Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	discipline_n	doctrine_n	4,176	5	6.2312	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88107	The nevv quere, and determination upon it, by Mr. Saltmarsh lately published, to retard the establishment of the Presbyteriall government, examined, and shewed to be unseasonable, unsound, and opposite to the principles of true religion, and state. Whereunto is annexed a censure of what he hath produced to the same purpose, in his other, and later booke, which he calleth The opening of Master Prinnes Vindication. And an apologeticall narrative of the late petition of the Common Councell and ministers of London to the Honourable Houses of Parliament, with a justification of them from the calumny of the weekly pamphleters. / By John Ley, one of the Assembly of Divines at Westminster.	Ley, John, 1583-1662.	1645 (1645)	Wing L1885; Thomason E311_24; ESTC R200462	96,520	124

TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS ADAMS Lord Major of the Metropolis of England the renowned Citie of LONDON Right Honourable THe concurrent desires of people of all sorts except of such as raise their owne particular interests out of the common ruines for recovery of our peace and the pantings of many lying under the power of the oppressour for deliverance from warre have of late by the good hand of God upon our publique counsels and forces thriven up to hopes and those hopes to presages that it will be an Honourable note upon your Name in time to come to have had the good hap within your view before you give up to another the Ensignes of your Honour which is the generall vote of all the true hearted Patriots of three Kingdomes that is a well compounded and compacted happinesse made up of three of the most desirable blessings of humane society which are consistent with the condition of mortalitie and they are these 1. A sincere and through reformation of Religion in Doctrine and worship of God 2. A Discipline and Government established according to Gods word and the example of the best reformed Churches whereby with the assistance of Divine grace we may be better then heretofore secured from relapses into irreligion heresie schisme and profanenesse which have beene the great crimes and curses of the last precedent and present times though through the cunning workings of Satan the evils now in course with some degrees of improvement from bad to worse are taken by some to be the remedies against foregoing corruptions 3. A third thing which in order of dignitie is the last though in most mens affections it be the first is that according to the prescript prayer of the Apostle we may lead a quiet and peaceable life 1 Tim. ● 1 he addeth in all godlinesse and honestie but both these have beene virtually premised in the two precedent particulars This will be of so much the sweeter tast to all as either by actuall suffering or by affectionate sympathy they have taken the deeper draught of the bitter cup of furious hostility That none of this hopefull expectation may faile of effect it will be requisite that every one for his part and to his power endeavour to make it good by all the good meanes and helps which conduce to the comfort and safetie not of a few but of the whole Common weale in each of the Nations now so much shaken and in danger also to be broken in pieces 1. By making an holy Covenant with God and by being stedfast in the Covenant when we have made it so we may engage his favour and power to our partie to be not onely a friend and Patron to us but an enemie to our enemies and an adversarie to our adversaries Exod. 23.22 2. By being at union among our selves and studying as much to uphold it as the seditious Shebaes on the other side plot the setting of discord betwixt the dearest brethren and if it be not to be looked for that all who are equally concerned in the same Cause should unanimously consent in that course which may carry it on to desired successe yet there may be a fivefold union among us which may give strength unto and maintaine the reputation of the great Designe it hand viz. a through reformation both in Church and State The first union is of the two Sister Nations according to our solemne League and Covenant which must be preferred before all either factions or questuo●s interests of any particular party whatsoever For as no two Nations under heaven have more and stronger bonds of union then we of England and our Brethren of Scotland being bounded and surrounded by the Sea as one entire Iland united under one King under one Title in the Kings Royall style the King of Great BRITAINE united yet more in Language and Religion and most of all in our late Covenant for a generall Reformation of Church and State and mutuall association and assistance against all malignant combinations So nothing is more enviously observed by our common enemies then these many obligations of union betwixt us nothing more cunningly contrived or more seriously pursued by them and I wish some among our selves had neither hearts nor heads nor hands in the plot then to dis-joyne us and to make us not onely perfidiously to fall off from