative of the Churches power, but cumulative and additional. For if it were otherwise, then the condition of the Church should be worse under a Constantine, then under a Nero; under a Christian Magistrate, then under a Heathen; which is contrary to all those Scriptures, which tell us [38]what glorious advantages the Church should have, by the Magistrates becoming Christian; and that the Magistrate shall bring honour and glory to the new Jerusalem, and not take away that power that properly belongs to the new Jerusalem.

4. Because that this assertion, denyeth an intrinsecall power to the Church, to preserve it self in unity, to purge out spiritual defilements, and to take care for its own preservation against Church-destroying enemies, and iniquities; which makes the happinesse of the Church wholly to depend upon the civil Magistrate; and is contrary, not only to the nature of the Church[39], but of all other societies, which have a power within themselves, of self-preservation; and is contrary to the experience of former ages, which tell us, That the Church of Christ did flourish more in truth and holinesse, (though not in wealth and honours,) whilest it was under Heathen persecuting Emperours, then afterwards. From the Apostles, even unto the dregs of our time, the Church of Christ, both in its infancy and fuller growth, increased by persecutions, and was crowned by Martyrdoms: But after it had Christian Princes, indeed it was greater in power and riches, but lesse in piety, saith Jerome[40].

5. Because that this opinion, That the Magistrate is the Fountain of all Church-power, derives upon the Christian Magistrate most of that power, which the Pope did formerly most unjustly and tyrannically usurp over the Churches of Jesus Christ; and thereby makes the Christian Magistrate to become a Political Pope, and sets up a civil Antichrist instead of a spiritual, for one great part of Antichristianisme consisteth in the Popes making himself to be the Original of all spiritual jurisdiction.

And thus we have given you a short account of the first opinion; and we do beseech you, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you would weigh what we have said, in the ballance of the Sanctuary; & that you would look upon Church-Government, as an Ordinance of God, flowing unto you in the bloud of Christ, and as part of his Kingly Office; That you would allow of no Church-officers, or Offices, that have not a divine stamp upon them, accounting them guilty of a spiritual PrÆmunire, that will undertake an office in the Church, if there cannot be shewed a Scripture-warrant for it; and that you would submit unto it for conscience sake.

The second opinion, is of those, that will confesse a particular Church-Government by divine right; but say, that this is not the Presbyteriall, but the Government commonly called Independent, or Congregationall: the truth is, There are four kinds of Church-Government which lay claim to a jus divinum; The Papal, Prelatical, Independent, and Presbyterial. The first of them was banished out of this Kingdom, by King Hen. the 8. The second of them, as it was used and practised in this land, is abjured by our Covenant. The great debate of these late years, hath been about the Presbyterial, and Independent Government. And though we do not intend at this time, to enter into a large dispute; yet we earnestly desire our Brethren, that differ from us only in point of Church-Government, to consider the wofull mischiefs, that have come upon the Churches of Christ in England, by their dividing, and separating from us: And that whilest we have been disputing what is that Government which Christ hath appointed in his Word, there are a prevailing party risen up, that will have no Government at all to be found in the Word: whilest we have been so long debating about the hedge, the wild Beasts have got in, and made spoyl of the Vineyard it self: Whilest we have been building the wall, others have been plucking down the house: Whilest we have been consulting about the Garment of Christ, others have taken advantage to deny the Divinity of Christ: Whilest we have been so tediously contending about Reforming of Churches, Ordination of Ministers; and purity of Ordinances, there are men risen up, that deny all Ministry, Ordinances, and Churches. And indeed, there is scarce any fundamental Doctrine in Christian Religion, but is now, not only called in question, but openly denyed by some, or other. And therefore, we do exhort our Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they would sadly lay to heart the unexpressible calamities, which are brought upon our Churches, by their dividing from us; and that they would study, for the time to come, all wayes of Union and Accommodation: And for our parts, we do here profess to all the World, that we are, have alwayes been, and through the grace of God, shall ever be willing to study to find out any Scripture way, wherein we may unite together with them, for the preservation of the Truths of Jesus Christ, the prevention of a toleration of Heresies and Blasphemies, and for the healing of the great scandal that is given to weak Christians, and wicked men, by our unhappy differences and divisions.

As for the Presbyterial Government it self, we may justly say of it, as the Jews did upon another occasion, [41]we know that every where it is spoken against; and that men deal with it, and Us that profess it, as the old persecutors dealt with the Christians; when they put them into Bear-skins, and then baited them with dogs; and as the Papists dealt with John Hus[42], when they pinned a paper, with the picture of red Devils, upon his head, and then exposed him to the laughter of the people. Some say, That it is a lordly, Domineering government; and that if we had our wills, we would lord it over the people of Christ, more then ever the Prelates did; and instead of one Bishop in a Diocess, we should have many hundreds. Others say, that it is a Tyrannical and cruel government, and if it were once established, it would fine and imprison all that would not yeeld to it. Others, that we require an Arbitrary power, and challenge an illimited jurisdiction. Others, that we have a design to free our selves from being under the power of the civil Magistrate. Others, that this government doth rob the Congregational Churches of their power and liberty, no lesse then Prelacy did, so that the Church in removing of Prelacy, changed not Dominium, but Dominum. Others, that we seek for unity, but neglect purity. Others accuse us, that we contend too earnestly for purity, because we will not admit men to the Sacrament, before they give an account to the Minister and Elders of their fitness thereunto. Others accuse us, for stamping a jus divinum upon our government; and others on the contrary, declaim against us, because we do not assert a jus divinum, but depend upon a jus humanum; depend more upon an Ordinance of Parliament for our establishment, then an Ordinance of God. Others exclaim against us, that we are now become the only troublers of Israel, and the only hinderers of a blessed and glorious Reformation; That we are pestilent fellowes, movers of sedition among the people, causers of the first war between King and Parliament, and of all the murders and blood-shedings, that have been in the Nation for these many years; That we were the Authors and abettors of that violence that was offered to the Parliament, July 6. 1647. That the Ministers of London are Pulpit-Incendiaries, and have separated their consecrated lungs, for Bellows, to blow up the fire of a second War the last year; that they were the bringers in of that numerous Army out of Scotland, to invade the Parliament and Army of England: Others say, that we are Apostatized from our principles, and are turned Malignants, that we that were once the great Parliament Assertors, are now become the only Parliament-Opposers. Lastly, that the Presbyterian Ministers seek their own private ease and interest, and not the things of Jesus Christ; That they are notorious hypocrites, Baals Priests, limbs of Antichrist. And that the only reason why they dislike, and expresse an unsatisfiednesse with these times, and the alterations therein made, is, because they fear, that their great Diana of tythes will be pulled down, and that their gains will be lesse, and their pains greater; and that they cannot lord it over their people, as they hoped to have done.

These are the Bear-skins in which we are put from day to day; these are the red Devils that are pinned upon us, to render our persons, Ministry, and Government odious unto the people. But our comfort is, that these accusations are meer calumnies and slanders, and that there is not the least shadow of reality or truth in them. And it is an evident token to us, that God hath some great work for us to do, because he suffers the red dragon to pour out such floods of reproaches upon us; and that our government is of Divine Original, because it is so much opposed, and that by all sorts of men, and that in contrary ways: some opposing it, because it seeks so much after purity of ordinances; others, because it seeks it not enough: some, because it layeth claim so much to a jus divinum; Others, because not enough.

We well remember, and are therein much comforted, what Tertullian saith; That that religion must needs be good which Nero persecuted; and what Spanhemius that late learned Professor of Leyden, in his history of the original, and progress of the Anabaptists of Germany, tells us, [43]That when God raised up Luther, Melancthon, Zuinglius, and divers other Worthies, to be the Reformers of his Church; At the same time, the enemy of mankind raised up the Anabaptists, to be the disturbers of his Church. That Thomas Muntzer their great Antesignanus, when he could not get Luther to joyn with him, but on the contrary was rebuked by him, and earnestly admonished not to disturb the publique peace, &c. He began to rise up, and thunder against Luther himself, crying out, that Luther was as much in fault, as the Pope of Rome; that it was true, the work of reformation was somewhat furthered by him, but left still infected with much leaven; yea that Luther was worse then the Pope, for that he had published only a carnall Gospel. And afterwards, When Luther, Melancthon, Zuinglius, Bullinger, Menius, Regius, and others, began, by writing, to defend both their own, and the cause of the Church of God, and to wipe off the blot that was cast as well upon themselves as upon the Gospel, by these Anabaptists; Muntzer and his confederates were the more enraged against them, crying out, That Luther, and those of his party, favoured nothing but the flesh, vaunting indeed, that they had cut off some of the leaves of Antichrist, but the tree, and the roots remained still untouched, which must also be cut down, and which cut down they would. And because they could finde nothing in the written Word, to defend their errours, and the tumults which they raised, they fly to revelations, and inspirations &c. Hereupon every Fish-monger begins to boast of the spirit, feign revelations after the example of Storch and Muntzer; The Pulpit is open to every Cobler or Tinker. They scoffed at the publique Sermons of the reformed, inveighed against the Lutherane Faith, as being void of good works, &c. Muntzer, the chiefe trumpet of these uproars, proclaims openly, that he was raised up by the command of God, for the punishment of wicked Princes, and altering of Politick government. His usual subscription to his letters was, Thomas Muntzer, the servant of God against the ungodly. What was the fatal end of this Muntzer, and of Iohn Becold the Taylor of Leyden, and of the rest of that crew; what prodigious opinions they held, he that will, may read them in the forementioned Author. There are two reasons have moved us to cite this story: First, to shew, That it is not unusual with God, when he raiseth up men faithful in their generation to reform his Church, to give way to the enemy of mankind, for the trial of his people, to raise up some men even amongst the Reformers themselves, that by spreading of errours and Heresies, and State-disturbing opinions, should endeavour to obstruct the Reformation so happily begun. Secondly, that in times of Reformation, it hath alwayes been the practice of the Ring-leaders of Errours and Heresies, to inveigh more bitterly, and write more railingly against the Reformers of the Church, and the Reformation by them indeavoured, then against the common adversary, both of themselves, of the Reformers, and of the Reformation. And this is our lot and portion at this day.

But yet, notwithstanding all this, we hope, that if this Presbyteriall Government, so much opposed both by Malignants, and Sectaries of all sorts, were once presented unto our congregations in its true and native colours, it would be embraced by all that fear God amongst us; and that we might say of it, as once it was said of Socrates, That all that knew him, loved him; and the reason why any did not love him, was only because they did not know him. And we likewise hope, that if we shall fully answer the accusations that are brought against us, in the bitter and lying pamphlets of this licentious age, that then our persons also shall stand right in the hearts and consciences of all that truly fear God within this Kingdome. Give us leave, therefore to undertake these two things.

First, To represent the Presbyteriall-Government before you, in its true beauty and excellency.

Secondly, To vindicate our persons from the slanders and cruell reproaches that are cast upon them.

1. For the Vindication of our Government, and therein the undeceiving of our people, who look upon it; as it is misrepresented unto them, by those that are enemies unto Us, Them, and the Government, we shall offer briefly these ensuing particulars.

1. That the Presbyteriall-Government is a Government that hath been the fruit of the prayers of many thousands of godly people in England, in Queen Elizabeth's, and King Iames his dayes: There were many knowing Christians, and faithfull Ministers, that made it their frequent prayer, that God would reform England in Discipline, as he had done in Doctrine; and the Discipline then they prayed for, and many suffered for, was the Presbyterian; as appears by the books written in those days[44]. And shall we now despise that mercy that comes swimming to us in the prayers of so many thousand Saints?

