to choose where there is no officer to guide them and many times very weak persons 2. It is very easie to choose one of these for v. 21. It was one who had accompanied them from the time c. This was easie for the meanest to know but to choose a man fit for a Pastor requires more skill then so 3. If we observe it narrowly they did not so properly elect the Apostle for when they had appointed two Joseph and Matthias suppose one should have asked Peter or the rest which of these is the Apostle he must have said he could not tell properly God made the election then they knew who was the Apostle like to some Corporations in the choice of a Mayor the floore nominate two but the Aldermen choose which they will have whence the people say The Aldermen choose the Mayor 1. Something may here be gathered for popular election but very different is this practise from ours I could adde other scruples but I forbeare 2 The second place is Act. 6.3 a very cleare place for the popular election of a Deacon but the last words of the verse do very much shake this notion of Ordination being but an adjunct yea it shakes the essentiall causality of popular election Doe yee looke on c. but they adde whom Wee may appoint over this businesse How doe the Apostles appoint them over the businesse It is by Ordination vers 16. Those that doe authoritatively appoint another or others over some businesse they put forth a causall vertue surely in that appointing these appointed by this Act of Ordination the Apostles did not not meddle here with the election then the Apostles Ordination was more then an Adjunct From this place Divines argue commonly If they may choose Deacons then much more Pastors to whom they are more engaged must honour maintaine them c. Thus we argue one while a majori the people elected an Apostle ergo they may elect a Pastor here now a minori the people elect a Deacon ergo they may elect a Pastor but then those Axioms one of them must bee false a majori licet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solummodo à minori solùm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both which experience proves to be false and Logicians observe it but put the case we should question this argument The people may elect a Deacon ergo their Pastor election followeth the judgement and is guided by it but must we needs suppose the people to be as able to judge who is fit for a Pastor as who is fit for a Deacon Dr. Ames saith à minori ad majus si quantitas probabilitatis intelligatur semper concluditur affirmatè Is this as probable Thes log 143. Sure it is lesse probable that the people should be fit to judge of the fitnesse of a Pastor then a Deacon I am confident there are hundreds of Congregations in England in which there are many reall Saints yet all the Jesuits in Rome might scatter themselves into these Congregations and not be discerned if the people were left alone to their owne election Medul l. 1. c. 39. s 31. Bel. ener To. 2. l. 3. c. 2. s 23. Hence therefore our Divines dare not trust the people alone with the election of an officer but tells us they must have the counsell of the Presbyters as Dr. Ames and Mr. Cartwright upon Act. 14.23 Rhem. Test We do not onely give unto the Bishops Scripture Bishops Ordination but also we make them the chiefe and directors in the election saith he where is this practised The third is that of Act. 14.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but certainly if we come to find out the substantives to this participle they must be the same which were substantives to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were Paul and Barnabas I know what is said about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to defend the peoples election as the custome was taken from the Grecians Dr. To. 4. l. 5. c. 14. s 65. Ames saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud veteres idem sepe sonant so it appears by that passage of Basil quoted by Chamier to prove that no private person may baptise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if it it be taken in that sense here I doe not know how it will pleasure the people unlesse we should goe crosse to the gramaticall construction The summe is Zanchy in 4 praec Calvin in loc Piscat in loc obs 2 Malcol in loc Diodat in loc English Annot. c expound it of the ordination of Paul Barnabas there are no places brought for the peoples election but those who are but shallow will finde enough from the Texts to wrangle very hard thouh I am for the peoples election my selfe The Texts brought for Ordination are these Act. 6.6 When they had prayed they laid on hands on them Act. 13.3 When they had fasted and prayed and laid on hands c. they did not separate Paul and Barnabas by Election but Ordination Heb. 6.2 The laying of bands there is meant of Ordination say Pareus Dickson Gillespie Johnson H. Jacob urges the Text so that he would overthrow all the Ministry of England because he said they erred in the Foundation but he mistakes Mr. Hooker proves Church-discipline to be a fundamentall point of Religion from this place thus That which is a fundamentall point of Religion that hath Divine Institution c. But Church-discipline is a fundamentall point of Religion Heb. 6. Laying on of hands being by a metonymy of the Adjunct put for Ordination Ordination one particular put for the whole of Church discipline So Mr. Hooker 1 Tim. 4.14 With the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery I know not that this Text is questioned by our Divines Mr. Hooker and our New England Divines from this Text conceive Imposition of hands in Ordination to be nearest the rule as I have quoted them before 1 Tim. 5.22 Though some would have it of the admitting of penitents of which we have no example in Scripture yet the common interpretation is of imposition of hands in Ordination this interpretation hath other Scriptures to confirme it the other none 1 Tit. 5. Ordaine Elders in every City I doe not finde that our Divines oppose this place neither What Sectaries carp at I weigh not Rom. Miscel p. 37. 10.15 How shall they preach except they be sent Mr. Gillespy hath I thinke sufficiently cleared this Text. To be sure he is not alone in his interpretation He likewise clears Ordination from that Heb. 5.4 and first verses Now since the Scripture is more copious and plaine in giving us examples and presidents of ordination of Ministers then of the peoples election of Ministers though I grant something may well be drawne out of those Texts for election against the Papists besides the ancient course of the Church I cannot see any reason if Scripture be our guide why we should cloath these Texts for Ordination
maintaine any Officers I wish there be not too strong arguments to prove that Covetousnesse and Ambition reigne too much amongst this kind of Separatists yet because the proving that there are true visible Churches in England will be of great consequence to the following Discourse as being the ground-work of it I will therefore produce one Argument to prove it and if I can prove that then it will necessarily follow there is a true visible Church on the earth which as I said I thought no Christian dares deny But what daâ—es not the vile heart of man think say or doe if God give it up to its owne blindnesse and wickednesse Master Burroughs making mention of Schusselburgius Iren. pag. 236. who collected the Sects Opinions and wayes of men soone after Luther saith There is not any one strange Opinion amongst us now but you shall finde it amongst them in terminis onely I remember not that one that hath taken some who though they acknowledge the Scripture yet thinke there is no visible Church on the earth Many were the errours that were confuted condemned in the first Synod in New England which errours I finde here in England but there was not this errour amongst them all to my remembrance it was wont to be said of Africa that every yeare it produced a new Monster but now it must be said of England that it hath produced such a Spirituall Monster as no Nation that owned the Scriptures ever did before The Lord save us from our owne hearts But I will now prove the Thesis as I said before there are true visible Churches in England Where there are many Societies of visible Saints and true Ministers consenting together to worship God in his holy Ordinances there are true visible Churches But in England there are many Societies of visible Saints and true Ministers consenting together to worship God in his holy Ordinances Ergo in England there are many true visible Churches The Major is so plaine that none who know what a visible Church is and what the Churches in the Gospel were but must needs yeeld it Here are the essentiall causes of a Church Ergo here is a Church First here is the materiall cause Visible Saints the Ministers also as visible Saints help make up the matter but as they are Ministers they make the Churches Organicall which is more 2 Here is the formall cause their consenting to worship God c. he that yeelds the essentiall causes and yet denies the effect hath lost his reason A Church is any company of Saints in body to set up what Ordinances of God they know This is a true Church and here God dwels In Hos 8.1 saith Mr. Burroughs He speakes of a Church as it is a Homogeneall body but I goe further the Separatists indeed will catch hold of his definition as Cyprian saith the Schismaticks in his time did of that text in Matth. 18.20 to which eh answered very well De unita Eccles and hence they will conclude we are Saints in body ergo we are true Churches But I pray are there not visible Saints also in the Churches from which you irregularly as I shall prove after did separate Are they not as good as your selves Did not you attain to that visibility of Saint-ship which you have while you were in those Churches Doe you set up the Ordinances of God so farre as you know or may know if errour doth not hinder as they doe from whom you have separated Nay you cannot doe it for you neither have men fit for Office nor will you endure to come under Officers and therefore if you looke into the ninth verse of the same Chapter Faciunt faves vespae faciunt Ecclesias Marciouitae Tertul. you shall finde Mr. Burroughs saying That those who love to live without Ordinances from under the government of Christ are those that love to live in the Wildernesse His words may be applyed to many of these Separatists who call for separation from the word as well as to those who are in the world But to my Argument All the quarrell will be about the Ministers The Presbyterians speake the same Language if the words in Body please you the Correlatum of Ecclesiasticall Power is a people embodied in a Church or a Spirituall corporation Gillesp Aar rod. 191. Iren. p. 102. and the consenting together c. as for Mr. Burroughs phrase there being in Body this they like well but so are not those visible Saints I mention say they But to take away that Cavill and so to returne to the Ministers you may know what Mr. B. meanes by being in body by shewing what makes a Church Covenant saith he I know nothing more is required but to manifest their assent to joyne with that Body to set up all the Ordinances of Christ so farre as they know And doe not those visible Saints actually manifest their assent by their continuall attendance upon their Officers in all the Ordinances of God and maintaining their Officers to that intent that they may have the Ordinances of Christ set up amongst them Shall the want of an Adjunct null the Church when as they do the very thing which they should expresse Put case you expresse your assent and doe not the things which you express your assent unto are you therefore a Church because of your expressing your assent What then are those who doe the things though they doe not expresse their assent in words but in Acts This is good and sufficient to prove the essence though both expression and doing is better but of this more after But the Ministers are those who spoyle all there are those who cannot deny there are Ordinances but there are none to administer them and this was the reason which one of the chiefe Members of a Church in London who did use to Prophesie as they call it in the absence or wearinesse of the Pastor gave to an honest man who was troubled because he fell off from the Church and exercising his gifts and turned Seeker I name not the man nor the Church but it is too true Now suppose I could not prove the Ministers to be true Ministers yet those visible Saints which I named before and those whom you call Presbyterians doe meet together conferre pray and fast together watch one over another and so if you wil consider them as Homogeneall Bodies they are as good Churches as those Separatists which have no Officers therefore still there are true visible Churches in England besides the Separatists and so my Argument stands firme But I will prove there are many true Ministers even amongst those whom you call Presbyterial Ministers thus Where there are men sufficiently qualified by God orderly at least for substance called to the Ministry and doe that worke which Christ appointed his Ministers to doe there are true Gospel-Ministers But in many of the Churches of England there are such men ergo in many of the Churches of