performance of our common Covenant but with the same hands which we have lifted up to the most High God to fall one upon another as the confounded and accursed Midianites Iudg. 7 2● and when by such wickednesse we are brought to a weaknesse which may be easily subdued but God forbid we should be both so bad and mad as to act a Tragedie upon our selves to set forth a Comedie for such malicious spectators as would make their greatest mirth of our most grievous misery we must expect the execution of the bloody and destructive designe resolved on in Ireland which a knowing Intelligencer hath reported of the rebels there in these words * The Irish Remonstrance p. 31. This Kingdome viz. Ireland settled and peopled onely with sound Catholicks thirty thousand men must be sent into England to joyne with th●●rench and Spanish forces and the service in England perfor●● then they will joyntly fall upon Scotland for the reducing of that Kingdome to the obedience of the Pope which being finished they have engaged themselves for the King of Spaine for assisting him against the Hollanders Wherein though they reckon without the Lord of Hosts who onely commands both Peace and Warre at his pleasure and swayeth the successe to which side he will yet this discovers their designe of unpartiall perdition of the Protestant partie and the discovery thereof should be a motive of more confirmed union among our selves The second Vnion is that of the Parliament and Citie whereof we have had such happy experience ever since the unhappy hostility betwixt the flatterers of the King and friends of the Kingdome that we are bound to blesse God for it and to pray for the continuance of it both for our owne time and for the ages to come The third is the Vnion of the Parliament and Assembly of Divines whose recipr●call and proportionable respects which I mean not in an Arithmeticall but in a Geometricall Proportion give much countenance and authoritie to what is propounded to the people in their names for so the command of the one will be more awfull the advice direction and resolution of the other more usefull throughout the whole Kingdome A fourth Vnion is betwixt the Assembly of Divines and the City Ministers who may the more easily accord and agree together because many of them be but the same men under severall relations and most of them are swaid by the same principles of truth and pietie and involved in a society and participation of the same duties hopes and hazards The fifth Vnion is betwixt the City Magistracie and the Citie Ministery to which

while I seek after a controverted truth I may not turne aside from a certaine duty which is in meeknesse to deale with a brother that is contrary minded so farre as may not prove to the prejudice of what in conscience I am bound to undertake and to manage also to the best advantage This for the Author and for the Title page besides for the Authors Name is a part of it it is as followeth SECT II. Of the Title Page A New Quere at this time seasonably to be considered as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace He knew very well how the Athenian humour of listening after news prevaileth with our people of all sorts and therefore being to fish in troubled waters he puts upon his hook that bait at which it was like many would be nibling Next he saith It is at this time seasonably to be considered as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace He commends his New Query to acceptance in two respects 1. As seasonable 2. As much importing the advancement of Truth and Peace For the first he saith it is at this time seasonably to be considered So it is now it is published but it was very unseasonably offered and I marvell that he who hath written a whole booke of policy should be so unpoliticke as to thinke it seasonable to set forth such a Quere and so to resolve it such it tends to retard the establishment of Government whereto the Parliament is so much engaged not onely for the thing it selfe but for a timely proposition and imposition of it by their civill sanction For the first that they intend to set up a Church government we have it 1. From their expresse profession December 15. 1641. We doe here declare that it is farre from our purpose or desire to let loose the golden reines of Discipline and Government in the Church to leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what forme of service they please for we hold it requisite that there should be throughout the whole Realme a conformitie in that order which the Lawes enioyne according to the word of God So in the first Remonstrance of the Honourable House of Commons pag. 25. 2. from the first Article of the solemne League and Covenant published by Authoritie of Parliament September 21. 1643. Wherein they and all others that take it doe covenant to endeavour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches 3. this Covenant was ordered againe by the Honorable House of Commons Januarie 29. 