2. Though the Presbyterian-Government (for the practice of it) be new and strange to us in England, yet it is not new.

First, To the Churches of Christ in other Countries: For most of those places that did thrust out the Popish Religion, and Government, did receive in the Protestant Religion, and Presbyterial-Government. It is not new to the Protestant Reformed Churches in France, Scotland, Netherlands, and Geneva, and divers other places, who have had comfortable experience of this Government, and have enjoyed a great deal of liberty, verity, piety, unity, and prosperity under it: And (which we desire all our respective Congregations seriously to consider) therefore it is (as we humbly conceive) that the framers of our National Covenant did put in these words, And the example of the best Reformed Churches, into the first Article of the Covenant, that thereby they might hint unto us, what that Government was, which is neerest the Word, even that which is now practised in the best Reformed Churches.

2. To the Word of God; but is there to be found in all the substantials of it, as we have briefly shewed already, and some of our own Brethren Ministers of this City, have made to appear at large, in a Book, entituled, The divine Right of the Presbyterial Government. We shall speak a little more to three of the forementioned Substantials of Church-Government: And shall prove,

1. That the Scripture holds forth a Church, consisting of divers Congregations.

2. Synods with Ecclesiastical Authority.

3. Subordination of Congregations unto Synods, together with Appeals thereunto.

1. That the Scripture holds forth a Church consisting of divers Congregations. Such a Church was The Church of Jerusalem; as appears,

1. By the Multitude of Believers, both before, and after the dispersion (mentioned, Act. 8.1.) Act. 2.41, 46, 47. Act. 4.4. Act. 5.14. Act. 6.1, 7. Act. 9.31. Act. 12.24. Act. 21.20.

2. By the many Apostles, and other Preachers in the Church of Jerusalem: If there were but one Congregation there, each Apostle preached but seldom, which will not consist with Act. 6.2.

3. The diversity of Languages amongst the Believers, mentioned both in the second and sixt Chapters of the Acts, doth argue more Congregations then one in that Church.

All which, are fully and largely handled by the Reverend Assembly of Divines in a book of theirs, printed by Authority of Parliament.

2. That the Scripture speaks of Synods with Ecclesiastical Authority, this is evident from Act. 15. in which Chapter, two things are to be observed:

1. That the Apostles in that Meeting, did not act as Apostles with infallible authority, but as Elders, in such a way as makes that Meeting, a pattern for ordinary Synods.

For the proof of this, we offer these reasons.

1. Because Paul and Barnabas did willingly submit to be sent from Antioch to Jerusalem, which they needed not have done (one of them at least being an Apostle) nor could have done, had they acted as Apostles, and not as Members, for that time, of the Presbytery of Antioch, Act. 15.2.

2. Because Paul and Barnabas were sent not only to the Apostles at Jerusalem, but to the Apostles and Elders, which at that time were not a few (the Believers in Jerusalem being many thousands) which proves, that they sent not unto the Apostles as extraordinary and infallible (for then what need the advice of the Elders?) but as wise and holy Guides of the Church, who might not only relieve them by some wise counsel, but also set a president unto succeeding Ages, how Errours and Dissentions in the Church might be removed and healed; as Mr. Cotton observes, in his book of the Keyes, &c. pag. 23.

3. Because in the Synod, the Apostles did not determine the thing in question, by Apostolical Authority, from immediate revelation, but assembled together with the Elders to consider of the matter, Act. 15.6. and a Multitude of the Brethren together with them, Act. 15.12, 22, 23. And there the question was stated, and debated from Scripture in an ordinary way. Peter proves it by the witnesse of the Spirit to his Ministry, in Cornelius his Family, Paul and Barnabas by the like effect of their Ministry amongst the Gentiles. James confirmed the same by the testimony of the Prophets; with which, the whole Synod being satisfied, they determine of a judicial sentence, and of a way to publish it by letters and messages.

4. Because the Decrees of the Synod are put forth in the name, not only of the Apostles, but of the Apostles and Elders, Act. 15.22, 23. Act. 16.4. Act. 21.25.

The second thing to be observed in that Chapter, is,

That the Apostles and Elders did put forth Acts of Ecclesiasticall Authority in that Synod. This appears plainly from Act. 15.28. to lay no other burden. To bind burdens, is an act of the binding power of the Keyes. And it appears likewise from Act. 16.4. where mention is made of Decrees ordained by the Apostles & Elders. And it is observeable, that wheresoever d??a, is used in the New Testament, it is put either for Decrees or Laws, and so frequently by the Septuagint in the old Testament, as is abundantly proved by the Reverend Assembly of Divines, in their answer to the Reasons of the Dissenting-Brethren, against the instance of the Church of Jerusalem, pag. 66.

3. That the Scripture holds forth a subordination of Congregations unto Synods, together with Appeals thereunto. To prove this, we will bring two places: The first is Deut. 17.8. to 12. together with 2Chron. 19.8, 10, 11. Out of which two places, compared together, we gather these two conclusions:

1. That the Jews had two supream Judicatories in Jerusalem; the one Ecclesiasticall, for the matters of the Lord; the other civill, for the matters of the King. This appears by Deut. 17. ver. 8. where we have a distinction of causes; some forensicall between blood and blood, belonging to the civil Judicatory; some ceremonial, between stroak, and stroak; that is, (as not only Hierome, but the Chaldy and Septuagint read the words, and as appears by the frequent use of the word in that sense, Levit. 13. and elsewhere,) between leprosie, and leprosie, belonging to the cognizance of the Ecclesiastical Judicatory. And in the 12 verse, these two Judicatories are distinguished, by the disjunctive Or; And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the Priest, (that standeth to minister before the Lord thy God,) or unto the Judge, &c. This further appears, by 2Chr. 19.8, 10, 11. In which we have clear mention; first of two sorts of Judges, the Levites and Priests, and chief of the Fathers, vers. 8. secondly, of two sorts of causes, some spirituall and Ecclesiasticall, called the judgment of the Lord, ver. 8. and the matters of the Lord, ver. 11. others civill, as between blood and blood, ver. 10. And thirdly, of two Presidents; Amariah the chief Priest, in all matters of the Lord; and Zebadiah the Ruler of the house of Judah, in all the matters of the King. And this distinction between the civil and Ecclesiastical Judicatory, is the opinion of many Orthodox & learned Authors, which are cited by Mr. Gelaspy, Aarons rod blossom, cap. 3. pag. 8. where this conclusion is largely and learnedly debated & asserted.

2. That there was a subordination in the Jewish Church, of the Synagogues, in all hard and difficult controversies, and in all the matters of the Lord, unto the Ecclesiastical Judicatory at Jerusalem, and appeals thereunto; this appears evidently, Deut. 17.8, 9. 2Chron. 19.8, 10.

Now that this Subordination, together with appeals, did not belong to the Jewish Church, as Jewish only, but as it was an Ecclesiastical Republique, is evident. For though the high Priest, amongst the Jews, was a type of Christ, yet these gradual Judicatories, wherein the aggrieved party did appeal, from the lesser to the greater; (that against the very light of nature, the adverse party might not be the sole Judge and party too, in his own cause) were not in any kind ceremonial or typicall.

Appeals, (saith Dr. Whitaker,) they are of divine and natural light, and certainly very necessary in every necessity, because of the iniquity and ignorance of Judges, Whit. Contr. 4. de Romano Pontific. lib. 4. cap. 2. And generally, all Protestant Writers against appeals to the Pope, acknowledge yet, their necessary usefulness to a Synod. So did that renowned Martyr Cranmer, the form of whose appeal to a Council, three several times urged by him, with much instance, we have recorded by Mr. Foxe at large, Acts and Monuments.

And indeed, if the benefit of appeals, and consociation of Churches, should not be as free to us, as to the Jews, how much more defective & improvident were the Gospel, then the Law, contrary to all ancient Prophesies of Gospel-Communion? How were our Saviour King of Peace and Righteousnesse, should he have ordained now under the Gospel such a government, as by making Parties sole Judges, were neither righteous, nor peaceable? what Judaicall type or ceremony, can there be in this communion and mutual assistance in government, which God (as by his Word, so) by the very light of nature, teacheth all societies whatsoever, whether Common-Wealth, Armies, Universities, or Navies? &c. as learnedly Mr. Herle, in his Independency, &c.

The second place is Matth. 18.15, 16, 17, 18. which text, by a parity of reason, proves a subordination of Congregations unto Synods. For there is the same relation between Church and Church, as between brother and brother; and if a brother offending is subordinate unto a particular Congregation; then by a like reason, an offending Congregation is subordinate unto greater Assemblies. And the reason of it is, because the grounds, reasons, and ends of subordination, are the same in both. That God might be glorified, the offendor shamed, humbled, reduced, and sin not suffered to rest upon him. That others may be preserved from contagion, and made to fear. That scandal and pollution of the Ordinances, may be prevented, or removed. All which argue as strongly and fully for subordination of an offending Congregation to superiour and greater Assemblies, as of an offending brother to a particular Congregation: And the truth is, whosoever denyes the subordination of a Congregation unto a Synod, together with appeals thereunto, doth in plain tearms affirm these three things,

1. That the Government of Christ in his Church under the New Testament, is a Government directly contrary to the very light of nature making the same men parties, and finall Judges in their own cause.

2. That the Government of the Church in the Old Testament, was more equal and just, then under the New.

3. That Jesus Christ hath in his Government appointed no effectual remedy to heal the scandals of an offending Congregation, or at least, a more effectual remedy to redresse an offending Brother, then an offending Congregation. All which are great derogations, and disparagements to the Kingly Office and Government of Jesus Christ. And thus we have shewed that the Presbyterial Government is not new to the Word of God, as some falsly object. We proceed to justifie it in other particulars. 3. The Presbyterial Government challengeth no power over mens bodies or estates. It medleth not in civil affairs, or with inflicting civil mulcts, or corporal punishments. It is a government purely spirituall, dispensing the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven, not of earth; and how then can it be cruel and tyrannical, in fineing and imprisoning mens persons, as was objected?

4. It is not a Government that hath Lordships and great Revenues annexed to it, as the Prelatical had. It is not gainful and profitable, but burdensome and troublesome: What do the ruling Elders gain by their office, but reproach and contempt? And is not the condition of the teaching Elder worse, in regard of maintenance, since he ingaged in this discipline, then ever it was? This is a government that hath no outward advantages to induce men to accept of it. It is conscience, and (as we hope) pure conscience, that ingageth any in it, and therefore it is, that it hath so few friends, because there are so few that are truly conscientious.

5. It is not a Domineering Hierarchicall magisteriall Government, that lords it over peoples consciences, requiring subjection to the decrees of it, with blind and slavish obedience. But it is a Stewardship, a Ministry, a painful and laborious service. We say, That all the determinations, even of Nationall Synods, are to be obeyed no further, then they agree with the Word of God. And that a Synod is Judex judicandus. That Congregations are to examine with the judgment of discretion, what is sent to them from Synods. There is no more obedience required to the Decrees of a Nationall Synod, then the Independents claim to the decrees of a particular Congregation.