England there are true Gospel-Ministers I put in the word many I dare venture farre here but that I would save my selfe against those whom I oppose because I am sure I shal maintaine my ground for why should I have undertaken to prove that all the Ministers in England are true Gospel-ministers and that in every Parochiall Congregation in the blinde corners of England there are such visible Saints as ought to be in the constitution of a Church enough I meane to make a Church I should have had a hard taske but by this word many I include abundance both Churches and Ministers besides our Congregationall Ministers now to my Argument The major cannot be denied for all the causes are there set downe which are required to a true Minister 1 The efficient cause God 2 Materiall cause a man sufficiently qualified I meane according to Pauls phrase 2 Tim. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word with 2 Cor. 2 16 who is sufficient two distinctions would cleare this latter text but I spare the reader 3 Formall cause orderly called I put in at least for substance because I would include many of the Presbyteriall men 4 Finall cause Ephes 4.12 the end of the Ministry is for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ So that no rationall man can deny the major Now for the minor that there are many such Ministers in England we shall see 1 For the efficient cause there is no controversie there 2 For the materiall that they are sufficiently qualified in that sence above mentioned who can deny it many yea abundance qualified with reall grace and experimentall workings on their owne hearts besides their Ministeriall qualifications and these many others have who it may be have not the former as could be wished but I hope though some doe whisper yet they will not undertake to defend it that there can be no true Minister unlesse he have reall Grace I have heard some that have affirmed as much but they are not such as dare undertake the Question But as for Ministeriall qualifications I doe beleeve the gifts of Ministers were never larger then now since the Apostles dayes never were the truths of God more clearly layed open then now God doth seeme to give out such large measures in these dayes as it were in opposition to this wild Generation that when they are crying out there are no Ministers God confutes them by pouring out more of his Spirit in point of Ministeriall abilities upon them then before indeed where other holy men have gone before in such Parishes and places thereabouts we finde not that preaching workes now as it did when it came new to the places yet I say the gifts of Ministers now are as strong as they were before but this is one of the Ministers heavie burdens in our dayes their Trading is dead Thirdly formall cause Our Ministers abundance of them are orderly called for substance there are but two things that I know of to make up this call Election and Ordination For election many if not all of the godly Ministers are elected by the people some by the whole Parish and others by the best in the Parishes But you say the Patron presents It is true but not so as to bring one in against the consent of the people Verily for Patrons to present an unworthy Minister and bring him in against the consent especially of the godly and orthodox Christians it is an act of cruell Tyranny and worthy of a Petition to the Parliament to get such an horrible abuse removed but you have a way now to helpe your selves against scandalous Ministers by the Civill-power and should have had it by Church-power if once Discipline were set up But if the Minister be not an unworthy man though the Patron did present as in former times and he came in without the consent of the people at the first but had it afterwards this makes his election good Hear what the New England Ministers say to this point Yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterward may supply the want of election at the first Ans to the 32. Quest p. 69. V. Ames Consc l. 4. c. 25. q. 7. as Jacobs after consent and acceptance of Leah made her to be his wife though he chose her not at the first and by this we hold the calling of many Ministers in England may be excused who at first came into their places without the consent of the people So Dr. Ames But are all these Separatists so regular I doubt not I can give instance of a Weaver who lived in a Towne where I had my abode for a little time the Minister of the place was a very able man regularly called and inclining at that time to the Congregationall way yet this Weaver I thinke that was his calling separated from him and the other Christians and had his owne society to whom he did preach as they said but when the winde did settle in the Independent quarter this Weaver had a minde to a Pulpit but I hope then he will looke to his orderly calling he will not dare to venture but by the Gospel-way that now we shall judge his way of election was this as an honest Christian of the same Towne and one of this mans friends told me that Goodman B. an honest Carrier being a Sequestrator in the Towne he puts him in and this is one part of his calling as for Ordination that is a Toy But is this regular then let these Separatists for ever hold their tongues I know not but if a Sequestrator may put a Weaver let him be a godly and a pretty man as some say he is I love not to judge other folkes godlinesse I have enough to doe at home into a Parish when as the people call him not then may a Patron put in able and godly Divines into their Parishes with the peoples consent first or last as the noble Earle of Warwick I beleeve hath helped many Parishes to as able godly Divines as any one Sequestrator hath done I could give the Reader instances of others but so much I perceive by these kinde of men that I little regard what they say for if there lye any matter of advantage in their way they will stretch their principles as far as they please As for their sufficient qualification which should make the materiall cause of a Minister we must not question them in our dayes Paul indeed said Who is sufficient for these things our language is Who is not sufficient for these things much might here be said I am privy to mine own insufficiency and desire to bewail it but let me propound one thing to these men and see how they answer it Amongst the opinions which Mrs. Hutchison had brought forth in New Eng. this was one That there was no inherent grace in a beleever no new creature nothing but Jesus Christ
Churches exceedingly This only said he I have not heard of That there hath been a generall Humiliation amongst the Ministers for their yeelding so much to the superstitious inventions of that Hierarchy 2 I conceive God may justly have a quarrell against us the younger sort of Ministers for our wofull conformity to the Fashions of the times what long haire now doe we see most young Ministers weare and if any new fond fashion comes up who follows it sooner then they Who take more liberty here then Independent Ministers the younger sort 3 There hath been a too great Idolizing of Learning and abusing it in Sermons by reciting of the Fathers or School-men some men fondly making it may be a quarter of their Sermons to be Latine or Greek sentences out of them and then turning them into English to make people admire them and conclude them to be great Schollars not but that it is lawfull to quote a Father or a Schoole-man but I speake of that excesse and pride also that went along with it that they thought themselves so exalted above the people and looked on them as the Pharisees Joh. 7.49 Hence God doth now let Ministers and Learning be trampled upon But this was not the fault of those godly men who now are despised as much as the worst 4 There is in some young Ministers a too base esteeme of private Christians that are not learned I have heard my selfe those who have spoken very contemptibly of them scorning they should have any hand in Church affaires now it is true there are abundance of private Christians very weake but some there are solid understanding men and though we doe not admit these to be Governours in the Church unlesse chosen to the Office of a Ruling Elder to joyne with us yet Ministers shall finde sometimes that they have no cause to repent in giving an eare to what they say These things I have observed and wish especially for the three latter that God hath not brought us downe for them I might have added some young Ministers study more quint-essentiall Notions curious Phansies and please people much with fine speculations about Christ and Free Grace but have left the old way of Preaching which did the good This Chymicall Divinity hath pleased mens eares but not awed nor humbled mens hearts it makes frothy but not solid Christians But these are not to be imputed to all the Presbyterians who are thus scorned But now to the Ministers The generall apprehension that these men have of the Ministers is that they are Anti-christian Ministers and what is more common in their mouthes then to call them so This is a heavie charge if it could be proved but this terme Anti-christian is both a simple terme a complexe Proposition a Syllogisme i. e. they think it sufficient proofe to charge them with it though hundreds of these know no more then a Babe wherein the formality of Anti-christianisme doth consist but every thing that displeases them that is Antichristian Infant Baptism is Anti-christian the Ordination of Ministers is Anti-christian singing of Psalms is Anti-christian it is proofe sufficient they have said it now this seemes to me very strange that those men who Instrumentally 1. Convert men to Christ 2. Build up men in Christ 3. Oppose Anti-christ to the utmost 4. Who have cast off Anti-christ 5. If they were under Anti-christs power should soon finde his favour to be Fire and Faggot yet these men to be called Anti-christians I say with the Text The Lord rebuke thee O Satan But if you will take Anti-christ in a large sence why may not those be as truly called Anti-christians who doe throw downe what Ordinances Christ hath set up as The Ordinance of the Ministry giving his promise to be with it to the end of the world the Baptizing of the infants of beleeving Parents singing of Psahnes any forme of externall Church-Government all these are throwne downe by most of you and many walke above Ordinances I say may not these be called as truly Anti-christians in a large sence who thus throw downe what Christ hath set up as well as those who set up such Ordinances as Christ never did set up which is one signe of Anti-christianisme But if you would know what is properly Anti-christianisme Exposi on Hos first Book p. 162. I pray take it from a farre more able man then my selfe one well knowne and that deserves honour Mr. Burroughs he well observed the madnesse of people that cry out against any thing that displeases them that it is Anti-christianisme then sets downe thus wherein it consists 1 Whosoever shall obtrude any Doctrine upon the Church to be beleeved by their owne Authority 2 The intrusion of such Offices and Officers in the Church as meerly belong to the spirituall man 3 The imposing of any Ordinance or new