1644. to be publiquely read every Fast day and to be set up in every Congregation in a faire Table where every one may read it and to this are set the names of Master Speaker and 243. more of the Honourable House of Commons And for the second that they meane to expedite the settling of Government with all convenient speed we have good cause to conceive 1. Because they have bestowed already very many dayes in consultation about it 2. They insist in the same consultations still 3. They according to the eminence of their wisdome apprehend many and great evils that grow both in number and power by Doctrines of Libertinisme which necessarily require the restraint of a reformed Church Government 4. They have already set it up 1. In their Ordinance of Ordination set forth the last yeare 2. In an Ordinance for making London a Province this last yeare dividing it into severall Classes and for choosing a Committee for tryall of Elders to be chosen and Rules to be observed for orderly proceeding in the same and this before this Quere came forth 3. Since that they have advanced further by a Vote and Order for choosing Elders forthwith in particular Congregations 4. And last of all they have published an Ordinance with rules and directions for suspension from the Sacrament in cases of Ignorance and Scandall Yet they cannot make that speed with the Government which by most is desired and very much desired by themselves as we of the Assembly can witnesse who have often beene sent to by that Honourable Senate to quicken our worke and to ripen our debates to a full resolution because as with us the libertie of speaking wherein every one is free to propose and prosecute any doubt prolonged the Government in our hands so the like libertie in the Honourable Houses or rather our libertie is like theirs it being the Prototypon lengthens the debates and delayes the Votes of that most Honourable Senate and so much the more because they are more in number then we in our Synod and because their determinations are finall as ours are not And though that which is published doe not yet reach home to our full satisfaction we hope it is in the way towards further perfection which cannot reasonably be expected in the first Essayes of frames and formes of Government for we may say of Jerusalem as well as of Rome that it was not built in a day though in time it became the perfection of beautie the ioy of the whole earth Lam. 2.15 Such we pray God that fabrick may prove which is under the hands of our Honourable and holy Nehemiahs and Lord polish finish and establish the worke in their hands yea the worke of their hands establish thou it Psal 90.17 The other particular he propounds to make his Quere more plausible is the reference it hath to two precious things viz. Truth and Peace both which are upheld by Government Church-Government and without it for truth we have abundance of errours and heresies broached among us which divide men into manifold Sects and Factions and where they are multiplied there can be no peace without a treacherous toleration which will resolve at last into an Anarchy and confusion Having premised this he putteth his Quere thus Whether it be fit according to the Principles of true Religion and State to settle any Church-government over the Kingdome hastily or not and with the power commonly desired in the hands of the Ministers First he putteth the case according to the Principles of Religion and State which if he had well considered he might have thought the Parliament for the one and the Assembly of Divines for the other competently qualified each in their profession for resolution of such a doubt especially since it is a chiefe part of the publique worke of them both to drive it to its issue might have prevented such a Quere as this from a private Divine Secondly he suggests a suspition as if the Parliament were driving on the Discipline and Government of the Church in Jehu's Chariot with furious haste whereas both Parliament and Assembly have much adoe to ward off imputations of procrastination and delay for debating so long and determining so little whereof we have rendred the reasons before Thirdly he presents it as a gravamen or

hath by soft and slow degrees passed the debates first of the Assembly and afterward of the Parliament and as for approbation so for execution it passeth by degrees the Civill sanction which authorised first an Ordinance for Ordination after that a Directory for worship a good while after that was the Citie of London and the Parishes annexed made a Province and divided into Classicall Presbyteries and then with some intermission of time was a power granted to choose a Committee for triall of Elders and now lately a Vote and an Order for the choice of Elders in every Parish and since that an Order or Ordinance touching admission to and rejection from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and yet there remaine other parts of government to be added to them which we hope will be authorized in time convenient and the sooner the better SECT IX Reasons taken from rules and considerations of prudence answered THus much for his Reasons which respect Religion Now for the Politique part of his Quere in 1. Rules or considerations of Prudence 2. Examples of practise His rules of Prudence in the generall are three the first he layeth downe thus * §. 