6. It is not an Arbitrary illimited Government, but bounded and limited: 1. By the Word of God; for in this Government, everything is to be administred according to the pattern in the Mount. We desire none to follow, but where the Word goeth before. 2. By the civill Magistrate, in regard of the exercise of it. For we acknowledg our selves (as we have said) accountable to the civill Magistrate, to punish us with civil mulcts, if we abuse our power.

7. It is not a Government, that doth rob and spoyl particular Congregations of their just power and priviledges, but helps and strengthens them. For it is not (as the Prelatical was) extrinsecall to the severall Congregations; (which had no vote in the government, nor consent to it, but were sufferers only of it, and under it:) Neither doth it assume to it self the sole power of Ordination and jurisdiction: (as the Prelatical likewise did, and in this, was lordly and tyrannical over all particular Congregations in each Diocess:) But it is intrinsecall to the Congregation, consisting of the Pastors and Elders of every Congregation, governing one another by their own Officers: For we hold (which few of our Adversaries will understand or consider) That all Congregations are equal. No one Congregation over another. That all Ministers are equall, No one Minister, by divine right, over another.

We hold no Mother-Church, on which all other Churches should depend. But our Government, so far as it is distinct from the Congregational, consisteth of divers Sister-Churches, combined by mutuall concernment, and governing one another in matters of mutuall concernment, by the common agreement of Pastors and Elders, according to that Golden Rule, Quod omnes tangit, ab omnibus tractari debet. In the Presbyterial Government every Congregation hath a voyce, by the Pastors and Elders thereof, and so is governed by a power intrinsecall to it self, which cannot in its own nature be tyrannicall. Though there is no power in the world so just, but by abuse may prove tyrannicall.

To illustrate this by a simile. The Presbyterial Government is like the Government of the City by the Common-councell, wherein there are Common-Councell-men sent from every Ward, to judg and determine of matters, that concern the good of the whole City; which certainly in its own nature, cannot be prejudicall to the severall Wards, but every helpfull and commodious; whereas the Prelatical-Government, was just as if the City should be governed by a High-Commission chosen of Forreiners; and the Independent-Government is just as if every Ward should undertake to govern it self, divided from one another, and not at all to be under the power and authority of the Common-councell.

Adde besides this, the Presbyteriall-Government doth give unto people of particular Congregations all that is by Christ left them. For,

1. We allow unto every Congregation a particular Eldership, where it may be had.

2. We impose upon no Congregation a Minister against whom they can give a rationall dissent.

3. We allow the Congregationall Eldership to judg in all matters which concern that particular Church; and to keep from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, all those whom they finde to be ignorant or scandalous.

4. In the great Censure of Excommunication, we say, That it ought not to be executed against the consent of that particular Congregation, to which the party to be excommunicated belongs. And in all other matters of importance, the Presbyterian-Government hath great respect to that Congregation which is particularly concerned therein. And therefore, it is so far from robbing, that it is a great Pillar to uphold and support Congregational Government; as for example:

1. When a particular Congregation is destitute of a Minister, then the Neighbour-Ministers of the Classis help what in them lies to make up that defect, by sending supply in the mean time, and afterwards by joyning in the ordination of another.

2. When there is an insufficient Eldership, then the Classical Presbytery contributes light and strength.

3. When an Eldership proves Heretical, then the Classical Presbytery helps to convince them of their Heresies, which the people are not able ordinarily to do, and thereby to preserve the Congregation from spiritual contagion.

4. When any member is wronged by the Eldership, the Classis, or Synod, contributes ayd and relief, as will appear further in the next particular.

8. The Presbyterial-Government is so far from being tyrannical, as that it is the greatest remedy against Church-tyranny, because it is as a city of refuge for all those that are oppressed in their particular Congregations, to fly unto. For under the Congregational-Government, when a brother is (as he conceives) wronged by the major part of the Church of which he is a member, he is for ever lock't up, and hath no authoritative way to relieve himself. (Indeed, he hath moral wayes, by advice and counsel, which are altogether insufficient;) But the Presbyterian-Government is a Zoar, and an Ark for the wronged party to fly unto, from the Particular Congregation, to a Classical, Provinciall, or National Assembly. Give us leave to shew you the difference by this example: Suppose in the civil Government every Corporation should plead a power independent from a Parliament, and challenge to be unaccountable, would not this make as many Parliaments, as Corporations? And if any member should be wronged by the major part of the Corporation to which he belongs, were he not left without remedy? And if these Corporations should cry down the Parliaments power over them as tyrannical, would it not be said, that this is therefore only done, that they themselves might become petty Tyrants? So is it here;

The Congregationall Government is a Spiritual Corporation independent from all other Ecclesiasticall Assemblies in point of Church-power. As the Pope claims a power over all Church-Assemblies, so this claims an exemption from the power of all Church-Assemblies, and cryeth down all Classical, Provinciall, or Nationall-Assemblies with power, as tyrannical; but is not this, that in the mean time it may become absolute, and as it were a petty Tyranny?

There are in the Congregational Government these six great defects, besides many others which we could name.

1. There is (as hath been said) no authoritative way to relieve a Brother oppressed by the major part of his Congregation, which granted, would make the Government of Christ in the New Testament, to be inferiour to the Jewish Government, in which they had the liberty of Appeals. And also to be against the light of right reason, in making the same men to be parties and judges in their own cause, (as hath been formerly shewed.)

2. There is no authoritative way to heal the major part of a Congregation, when it falls into fundamental errours, which is a great disparagement to the Government of Jesus Christ, and reflects deeply upon the wisdome and care of the great King of his Church. For it makes Christ to provide a more efficatious remedy to cure an erring member, (to wit, by the great Ordinance of excommunication,) then an erring Church.

3. There is no Authoritative way to keep out pluralities of Religions. For if the whole power of Church-Government be in the Congregation-Independently, then let a Congregation set up what Religion they think fit, there is no Authoritative Church-remedy left to hinder them.

4. There is no Authoritative way for unity and uniformity in Church-administrations, which doth inevitably lay stumbling blocks before weak Christians, and holds them in suspence, not knowing to what Congregation to joyn, because they see such different wayes of administration of Ordinances.

5. There is no relief when a Congregation is destitute of a Minister, in point of Ordination, but the succeeding Minister is left to be examined and ordained by the people of the Congregation that chose him. And so also when a Congregation becomes hereticall, and in other such cases.

6. If any of their Ministers preach out of their own Congregation, he preacheth only as a gifted brother; neither can he, (as we conceive) according to their own Principles, administer the Sacraments out of his own Congregation, or perform any other act of office. Although we believe some of them do so, contrary to their own principles herein.

9. That the Presbyteriall Government is a Government that tends not at all to the destruction of any, but for the good and edification of all. There are three chief ends of this Government. 1. To keep the Churches of Christ in unity amongst themselves.

2. To keep them in purity and holinesse; it is Christs Fan, to purge his floor; and his Beesom to sweep out of his house every thing that offends.

3. To keep them in verity, it is Christs Weeding-hook to weed out heresies; and therefore King James (though no great friend to this Government) would often say, that it was Malleus hÆreticorum, a Hammer to beat down Heresies: And we find, that wheresoever it is set up in strength, there the Churches are kept in unity, verity, and purity; and that (which is very observeable) where this Government hath once got possession, it hath for ever after kept out Popery and all Popish Innovations. The Prelatical Government with all its Lordships and Revenues annexed, as it was managed of late years in England, was an in-let to Popery, and it had tantÙmnon brought it in. But wheresoever the Presbyterian-Government is setled, there Popery, root and branch, is plucked up and destroyed, and that without any hope of recovery.

But it will be objected, that notwithstanding all that hath been said to render the Presbyterial Government amiable and acceptable; yet there are two great Mountains which do lye in the way which do hinder, and (as some say) will for ever hinder people from submitting unto it: The one is,

1. Because it sets up a new officer in the Church, which is a meer humane Creature, having no authority from the Word of God, nor was ever heard of in the Church of Christ, till Calvin's time, & that is the LAY-ELDER.

2. Because it requireth all, of all sorts, to come to the Minister and these Lay-Elders to be examined, before they can be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper.

We cannot deny, but that these two objections are great Remora's to the Government, and do hinder the general receiving of it, and therefore we shall be a little the larger in answering of them.

For the first of them, we do here freely confesse, that if we were of opinion, as some are, that the Ruling-Elder hath no foundation in the Word of God, but is a meer humane Ordinance brought into the Church only in a prudential way; we should heartily desire the utter abolition of him: For we are not ignorant, that the Ruling Prelate was brought into the Church upon the same account, for the avoiding of Schism and Division, and afterwards proved the great Author and Fomenter of Schism and Division. And if we should decline the Ruling Prelate, and take in the Ruling Elder upon the same prudential grounds, it were just with God to make him as mischievous to the Church, as ever the Ruling Prelate was: And therefore let us consider what may be said out of the Word of God, for the justification of this so much decryed Officer: Yet first we cannot but take notice that the name of Lay-Elder was affixed to this Officer by way of reproach and scorn, by the adversaries of him, and that it ought not to be continued. For though it be evident by Scripture[45], that there is a great difference betwixt the Ministry usually called the Clergy, and the people commonly called the Laity: yet its also as manifest, that the Scripture[46] distinguisheth them not by the names of Clergy and Laity; forasmuch as all Gods people are therein stiled the Lords Clergy, or Inheritance, and the Lord is called their Inheritance. And when persons are duly chosen from amongst the people to be Governours in the Church, as such, they are no longer Lay-men, but Ecclesiastical persons. And therefore we profess a dislike of the name Lay-Elder, and conceive they ought to be called either governours in the Church, 1Cor. 12.23. or Ruling-Elders, as 1Tim. 5.17. not because their Office is to rule alone (for the Teaching-Elder is a Ruler also, Heb. 13.17. 1Thess. 5.12.) but because their Office is only to rule.[47] Now concerning these Ruling-Elders, we confess, that they are Officers somewhat new and strange to the Church of England; yet not new nor strange to the Word of God, nor to the Primitive times, nor (as all know) to the Reformed Churches.

First, they are not new nor strange to the Word of God, neither in the Old Testament, nor in the New. The Jews in the Old Testament, had two sorts of Elders; Elders of the Priests, and Elders of the people, suitable to our teaching and Ruling-Elders; as appears, Jer. 19.1. And these Elders of the people did sit and vote with the Priests and Levites in all their Ecclesiasticall Consistories, and that by divine appointment. That they were constituent members of the great Sanhedrim, appears, 2Chron. 19.8. where we reade, That some of the chief of the Fathers were joyned with the Priests, to judge in the matters if the Lord. And howsoever, many things among the Jews after the captivity, did decline to disorder and confusion; yet we finde even in the dayes of Christ, and his Apostles, That the Elders of the people still sate and voyced in the Councell with the Priests, according to the ancient form, as is clear from Matth. 26.57, 59. Matth. 27.1, 12. Matth. 16.21. Matth. 21.23. Mar. 14.43. Luk. 22.66. and Saravia himself,[48] who disputeth so much against Ruling Elders, acknowledgeth thus much: I finde indeed, (saith he) Elders in the Assembly of the Priests of the old Synagogue, which were not Priests; and their suffrages and authority in all Judgments, were equal with the suffrages of the Priests. But he adds; That these Elders of the people were civill Magistrates; which is a poor shift, directly against many Scriptures, which contradistinguish these Elders from the civil Magistrate; as appears; Act. 4.5. Judg. 8.14. Deut. 5.23. Josh. 8.33. 2King. 10.15. Ezra 10.14. And though it were possible, that some of them might be civill Magistrates, as some Elders amongst Us, are Justices of the Peace: Yet they did not sit under that capacity, in the Ecclesiastical Sanhedrim, but as Ecclesiastical Elders.