Institution upon the Church 4 The imposing of Lawes so to binde Conscience as the Lawes of Christ doe This saith he is to set up another head I need not adde the owning of the Pope as a visible Monarchical head over the Church who doth all that which Mr. Burroughs hath mentioned but this then I desire that any who thus call the Ministers Antichristian would charge them and make it good that they are guilty of any of these things or else be ashamed for ever after to call faithfull Ministers of Christ Antichristians But what colour have these men for this vile aspersion I never heard but onely this their Ordination The summe of all they say amounts to this The Ministers of England stand by a Romish ordination Ergo They are no true Gospel but Antichristian Ministers this is that which makes the heavy stir in England For answer to this I may say as the father of the blinde man He is of age and can speake for himself so the Presbyterial Ministers are of ability sufficient to speake and have spoken enough in answer to this cavill to satisfie sober mindes but what will satisfie unreasonable men I am not very willing to insist upon this because I can speak but little which hath not beene spoken before for the substance but yet this being an ingredient unto the formall cause of a Minister which I have mentioned before and promised to prove that for the substance of the Ordinance our Ministers have it I must speake a few words in answer to their cavils against it The Ordination of these Ministers say they came from the Romish Synagogue they also were ordained by Bishops Ergo They are no true Ministers hence we separate from them I answer First had I thought there had beene such a stirre in England about this I should have laboured to have understood the minds of our Elders in New England about it all the time I was there I never heard the question moved whether they did look on that Ordination they had here as true for substance or not But this I dare boldly affirme for them 1 That
they doe looke upon abundance of our Presbyteriall Ministers as true Ministers of Christ 2 I know that they will disapprove of the practice of some who have separated from the Ministers whom they have before chosen and the godly Congregations upon this notion as I know some have done I do honour the grace of divers of those Christians who separated but Satan got into an Angel of light and deceived especially from that famous Congregation of Dedham of which I dare say that for a Parochial Congregation there is not the like number of reall and visible Saints in any Congregation in England I am sure there was not before this Separation was made and for the Ministers I speake not of them they are men well knowne I wish I had nothing more to trouble me then to live under that Ministry in that Congregation I hope whereas now I am a sad man I should be as chearfull as any man in England Mr. Burroughs said he could communicate in that Congregation then it seemes hee did not question whether there were any true Ministers Object But if you say Our New England Ministers doe renounce their Ordination which they had here for they are ordained againe Answ See Answ to 32. q. 70 It s true they are ordained againe but I never heard it was upon that ground for let a Minister be ordained there in one Church if there be cause of his removall and so be elected in another Church they ordaine him againe Thirdly I can say this our New England Ministers have often desired and frequently admitted to preach in their Congregations that went from hence but were not ordained there But our Ministers of New England are here judged nothing worth but are as contemptible as any in the mouths of our Separatists yet they are men of worth Secondly I answer to what you say It came through and from the Romish Synagogue If your argument have any force you must cast it thus Those Ministers which stand by a Romish Institution are no true Ministers of Christ But the Ministers of England stand by a Romish Institution Ergo the Ministers of England are no true Ministers of Christ The major you will grant and if we can prove the minor our Ministers shall utterly renounce their Ordination I dare undertake for them but the minor is very false they stand by no Romish Institution for Ordination is none of their inventions but instituted by the Lord Jesus himselfe long before Antichrist was But your Argument runs thus Those Ministers which stand by an Institution of Christ descending to them from the Apostles through the Church of Rome they are no true Ministers of Christ But the Ministers of England stand by an Institution of Christ descending to them from the Apostles through the Church of Rome Ergo They are no true Ministers This is the true meaning of your Argument but the major is very false shall the passing through Rome null the Institutions of Christ did not the Scriptures Sacraments and what ever Ordinances we now have descend to us from the Apostles through Rome Shall we therefore cast them away That Argument runnes as strong against our Baptisme and any other Ordinance with which though the Church of Rome mingled their inventions did they therefore null the Ordinance the vessels that were once dedicated to God by his owne Institution though they were put into the house of Nebuchadnezzars gods and those that were fit very like used by Belshazzar to drinke wine in when he praised the gods c. they were not so much as new cast againe but carried to Jerusalem Ezra 1.7 ad fin I pray what doe you thinke of the judgement of Mr. Johnson a man great I am sure among the brethren of the Separation though the Separatists in our dayes make a tush at the judgement of any man yea although he were of the Separation but yet consider the reasons which swayed him and then judge The case was this One that was a Minister in the Church of England was after chosen Teacher to a separate Congregation without any new Imposing of hands this he undertakes to justifie thus 1 Imposition of hands is of God and not an invention of man It was not a postor threshold first brought by Antichrist into the Temple of God but had therein afore Antichrist sate there 2. Baptisme and Imposition of hands are joyned together among the principles of the foundation spoken of Heb. 6.2 therefore it ought to be regarded 3. Imposition of hands is in the Church of Rome still given to the office of the Ministry and in the name of the Lord as they doe also still administer Baptisme 4. We found not either precept example or ground in the Scripture binding us to the repetition of it 5. The Priests and Levites in Israel becoming unclean when afterward they were cleansed retained still their places of being Priests and Levites and the children of the Priests and Levites succeeding after them â—id administer without a new anointing or new imposition of hands c. Thus then as Mr. Johnson and Mr. Ainsworth opposed Rebaptization because Baptisme is an Ordinance of God which was had in the Church of Rome before she fell into Apostasie and hath been there continued ever since the Apostles times how ever co-mingled with many inventions of their owne so Mr. Johnson defended the Ordination of that Minister which he had in England because Imposition of hands was in the Church of Rome from the Apostles times before her Apostasie and is there continued to this day though mixed with many pollutions of their owne I pray onely note this that whereas I say they stand by their Ordination I doe not meane that onely but also they have the election of the people of which I spake before and that the Separatists cannot deny which yet they make the greatest matter in a Ministers call Thirdly I answer If this argument be of any force it would rather prevaile against the first Reformers as in other Nations so against our first Reformers in England who came newly out of Popery but what is this to us who have beene above ninety yeares out of that bondage and have cast off their Government Worship and Doctrine so farre as Antichristian for a long time but if our first Reformers were able enough to maintaine their call then much more our Ministers Fourthly but if you will throw away all that comes through Rome let us see what course you will take when you have denied all the Ordinances that have beene administred for these ninety yeares in England for if no Ministry then certainly no Authoritative preaching no Sacraments and thus you have renounced yuor Baptisme which you had by these Ministers what method will you take in your Reformation how will you come to be re-baptized you will tell me You will covenant together and then elect and ordaine a Minister and he shall baptize Of this more afterward But
questioned till our Separatists rose up who are not comparable to them in parts or holinesse 2 I pray what doe you make of those Ministers who were ordained in the Primitive Churches Cyp. Epis 33 they were ordained in Cyprians time by Bishops and Presbyters and by Hieroms time the Bishops had ingrossed that power into their owne hands as appeares by that speech of his Excepting Ordination Epist ad Evagr. what doth a Bishop that a Presbyter doth not so that by this time it should seeme that the Presbyters were turned out and the Bishops only Ordained It is possible this might be but in some Churches for the fourth councell of Carthage ordered That no Bishop should Ordaine without the councell of his Clergy Can. 22. Can. 3. Now what were these no Ministers Anti-christ was not yet got into his Seat for the yeares of his reigne had been expired before this time It is strange that those should be no true Ministers who lived so neare the Apostles times and under persecution also as in Cyprians time neither was Cyprian surely the first Bishop that did Ordaine for there were Bishops before him yea besides this Ordination by Bishops we finde the Papists contending strongly for strange Rites which they use in Ordination and they say they were also used in those Primitive times for the anointing of the hands of the Presbyter that is ordained this they would prove from Cyprian or at least the Author of The Card. worke of Ch. who shou ld seeme to be as old as Cyprian also from Eusebius Hist Eccles l. 10. c. 4. which place would seeme to favour it and others there are whom they quote See Greg. De Val. to 4. d. 9. q. 5. Also for the shaving of the heads of their Ministers this we finde indeed in August time Ep. 26. Ep. 147. And this Calvin himselfe doth not deny to have been used then and gives the reason why it was used which Greg. de Val. scornes and gives other reasons To. 4. D. 9. q. 5. p. 3. If the Decret Epistles of Anicetus be of any Authority we shal finde it in his days long before Augustin and I wonder that Greg. Val. doth not quote him I am apt to think being they were so prone to Ceremonies in other Ordinances that something was added to this also Iust l. 4. c. 19 Sect 27. and I marvel that in the fourth Councell of Carthage where they set down their rites in Ordinations of other officers and some very ridiculous that the ordination of Presbyters should be the most pure but still with Bishops as well as Presbyters which is the thing now in hand 3 A Bishop if you consider him meerly as a Bishop was but a Minister and set apart to doe the worke of a Minister the same which all other Ministers may doe Bishops did Pray Preach Baptize administer the Lords Supper Ordaine Suspend Excommunicate and these things other Ministers doe and may doe that he did lift up himselfe above other Ministers that was his errour that he would take upon him the sole power of Ordination and Excommunication this was his errour but as the addition of an human invention did not null the Ordinances as suppose only growne persons had been baptized and that by dipping and after dipping they had been signed with the signe of the Crosse would this have nulled the Ordinance in the Anabaptists esteeme no more this usurpation of the power of administring these Ordinances did null a Bishop so as he was no Minister the Ordinances were and are Christs institutions Indeed you may call him an Over-growne Presbyter but a Presbyter 3 Ep. Ioh ver 10. Diotrophes loving of pre-eminence did justly deserve reproofe and John did no doubt deale with him but