7. p. 5. The more time saith he for trying of spirits and proving of all things there is the lesse danger to that State of erring in things received and authorized and of involving it selfe into the designes of Ecclesiasticall power then which nothing hath sooner broken the Civill power as may be seene in Popish Kingdomes and our late Prelaticall There can be no great danger in the not sudden incorporating the two powers Since Moses is not alive to bring downe the iust patterne of the Tabernacle there may a new starre arise which was not seene at first which if we shut up our selves too soone while the smoke is in the Temple cannot appeare Answer 1. It is the dutie of a State that is of them that governe a State not onely to try spirits but to rule them and rather to rule them then to try them and for that purpose the sooner they be brought under government the better for the rod and reproofe saith Solomon give wisdoms Prov. 29.15 And on the contrary the longer they live without the yoke of Discipline the more enormous will they be and so the observation of Solomon will be verified a child left to himselfe bringeth his mother to shame Ibid. and his father too whereof we have an example in his brother Adouijah 1 King 1. vers 5 6. And for proving of all things to be imposed there is a due proportion of time to be observed which may as well be too much as too little and it hath beene if not the fault the ill hap of our Church and State to have the Government fluttering upon the Lime-twig of deliberation at Westminster when it should be upon the wing of actuall execution all over the Kingdome 2. Whereas he makes it a dangerous matter for the State to involve it selfe into the designes of Ecclesiasticall power because it is a meanes to breake the Civill power as may be seene in Popish Kingdomes and our late Prelaticall His position and proofe are most unseasonably and impertinently applied to the Presbyteriall government which abjureth both Popish and Prelaticall dominion by solemne Covenant and taketh a course not onely to suppresse and bury but to keepe them down that there be no feare of a resurrection of them 3. And when on the contrary he saith * § 7. p. 5. There can be no danger in the not sudden incorporating the two powers since Moses is not alive to bring downe the iust patterne of the Tabernacle there may a new starre arise which was not seene at first which if we shut up our selves too soone while the smoke is in the Temple cannot appeare This is a very perplext and confused expression darkning the truth which he should illustrate wherein if his meaning be that there is no great danger in the not establishing Ecclesiasticall government by the Civill State or that if now it were done it were too sudden and hasty it is a groundlesse conceit refuted already and for that he bringeth in of Moses not being alive to bring the patterne from the Mount and of a new sterre to arise it bewrayeth his designe not onely to delay the government desired for a time but to debarre it for ever or to prepare the way for some seducing * See Bucol Ind. Chron p. 156. ad an 134. Schindl Pentag col 826. Benchocheba or Barchochebas as his name soundeth the sonne of a starre who pretending himselfe to be the starre of Iacob fore-prophecied Numb 24 17. tooke upon him to be a new guide unto the Iewes but misleading them to their ruine he was called Bencozba the sonne of a lie 2. For the other prudentiall rule his words are these There is no Religion established by State but there is some proportion in the two powers and some * § 10. p. 6. compliance betwixt the Civill and Ecclesiasticall state so as the establishing the one will draw with it some motions in the other and we all see saith he how hazardous it is to dis-ininteresse any in the Civill part even in Kingdomes that are more firme as France where the Protestants are partly allowed their Religion in pay for their civill engagements and so in other States and sure I am the State is most free where the conscience is least straitned where the tures and wheat grow together untill the harvest Answer Here he makes the Civill and Ecclesiasticall State so linked and neerely allied together that if there be motions in the one there will not be quietnesse in the other and that the Ecclesiastical State hath such an interest in the Civill that it is hazardous to the Civill part if it be not allowed and for that reason the Protestant Religion is tolerated in the Popish Kingdome of France which is as a pay or a recompence for their civill engagement In which passage as in divers others he aimes at the perpetuall prohibition of Government not at a temporall forbearance onely and he carrieth it on so as if we must allow him the authoritie of a prolitique Dictator without any proofe of Scripture reason yea or of any humane testimony for what he saith though in the way of a rationall ratification hath so little strength of reason in it that it reacheth not halfe way to the resolution of the Question in the Tenour of his Tenet For what if the Church and State be so symbolicall as to reciprocate interests and conditions betwixt themselves shall the Civill State leave every man or every Congregation to their owne libertie to be governed or ungoverned as they list every man in matters of Religion to doe that which is right in his owne eyes as when there was no King in Israel sudg 17.6 Nay rather because disturbances are communicated from the one to the other the Civill State