And that the Jews also had Elders of the people, sitting and voting in their inferiour Consistories, appears (as we humbly conceive) from Act. 13.15. Act. 18.8, 17. Mar. 5.22. In which places, we read of the Rulers of the Synagogue, who were neither Priests nor Levites, and yet were Rulers in Church-matters, and had power, together with the Priests, of casting men out of the Synagogue, and of ordering Synagogue-worship, Joh. 12.42. Act. 13.15.

Now this Association of the Elders of the people, with the Priest, in the Jewish Church-Government, was by divine appointment; for Moses first instituted it, and afterwards Jehosaphat restored it, according as they were directed by God, Num. 11.16. 2Chron. 19.8. And it did belong to the Jewish Church, not as it was Jewish, but as it was a Church, and therefore belongeth to the Christian Church, as well as Jewish. For whatsoever agreeth to a Church, as a Church; agreeth to every Church. There was nothing Judaical or typical in this institution, but it was founded upon the light of nature, and right reason, which is alike in all ages.

But leaving the Old Testament, let us consider what may be said for the divine right of the Ruling-Elder, out of the New Testament. For this purpose, we have already produced three places, which we shall now briefly open; and shew how the Ruling Elder is proved out of them. The places are, 1Cor. 12.28. Rom. 12.7, 8. 1Tim. 5.17.

The first place is, 1Cor. 12.28. And God hath set some in the Church, first, Apostles; secondarily, Prophets; thirdly, Teachers; After that, Miracles; then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues; Where we have an enumeration of sundry Officers of the Church; and amongst others, there are Helps, Governments. By Helps, are meant Deacons; (as not only our Reformed Divines, but Chrysostome, and Estius, and others observe,[49]) and by Governments, are meant the Ruling-Elder, which that it may the better appear, we will propound, and prove these six things.

1. That by Governments, are meant men exercising Government, the Abstract put for the Concrete. The intent of the Apostle, is not to speak of offices distinct from persons, but of persons exercising offices. This appears first, by the beginning of the verse, God hath set some in his Church; this relates to persons, not unto offices. Secondly, by the 29. and 30. verses, where the Apostle speaks concretively, of those things which he had spoken before abstractively. Are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues, &c? and so by consequence, Are all helpers, are all Governours? And therefore it is, that the Syriack instead of helps, Governments, reads it helpers, Governours.[50]

2. That the Governour here meant, must needs be a Church-Governour; for it is expresly said, that he is seated in the Church, and therefore the civil Magistrate cannot be meant by this Governour, as some would have it; partly, because this is quite besides the whole intent and scope of the Chapter, treating meerly upon spirituall Church-matters, not at all of secular civil matters; and partly, because the Magistrate, as such, is not placed by God in the Church, but in the Common-Wealth: and partly, because the Apostle writes of such Governours, that had at that time actual existence in the Church; and neither then, nor divers hundred years after, were there any Christian Magistrates.

3. That this Church-Governour is seated by God in his Church; It is a plant of Gods own planting, and therefore shall stand firme, maugre all opposition. For it is expresly said, God hath set some in his Church, first Apostles, &c. then helps, then Governments.

4. That this Church-Governour thus seated by God in his Churches, not only a Church-member, but a Church-Officer. For though it be a question amongst the learned, whether some of the persons here named, as the workers of miracles, and those that had the gift of healing, and of tongues, were seated by God, as officers in the Church, and not rather, only as eminent members indued with these eminent gifts; yet it is most certain, that whosoever is seated by God in his Church, as a Church Governour, must needs be a Church officer; for the nature of the gift, doth necessarily imply an office. The Greek word[51] for Governments, is a metaphor from Pilots, or Ship-masters, governing their ships; (hence the Master of a ship is called ??e???t??, a Governour, Jam. 3.4.) and it notes such officers, as sit at the stern of the vessel of the Church, to govern and guide it in spirituals, according to the will and mind of Christ, which is the direct office of our Ruling-Elder. 5. This Church-Governour thus seated by God in his Church as a Church-officer, is an ordinary and perpetuall officer in his Church. Indeed, here is mention made of Officers extraordinary, as Apostles, Prophets; and of gifts extraordinary, as the gift of miracles, healing, and of tongues; but here is also mention made of ordinary Officers, perpetually to abide, as Teachers, Helpers, and the Church-Governour, or Ruling-Elder. And that this Officer is ordinary and perpetual, appears from the perpetual necessity of him in the Church; for a Church without government, is as a ship without a Pilot, as a Kingdom without a Magistrate, and a world without a Sun.

6. That this Church-Governour thus seated by God in his Church, as a perpetual Officer, is an officer contradistinguished in the Text from the Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, and all other Officers in the Church. This appears; 1. By the Apostles manner of expressing these officers in an enumerative form; First, Apostles; Secondarily, Prophets; Thirdly, Teachers; After that, miracles, then gifts of healing, &c. 2. By the recapitulation, vers. 29, 30. Are all Apostles? Are all Prophets? Are all Teachers? Are all workers of miracles? &c. 3. By the scope of the whole Chapter, which is to set down different gifts and offices in different subjects; It is said, ver. 8, 9. To one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledg by the same Spirit; to another, faith, &c. And for this purpose, the Apostle draweth a simile from the members of mans body: As there are different members in mans body, and every member hath its different office, and every member stands in need one of another; the Eye cannot say to the Hand, I have no need of thee; nor again, the head to the foot, I have no need of thee, &c. So it is in the Church ministerial, which is the body of Christ. God hath set different Officers in his Church; some ordinary and perpetual; some extraordinary and temporary: And these different Officers have different Offices, some to teach, others to distribute to the poor Saints, others to govern. Are all Teachers? are all Deacons? are all Church-Governours? and these have all need one of another. The Teacher cannot say to the Deacon, I have no need of thee; nor to the Church Governour, I have no need of thee: But if all these Offices were in the Pastor alone, and only, then might he truly say to the Deacon and Ruling-Elder, I have no need of thee. But now God hath so set the members in his body which is his Church, that every member stands in need one of anothers help and support.

If it be objected, that the Apostles had all these offices and gifts here mentioned, eminently seated in them, for they were Prophets, Teachers, Workers of Miracles; and therefore why may not all these be understood of one and the same person?

Though it be true, that the Apostles had eminently all these; yet it is as true, that there are many here named, which had but one of these gifts formally seated in them: And it is also apparent, that some of the persons here named were distinct Officers in the Church, as the Prophet, and the Teacher. Though the Apostles were Prophets and Teachers, yet the Prophet & the Teacher were Officers distinct from the Apostles; and by a parity of Reason, so were the Governors from the Apostle, Prophet, and Teacher; the scope of the Apostle being (as hath been said) to set out distinct Offices in distinct Officers: are all Apostles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? The sum of what we have said from this Scripture, then, is this, That God hath seated some men in his Church which have a gift and office to govern, which are neither Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, nor Pastors; and therefore they are Ruling-Elders, which is the Officer which we are enquiring after.

Now this Interpretation which we have given, is not only the interpretation of Reformed Divines, both Lutherane and Calvinists, but of the ancient Fathers, and even the Papists themselves, as appears by the quotations in the Margent.[52]

The second text is, Rom. 12.6, 7, 8. Having then gifts differing according to the grace given, whether Prophesie, let us prophesie according to the proportion of Faith; or Ministry, let us wait on our Ministring; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation. He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. He that ruleth, with diligence. He that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. In which words, we have a perfect enumeration of all the ordinary Offices of the Church. These offices are reduced, first, to two general heads, Prophesie and Ministry, and are therefore set down in the Abstract. By Prophesie is meant the faculty of right understanding, interpreting, and expounding the Scriptures. Ministry comprehends all other employments in the Church. Then these generals are subdivided into the special offices contained under them, and are therefore put down in the concrete. Under Prophesie are contained, 1. He that teacheth, that is, the Doctor or Teacher. 2. He that exhorteth, i. e. the Pastor. Under Ministry are comprized, 1. He that giveth, that is, the Deacon. 2. He that ruleth, that is, the Ruling Elder. 3. He that sheweth mercy, which [53]Office pertained unto them, who in those days had care of the sick: So that in these words, we have the Ruling-Elder plainly set down, and contra-distinguished from the teaching and exhorting Elder (as appears by the distributive particles, e?te ? d?das???, e?te ? pa?a?a???, Whether he that teacheth; Whether he that exhorteth; Whether he that ruleth, &c.) And here likewise we have the divine institution of the Ruling-Elder, for so the words hold forth. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us; and thus also in the third verse, according as God hath dealt to every man, &c. This officer is the gift of Gods free grace to the Church, for the good of it.

Against this Exposition of the Text, it is objected by those that oppose the divine right of the Ruling-Elder, that the Apostle speaks, in these words, not of several offices in several persons, but of severall Gifts in one and the same person; for he saith, having then Gifts differing according, &c. But we answer:

1. That the word Gift is often in Scripture taken for Office; as Eph. 4.8, 11. When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men; and v. 11. He sheweth what these gifts were, some to be Apostles, some Evangelists, &c.

2. That the Apostle in the Protasis speaks not of severall Gifts, but of severall Offices, and these not in the same, but in several members, v. 4. As we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office. And therefore the apodosis must also be understood not only of severall gifts, but of severall Offices, and these in several subjects. And this further appears by the very similitude which the Apostle here useth, which is the same he used, 1Cor. 12. from the body natural, wherein there are many distinct members, and every member hath its distinct Office; and so it is in the Church of Christ.

3. These gifts here mentioned, and the waiting upon them, do necessarily imply an Office in whomsoever they are; and therefore they are set down emphatically with an Article, e?te ? d?das??? ? p???stae???. He that hath the gift of teaching, and exhorting, and ruling, and waiteth upon this gift, what is he but a Teacher, Pastor, and Ruling-Elder? And this must either be granted, or else we must open a door for all members of the Church, even women, not only to preach and teach, but to rule also, and to wait upon preaching and ruling: This truth is so clear, as that the Papists themselves being convinced of it, do say[54] upon this text, that the Apostle here first speaks of gifts in general; and secondly, applyeth these gifts to Ecclesiastical Officers, v. 6. and afterwards directs his exhortation to all Christians in general.

The third text for the divine right of the Ruling-Elder, is, 1Tim. 5.17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine. For the understanding of which words, we will lay down this rule, That every text of Scripture is to be interpreted according to the literall and grammatical construction; unless it be contrary to the analogie of Faith, or the rule of Life, or the circumstances of the Text: otherwise, we shall make a nose of wax of the Scriptures, and draw quidlibet ex quolibet. Now according to the Grammatical construction, here are plainly held forth two sorts of Elders; the one, onely ruling; and the other, also labouring in Word and Doctrine. Give us leave to give you the true analysis of the words. 1. Here is a Genus, a general, and that is Elders.

2. Two distinct species, or kinds of Elders, Those that rule well, and those that labour in word and doctrine; as Pastor and Doctor.

3. Here we have two participles, expressing these two kinds of Elders, Ruling, Labouring, the first do only rule, the second do also labour in Word and Doctrine.

4. Here are two distinct Articles, distinctly annexed to these two participles, ?? p??est?te?, ?? ??p???te?. They that rule, They that labour.