yet for present did not deny him to be a Minister though a corrupt one for the sole power of Ordination they tell us It is the order of the Church of England as of the Councell of Carthage that when a Presbyter is Ordained all the Presbyters that are present shall lay hands As for the sole power of Excommunication though it was an errour grosse enough yet by the 17. Canon Concil Sardic Ofius who was the cause of that Ganon being made was also at the Councel of Nice it should seeme the Bishops by that time had got that power to excommunicate alone which Canon provides a remedy for a person wrongsully excommunicated by his Bishop to got releefe by Appeales now if that corruption had got in so early long before Anti-christ had got to his Seat no wonder though it was found among our Bishops yet I hope they were true Ministers whom they Ordained As a Bishop was a Lord Bishop his Lordship was but a meere civill addition annexed to the Bishoprick by Regallfavour his Lordship was no ingredient into Ordination 4 The Lawes of this Realme doe account nothing Divine in a Bishop but his being a Presbyter Lond. vind 125. Dr. Seam answ to Diat p. 85. and therefore the Parliament in their Ordinance for Ordination tels us that they did ordaine as Presbyters not as Bishops much lesse as Lord Bishops yea I have heard a reverend Minister now Pastor of a Congregationall Church in Essex say that when the Bishop ordained him he told him I doe ordaine you as I am a Presbyter 5 The Ministers of England are ready to acknowledge those defects and corruptions which did cleave to their entring into the Ministry by the Bishops heare their owne words London Vindica p. 124. We doe not deny but that the way of Ministers entring into the Ministry by the Bishops had many defects in it for which they ought to be humbled but we adde that notwithstanding all the accidentall corruptions yet it is not substantially and essentially corrupted They acknowledge then the errour and desire to be humbled for it what more would you have God will accept of this I doubt not and why not you How to mend Dr. Seamans Divinity I know not where you have also the errour acknowledged implicitely for it is in answer to this Objection then giving his judgement in the case When sinne cleaves to the manner of Calling Answer to Diat p. 85. through the generall errour or corruption of all sorts of people who are concerned in it c. it is nototherwise to be invalidated here below then by doctrinall Censure and Repentance and not by iteration Repentance through Christs Bloud doth take away corruption out of Gods fight and will it not when they are so ingenuous out of your sight 6 There is a maxime taken up among the Independents Many may truly beare the name yea they owne it and practise accordingly yea and others and it goeth for as good Divinity as any the Gospel hath viz. That errours in Non-fundamentals must be borne withall in Churches we must labour indeed to convince people of such but if they will not be so convinced we must not
Covenant Though I could heartily wish all our Ministers would follow the practise of the Holland Churches who cause all Apollon who come to the Sacrament to promise to subject to Discipline yet for the present I say this there is an implicite Covenant in all these Churches and if you be afraid to speake to these persons first whom you would have suspended then goe to the Minister and carry sufficient Witnesses as you must doe in any Church and I am confident without satisfaction given no more can be required in any Church thousands of the Presbyteriall Ministers will keepe away scandalous persons at least you are cleare as I said before yet to see these men separate for that in which themselves are most to blame Obj. But they baptize all Children making no difference though never so scandalous A. Though this is very seldome urged yet because I would draw out all that can be said I adde this For my owne practise I confesse in this I differ from other men farre better then my selfe but yet were I a Member of some other Presbyteriall Congregation I should not dare to separate upon this ground 1 It is granted by our Congregationall men Mr. Hook Survey p. 3 p. 11. that though persons be very wicked yet so long as they live in visible Churches and are not proceeded against they may justly challenge the priviledges of Church-Members but I dare not deny them to be true visible Churches in which there are many such for there are many both reall and visible Saints in such Churches where these wicked men are Obj. But then this makes against your selfe in denying some children Baptisme A. Learned Mr. Cawdrey came to my hand after I had printed my little Treatise had I seene him before I should have humbly presented some answer to some things which I see theâ—e so farre as concerned my question the question about Confederacy doth not concern me also I would have propounded some Reasons why his third way i. e. Adoption I should not so easily admit under the New Testament till those Reasons were removed I perceive he admires at them who deny the Children of Excommunicated Parents Baptisme I have no place now to answer but only this I say it is not good to put too much upon Baptisme nor too little upon that dreadfull ordinance of Excommunication What he saith p. 202. about the impotence to reject prophane persons through the iniquity of the times which implyes what he would doe if he had power confirmes my practise I answer as I have declared in that little Tract upon this question which the uncivill carriage of some in the Congregation when I had dealt lovingly with them in private before forced me to print I deny not them Baptisme absolutely but as I suspend them from one of the Seales so I doe from this also till they will labour to get out of their grosse ignorance and scandalous conversations and will subject themselves to Church-Discipline so that I doe as say the London Ministers separate in the Church but not from the Church as the state of our lapsed Churches will give us leave I desire to proceed against such yet but gently as for Excommunication that is a great worke having the advantage in the Church that many good Ministers better then my selfe have not viz. That the strongest Party in the Towne is religious but had many Presbyteriall men the same advantage I beleeve you should see they would be more strict then now they are Congregations must be mended by degrees to purge per vices in foule bodies is better then at first to give Hellebore Scammony and such strong workers it will cost abundance of prayer wisdome labour meeknesse to bring these Congregations fallen into this ignorance and prophanenesse for want of Catechizing and Discipline let the Bishops looke to their account Besides divers Presbyteriall Ministers doe examine their people before they will Baptize yea and I have heard one who is esteemed a rigid Presbyterian say That if the Presbyteriall Government were setled they would Baptize none but they would have the parents 1. Examined in point of knowledge 2. If they were scandalous that they should confesse their sinne 3. Promise for the time to come to reforme 4. That if persons would refuse to submit to Church-Discipline they would deny them the Lords Supper Since then it is in the hearts of many to reforme and it is the thing they would gladly have power to doe I thinke it is very unwarrantable upon this ground to separate from them besides there are many reasons they give for Baptizing of all that doe but professe Christ which though they are not satisfactory unto me so as to give the Seale of the Govenant to one who saith He beleeves in Christ but yet is grosly ignorant scandalous c. yet their reasons prevaile with me so as to be very charitable to those who doe Baptize upon those grounds if there be any sinne in it let the Minister looke to that that is not your fault Certainly people thinke it is a very easie thing to reforme Churches it may be done with a wet finger but if they were in the place of Ministers and had what knowledge is fit for the place they would finde it a hard Worke especially some Churches So then as yet we finde no grounds warrantable for this Separation I come to the last The place of meeting it is Idolatrous and I know not what I thought here to have given in some answers to this absurd cavill but the practise of this generation hath given in a full answer for it was observed in a neighbour Towne the Minister not preaching upon a day of Thanksgiving a Trooper got into the Pulpit and did c. This was such a pretty thing that divers of the Separatists in the Towne who had not beene in the Steeple-house for some yeares before ranne in haste and became Auditors of the Trooper Another of them who called himselfe the King of England came to me and offered to supply my place the man was mad as errour had made him mad but for all civill actions sober enough now from these practises I gather that either it is no sinne to meet in a Steeple-house as they call it or else they have no good consciences these practises are frequent if Troopers get into Pulpits For the lawfulnesse of the assembling in these places Mr. Hos 2. ch 15. Lect. Burroughs hath pleaded More might be added but I spare the Reader As yet then we have found no sufficient ground for separation I shall desire yet to come nearer and request of these persons what it is they would have which way may wee bee brought to an union if what they propound bee rationall and will be borne out by Scripture wee shall defire to come up to them for I am sure in that posture wee now stand nothing can goe forward I have not their proposals before
with this logicall affection of an Adjunct and the other with the affection of a formall cause I should put most upon that where the Scripture is plainest and fullest which I am sure in any mans esteeme that observes those Texts with an impartiall eye is ordination Whether Ordination according to Scripture-light be not as essentiall to a Minister as Election Vind. chu Cath. vis let any one judge I thinke Mr. Hudson speakes Christianly I preferre one Divine Testimony before ten arguments and one good argument before ten humane Testimonies But thus by cloathing these Scriptures with these logicall affections we have cried up election and cryed downe Ordination sectaries take advantage of this and hence come in our disorders Ordination is a Divine institution Ars est in rebus and Logicke is a generall Art so that we must give some logical terms to Election and Ordination I deny not this onely it is good to bring Art to Scripture and not carry Scripture to Art If you aske what logicall Arguments are there betweene a Ministers call and Election and Ordination I said before these two constitute the form of a Minister mutatâ affectione mutatur argumentum Survey par 2. pag. 68. in 4 praec what if I should answer The Call is Totum integrale Election and Ordination are membra constituting this Totum Thus I make Election to be essentiall and so I speake the highest of Election though I must professe upon serious thought I rather question whether Election be essentiall then I doe Ordination Reverend Mr. Hooker indeed saith Ordination is but the approbation of a person constituted in his office but I am apt to thinke Ordination doth most respect that inward or Arcanam vocationem as Zanchy calls it which God gives a man into the Ministry fitting and qualifying of a man first for the worke which none else can do and giving him an earnest desire to the worke God did there as it were separate him inwardly and now he doth it outwardly in Ordination The particular Congregation doth but give him a Call by their election and subjection to him to exercise this power among them pro hic nunc That which moves me to thinke so is First Churches may not choose whom they list as doe our Sectaries but persons qualified by God Secondly the Scripture is so full and cleare for Ordination over it is for Election though I deny not but Election may well bee proved Thirdly because a man may in some cases be ordained to the Ministry when no election of the people doth precede as I shall give instance afterward 2. I argue thus If the election of the people doth give the essentials to an officer