ought to settle the government of the Ecclesiasticall according to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches that it may the more securely enjoy its owne peace And for that he saith of the toleration of the Protestants of France the originall of it was not out of any principle of compliance of all Religions with the Civill State but because the King himselfe Henry the fourth having beene a Protestant and recovering his right by the Armes of Protestants though he wickedly revolted from his Religion and wretchedly suffered for his Apostasie he could doe no lesse in humanity then allow them the libertie of Religion which hath beene continued unto them not upon Mr. S. his ground before mentioned but because the Protestants are the trustiest friends of the Crowne of France and most engaged to defend it against the interests and designes of the Spaniard whose longing after an universall Monarchy is carried with the strongest degree of concupiscence towards the Crowne of France as the fayrest marke of his boundlesse ambition Now though his argument fall farre short of probable he concludes with assurance Sure I am saith he that State is most free where the conscience is least straitned If he meane most free in indulgence by letting loose the reigns to all Religions it is true and if he allow of such a freenesse as by his ensuing words it seemes he doth he complieth with the Authour of the Booke of the Bloody Tenet who holdeth as absurdly as impiously that it is the will and command of God that since the coming of his Sonne the Lord Jesus a permission of the most Paganish Iewish Turkish The sixt Proposition of the twelve prefixed before the Book published Anno 1644. and Antichristian consciences and worships be granted to all men in all Nations and Countries and they are onely to be fought against with the sword which is onely in soule matters able to conquer to wit the sword of the Spirit the word of God If he meane where there is such licentious allowance of all Religions there the State is freest from commotion and distraction manifold experience in severall Ages and Countreys proveth the contrary He concludeth this exception against the settling of the Government with the Parable of the Tares and the Wheat wherein he closeth with the forementioned Authour cap. 18 c. of his wicked booke But withall if there must be such a mixture of the tares with the wheat what warrant is there for his party to pluck the wheat from the tares nay the wheat from the wheat for they leave as good Christians as they take in their new gathering of Churches A third Remora against the setting up of Government of prudent or politick consideration is this * § 11. p. 6. Our parties or dissenting Brethren being now together and clasped by interest against the common enemy this foundation of common unitie is such as may draw in both affections and iudgements if not too suddenly determined into hereticks and schismaticks It is possible while a Controversie is long suspended and time given for conclusion of things opinions may be soone at peace A fire let alone may dye out under that wood which stirred in would kindle it The contentions of brethren are like the strong barres of a Castle and a brother offended is harder to be wonne then a strong citie Prov. 18 19. Answer The danger of a common enemie is many times and should be alwayes a cause of suspension of particular antipathies the wild beasts in the Arke were reconciled with the tame while without it the overwhelming flood was round about but this clasping of dissenting brethren in the Campe upon present undertakings must not leave us loose to division in the Citie for that as Mr. Saltmarsh himselfe acknowledgeth * M. Saltmarsh practise of policy l. 4. pol. 12. is the mother of confusion and he * Idem l. 2. of his Book of the Practice of policy pol. 123. p. 288. calls private Conventicles the very Parliaments of factious deliberations and resolutions and saith they are to be observed and dispersed And by the Text he citeth viz. Act. 4.26 he meaneth such factions as are adverse or opposite to true Religion and for expedition in repressing the perill of such combinations he giveth this advice which if he had now thought of I suppose he would not have made such a dilatory discourse as he hath done * M. Saltmarsh his practise of policy l. 2. pol. 124. p. 289. Kill factions betimes as Herod did the Infants in their cradles if you let them grow they may prove too strong for you when sedition is at an age it is more able a little Physick will disperse a gathering disease which if it knot hath more danger and difficulty it was enough to make the servant bad when he thought with himselfe My Lord delayeth his coming Matth. 