5. Here is an eminent discretive particle, set betwixt these two kinds of Elders; these two participles, these two Articles evidently distinguishing one from the other, viz. a??sta especially they that labour, &c. And wheresoever this word a??sta is used in the New Testament, it is used, to distinguish thing from thing, or person from person; as Gal. 6.10. Phil. 4.22. 1Tim. 5.8. 1Tim. 4.10. Tit. 1.10. 2Tim. 4.13. 2Pet. 2.20. Act. 20.38. In all which places, the word [especially] is used as a discretive particle, to distinguish one thing from another, or one person from another; and therefore being applyed here to persons, must necessarily distinguish person from person, officer from officer. It is absurd to say, (saith Dr. Whitaker,[55]) that this text is to be understood of one and the same Elder. If a man should say, All the Students in the University are worthy of double honour, especially, They that are Professors of Divinity; He must necessarily understand it of two sorts of Students. Or if a man should say, All Gentlemen that do service for the Kingdom in their Counties, are worthy of double honour, especially they that do service in the Parliament; this must needs be understood of different persons. We are not ignorant, that Archbishop Whitgift, Bishop King, Bishop Bilson, Bishop Downame, & others, labour to fasten divers other interpretations upon these words, which would be over-tedious here to rehearse. Only thus much we crave leave to say, which we desire may be seriously weighed; That all other senses that are given of these words, are either such as are disagreeing from the literall and Grammatical construction, or such as fall into one of these two absurdities, either to maintain a non-preaching Ministry, or a lazy-preaching Ministry to deserve double honour. Archbishop [56]Whitgift by the Elder that rules well, understands a Reader that is not a Preacher. [57]Dr. King, a Bishop ruling, and not preaching; which is to say, that a non-preaching Minister deserves double honour. Dr. Bilson [58]saith, that the words are to be understood of two sorts of Elders, and that the meaning is, That the Elder that rules well, and preacheth, is worthy of double honour, especially they that labour, that is, that preach abundantly, that do ??p?a?, labour as a Waterman at his Oar; which is as much as if he had said, that a lazy Minister, or a seldome-preaching Minister, deserves double honour. For all Preachers are in Scripture required ??p?a?, to labour abundantly, 1Thess. 5.11. 1Cor. 3.8. where the same word is used that is here expressed. If the Apostle had meant to have distinguished them by their extraordinary labour, he would rather have said, ??????te?, then ??p???te?, for other-where he useth ?????, as a degree of painful labour, above ??p??, which is put for common labour, Rom. 16.12.[59] Dr. Downame and others, interpret the words of one and the same Elder, thus, The Elders that rule well, are worthy of double honour, especially they that labour; that is, (say they) especially they labouring, or especially because they labour. And so they make their labouring, to be the chief cause of their double honour. But this interpretation is against the literal meaning, for the Greek is not e? ??p??s??, if they labour, but a??sta ?? ??p???te?, especially they that labour. Here is a participle with an Article, and a discretive particle, which can never be rightly and literally translated causatively. And therefore we conclude, together with our Reformed Divines[60], that this text according to the proper and Grammatical construction of it, doth hold forth unto all unprejudiced Christians, a Ruling Elder, distinct from a teaching Elder, which is the thing we undertook to prove.

Besides these three Scriptures thus expounded, we shall briefly offer one more; and that is, Matth. 18.17. where the offended Brother is bid to tell the Church, &c. In which words, the whole power of excommunication is placed by Christ in the Church. The great question is, what is meant by Church? Here we take for granted: 1. That by Church, is not meant the civil Magistrate, as Erastus fondly imagineth; for this is utterly contrary to the purpose of Christ, and the aym of that discipline here recommended to be used, which is the gaining of our brother unto repentance; whereas the aym of the civil Magistrate, is not the spiritual good properly and formally of the offender, but the publique good of the Common-Wealth. And besides, it is a language unknown in Scripture, to call the Magistrate the Church; and it is an exposition purposely invented, to overthrow all Ecclesiastical government.

2. That by Church, is meant primarily and especially the particular Congregation; we do not say onely, but firstly and especially. Hence we argue; If the power of Excommunication be placed in the particular Church, then either in the Minister alone, or in the Minister and whole Congregation, or in the Minister and Elders chosen by the congregation.

But not in the Minister alone, who being but one man, can no more be called a Church, then one man can be called many, or a member called a body. For one person cannot be called a Church, (saith Bellarmine himself[61],) seeing the Church is the people and Kingdome of God. It is certain, that the Church here spoken of, is a certain number met together; for it is said, Where two or three are gathered together, &c.

Nor in the Minister and whole Congregation; for God who is the God of order, not of confusion, hath never committed the exercise of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, to a promiscuous multitude; the Scripture[62] divides a Congregation into Rulers and Saints, into Governours, and governed; and if all be Governours, who will be left to be governed? And besides, if the collective body of a Church be the Governours, then women and servants must govern as well as others.

And therefore we conclude, that by Church, must needs be meant, the Minister and Ruling-Elders, which are the Officers we are enquiring after.

And this is no new interpretation, but agreed unto by ancient and modern Writers. Chrysostome saith[63], by Church, is meant the p??est?te?, the Rulers of the Church, Camer.[64] the Colledg of Presbyters; others, the Ecclesiacall Senate. These are called a Church, for four Reasons:

1. Because it is usual in the Old Testament, (to which our Saviour here alludeth, as appears by the words Publican and Heathen,) to call the Assembly of Princes and Elders a Church, Numb. 35.12, 24, 25. with Deut. 1.16. 1Chron. 13.2, 3. with 28.1, 2. & 29.1, 6. Deut. 31.28, 30. 1King. 8.1, 2, 55. Num. 5.2. compared with Levit. 13.15. 2. Because they manage Church affaires in the name of Christ, and of the Church, and are servants of the Church, as well as of Christ.

3. Because they are, as it were, the eyes and ears of the Church; and therefore as the body is said to see or hear, when as the eyes and eares alone do see and hear; so the Church is said to see, hear, and act, that which this Senate Ecclesiasticall doth see, hear, and act.

4. Because they represent the Church; and it is a common form of speech, to give the name of that which is represented, to that which represents it; as we say, that to be done by the whole Kingdome, which is done by a full and free Parliament. Hence we might further argue:

If the Colledge of Presbyters represent the Church, then it must be made up of Ruling-Elders, as well as Ministers. For Ministers alone cannot represent the Church; the Church consisting not of Ministers alone, but of Ministers and people, who are part of the Church as well as Ministers, and are so called, Act. 15.3, 4.

This is all we shall say, for the Scriptural part.

As for the Primitive times of the Church, we should have wholly waved the mention of any thing about them, were it not for the base calumnies & reproaches which the Prelatical party cast upon the Ruling-Elder, in saying, That it is the new fangled device of Calvin at Geneva; and never known in the Church of Christ before his dayes. There is a Bishop "Episcopacy by Divine right."that makes offer to forfeit his life to justice, and his reputation to shame, if any man living can shew, that ever there was a Ruling-Elder in the Christian world, till Farell and Viret first created them. But he hath been abundantly answered by Smectymnuus, insomuch, that whereas in his Episcopacy by Divine Right, he boldly averreth, that the name of the Elders of the Church, comprehendeth none but preachers, [65]and that therefore none but they may be called Seniores EcclesiÆ, Elders of the Church; though some others haply may have the title of Seniores populi, Elders of the people, because of their civill Authority. Yet notwithstanding afterward, the same Bishop in his [66]reply to Smectymnuus acknowledgeth, that besides Pastors and Doctors, and besides Magistrates and Elders of the City, there are to be found in Antiquity, Seniores Ecclesiastici, Ecclesiastical Elders also; only he alledgeth, they were but as our Church-Wardens, or rather, as our vestry-men; whereas in truth, They were Judges in Ecclesiasticall controversies, and did assist the Pastor in ruling and governing the Church; witnesse that famous place in [67]Ambrose, which testifies, that both in the Jewish and in the Christian Church, there were these Ecclesiasticall Rulers. This is also the judgment of [68]Tertullian, [69]Origen, [70]Basil, [71]Optatus, [72]Hierome, [73]Augustine, [74]Gregory the great, and divers others cited by Justellus in his Annotations in Can. Eccl. AffricanÆ, and by Voetius, and by Smectymnuus, and by the Author of the Assertion of the Scotch Discipline, some of which are rehearsed in the Margent. We will conclude this Discourse, with the confession of Archbishop Whitgift, a great Writer against the Presbyterial-Government; I know (saith he) that in the Primitive Church, they had in every Church Seniors, to whom the Government of the Church was committed, but that was before there was any Christian Prince or Magistrate.

And therefore, let not our respective Congregations suffer themselves to be abused any longer with a false belief, that the Ruling-Elder is a new device, and an Officer never known in the Church of God, nor Word of God. For we have sufficiently (as we conceive) proved it to be warranted by the Word, and to have been of use in the purer times of the Church.

Three things we shall desire to adde, as a conclusion of this discourse.

1. That there are prints of the Ruling-Elder remaining amongst us even at this day; for as the Overseers of every Parish, have a resemblance of the Deacon; so the Church-warden hath some foot-steps of our Ruling-Elder; though we must needs confess, that this Office hath been much abused; and we could desire it might be laid aside, and the true Scripture-Ruling-Elder set up in his place.

2. That the Prelatical Divines, [75]which are such great adversaries to the Ruling-Elder, do yet notwithstanding, hold and prove, that men of abilities which are not Ministers, are to be admitted into Generall Councels; because that in the Synod of Jerusalem, not only the Apostles, but Elders and Brethren did sit and vote, because this was practised in the Old Testament; and because that this was practised in the Councels held afterwards in the Church of Christ, as appears out of Eusebius, Sozomen and Theodoret, and by the subscriptions of those Councels done by men, not Ministers, as well as others.

Hence we might argue;

If other men, besides Ministers, are by Gods word, even in the judgment of the Prelaticall Divines, to be admitted into the greatest Assemblies, and Councels of the Church, much more are they by the same right to be admitted into particular Congregations, to sit and vote with the Minister in the Government of the Church. 3. Adde thirdly, that even in the Bishops days, for these many hundred years, there have been Ruling-Elders in the Church; for the Chancellours, Commissaries, Officials, and such others, were all of them Governours of the Church, and had the power of suspension and excommunication; and yet were few of them, if any, Ministers of the Word: And it seems to us, to be a great curse of God, that lyeth upon mens spirits, that could willingly submit to Chancellours & Commissaries, who did nothing else but pick their purses, and tyrannize over their bodies and estates, and yet will not submit unto the Ruling-Elder now established, who seeks no other interest, but the interest of Christ, and medleth not with mens bodies or estates, and desireth nothing but to be helpfull to the Ministers of Christ, to keep their Congregations in unity, piety, and verity. This is all we shall say, in answer to the first Objection.