then may a man elected execute all officiall power without ordination and that commonly But no man may execute officiall power and that commonly without ordination ergo election doth not give the essentialls by the essentials here he meanes the formall cause for as for the materiall cause they cannot give that and we have but two causes that doe dare essentiam though all foure doe dare esse The consequence is cleare that they may execute c. without ordination for forma dat operari but election gives the forme say these Reverend men and ordination is but an Adjunct effects doe not depend upon Adjuncts for operation the forme gives that The minor that they must not doe so First it is crosse to Scripture presidents if it were but a Deacon Survey part 3. pag. 9. saith Mr. Hooker yet we see he was ordained Secondly It is crosse to your owne practise it is frequent in New England to have a man elected and preach halfe a yeare a whole yeare yea I know one elected and preached two yeares to his people and they maintained him all that while and yet all that time he never administred a Sacrament to his people but he and they when they would partake of the Lords Supper went ten miles to the Church out of which they issued to receive the Sacrament but this was very hard and needlesse if he had the forme given him in election 2. That which doth nextly invest a man with official power so as now he may performe officiall acts and before which he could not doe so that doth give essence and consequently is not a meer adjunct But Ordination doth nextly invest a Minister with official power so as now he may perfome official acts which before he could not doe ergo The minor is clear by the Scripture examples Secondly it is clear by your owne practise for those who for two yeares and more stood onely by election but that while dispensed no Sacraments when they were ordained did presently put forth all official acts The major take all together I suppose will not be denied it doth nextly invest a man with official power so as now he can performe official acts and before he could not doe it to say he had official power before given him by election but could not act it is strange frustra est illa potentia c. had such a person continued twice as long unordained he had not executed any official power nay his preaching all that time was not esteemed preaching by way of office Neither can it be said such preach onely upon triall for I now speake of such as had beene tried before nay have beene preachers in England long before they went over and such I am sure as the people would willingly had them ordained within one month after they had chosen them they were so well satisfied in the persons whom they had chosen Fourthly it is something that solemnity the Scripture expresseth that was in the ordination of Ministers prayer and fasting and imposition of hands we read of no such solemnity in election though people ought to pray before they doe choose So it was in New England this act was very solemne when notice was given of the ordination of an officer to the severall Churches as before any ordination all the Churches adjacent had notice given it ran in that forme There is an Ordination to be this weeke at such a Church c. for the election of the person we knew it long before whom they had chosen and though the people did by their suffrage declare their election in this day of Humiliation yet they declared no more then the Country knew before and I hope you will not say he was not elected before now when first they chose him to goe with them or come to them and there continued a yeare or two preaching they contributing to his maintenance the same I might say in regard of myself I had as ful an election of my people at my first coming as was declared at my ordination and it was above two years before I could get my ordination in the place where I was elected through the troubles of the times but all that while I did not conceive my selfe invested with
official power till I was also ordained The Scripture then expressing such solemnity in this act and not in the other makes me thinke this is not such a slight Adjunct and the other onely essentiall Fifthly I observe two Texts which make me think ordination is not an Adjunct 2 Tim. 2. And the things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull men who should be able to teach others also And that Text 1 Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddenly upon no man neither be partakers of other mens sins c. Timothy is a Church-officer here is a charge given to him to take heed who comes into the Ministry yea he may be partaker of other mens sinnes if he have not a speciall care whom he admitteth into the Ministry Nam si quem cito ordinaveris qui indignus sit Communicare cum dicit peccatis qui non probatus fuerit ordinatus Hieron in Loc. v. Zanch. in 4 praec p. 784. c. communicabis peccatis alienis dum ille malè docebit aut vivet saith Gerhard in Loc. He quotes also Leo Papa Ep. 87. Ad Africanos Episc Quid est citò manus imponere nisi ante aetatem maturitatis antè tempus examinis ante meritum laboris antè experientiam Disciplinae sacerdotalem honorem tribuere non probatis Calvin also on the last words Keep thy selfe pure Ac si dixisset si quid perperam fiat ab aliis vide ne ulla ex consensu vel approbatione contagio ad te perveniat He referres it to Timothy joyning with others in ordaining unworthy persons now these texts doe not belong to the people but Ministers Officers as was Timothy which makes me thinke that what the Ministers doe in examining trying ordaining is more then the peoples election where doe we finde such things spoken to the people Where the greatest blame lyes for unworthy men coming into the Ministry surely there must lye the greatest power of admitting men into the Ministry else the blame is not just but we see the blame is here layed upon the Ministers ☞ Paul no where writes to the people to commit the things they have heard c. nor doth he bid them not lay on hands suddenly c. he bad them indeed looke out men for Deacons but that doth not answer these texts but if the great stroke the formall cause lye in the popular election the Ministers may well say We doe but ordaine we give but an Adjunct the people did the maine Act they gave the essence the essence being given we must give the Adjunct so that there will be no blame left for the Ministers 6 It should seeme by a passage of Doct. Bellar. Ener To. 2 l 3. c. 2. S. 12. Ames that ordination is more then an Adjunct Bellarmine had said Vocatio seu missio ministrorum non ad populum pertinet sed ad Episcopos c. Doct. Ames in his second answer hath these words Absurdè ad modum distinguitur vocatio ministri ab ejus Ordinatione electione tanquam pars distincta neque in Scripturis neque in antiquis Patribus alia vocatio ordinaria memoratur quam illa quae exurgit quasi Totum ex electione ordinatione what Totum the Doctor meanes is plaine by his words Exurgit ex ordinatione electione he meanes Totum integrale so then ordination and election are members of this Integrum but all the members doe give essence to the Integrum for Membra sunt symbola causarum essentialium If so then ordination cannot be an Adjunct in respect of a Ministeriall Call for no Adjunct gives essence but followes the essence supposing the subject compleat in its essence before if then ordination doth give essence as well as election this notion may hold else we should have an Integrum consisting but of two parts and but one part give the essence which cannot be This notion of a Ministers Call to consist as a Totum ex electione ordinatione is much nearer the Rule then to have election alone to give the essence and ordination to be but an Adjunct To this agrees Mr. Jacob a man well known There are two essentiall parts of calling to the Ministry Election Ordination Dr. Seaman quotes him Ans to Diat p. 64 so the Calling is a Totum As for the Objections made against this if ordination be essentiall what then shall become of our Ministers whose ordination is not legitimate This I have spoken to before and so what will you doe in case a Church were so cast by providence that they could get no Officers to Ordaine them an Officer for those who are of this opinion deny the People power to ordaine it is easily yeelded by our Divines that may be done in an extraordinary case which ordinarily ought not to be done See Rutherford Due right of Presbytery p. 187. Gillespie Miscel p. 34. c. for my part I conceive then the Church fasting and praying for such a one who is elected may doe that which is aequivalent to ordination though it be not ordination formalitèr The strong argument where-with reverend Master Hooker proves That Election gives the Essentials to an Officer is this One Relate gives the essentiall constituting causes to another But Pastor and People are Relates ergo The answer which Mr. Rutherford gives to it viz. That ordination made him a Minister before and election doth but appropriate him This Mr. Hooker denyeth to be any answer because it supposeth ordination to antecede election which is quite crosse to the Scripture pattern Act. 6.3.6 But with favour I should humbly propound this question This is not a bare supposition for one of the young Schollars doth now preach to the Indians in their language Whether Ordination may in no case precede election As now in this case Suppose one of the Schollars in the Colledge or suppose foure or more had learned the Indian Language and upon examination they were found to be Ministerially qualified suppose now the Presbytery should solemnly set apart these young men to the worke of the Ministry and send them forth to preach among the Indians though the Indians have not elected them here indeed would the essentials of an Officer be given without election I pray what breach of rule would here be If it be said that the examples mentioned Act. 6. Act. 14. shew their election goes first It is true indeed where there are Churches but here are none Besides Act. 13.3 when Paul and Barnabas were sent out to preach among the Gentiles they were ordained Though some deny ordination here to be meant yet many learned men affirme it when no election did precede it is true they were extraordinary Officers but what then though this doth not make those young men extraordinary Officers as were the Apostles to have power in all Churches yet I see not any breach of rule in separating them to this work If it