24.48 And truly the delay in setting up a Government hath beene an occasion of the multiplication both of heresies and schismes and of an increase both of number and courage of such as are ingaged in them and the longer the delay is drawne on the more difficult will the reducement be for men who are disposed to div●sion make account that such as forbeare the remedy are either inclinable to them or unable or afraid to displease them and by such conceits they foment their owne sancies and heighten their spirits to contumacie and contempt whereof there is but too much evidence given in many that oppose the settlement of Religion by establishing Church Government And whereas he saith It is possible while a Controversie is long suspended and time given for conclusion of things opinions may be sooner at peace We answer First that possibility is but a poore plea against probability nay against particular experience for it is obvious to any mans view that will observe the method of proceeding and manner of prevailing of the dissenting party that while their brethren have endevoured by all amicable carriage towards them and by courteous compliance with them to worke and win them to a brotherly accord they have driven on their owne designe with a politique activity and have gained more by the slownesse of their adversaries pace then by the goodnesse of their owne cause though therein they would be thought to have the advantage He addeth A fire let alone may dye out under that wood which stirred in would kindie it But when a fire is kindled not in greene but in dry wood which will easily burne will men let it alone till it quench of it selfe or shall we thinke that the setling of a Government is as the bellowes to a fire to blow it up into a flame No wise man can imagine either the one or the other and the contrary is plaine by manifold examples of the Anabaptists and other seditious Sectaries in Germany for whom at first a Guy de Bres against the errour of the

have seven no more then is contained in the sixe for my part if this be candidly and cordially in point of Church Government delivered and so received and professed by those of his side I hope such as are adversaries unto both parties shall not long rejoyce and prosper by the advantage they make of our mutuall divisions SECT XIX Further grounds and hopes of union in the Churches of the Sister Kingdomes of England and Scotland with Answers to the Objections that are made against it I Have the more hope of the Vnion fore-mentioned because if they who in respect of the paucitie and noveltie of their party compared with the Churches of the Presbyterian Government throughout the Christian World for number and Seniority are not so considerable as some conceive will yeeld as farre as they ought for a pacificall accord their Presbyterian Brethren will as farre as they may with securitie to the truth and reservation of the interest and honour of the Reformed Churches come downe to them in such a Christian accommodation as is requisite for a conclusion of peace My ground for this is that which I have observed in the disposition of the Reverend Religious and prudent Commissioners of the Church of Scotland for though that Church be supposed and censured by some as the most rigid in exacting assent to and observation of her rules and customes as if all must yeeld to her as the Standard of Discipline and she would yeeld to none they have alwaies in all their debates and behaviour even towards the dissenting Brethren carried themselves with a most Christian and Evangelicall sinceritie and sweetnesse of spirit and some of them have well witnessed to the world their hopes desires and endevours for peace especially with all the religious and faithfull Preachers and Professours of the Church of England For instance one of them in his * Mr. Gillespie his Brotherly examination of some passages of M. C. his printed Sermon p. 33. This is repeated in his latter Booke called Nihi● Respondes p. 19. Brotherly examination of some passages in Mr. Colem his Sermon to this Question Where shall the Independents and we meet returneth this answer In holding a Church Governmeut jure divino that is that the Pastors and Elders ought to suspend or excommunicate according to the degree of the offence of scandalous sinners and who can tell but the purging of the Church frō scandals and the keeping of the Ordinances pure when it shall be actually seen to be the great worke endevoured on both sides may wake union betwixt us and the Independents more easie then many imagine and in his * Ibid. latter booke saith he we will never despaire of an union with such as are sound in the faith holy in life and willing to a Church refining and sinne-censuring government in the hands of Church Officers And in answer to Mr. C. his relation of news of agreement betwixt Presbyterians and Independents Lutherans and Calvinists Papists and Protestants Turks and Christians in holding that there is a Religion wherein men ought to walke he saith No Sir they must be united upon the like termes that is you must first have Turks to be Christians Papists to be Protestants and then you must have them as willing to purge the