The second grand Objection against the Presbyteriall-Government, is, that it requires all, of all sorts, to come to the Minister and Elders to be examined, before they can be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, which is (as some ignorantly say) to bring in auricular confession again into the Church, to bring the people of God into a spirituall slavery and bondage unto the Eldership, and which is an usurpation more then prelaticall, and a tyrannicall domineering over mens consciences, and hath no footing in the Word; for the Scripture saith, Let a man examine himself, and so let him eate, &c. It is not said, Let him first be examined by the Ministers and Elders: the Scripture addes, He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not to the Eldership. And why then must a man submit himself unto the examination of the Eldership? and how come the Eldership to be guilty of another mans unworthy receiving? It is further added by some, that for their parts, they will willingly come before the Minister, and submit to his examination, but they will rather for ever be without the Sacrament, then submit to come before the Lay-Elder, for whom, they see no warrant in the Word of God: Others say, that they will freely yield that the younger sort, that never have received the Sacrament, should present themselves to the Eldership to be catechized, and instructed, and fitted for the Sacrament; but they will never yield, that old men and women, that heretofore have divers times received, should now in their old age be required to come, to be examined not only by their Minister, but by the Elders also, who oftentimes are very unfit for that Office: Others adde, that though some Ministers rigidly keep all from the Sacrament, that will not come before the Elderships; yet there are others, that are Presbyterians, and have Elders chosen, that act without them, and will receive us to the Sacrament without comming before them. These, and such like Objections, are brought against this way of Examination, that is so happily begun amongst us. Now that we might satisfie these Objections, and make good our practice out of the Word of God, we shall briefly do these four things.

1. We will declare what our practice is in this particular.

2. We will prove, that he that will come to the Sacrament, ought first to submit to examination.

3. That the power to examine, belongs not to the Minister alone, nor to the Minister with the whole Church, but to the Minister and Elders.

4. We will answer the Objections, that are brought against this way of examination by the Minister and Elders. For the first of these, we say;

First, That the Presbyterial-Government, doth not precisely & peremptorily require of those that come to the Sacrament, that they should first be examined by questions and answers, but if any man or woman shall make a good profession of their Faith in a continued discourse, without being asked any questions, it will be as well accepted, as if they were examined by particular questions.

Secondly, that this examination or profession is not required every time men come to the Sacrament, but only at their first admission.

3. That he that is duly admitted into compleat Church-fellowship in the Presbyterian-way, is not only by vertue of his first admission, freed from all after-examination (unless it be when he falls into any scandalous transgression) in the Congregation, to which he belongs; but he is inabled by a certificate from his Eldership, to receive the Sacrament in any Church of the Christian world of the same constitution, without any new examination.

Fourthly, that the reason why ancient men and women, and others, that have formerly under the Prelatical Government been admitted to the Sacrament, are now required to submit to examination, before they can be again admitted, doth not proceed from the nature of the Presbyterian Government, but chiefly from the neglect of the Prelaticall: For it is so evident, that it cannot be denyed, that under the former Government, men and women of all sorts, though never so ignorant or scandalous, were in most places admitted promiscuously to the Sacrament without any examination. Now this grievous disorder, and great iniquity in the Prelatical Government, is the principal cause of all the trouble we meet withal in ours; and we desire earnestly our people to distinguish with us, between a Church deformed, and reformed. If the Churches of God in England were once so reformed, that there were an orderly admission, by examination or profession, unto the Lords Table by the Eldership; then we should require none to come to examination, but such only as never yet communicated, whom we would endeavour to train up in knowledge, by catechizing, and by Gods blessing, make fit in time, to be partakers of such heavenly mysteries. But now because our Churches, through want of Discipline, are deformed, & all sorts have been sinfully admitted without tryal: Hence it is, that we are forced, even out of tender regard to the souls of old people, and to free our selves from the guilt of their sins, and out of desire to keep the Sacrament from prophanation, to examine even aged people (many of whom we find very ignorant) and all sorts as have been formerly admitted (many of whom we find to be very unworthy) that so we may bring our Congregations into Gospel-order. This we say, we are absolutely necessitated to do upon conscientious grounds, which we cannot recede from, though we find it very prejudiciall to our selves, and to our Government. But in the mean time, we desire our respective Congregations to consider, that this is a necessity, that the iniquity of former times hath brought upon us; and that it doth not flow from the principles of our Government, but only from the negligence and sinfulness of Prelatical Governours.

The second thing propounded, is to prove, that he that will come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, ought first to submit to examination, and tryal, as it hath been formerly explained: For this purpose, we will lay down these three Propositions.

1. It is the Will of Jesus Christ, that no grosly ignorant, or scandalous person should come to the Sacrament.

2. That it is the Will of Jesus Christ, that those who are grosly ignorant, or scandalous, should be kept from the Sacrament (if they offer to come) by the Officers of the Church.

3. That it is the Will of Jesus Christ, that Church-Governours have some sufficient way to find out who are such ignorant and scandalous persons, that they may be kept away.

That it is the Will of Jesus Christ, that no grosly ignorant, or scandalous person, should come to the Sacrament.

1. No grosly ignorant person, because the Scripture saith, that a man must first examine himself, and so eat of that bread, and drink of that cup; and it likewise saith, that he that will come to the Sacrament must be one that discerneth the Lords body; otherwise he eats and drinks damnation to himself; and it adds, that we are to do this in remembrance of Christ, and thereby to shew forth the Lords death till he come. And therefore a man that is grosly ignorant, and is not able to examine himself, nor to discern the Lords body, nor to remember Christ; nor understands what it is to shew forth the Lords death, ought not to come to the Sacrament, no more then a baptized Infant, who is therefore not to partake of this Ordinance, because of his want of knowledge.

2. No scandalous person: This is evidenced from the words of the Apostle, Let a man examine himself, & so let him eat, &c. from which words we gather two things:

1. That he that would come to the Sacrament, must examine himself; which examination ought to be according to the nature of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, viz.

1. In general; whether he be worthy to come, or no; (not with a worthinesse of merit, but of Evangelical suitablenesse.)

2. In particular:

1. Whether he have true Faith in Christ, without which, he cannot worthily eat this bread, and drink this cup.

2. Whether he truly repent for sin, and from sin. For he that comes in any sin unrepented of, comes unclean, and so pollutes the ordinance.

3. Whether he be [76]truly united by love to Jesus Christ, and his members; without which, he cannot enjoy communion with them in that ordinance.

2. That he who upon due examination, can find none of these qualifications, should not presume to come, which appears:

1. By the Apostolical command, But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat; so, and not otherwise.

2. By the sin which he commits, in being guilty of the body and blood of Christ, vers. 27.

3. By the Danger he incurres to himself, in eating and drinking his own damnation, vers. 29.

2. From the nature of the Sacrament.

1. It is the table of the Lord, and the Lords Supper; and consequently the friends, and not the enemies of Christ, are thereto invited.

2. It is an ordinance, wherein we publiquely profess communion with Christ and his mystical body, & if he that comes, be by sin disjoyned from Christ, he is guilty of a sacrilegious lye against him and his Church, whilest he professeth himself to be a friend, and is really an enemy.

3. It is (according to the nature of all Sacraments,) [77]a sealing Ordinance, as is intimated in those remarkable sacramental phrases, This is my body, this is my blood, denoting not only a bare sacramental signification, but also a spiritual obsignation and exhibition of Christs body and blood, to a worthy receiver. Now a seal supposeth a writing to which it is annext, or else it is a meer nullity; and certainly Christ never intended to have his Seal put to a blank or counterfeit writing.

4. It is an ordinance appointed for the nourishment of those who are spiritually alive, Christs body & blood being therein conveyed under the Elements of bread & wine; which they only can eat and drink, [78]who are alive by Faith, and not they that are dead in trespasses & sins.

5. It is the New Testament in the blood of Christ, that is, a confirmation of the New Testament, and of all the promises and priviledges thereof in the blood of Christ, which belong not at all to wicked men, [79]Godlinesse having the promises of this life, and that which is to come.

By all which it appears, that it is the Will of Christ, that no scandalous person should come to the Lords table.

That it is the Will of Jesus Christ, that those who are grosly ignorant, or scandalously wicked, should be kept from the Sacrament, (if they offer to come,) by Church-Officers.

And this is evident:

1. From the power given to Church-Officers for that purpose.

2. From the evill consequents that will otherwise ensue.

1. That such a power is given to Church-Officers, appears,

Not onely

From the proportionable practice of Church-Officers under the Old Testament, who kept the charge of the holy things of God, and were appointed [80]to see that none who were unclean in any thing, or uncircumcised in flesh, or in heart, should enter into the Temple, to partake of the holy things of God, and [81]had a power to put difference between holy and unholy, which power was not meerly doctrinall or declarative, but decisive, binding, and juridicall, so far, as that according to their sentence, men were to be admitted, or excluded. That there was a power in the Old Testament to keep men from the Sacrament of the Passeover, for morall wickednesse, vide Aarons rod blossoming, lib. 1. cap. 9, 10, &c.

But also,

From that power of Government, and key of Discipline, committed by Jesus Christ, to Church-Officers, under the New Testament. For Christ hath given to them the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, which imply not only a key of doctrine, but of discipline, and that both to keep out such as Christ would not have received in, and to shut out such as Christ would not have to continue in; The use of a key being for both these purposes. For shutting out those that should not be continued in, as is granted on all hands from divers Scriptures[82]. And consequently, for keeping out those that should not be received in, there being the same reason of both. For to what purpose should such be received in, as are by Christs command immediately to be cast out again.

2. That divers ill consequences will otherwise ensue, if grosly ignorant, and scandalous persons be not kept away, is plain.

1. Church-Governours should be very unfaithfull Stewards of the Mysteries of Christ, and perverters of his Ordinance. If a Steward to whom his Lord hath committed his goods to be carefully distributed, to such as are honest, faithfull, and diligent in his field or Vineyard, shall not only admit of Loyterers, and such as by their evill example discourage others, but also shall give to such the bread and wages which belongs to them who are faithfull and industrious, should he not be accounted a very unjust and unfaithfull Steward, and an abuser of his trust?

2. They should be guilty of polluting and prophaning the Sacrament. If a Minister should give this Sacrament to an Infant, or to a Mad-man, or to a meer fool; or to a Swine, or a Dog, would not all men say this were a horrible prophanation thereof? Shall it then seem a small prophanation to give it unto one who is as ignorant as an Infant, and walloweth as a Swine in the mire of sin and uncleanness?

3. They should express a great deal of cruelty and inhumanity to the soul of him to whom they give the Sacrament; because they give it to one who will eat and drink his own damnation.

4. They will hereby make themselves accessary to his sin of unworthy receiving; For it is a certain Rule in Divinity; [83]He that suffers a man to commit sin, when it is in his power to hinder him, is accessory to the sin that that man commits; as appears by the [84]example of Eli: And therefore, if the Officers of the Church that are deputed by Christ to keep grosly ignorant, or scandalous, from the Sacrament, shall yet notwithstanding suffer them to come, and can hinder them, but will not, they themselves become guilty of his sin.

5. They do hereby grieve the Godly, that are members of the same Congregation, and as much as in them lies, they pollute & defile the whole Congregation: For know you not, saith the Apostle, that a little Leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

6. Adde lastly, that hereby they bring down the judgments of God upon the Congregation; according to that text, 1Cor. 11.30. For this cause many are sick.

From all this, we argue thus; If Church-Officers under the Old Testament had an authoritative power to separate between the holy and prophane; and if under the New Testament they have a power to keep out from the Sacrament, such as are grosly ignorant, or scandalously wicked; and if it be the Will of Christ, that the Officers of the Church should be faithful Stewards of the Mysteries of Christ, that they should not pervert, nor pollute his Ordinance; that they should not be cruel to the souls of their Brethren, or be partakers of other mens sins, that they should not grieve the Godly, nor bring guilt and judgment upon the Congregation of which they are Officers: Then it is the Will of Christ, that they should not give the Sacrament to such, who are grosly ignorant, and scandalously wicked.