the people being but a homogeneall body to reject i.e. excommunicate an ossicer will cost more to prove had Reverend Mr. Hooker beene alive and saw what work Church-members make here in England in very many Churches I thinke it would have caused him to bethinke himselfe againe of the peoples power Something we heare of is done in a Church not farre from the place where he lived it cannot be kept close the light of that fire shines into England For the people to withdraw their subjection from such an officer when there are no other officers to joyne with them to excommunicate him this is not denied for by their subjection to him they made him their officer that was some part so they may withdraw their subjection againe But for Excommunication Mr. Cotton saith It is one of the highest acts of rule in the Church Keys p. 16 and therefore cannot be performed but by some Rulers Mr. Burroughs saith Iren. 51. If the Church be without officers they cannot doe that which belongs to officers to doe they have no Sacraments amongst them neither can they have any spirituall jurisdiction exercised amongst them onely brotherly admonition and withdrawing from such as walke disorderly for their owne preservation So then here is a way for the people to preserve themselves though they cannot excommunicate and those Texts which Reverend Mr. Hooker brings Matth. 7.15 and Phil. 3.2 doe not prove the Church as a homogencal body to have power to excommunicate their officers though they may prove withdrawing as also Rom. 16.17 may prove it For the reason of his consequence that staple rule ejusdem est Instituere destituere this maxime is turned every way sometimes to prove the people may excommunicate their officers because they doe Instituere The people in Election put forth no act of jurisdiction therefore they may put forth the highest act of jurisdiction in excommunication that there is no act of jurisdiction in election Doctor Ames acknowledgeth Ovas rationales possunt eligere sibi Pastorem sicut sponsa eligit sibisponsum non per jurisdictionem aut Gubernationem sed potius per subjectionem In the answer before he affirmes the same and else-where now what arguing is this Bellar. ener to 2 l. 3. c. 2. S. 19. Ib. S. 13. to argue from subjection to the highest Act of Jurisdiction there was no Authority in election for electio non cogit yet there is more power seene in Civill elections then Church-elections as I shall touch afterward but in Excommunication Authority appeares That also is denied that the people doe instituere in constituted Chruches and ordinarily what may be done in an extraordinary case is no ordinary rule Here the maxime is turned to prove that they may Jnstituere because they can destituere but that will be denyed unlesse it be in the sence before mentioned i. e. in what manner and how farre they did instituere i.e. by a subjection to be their Officer so they may with-draw their subjection from him and not owne him to be their Officer but to Excommunicate is more Quest But suppose this be granted that the Fraternity cannot excommunicate their Officer but with-draw their subjection they may you say and so he ceases to be their Officer but what is he now an Officer to other Churches A. If the with-drawing their subjection and rejecting be irregular then though they make him not their Officer de facto which he is still de jure yet his relation to the Church-Catholick visible doth still hold and another Church giving him a Call he hath then power actu secundâ— to administer the Ordinances there For instance the separatists cast off him whom before they chose for their Officer supposing now unlesse he will renounce his ordination he is no Minister doth he therefore cease to be a Minister how bufie some Congregationall Churches are in with-drawing from their Officers it is too manifest and many goe to the Anabaptists some turne Seekers and-if all the Members doe thus doe they now cease to be Ministers 2 But if the with-drawing be regular the cause just tried c. then that which is sufficient ground for their with-drawing from him is just cause why he should be excommunicated being pertinaciously scandalous or Hereticall as Mr. Hooker supposeth If then the case of a Church be so as they are cast by providence into some remote place where are no Churches besides to combine with then as their election of him c. as I said before may supply the want of ordination so this with-drawing in such an extraordinary case may be Analogum to excommunication but say our Divines if that Church be in combination with other Churches as now under a Classis then the people shall not need to stay there in their with-drawing but the case being judged and tryed by the Classis they as they ordained him when the people elected him the people consenting doe excommunicate him then as a man cast out of one Church is cast out from the Catholick Church visible so he who is cast out from being an Officer to this Church is cast out from being a Minister to the Church-Catholicke visible For the other Argument Burro Iren p. 50 Nort. resp ad Apoll. p. 76 78 the people conveying of power to an Officer I know of no power the people conveyes only a designation of such a person to officiate in this or that Society but their power they receive from Christ immediatly as our Congregationall men affirme and hence they act in his Name not in the name of the Church 5 The last answer I would give to this Proposall is this if you conceive this to be the only way of Reformation then you must give the Ministers strong proofe that you may ordaine the Ministers will as much question your power to ordaine as you question the Bishops power so that we take it for granted you are able to prove this because you are so punctuall you say for reforming by the word But of this practise I much doubt 1 My ground is because I finde not one Iota of any such thing in the New Testament Obj. Though you doe not in the New Testament yet in the Old Testament there is Numb 8.10 A. That place is the only resuge but 1 It is commonly answered That it is no faire arguing to goe to the Old Testament for one thing we would have and when another comes to the same Politie for an argument for their turne now to debarre them and tell them this is the old Politie either leave out the Jewish Politie altogether or else give others leave to fetch Arguments from thence as well as your selves 2 If you will goe to that Politie why may I not as well prove That the Civill Magistrate may ordaine as well as Moses did Aaron Levit. 8. 3 But in that Church at that time there were Officers Aaron and his sonnes thence if that be a rule it must follow
observe it well there is that which answers the Covenants you finde made in Scripture To say by that we are made a Nationall Church this were very silly yet I thinke there may be so much said for a Nationall Church that will not readily be answered But suppose the Churches in New England which God forbid should decline c. If the Generall Court should make such a Covenant to passe through all the Churches in the Colony would it make a Nationall Church they would conceive their Churches still to be Congregationall 3 I make no doubt but you should have found if you had but a little patience that when the Ministers had come to set up Discipline they would have brought their people under some stricter tye to subject to Church Discipline I have heard some speake of it they would have found it too laxe that implicite consent to make people put in execution that Matth. Read his first chapter in some Churches he saith there was Solennis protestatio subjection is sub discipliná Ecclesiasticâ p. 13. 18.15 16 c. as some have found before them and it was not without some cause that Apollonius sets downe that as one thing that is required of a Church-Member and whom they will admit to the Lords Supper That he shall promise to subject himselfe to Discipline he tells us thus it was concluded upon in severall Synods he mentions fix Synods I have found the experience of this so already that I should thinke my selfe in a poore case to exercise Discipline without it the people feele some stricter tye upon their spirits and I thanke God I have knowne good effects by it 4 If you will needs goe closer doe you may enter into a close Covenant as did those worthy Christians in Wetherfield in that old Prophets dayes who sets downe their Covenant in his seven Treatises but they did not separate as you doe Excell those Christians if you can The third Proposall The third Proposall We would have no Church-Members but visible Saints A. This were a thing to be wished indeed and that I beleeve which the Ministers would be glad if they could attaine it I gave you instances before out of their Bookes and it is that which they would put forth their power to effect so farre as the state of the Kingdome is capable of if once they were invested with power to exercise Discipline and indeed as the condition of England stands there is need of a Civill Power to back them the case is not now as in the Primitive times 2 You must put a difference between Churches new erecting and these in England which have been Churches so long when I raise a house new from the ground I may then doe as I please but if I be mending of an old house I must doe as well as I can repaire by degrees 3 What would you have done with all the rest Excommunicate them that 's a peece of work indeed and besides there is a great deale of worke to doe before we come to that it may be many will not be found contumacious nay you see they doe separate them from the Lords Supper and divers begin to looke something more narrowly to baptisme 4 How many corrupt Members doe you finde in the Church of Corinth and Galatia for the latter what a change was there made in their affections towards Paul Gillesp Aar rod. 287. who close did they cleave to those Judaizing Zelots who turned them away almost to another Gospel insomuch that though Paul wished those Seducers were cut off Gal. 5.12 i. e. by Excommunication yet he did not peremptorily command it renitente Ecclesiâ The Church of Corinth had drunke in vile errours the women it should seeme disorderly would speake in the Church and for Members 2 Cor. 12.20 21. you may conceive by the sins there mentioned what they were many of them Ch. 13.2 Aar rod 289. Paul indeed saith he wil not spare them This place Master Gillespie thinkes gives light to Ch. 10. 6. When your obedience is fulfilled our Ministers debarresuch from the Supper 5 If you did not thus separate from them they might doe more towards the reforming of their Congregations but you weaken their hands as I shall touch hereafter 6 But what doe you meane by visible Saints what is required or how would you judge of one what would you have them reall Saints I suppose you doe not thinke so crosse to the texts the Floore the Drag-net c. what would you have such as by the exactest scrutiny that can be made we may judge to be Saints really I defire your Texts for this Did the Apostles doe thus when they baptised any surely they must either judge by an Apostolicall Spirit but we see they were mistaken if they did so or else they must stay a good while and try men winter them The Churches after took more time but they did not come to that exact scrutiny c. Bell. ener to 2. l. 2. c. 1. s 5. and summer them as we say before they did judge of their Saint-ship but this they did not doe they baptised them quickly such Members as the Apostles admitted we may or else give us texts to the contrary I have touched this in another Tract desiring that those who are for such strictnesse in Members would give us their grounds remember Doctor Ames Falsum est internas virtutes a nobis requiri ut aliquis sit in Ecclesiâ quoad visibilem ejus statum The fourth Proposall We would have power in admission of Members and in Excommunication Ans For admission of Members 1 When you bring proofe out of the Word what power Church-Members have exercised in admission of Members I hope you shall finde none shall debarre you from having that power 2 When there are Members to be admitted who never were Church-Members you shall finde it granted but that is not our case here if you would have power in admission to Sacraments you have that liberty given you to bring in Testimonie for or against and if you bring in sufficient proofes against persons you shall finde they shall not be admitted thus must you doe in any Church what-ever If any good Christian shall come and give in testimony for another the Minister will gladly receive it For Excommunication the Presbyteriall Ministers will not Excommunicate without the peoples consent you shall have liberty first asking leave of the Minister who is the Ruler and Mouth of the Congregation to propound any question soberly and gravely which you would have cleared before you manifest your consent if there be any thing darke to you that so you may clearly obey them for I hope you doe not looke to be equall with Officers in this Act and I hope this is more then ever you saw practised in old times Now that the Ministers will not Act against the people I suppose they meane the Body of the People for if they