Church of scandals and to keep the Ordinances pure c. And after a few lines before repeated quitting Mr. C. his geering report of newes he replieth but soberly and seriously Now will I tell you my news the Presbyterians and Independents are both equally interested against the Erastian Principles and which is more for degree of assurance and for more generall concurrence in truth and peace not this Commissioner nor these Commissioners onely but the whole Church of Scotland is well prepared and disposed to a Christian and Brotherly compliance with the Church of England in the way of reformation for Mr. Coleman having objected that the Commissioners of Scotland came not to the Assembly at Westminster as Divines by dispute and disquisition to find out the truth but at Iudges to censure all different opinions as errours for so saith he come for nine Divines to Dort Alexander to the Councel of Nice Cyrill to Ephesus the Learned Commissioner answereth him thus Is it not enough to slander us though he doe not for our sakes slander those worthy Divines that came to the Synod of Dort Alexander also and Cyrill prime witnesses for the truth in their dayes would no lesse content him then to approve the Objections of the Arminians against the Synod at Dort which I had mentioned p. 33 but he gets not away so the strongest instance which I had given he hath are once touched it was concerning Paul and Barnabas who wore engaged not in the behalfe of one Nation but of all the Churches of the Gentiles against the imposition of the Mosaicall rites and had so declared themselves at Antioch before they came to Ierusalem Finally whereas he doubts though not of our willingnesse to learne more yet of our permission to receive more That very paper first given in by we which I had cited and unto which he makes this reply did speake not onely of our learning but of the Church of Scotlands receiving And which is more there is an actuall experiment of it the last generall Assembly having ordered the laying aside of some particular customes in that Church and that for the neerer uniformitie with this Church of England as was expressed in their owne Letter to the Reverend Assembly of Divines And though they thought it necessary to shew their different opinion in one point of the Directory yet they entred their dissent without any disaffection to us of the Assembly I will give you their sense in their owne words which are these Onely we have thought it necessary to declare and make knowne that the Clause in the Directory for the administration of the Lords Supper which appointeth the Table to be so placed that the Communicants may orderly sit about it or at it is not to be interpreted as if in the judgement of our Kirks it were indifferent for any of the Communicants not to come to and receive at the Table or as if we did approve the distributing of the elements by the Minister to each Communicant and not by the Communicants among themselves in which particulars we still conceive and beleeve the order and practise of our owne Kirke to be most agreeable to the word of God the example of our Lord Iesus Christ and the nature of that heavenly Feast and Table neverthelesse in other particulars we have resolved and doe agree to doe as you have desired us in your Letter This was part of the Letter from the Generall Assembly at Edenborough signed thus Subscribed in the name of the Generall Assembly by Mr. Robert Douglas Moderatour Feb. 13. 1644. Whereby we see they doe not for that difference of opinion take any offence or shew any dislike

of their Brethren at Westminster nor any distast at the rest of the Directory for any particular contained in it But yet for all this some are so unwilling to beleeve there will be peace especially in the point of Government of the Church that they faine the Parliament and the Assembly of Divines at irreconciliable difference about it the Divines requiring the stampe of Divine right to be set upon it and the Parliament resolute to yeeld no more authoritie for it then a meere Civill Sanction can give unto it Answer To this we answer 1. That the Divines doe not affirme the whole frame and fabrick of Church Government to be of Divine right for it is made up of particulars of different kinds viz. Substantials of Government which have their warrant either by ordinance in his word or direct inference from it as that there must be Church Officers Pastors and their Ordination Elders and Deacons and Church Offices both of preaching administration of the Sacraments and Government Church censures admonition suspension excommunication and accidentall or circumstantiall additions which are of prudentiall direction and consideration as for Pastors when and in what manner they shall be ordained whether a Preacher should treat on a Text or on some Theologicall Theme or Common place when and how oft and to how many at once the Sacraments should be administred how many assisting Elders should be in a Parish and whether they should be chosen and admitted to their office with imposition of hands and continue in it for a yeare or two or for terme of life in what forme of words admonition