That it is the Will of Christ, that Church-Governours have some sufficient way to discover who are such ignorant and scandalous persons, that they may be kept away.

This followeth clearly from the two former Proportions. For if it be the Will of Christ, that no grosly ignorant, or scandalous person should come to the Sacrament; and if they offer to come, should be kept back by Church-Officers; then it follows, That they must have sufficient way to detect who are ignorant and scandalous. For Christ never wills any end, but he wills also all necessary and sufficient mean, conducing to that end.

Now what sufficient means can be propounded or imagined, for detection of ignorant or scandalous persons, but by examination before these Church-Officers; examination, we say, of the persons themselves in case of ignorance, and of witnesses also in the case of scandal. For though in some particular cases for private satisfaction, private conference with the Minister alone may sufficiently discover the knowledge or ignorance of persons, yet in this common case, for publique satisfaction touching the fitness of persons for the Lords Supper, no lesse then a publike and judicial examination before the Eldership can be sufficient; inasmuch as an authoritative act of admitting, or refusing the persons so examined, depends thereupon.

To illustrate this;

If a man by his last Will and Testament, should leave unto the Master and Fellows of a Colledge in trust a sum of money; to be distributed to hopeful poor schollars, such as were well verst in the learned Arts and Tongues: Would it not hence follow?

1. That those Trustees have a power granted them by the Will, to examine those that come to desire that Legacie.

2. That if any refuse to be examined, or upon examination be found insufficiently qualified, they have authority to refuse them.

3. That the most sufficient, proper, and satisfactory way, is not to trust to Reports or Testimonials, but to examine the persons themselves that sue for such a Legacie: So in the present case, Jesus Christ hath left as a Legacie, the Sacrament of his Body and Bloud, and hath left the Church-Officers in trust with it, and hath said in his Will, That no grosly ignorant, or scandalous person ought to come to partake thereof; and if any come, that he be debarred from it by those Church-Officers. Hence it followeth inevitably.

1. That those in trust have power to examine such as desire to partake of this Legacie, whether they be of sufficient knowledg, and of good conversation, or no. 2. That they have power to refuse all such as either refuse to be examined, or upon examination, are found insufficient. 3. That if the Church Officers would give up their account with joy at the great day of judgment, they ought not to rest satisfied with private Reports or Informations of others; but to examine the persons themselves, that thereby they may faithfully discharge their trust in a matter of so great concernment; And that they that will have the Sacrament, according to the will of Christ, ought first to submit themselves to such examination.

Besides this that hath been said, to prove that those that would come to the Sacrament ought first to submit to examination; We shall further offer these following Arguments.

1. We argue from that general exhortation of the Apostle, 1 Pet. 3.15. But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.

Now if Christians are bound to give an account of their Faith and hope to every one that asketh them, yea even to heathen Persecutors: how much more ought they to do it to the Officers of the Church? especially at such a time, when they desire to be admitted to an Ordinance that is not common to all sorts of Christians, but peculiar to such as are indued with knowledg, and of an unblameable life and conversation.

2. From that power that Jesus Christ hath seated in his Church, of examining such as are by the Will of Christ to be excommunicated from the Sacrament. That there is a power of examining, in order to excommunication, appears from Matth. 18.16, 17. and from Revel. 2.2. where Christ commends [85]the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, because he could not bear them which were evill, and had tryed them who said, they were Apostles, and were not, and had found them lyars. This trying was not only charitative, and fraternall, but authoritative and judiciall. For it was an act of the Angel of the Church; which Angel is not to be understood individually, [86]but collectively, for all the Angels in Ephesus. And that there were more Angels then one in Ephesus, appears from Act. 20.17. (The like may be said of the Angel of the Church of Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, &c. for Christ speaks unto each Angel in the plural number, Rev. 2.10, 13, 14.) From hence we argue, If Iesus Christ hath given power Authoritatively, to examine such as are to be cast out from the Sacrament, then he hath also given power to examine such as are to be received in. For there is the same reason of both. And as the power of excommunication would be wholly useless and frustraneous, if there were not a power of examination precedent thereunto; so would the power of keeping such as are grosly ignorant or scandalous, from the Sacrament, be utterly in vain, and of no benefit to the Church of Christ, if the power of examination should be denyed unto it. And certainly, whosoever is an enemy to this power, must be forced to grant, that it is the Will of Iesus Christ, that all sorts of people, though never so wicked, though actually drunk, though fooles, though Turks, Iews, or Heathen, are to be admitted to the Sacrament, if they come unto it.

For if there be no divine right of Examination, or of rejection, how dare any Church or State assume a power of making rules for keeping any persons from the Sacrament? should they make rules for keeping ignorant and scandalous persons from the hearing of the Word, would it not be accounted a sin of an high nature? And is it not as great a sin to keep any from the Sacrament, if Christ hath left no power for the doing of it? is not this to be wise above what is written? And therefore let us either admit all sorts to the Sacrament, without any distinction of persons, and thereby become guilty of the body and blood of Christ, and accessary to the sins of those that come unworthily; (as hath been said, and formerly proved,) or else let us diligently and conscientiously examine all of all sorts, that desire to be made partakers of this distinguishing ordinance.

3. From the titles that are given to the Officers of the Church, and from the duty that God requires at their hands. The Officers of the Church are called Rulers and Governours, & such as are over their people in the Lord. And it is their duty to watch over the souls of their people, as such as must give an account for them into God. Now it is all the reason in the world, that they that must give an account to God for their people, should take an account of their people; and that they that watch over their souls, should know the state of their souls. And that they that are Governours, Rulers, and Overseers, should teach, instruct, try and examine those over whom they rule and govern.[87]

But you will say, who are these Rulers and Governours, by whom we are to be examined?

The Answer to this, will lead us to the third thing propounded; and that is to prove,

That the power of examining those that desire to be admitted to the Lords Supper, belongs not to the Minister alone, nor to the Minister with the whole Church, but to the Minister & Ruling Elders.

1. Not to the Minister alone. Indeed there is an examination, which belongs only to the teaching-Elder, and that is [88]a catechizing of his people in publique, by questions and answers; and this is part of the key of doctrine.

But the examination that we are now treating of, belongs to Discipline and Government; for it is not only a naked examination, but an authoritative determining whether the party examined shall be detained from the Sacrament, or admitted; which is formally an act of Church-Government, and therefore belongs not to the Minister alone, but to all those whom Christ hath made Church-Governours, also: of which sort are the Ruling-Elders, as hath been sufficiently proved. The power of Discipline is given "Non uni, sed unitati."by Christ, not to one Elder, but to the united company of Elders: and for one Minister alone to assume this power unto himself, it is to make himself the Church; it is to make himself a Congregational Pope; it is a bringing in of a Power into the Church, that would have some resemblance (as was objected) to auricular confession.

Now there are two things we are very confident of;

1. That when the Parliament gave their allowance to the Presbyterial Government, if they had put the whole juridical power of the Church into the hands of the Minister alone, they that now seem so willing to come to be examined by the Minister without his Elders, would have more bitterly declaimed against that way, then now they do against this: For this indeed were to make every Minister a Prelate in his Congregation; and (as we now said) to bring in that which hath some resemblance to auricular confession.

2. That it is as warrantable by the Word of God, for one Minister to assume the whole power unto himself alone, of suspending persons from the Sacrament, who have been duly admitted thereunto (which is a graduall excommunication) as it is to assume the whole power of admitting unto the Sacrament; for contrariorum eadem est ratio. And oh that our Brethren in the Ministry, that take this power unto themselves, would seriously consider what is here said.

Secondly, the power cannot be placed in the whole Church collectively taken; for then it should be also in children and servants. The Scripture makes an exact distinction between Rulers, and Ruled; and we are very well assured, that if this power were seated in the Minister and whole Congregation, that they that are now so unwilling to come before the Minister and Elders, would be much more unwilling to come before the Minister, and whole Congregation. And therefore we conclude, That this power of examining, and receiving unto the Sacrament such are fit, and detaining such as are found to be grosly ignorant, and visibly wicked must needs belong to the Minister, assisted with the Elders, chosen out from amongst the rest of the Congregation: For if the Elders are Rulers, and Governours, seated by God in his Church, (as hath been abundantly proved) then it will undeniably follow, That whatsoever is properly an act of Government, must belong to them as well as the Minister. And who can deny, but that the power of admitting unto, or detaining from the Sacrament, is an act of Government? and therefore it doth by divine right belong to the Elders, as well as to the Minister. But yet here we must carefully distinguish between the act of examination, and the judgment given upon the person examined. The managing of the Examination, is the proper act of the teaching Elder; It is he that is to pray for a blessing; It is he, that is for order sake to ask the questions. But as for the determining, whether the party examined be fit or no to receive, this is an act of power and government, and belongs not to the Minister alone, but to the Eldership. And it is a very great wonder unto us, that people should profess so much dis-satisfaction and dislike, in coming before the Ruling-Elders whereas they cannot but take notice,

1. That the Elders are such, as they themselves have, or might have chosen.

2. They are chosen for the relief and benefit of the Congregation. That so the Minister might not be sole judge of those that are to come to the Sacrament, but might have others joyned with him, to see that he doth nothing out of envy, malice, pride, or partiality, but that all things be managed for the good and edification of them, for whose sake they are chosen: which two particulars, if our people did seriously consider, they would quickly be perswaded to a hearty and an unanimous submission unto this ordinance of Jesus Christ.

There remains the fourth thing yet behind, which is an answering of the objections that are brought against this way of examination by Minister and Elders. But this, and divers other considerable things, which we shall propound, to perswade people unto a cheerful obedience to this part of Church-Reformation, so comfortably begun in many Congregations in this Kingdome; We shall leave, till we come to that part of this discourse, which we call, The EXHORTATION; to which we refer the Candid Reader, that desires further satisfaction.

And thus we have given you a short survey of the nature of the Presbyterial Government; together with an answer to the most material objections against it: which we have done only for this end, that so (as we have said) we might undeceive those, who look upon it as lordly and tyrannical; and by these bug-bears, are scared from submitting to it. And we beseech our several Congregations, to judge of it, as it is here represented, and to be willing to come under the yoke of it, which is light and easie, (being the yoke of Christ) and which will in a short time make our Congregations (if received into them) glorious for their unity, verity, and piety.

We are not ignorant, that it hath many Adversaries. The obstinately ignorant hates it, because it will not suffer him to go blindfold to hell. The prophane person hates it, because it will not suffer him to eat and drink his own damnation, by unworthy coming to the Sacrament. The Heretique hates it, because after two or three admonitions, it rejects him. The Jesuite hates it, because it is an invincible bulwark to keep out Popery. The Schismatique, because the main design of it, is to make all the Saints to be of one lip, one heart, and one way. And above all, the Devil hates it, because if rightly managed, it will in a short time blow up his kingdome.