liberty yet he so ordereth their liberty that our Ministers would be glad if they had their Churches governed as is the Church whereof himselfe together with Mr. Na. Rogers are officers these are Congregationall men De schismate I will not rehearse what I finde in Camero because he wrote before these times and will be reckoned for a Presbyterian foure grounds he gives for separation none of which I am sure our Separatists can alleadge 1. Grievous and intolerable persecution 2. When the Church is Heretical 3. When Idolatry is set up 4. When the Church is the seat of Antichrist I shall conclude with a speech of his Vt nihil aequè arguit ingenium spiritus Christi ac studium conservandae societatis unionis in quo charitas elucet sic etiam nullum est evidentius argumentum pravitatis ingenii humani unde inter carnis opera contentienes nominantur quà m tumultuandi rixandi studium Object But you have spoken against godly men all this while Ans Not against their godlinesse one word their schisme errors only I have opposed But I know not what new Divinity we have got up in these dayes that if they be godly men that drinke in errours or practise inordinately Oh take heed how you speake they are godly men there may be an unwise speaking when men shall onely fling out against persons but confute nothing but certainly godly men deserve reproofe as well as others I hope the being of a godly man doth not make that to be no sinne in him which is sinne in another but here is the subtilty of Satan and it was all the game he had to play in those times I must now saith he get into an Angel of light and I must worke among these godly professors This wâ—â— Satans plot in Cyprians time as he mentions in his booke De unitä Eccles yet when he saw his heathenish worship would not prosper but was cast down then hee plagued the Church with heresie and schisme if I can get some of those away I shall get other hollow ones to cleave to them and make a party If I now make not a division among them but that they joyne all with one shoulder to set up Christs Kingdome and thrust down mine it will go hard with my kingdome now therefore finde fault with the Ordination of Ministers it was Popish so separate from them plead conscience that is a tender peece strive for exact purity though it be beyond the rule as to visible Church-fellowship and thus he hath found out his wayes to damp all the worke of Reformation I shall say no more but this though some of these Separatists are godly men yet if godly men stand thus as now we do I beleeve God will not spare us though we be godly men but he will ere long bring such plagues upon the professing party in England as shall make their hearts ake For my part I look on England thus there have been choice servants of God in England who laboured under the Hierarchicall oppression many strong cryes have they made for the removall of that burden and that they might enjoy him in his owne Ordinances without the mixtures of mens inventions God hath given us in the answer of those prayers as to the removing of what offended and now saith God looke you to it yee Professors I give the power which never your Fathers saw into the hands of the Puritanicall * The old scoffe party let me now see how you will improve it for the advancement of my Church and glory but verily if we improve it no better then now we do we must look that God will not intrust us with this power long he doth not use to stay long before he visits his Churches but quickly deprive us of this liberty and Lord if thou doest thou shalt be just Having done with the Separatists I shall now take a short view of the agreements and differences that are with and between the Classical and Congregational Divines and then shall make bold to present an humble request to the Congregational Divines 1. Do the Classical-brethren stand for all the Ordinances of Christ as Praying Preaching Sacraments Discipline c so doe the Congregational-brethren 2. Do the Classical-brethren stand for Christs officers Pastors sach ers Ruling-elders Deacons allowing such and onely such o doe the Congregational-brethren They agree in worship and in officers 3. Do the Classical-brethren hold to the old doctrines of Faith Repentanee holding up the preaching of the Law in its method to prepare before faith to guide after faith so do the Congregational-brethren such as we looke upon as sound and esteem worth the regarding 4. Do the Classical-brethren hold the government of the Church to be Presbyterial so do the Congregational-men such as are the most acute Besides what Mr. Norton none of the lowest ranke hath asserted in his book which I quoted before I have heard him say That if the Congregational-government did make the government of the Church democratical he would give up the cause For my part I am but among the weakest of Gods Ministers but yet I thinke it were no hard matter to prove the government of the Church to be Aristocratical I enter not now into the debating of the question but this hath much stucke with me First there is government in the Church I meane an externall politie besides an internall government of the Spirit what ever our phantastical Spiritualists have dreamed of the Scripture is too plain against these Secondly then there are governours and governed this must needs be yeelded else government cannot be for governours there are none that are sound in their wits can deny if they owne the Scriptures Thirdly the affaires then of the Church must be so carried that these Relates may be kept distinct for that government which destroys these by making the Correlate i. the body governed to be governour and so there are none governed cannot possibly be a government standing so much with the light of nature There is no government if all rule Obj. But how can the government of the Church be Aristocraticall when as you carry things by the suffrage of the people Answ I should desire also to propound these questions First would you not if now Churches were constituting give the people this liberty that if any could bring in good testimony against a man who was to bee received into the Church that they should do it and if the thing be proved will not you refuse to admit such a one Secondly if it now come to casting out of a member will not you give liberty to any of the brethren who shall first asking you leave to speak in a sober grave way propound some question to the clearing of the case in hand before the people joyn with you in cutting off a member I say would not you give this liberty Thirdly will you excommunicate renitente ecclesiâ
your books say otherwise and you know what both our Ancient and Moderne Divines have affirmed in this point and therefore I quote none I do not mention election to be given to the people for that hath nothing of government in it and this you give fully but if you grant me the three former heads then which way you will prove the government to be Aristocraticall the same way I shall I have spoken to this before and therefore conclude with Chamies and others the government is Aristocraticall Obj. But how can this be if the people will not consent how are they governed Answ Put case Jonathan had been indeed a great malefactor and Saul would have had him legally and justly put to death but the people would not consent to their King but rescue Jonathan shall we hence conclude ergo the government of Israel is not Monarchicall the case is the same here Now I am upon this head I shall desire to make a little digression before I proceed to any more heads Mr. Edwards in a Sermon at Colchester laid down this Thesis That there was no such tyrannicall government in any Church unlesse it were in the Church of Rome as is in the Independent Churches he proved it thus They carry all things by the suffrage of the people and if all doe not consent they will censure them how he will prove this a speciall example in the Church of Boston in New England when they excommunicated Mrs. Hutchison because her owne sonne did not joyne in the casting out of his owne mother he was likewise censured an unnaturall thing said he and so carried it that both his owne friends and other Ministers who were strangers thought he was also excommunicated as they told me when I spake with them The story doth something concerne the head I am upon and therefore I make bold to insert it here I was a little troubled at the passage knowing well how things were carried being present at that time and so tooke occasion some few weeks after to give a bare narrative how the thing was carried with so much meeknesse I am sure as none could accuse me The summe is this When all wayes according to the word had beene tryed with Mrs. Hutchison to recall her but none would prevaile the question was put to the Church to manifest consent for her excommunication her sonne and sonne-in-law one more then Mr. Edwards mentioned stood up to put some stop in the way had they sate still as any body would have expected though they had suspended their votes I know not who would have spoken one word to them Mr. Cotton rose up and gave them a grave admonition that though their naturall affection might now worke for which hee did not blame them yet he would not have them preferre their mother before Christ nor hinder their mother from that Ordinance which might bee a meanes to save her soule with these words they both sate downe they never had any other censure if this be a censure and the Church proceeded in her excommunication Now I appeale unto all to judge where was the tyranny in this act yet though I carried this with all mildnesse this was the onely cause why Mr. Edwards raked up all he could against me and put it into print even such things as never were in my thoughts But here you may see they stand not upon the suffrage of all the people Fifthly doe the Classical-men call for Synods so do the Congregational-men Mr. Cotton Keyes c. 6. Mr. Norton Respon ad Apollon p. 112. c. And certainly they are men of strange spirits who deny Synods to be usefull and no Ordinance of God I doubt he did not well consider what his pen let drop and left it to posterity That he never saw any good that came by any Synod but rather the contrary A great Clerke indeed he was but surely the man was in some passion I am sure I have knowne the contrary much good come by Synods but some of our Independents snutch up this sentence of his as if it were Apostolical This is the difference say the Congregational-men the Synod bindes directivè non juridicè the Classical will have both When I observe what both sides speak of Synods methinks this can be no such matter of difference The Classical Brethren say Lond. Vind. p. 23 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 est judex judicandus That Congregations are to examine with the judgment of discretion what is sent to them from Synods Mr. Rutherford saith Peac. plea. p. 322. The Acts of the Assembly oblige all the absents not present in all their members not because of the Authority of the Church but because of the matter which is necessary and agreeable to Gods word That people may not examine decrees of their Synods according to Gods word That people may not reason or speake in their Synods Ib. p. 246. we acknowledge no such Synods This latter needs a little fencing otherwise we should have confusion enough our Churches in New England chose out of every Church two of the ablest of the private brethren and sent them as their messengers these indeed had liberty to speake and propound doubts in the Synod but it was not left free for any body to speake that would Mr. Gillespie states a question Suppose a scandalous person would come to the Sacrament Aar rod. 477 478. the Minister knowing him to be so adviseth the Eldership to joyne with him and do their duty in keeping this person away it may be they refuse Appeale is made to higher Assemblies Classis Synod c. they it may be will judge him fit for the Sacrament this is their sentence must this Minister now obey the sentence of the Classis or Synod His determination is That the Minister being cleare in his conscience and the matter of scandal sufficiently proved he must not doe an unlawfull act in obedience to men but follow the rule 1 Tim. 5.22 Keep thy selfe pure his conscience illuminated by Gods word is a rule to him of his owne personal acting or not acting Come to the Congregational-men Mr. Cotton saith Keys p. 25 We dare not say that the power of a Synod reaches no further then the giving connsell they bind burthens they bind not onely materially but formally from the Authority of the Synod See more p. 53 54. Neither doe I see that our reverend Divines in their preface to that book do oppose Mr. Cotton for say they in laying down Mr. Cottons judgement Christ hath not furnished them only with ability to give Counsell but with a Ministeriall power and Authority to determine declare and injoyn such things as may tend to reducing such Congregations to right order and peace But is there Authority it may be my shallownesse but for the present I doe not call to mind