suspension or excommunication should be comprised and pronounced with divers others of like sort This distinction the Divines of the Assembly make of the contents of the Directory for the publique worship of God throughout the three Kingdomes and the same hath the like use in the Church Government desired their words in the last lease of the Preface of the Directory are these We have after earnest and frequent calling upon the Name of God and after much consultation not with flesh and blood but with the holy Word resolved to lay aside the former Leiturgy with the many rites and Ceremonies formerly used in the worship of God and have agreed upon this following Directory for all the parts of publique worship at ordinary and extraordinary times Wherein our care hath beene to hold forth such things as are of Divine Institution in every Ordinance and other things we have endevoured to set forth according to the rules of Christian prudence agreeable to the generall Rules of the Word of God 2. Though the Honourable Houses have not yet asserted the constitution of the Church Government as ordained in or derived from or as agreeable to the Word of God because as some render the reason it is not the manner of Law-makers to mingle matter of Religion with their Civill Sanction yet when they present it compleat in all the parts thereof it may be they will at least give intimation of the conformity of it to the Canonicall Scriptures according to the distinction of the parts before proposed and it is not so strange and unusuall as some pretend for Legislative authoritie to borrow a religious reputation for what they inact or ordaine from the Word of God for we find instance thereof in the Statutes (a) Concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper the words of Institution are set downe and 15. places of Scripture quoted in the Marginewith letters of reference in the Text. Poult Abridgm p. 826. of the first yeare of Edward the sixth c. 1. (b) The Statute of the first of Q. Mery c. 2. repealed as causing a decay of the honour of God and the discomsort of the professours of the truth of Christs Religion Ibid. p. 1005. In the first of Eliza. c. 2. (c) For as much as profane swearing and cursing is forbidden by the Word of God Ibid. p. 1403. In the 21. of K. James c. 20. (d) Nothing more acceptable to God then the true and sincere service and worship of him according to his holy will and that the holy keeping of the Lords Day is 2 principal part of the true service of God Ibid. p. 1427. In the first of K. Charles c. 1. (e) For as much as the Lords Day commonly called Sunday is much broken and profaned by Carryers c. to the great dishonour of God reproch of Religion c. Ibid. p. 1434. In the third of K. James c. 1. Lastly the present Parliament hath done the like already for some parts of the Reformation authorised as for the Ordination of Ministers which is a chiefe part of the Presbyteriall authoritie of which they say * So in the Ordinance for Ordination ordered to be printed October 2. 1644. p. 2. Whereas it is manifest by the Word of God that no man ought to take upon him the office of a Minister untill he be lawfully called and ordained thereunto and that the worke of Ordination that is to say an outward solemne setting apart of persons for the office of the Ministery in the Church by Preaching Presbyters is an Ordinance of Christ and is to be performed with all due care wisdome gravitie and solemnity It is ordained by the Lords and Commons c. And in their Ordinance for the Directory Jan. 3. 1644. They beginne with these words The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament taking into serious consideration the manifold incenveniences that have risen by the Booke of Common Prayer in this Kingdome and resolving according to their Covenant to reforme Religion according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches have consulted with the Reverend Pious and Learned Divines called together to that purpose and doe judge it necessary that the said Booke of Common Prayer be abolished and the Directorie for the publique worship of God herein after mentioned be established and observed in all the Churches within this Kingdome c. If it be said that Ordination and Worship are usually distinguished from Power and Government and that both of them have more expresse warrant from the word of God then can be found in Scripture for the Presbyteriall Government I Auswer 1. That the question is not now whether there be difference betwixt them but whether there be such difference betwixt a Civill Sanction and Divine ratification that the one may not well be brought in with the other 2. That though there were much use made of the distinction of the key of order and the key of power or of Iurisdiction in the time of the Prelates so that they confined that wholly to the Clergie principally to themselves while they sold or trusted out the key of power or of jurisdiction to Vicars generall Chancellours Archdeacons Commissaries and rurall Deanes yet is Ordination one of the principall parts of the Presbyteriall power and if it be as it is commonly taken matter