But notwithstanding all these great and potent enemies, our comfort is, That this Government is the Government of Jesus Christ, who is the King of his Church, and hath given unto us the keyes of his Kingdom, hath promised to be with us, to protect and defend us to the end of the world; upon whose shoulders the government is laid; & though we be utterly unable, yet he that was able to bear the wrath of God upon his shoulders, is able to bear up this Government against the wrath of man. For this end and purpose, all power in heaven and earth is given unto him; and he is now sitting at the right hand of God, for the more effectual exercising thereof: and will there remain, till he hath made all his enemies his foot-stool. Whose priviledge it is, to rule in the midst of his enemies: And will one day say, Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me. Be wise now therefore, O ye Kings, be instructed ye Judges of the Earth; serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with trembling. Kisse the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little; blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

THere remains the second particular yet behind; and that is the Vindication of our persons, (especially of such amongst us, who are teaching Elders,) from the slanders and cruel reproaches that are cast upon us; which we shall undertake, not so much for our own, as for our peoples sake, lest hereby our Ministry should be rendred useless and ineffectual; for (as [89]Austine saith) though a Ministers good conscience is sufficient for himself, yet his good name is necessary for his people: who ordinarily dis-esteem the Doctrine of him, whose person they dis-esteem. We thank God, we can say with the Apostle, with us, It is a very small thing that we should be judged of mans judgment: He that judgeth us is the Lord. We remember what the Apostle tells us in that little Book of Martyrs, of divers Saints, whose shoe-latchets we are not worthy to untye; who endured cruell mockings, yea moreover bonds and imprisonments, they were stoned, they were sawn assunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword, &c. of whom the world was not worthy, and yet even they were not thought worthy to live in the world. And therefore we can with the more willingness, suffer our selves to be the But of every mans malice, and the subject of every dayes Pamphlet. We read, that even Elias himself was called the troubler of Israel, by him who was the chief troubler thereof. And that Saint Paul, who was wrapt up into the third heaven, was accused by Tertullus, to be a Pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world. And that the Primitive Confessors and Martyrs, famous for the holiness of their lives, were charged before the Heathen Emperors, to be the vildest of men; to be first murderers, and then eaters of their own children; to be guilty of incestuous marriages, and in their private meetings to commit uncleanness. And their Religion also was represented, as the cause of all the Earthquakes, famines, plagues, and other miseries of those times.[90]

We have formerly made mention of the reproaches which the Anabaptists of Germany cast upon Luther; and we might adde the horrible and prodigious lies & slanders raised by the Arians against Athanasius, that great Champion of Jesus Christ, and the hideous and strange reports, and bitter invectives of Michael Servetus and Bolseck, against Calvin. But that which doth quiet our spirits, more then all this, is, the consideration of Christ Jesus himself, who when he was here upon Earth, was accused to be an Enemy to CÆsar, a friend to Publicans and Sinners, a Glutton and a Wine-bibber, &c. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord; if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub; how much more shall they call them of his Houshold?

As for the particular accusations that are charged upon us, they are, we confess, very many, and very great; and if to be accused, were sufficient to make us guilty, we were of all men most miserable. But we hope it may be said of us, as it was once of Cato, That as he was 32. times accused, so he was 32. times cleared and absolved. And we trust, that the Lord will in due time, dispell all these thick mists and fogs which our adversaries have raised up against us, and bring forth at last our Righteousnesse as the light, and our judgment as the noon day. And we do here profess before the great God, that in all the great changes that have bin lately made amongst us, it hath been our great endeavour to keep our selves unchanged, making the unchangeable Word our Rule, and the unchangeable God our Rock. And we are confident, that no man will account us Apostatized from our principles, but such as are in a great measure Apostatized from their own professions. There are some men that Proteus-like, can transform them into all shapes, for their own advantage, according to the times wherein they live; and Camelion-like, can change themselves into any colour but white, can turn any thing, but what they should be. And because we cannot change our consciences with the times, as some do; therefore, and therefore only, are we counted Changlings. It is just with such men, as with men in a ship at Sea, that will not be perswaded, but that the shore they pass by moves, and not the ship wherein they are. As for Us, we are, and hope (through Gods grace) ever shall be fixt and immoveable in our first principles. We were not the causers of the first War, between King and Parliament; but were called by the Parliament to their assistance: and the ground of our ingaging with them was, The Propositions and Orders of the Lords, and Commons in Parl. Jun. 10. 1642. for bringing in of mony and plate, &c. wherein they assured us, that whatever should be brought in thereupon, should not at all be employed upon any other occasion, Then to maintain the Protestant Religion, the Kings authority and his person, in his Royall Dignity; the free course of justice; the Laws of the Land, the peace of the Kingdom; and the Priviledges of Parliament, against any force which shall oppose them. And in this we were daily confirmed & incouraged more and more, by their many subsequent Declarations and Protestations, which we held our selves bound to believe, knowing many of them godly and conscientious men, of publique Spirits, zealously promoting the good both of Church and State. The War we ingaged in by Authority of Parliament, was only defensive, (which not only [91]Bishop Bilson, and [92]Bishop Bedell, but divers others of the Prelatical way hold to be just and warrantable.) We never opposed the King further, then He opposed His own Laws: Our aym in all that great Undertaking (as the great Heart-searcher knows) was to secure Religion, to preserve the Government of the Kingdom, and to remove the Wicked from before the King, that his Throne might be established in Righteousness.

And this Act of ours, was not at all contrary to the Oath of Allegeance which we have taken; because the intent of that Oath can be no other, then to oblige to obey the King, according to the Laws of the Kingdome; and to our knowledg, we never disobeyed the King in his legall and political capacity; though we confess we did, and by the Law were allowed to deny obedience unto him in his personall capacity, when it did cross his legall. And therefore they that charge us so deeply, and reiterate their charge by their multiplyed Pamphlets, That we Ministers are the cause of all the Murders and Blood sheddings of these late years, and other horrid practices which we forbear to mention, have the greater sin.

But our comfort is, the witness of our Consciences, and the integrity of our Carriages; and we doubt not but we can truly appeal, as David, did when he was accused for seeking the life of Saul. The Lord judg between them and us, and plead our cause, and deliver us out of the hands of these cruell and unreasonable accusers. This is all we shall return in answer to the first War; As for the second War, we profess, we stand amazed at the impudency of that man[93], who is not afraid, even against his own conscience (we fear) to say of the Presbyterian Ministers, That they did separate their consecrated Lungs, for Bellows to blow up the Coals amongst the People this last Summer; That they were the Ghostly Fathers of all or the greatest part of those Anti-Parliamentary Barabasses, who so lately commenced Masters of Mis-rule in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Essex, Wales, &c. That in stead of lifting up their voyces like Trumpets, to cause the People to know their abominations, they lift them up like Trumpets, to prepare them to commit abominations, &c. That Tumults, Insurrections, and Rebellions of the People against Authority, in order to the advancement of High Presbytery, seem lawfull, yea, and commendable practices unto many of them. To all which, and Multitudes of such like cruel invectives, we return the answer of the Archangel, Jude 9. The Lord rebuke thee. It is well known to all that are not wilfully and maliciously blind, what help the Presbyterian Ministers and People did contribute towards the quenching of those flames; and that in all probability, the Army had been utterly destroyed, had not the Presbyterian Forces in Lancashire, Suffolk, Essex, and in divers other places (incouraged by the Ministers) come in timously, and vigorously to their assistance. And the time was, when this was ingenuously acknowledged by one of the chiefest of the Army, though the forementioned Pamphleter, possessed with prejudice against us, will not remember any such thing; and though some of us be like to be dealt withall by way of recompence, just as M. Tullius Cicero was, who had his head cut off by Popilius LÆnas, whose head he had saved from cutting off; or as Constans, the Son of Constantine the great was served, who was kil'd by one Magnentius, whose life he had formerly preserved.[94] And what the Ministers of London in particular did in this kind, is well known to all unprejudiced Citizens. We did not abet (as we are falsly accused) but abhor and detest, that horrid violence offered to the Parliament, upon that fatall Munday, July 6. 1647. We have always been, and still are friends to the Priviledges of Parliament, according to our Covenant. And for this very cause it is, even because we will not break the priviledges of Parliament, that we suffer so deeply from these kind of men at this day. Although we could (if recriminations were good answers) put them in mind of Pamphlets, not a few, written by them, and those of their way, in justification of as horrid acts of violence offered to the Parliament. When the Scottish Army came last into England, (though we are shamefully traduced, as if we had encouraged and invited them to come in,) yet our consciences do witness with us, and our Auditors can testifie for us, that we did unanimously oppose them, as men that pretended the Covenant, but acted quite contrary unto it. We profess, that in conscience we are bound, and in practice we shall endeavour to obey lawfull Authority in all lawfull things; and when we cannot actively obey, we shall be ready passively to submit. If our hearts deceive us not, we have no design but the glory of God, no interest like that of Religion. We desire more to sow spiritualls, then reap temporalls. And that Christ and his Gospel, may be exalted, though upon our ruines. Pardon us, that we become fools in glorifying, for ye have compelled us. We hunt not after tythes, and great Livings, but seek the salvation of our peoples souls; and had our enemies a window into our hearts, they would finde these our professions to be true and unfeigned. And yet we must crave leave to tell these men, That the design of taking away Tythes from the Ministry, was first invented by that cursed Apostate Julian, who (as Mr. Stock that Reverend, pious, and painfull Preacher hath observed[95],) by this means is noted, more to have overthrown the Church, then all the Persecuting Emperours before him. Because they took away Presbyters, and their Martyrs blood was the seed of the Church, but he took away Presbyterium, the Ministry it self, in withdrawing the maintenance from the Church, and so overthrew the Worship of God. As for our way of preaching, though we are far from justifying any indiscreet and passionate expressions, yet we conceive it to be very hard measure, to have our integrity arraigned and condemned for humane infirmities. And we hope we may, without boasting, say thus much; That the setled Ministry of England was never more censured, molested, impoverished and yet never more pious, peaceable, and painfull. And that our condition in this juncture of affaires, is just like that of the Romane, That had a suit commenced against him, because he did not receive the sword of his enemy far enough into his bowels. And that therefore it is that some men rail against us, because we will not break our Oaths and Covenants, and will not serve the times, but serve the Lord. It is a great refreshing to us, to consider the wise dispensation of God, in ordering the affaires of this Kingdome, so, as he hath thereby discovered the hidden hypocrisie and cousenage of many men, unto those who otherwise would not have believed it. And we earnestly intreat these men to consider, as in the sight of God, before whose dreadfull judgment Seat, both we and they must shortly give an account of all things done in these our mortall bodies; Whether in that dreadful day it will appear a righteous thing, If those who have cryed down Persecution so much, should now themselves become the greatest Persecutors. And if they who have formerly abhorred others, as men transported with an Antichristian spirit, but for a bare suspition, that if they got power into their hands, they would prove cruell and tyrannicall to poor tender consciences, should now actually attempt to do that themselves, the which upon bare suspition, they did condemn in others: And if any who have accused others for seeking great Offices, and places of gain and preferment, should now manifest themselves to be none of the least self-seekers. Alas! who knows, or can discern the deceitfulness of our hearts? and that if we give way upon meer outward occurrences, to change our principles, but that upon further changes, the Righteous Lord may leave us to Satans stronger delusions, to transport us further, then at present can come in our hearts to imagine; that so after all the glorious beginnings in the Spirit, we should fearfully Apostatize, and end in the flesh. For our parts, we tremble to think of those formidable Judgments of our Righteous God. And our prayer to God is, that he would keep us sincere in all changes, and that he would plead our cause for us. And our rejoycing, is the testimony of our consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdome, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. It is the integrity of our consciences, that carries us above all the reproaches and slanders that are cast upon us: and that makes us go on in doing our duties, maugre all opposition; and to commit the maintaining of his own cause, and the cleering of our callings and persons unto the Lord, who judgeth righteously.