any power invested with Authority but if they injoyne a thing to bee done and it be refused that Authority will reach further Authoritas cogit as is the kind of the Authority Civill or Ecclesiasticall Blessed Burroughs in answering to that which some would have Iren. p. 44. scil that a Synod may formally excommunicate because by excommunication they i.e. Hereticall Churches are put out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan and this will terrifie saith consider whether this be not done before and that with an authority of Christ by those former six things mentioned in the page before for Hereticall Congregations or persons are judged and declared in a solemn Ordinance by the Officers of Christ gathered together in his name to be such as have no right to any Church Ordinance to have no Communion with any of the Churches of Christ now if this judgement be right are not such persons or Congregations put out of the Kingdome of Christ and put under the power of Satan consequently Certainly this cannot be a ground of such difference shall Non and Ex make such a stir when Non is as bad as Ex I should judge my self I am sure to be in as bad a case by the one as the other though for my part this notion of Catholike-visible-Church hath made me ready to yeeld to Synods juridicall power I could I say yeeld it and yet not differ from these reverend Divines if they follow home their non-communion close Now if you say what doth this helpe against Hereticall Congregations though you have proceeded to Non-communion they regard it not but still go on in their Heresies and leaven others to that they wil say what do they care for your excommunication if all the Hereticks in England were excommunicated they would not care but go on still Indeed our New England Divines will teach us a way how to helpe it viz. if a Synod hath declared against an Hereticall Congregation being pertinacious and so hath proceeded to non-communion they will call in the Civil power to help and so they have a way to help by their non-communion and this must be the help of them though they be excommunicated This Mr. Norton intimates Resp ad Apol. 148 Keyes 50 Iren. c. 4. Mr. Marshal relates that Zuinglius in a publick dispute did so stop the mouthes of the Anabaptist that they appearing to the Magistrates unreasonably obstinate were banish d the City Defen ag Tomb. 58. Ecclesiae appellant Magistratum in causis Ecclesiae non ad doctrinam declarandam vel disciplinam exequendam sed ad doctrinam a Cencilio declaratam vel disciplinam ab ecclesiâ applicatam sanctione Civili confirmandam The dury which Mr. Cotton sheweth to lye upon the Civill Magistrate inferres as much As also Mr. Burroughs And thus it was in New England when the Synod at which the Civill Power was present as to hear so to keep civill order had consuted and condemned the Errors and Heresies and so was broke up then a Generall Court was called which soon suppressed those Heresies and brought the Churches to peace again If the Civill power would do as much here we should soon see our Churches in better order What Civill Magistrates have done in this ease before I need not mention books are full It s true the Churches were when there was no Civill Power to defend them but oppose them but we can finde how many Heresies and Schismes they were then troubled with shall the Church be in no better case under a Christian Civill Power Nursing-Fathers then at that time 6 Doe the Classicall godly men looke upon their Congregations having visible Saints among them to be true visible Churches so doe the Congregationall men judge them also I gave instance before 7 Would then the Classical brethren have their members being such as have right to the Ordinance to partake with Congregational Churches in the Lords Supper to shew their communion certainly so they ought but why Congegationall men doe refuse godly men members of Classicall Churches not admitting them to the Lords Supper when they have desired it is very strange to me I wish our reverend Brethren would give us solid grounds for this practice for it gives offence and that justly a Preface to survey ch dis Mr. Hooker and b Iren. p. 266. Mr. Burroughs have both said they should be admitted Shal a Church be acknowledged to be a true Church where Doctrine and Worship is pure also this person a member of it a visible Saint it may be a real Saint and shall he be denyed communion 8 For Classes Pref. surv ch dis the Congregationall men say Consociation of Churches is not onely lawfull but in some cases necessary So Mr. Hooker Mr. Cotton speakes fully to this Keyes p. 54 55. weighty matters such as Election and ordination of Elders excommunication of an Elder or any person of publike note the translation of an Elder from one Church to another it is an holy Ordinance to proceed with common consultation and consent I suppose thus much might have beene obtained of the Classical-brethren that though in cases of weight as excommunication they would not have such an Ordinance carried on by one Minister but have the thing seriously examined first and debated in a Classis yet when the thing had beene concluded upon they would leave the execution of the sentence to the officer or officers of the Church where the case lyeth If so much might be obtained I should be very farre from opposing a Classis I would not willingly live without one I know of no other material point of difference as for the first subject of the power of the Keyes that is but a notion though its true much practise depends upon it yet I finde not that our Divines here would have the fraternity to be the first subject by their owning of Mr. Cotton his booke of the Keyes for Mr. Cotton makes a Church organized to bee the first subject and not the Fraternity as is apparent in divers places of that booke The summe is I wonder at our differnces well might that worthy Divine say in his letter to me from New England It s the wonderment of this side of the world that you that are godly and may agree yet will not surely the cause lyeth more in the Will then any thing else Give me leave therefore I pray to make my humble request to our Reverend Divines the Congregational-men that they would please to close in with the Classical brethren and not suffer these groundlesse differences to trouble the Churches any longer If you aske Why doe you make your request to us are we the cause why they are not bealed I cannot thinke the cause lyes onely in the Ministers nay I have heard long since there had been an agreement among the Ministers had not some others that live by divisions broken it but whether all Ministers are of the
of Corinth There are other points besides which I mention not but certainly the controversie is not so clear as the controversie against Papists Socinians c. therefore I should thinke that we had need close the more with these men A third consideration is this unto me it is something I know not how it takes with others the strange things that God in his Providence hath suffered to fall out in Congregationall Churches I meane for Divisions especially and errours that charge cannot bee denied of many Congregationall Members what errours they have drunke in and for Divisions they are not secret things but such as the whole Nation knows insomuch that I have heard a serious Congregationall Minister and an able man say when he hath heard what crackes and rendings there have been in Congregationall Churches he thought seriously whether it were the way of God or no how many Congregationall Churches may be reckoned where these have been and if Ministers doe not let their Members take their owne course even what they will and drinke in what errours they will it is hard to keep a Church from rending Ius Divi. p. 114 that learned Book England gives strong proofe of this It is a very unhappy Story that Mr. Edwards relates of the Church at Arnheim if it be true I finde it quoted by the London Ministers where that Act was done in New England that Mr. Cawdrey mentions in his Epistle to the dissenting Brethren I cannot imagine but that is also strange if true I suppose he relates as it was related to him I know indeed where there is a sad example of this kinde there also This use I make of these things that we had need take another review of Congregationall principles in respect of that power which is given to the Fraternity and in the meane time to be very tender towards the Classicall Brethren and study agreement with them The fourth The Classicall men are opposed in reforming their Churches as well as the Congregationall men now for these to be opposed not only by the prophane part whom they keep off from the Lords Snpper but to be opposed also by the Congregationall men that they prove a griefe to them this is a hard chapter certainly we had need more close with them and help to comfort them rather then grieve them in their worke they are scorned by the profane party let not us scorne them 5 These Nurseries of errours I meane the Separatists who cast off Orthodox Officers are as bad enemies to the Congregationall Churches as they are to the Classicall nay worser your Members will quickly drinke in their poyson yea and goe away from you to them Pag. 119. as experience hath testified therefore it concernes you to joyne with the Classicall men against them but by one passage I meet with in the London Vindication it seems some Congregationall men doe not thinke so for they in their complaint to you thus speake Are there not some of you that chuse rather to joyne with Anabaptists and Episcopall men then with us and that will give letters dimissory to your Members to depart from you to the Churches of the Anabaptists and at the same time deny them to such as desire them for to joyne with Churches of our Communion we charge not these things upon you all but upon some whose names we forbeare to mention this is very strange but this confirmes what I said before that the cause of our dis-union is not altogether in the Classicall men 6 I pray consider what a fine Game the Devill hath played by this opposition between us hath he not turned our Reformation into a deformation Hath he not caused the building of the Temple to cease Doe not all things that concerne the Reformation of the Church stand at a stay What doe we now indeed those who are for Congregationall Government have the opportunity to gather Churches as they call it but what becomes of the whole It was told me when I was in Spaine which was the winter before Naseby Fight that divers that were in religious Orders that lived there were got into England Certainly Jesuits or Devils have been here to hold the Congregationall and Classicall Brethren at such a distance that while they have been contending about Government we are in danger of loosing Ordinances Truths Government and be swallowed up with a deluge of Errors Schismes and Heresies Divide impera that hath been Satans project 7 I beseech you consider whether we lye not open to Gods stroke is there not matter of provocation given him by reason of these Divisions that his worke stands at a stay Errours Schismes Heresies and decay of godlinesse that follows upon these that he should take away the Liberties he hath given us and make us feele a heavie yoke againe Surely these things will not be long borne Mr. Caryll hath a sad speech Expos on Job c. 5. ver 9. God hath begun to doe so many marvells amongst us that I verily beleeve the worke he is about will end in a marvell too and we in the close shall be made either a wonder of Mercy or a wonder of Judgement to all the Nations round about We are made indeed a wonder in regard of the strange Opinions Heresies Divisions they wonder at us in New England but till God sets up his Kingdome in our hearts Rom. 14.17 consisting in righteousnesse peace and joyes of the Holy Ghost and sets up his Kingdome in the Nation riding in triumph in his Ordinances converting of soules and battering down the prophanenesse of our hearts scattering our Errors and Schismes we shall not be a wonder of mercy to other Nations but if God shall be pleased to let our hearts feele his inward Kingdome and our eyes see his externall visible Kingdome after that manner exalted then Lord some of us care not how soone we fall asleep FINIS