,transcriber's ,note    ,the text       
includes a large number of marginal     
notes that are printed in  small font   
and are sometimes unclear4 ,they have   
been converted into  footnotes or 7if   
they comprise general descriptions of a 
passage7 into  sidenotes4 ,a footnote   
may refer to the following1 rather than 
preceding1 word or phrase4 ,if so the   
footnote anchor has been  positioned    
accordingly4    ,many of the paragraphs 
are numbered according to a complex     
scheme4  ,only on one page are they     
indented4 ,while the numbering has been 
retained the indenting has been removed4
    ,apparent typographical errors1 and 
inconsistencies in hyphenation1  have   
been corrected4 ,superscripts and one   
word in spaced-out text have  been      
rendered in ordinary font4 ,small       
capitals have been converted to         
ordinary capitals4 ,italics are         
indicated by underscores4    ,greek     
accents are often unclear and 7apart    
from rough-breathing marks7  have been  

omitted4    ,the error noted at the end 
of the text has been incorporated4      
,a ,,vindication ,,of ,,the             
,presbyteriall-,government1    ,,and    
,,ministry3    ,,together1    ,with an  
,exhortation1 to all the ,ministers1    
,elders1 and ,people1 within  the       
,bounds of the ,province of ,,london1   
whether joyning with ,us1 or  separating
 from ,us4    ,published1 ,by the       
,ministers1 and ,elders1 met together in
 a  ,provinciall ,assembly1 ,novemb4    
#b;d4 #afdi4    ,wherein1 amongst other 
things1 these ensuing particulars are   
contained3      #a4 ,that there is a    
,church-,government1 by ,divine ,right4 
#b4 ,that the ,magistrate1 is not the   
,fountain of       ,church-,government4 
#c4 ,that the ,presbyterial-,government1
 is by ,divine ,right4    #d4 ,the      
,inconveniencies of the                 
,congregationall-way4    #e4 ,that the  
,ruling-,elder is by ,divine ,right4    
#f4 ,that it is the will of ,jesus      
,christ1 that all sorts of persons      

should give an account of their ,faith1 
to the ,minister1 and       ,elders1    
before admission to the ,lords ,supper2 
together with       ,answers1 to the    
usuall ,objections made against it4     
#g4 ,directions to the ,elders for the  
right managing of their ,office4    #h4 
,directions to such as are admitted to  
the ,lords ,supper1 for the       right 
sanctifying of ,gods ,name1 in that     
,ordinance1  for their       carriage   
one towards another4    #i4 ,rules to   
preserve ,people1 from the ,errours of  
these ,times4   #aj4 ,that ,separation  
from our ,churches1 is justly charged   
with       ,schisme4   #aa4 ,that       
,ministers formerly ordained by         
,bishops1 need no new       ,ordination4
   #ab4 ,the ,necessity and usefulness  
of ,catechizing4    ,licensed1 ,entred1 
and ,printed according to ,order4       
,london1 ,printed for ,c4 ,meredith1 at 
the ,crane in ,pauls  ,church-yard1     
#afej4          ,illustration      ,it  
hath been the chief stratagem of the    

adversaries of the ,church1 in  all     
,ages1 to erect a throne for themselves1
 in the hearts of people1  by casting   
reproaches and slanders upon the        
,doctrine1 ,government1  and ,godly     
,ministers of ,jesus ,christ4 ,in the   
old ,testament1 when  the ,jewes came   
first out of ,babylon1 and began to     
build the second  ,temple of ,jerusalem1
 their enemies most falsly1 and         
maliciously1  suggested to ,king        
,artaxerxes1 #a,that the ,city of       
,jerusalem1 was a  rebellious ,city1 and
 hurtful unto ,kings and ,provinces1 and
 that they  had moved sedition within   
the same1 of old time1 c4 ,and thereby  
caused the work of the house of ,god1 to
 cease for many years4 ,and in  the ,new
 ,testament1 when the ,holy ,ghost came 
down from ,heaven in a most  miraculous 
manner1 for the solemn inauguration of  
,christian ,religion2  and when the     
,apostles were filled with the ,holy    
,spirit1 even then1  they were charged  
to be full of new wine4 ,and in         

after-times1 the  slanderous accusations
 of the ,heathen ,idolaters against the 
,christians1 are observed to have been  
one of the chiefest causes of  the ten  
bloudy ,persecutions1 raised up against 
them by the ,romane  ,emperours4 ,and   
this was that which forced the          
,godly-learned of those  days1 to write 
,apologies1 in defence of ,christians1  
and ,christian  ,religion4#b    ,to come
 neerer to our own times2 when the      
,protestant ,religion began  to be      
re-established 7after the bloudy times  
of ,queen ,mary7 it was  loaded with so 
many infamous lyes1 and malicious       
falsities1 ,that  ,reverend and learned 
,jewell1 was compelled to write an      
,apologie#c  for it2 for which1 he will 
be famous in the ,churches1 to all      
,posterity4 ,and even in our dayes1 when
 it pleased ,god1 out of his  infinite  
goodness1 to lay a foundation of a      
glorious ,reformation in                
,church-,discipline1 in this ,kingdom1  
and to raise up the hearts of  many     

,godly ,ministers1 and others1 to       
contribute their utmost help  for the   
perfecting of it1 ,then did a           
,generation of men rise up1 who  made it
 their great design to pour out flouds  
of reproaches1 and  calumnies1 upon both
 ,government1 and ,ministers4 ,first1   
they represent  the ,government unto the
 people1 as absolutely destructive unto 
the  civill ,state1 to the liberties    
both of their soules and bodies1 and  as
 unsufferable in a free ,kingdom4 ,and  
then the ,ministers that  assert it1 as 
men that seek to ingross all power into 
their own  hands1 as the chief          
,incendiaries of ,church and ,state1 and
 as the  causes of all the miseries1    
that have of late years come upon the   
three ,kingdoms4    ,and therefore1 ,we1
 ,ministers and ,elders met together1 by
 the  ,authority of ,parliament1 in the 
,provincial ,assembly of the ,province  
of ,london1 considering with our selves1
 what way we might be  serviceable in   
this great work of ,reformation1 have   

thought it our  duties to wipe off those
 foul aspersions1 that are cast upon it1
 and  upon those who have been active   
for it2 and to dispel the mists and     
fogs1 which have so long darkened the   
glorious ,sun-shine of this  blessed    
,reformation4    ,and because we also   
find1 that there are many1 who doubt1   
whether  there be any particular        
,church-government prescribed in the    
,word2  and if so1 whether it be the    
,presbyterial1 or ,congregationall4 ,and
  others that question the lawfulness of
 ,ruling-,elders1 and of their  joynt   
power1 with the ,minister1 to examine   
those that are admitted  to the         
,sacrament of the ,lords ,supper2       
,therefore1 we have also thought  it    
most necessary for us to search into the
 ,word1 and to deliver our  judgments in
 all these particulars4    ,and further1
 because we observe with grief of heart1
 that sin and  iniquity abounds1 and    
many separate from our ,congregations1  
and run  head-long into heretical1 and  

soul-damning opinions2 ,and those that  
do  joyn with us in the ,presbyteriall  
,government1 both ,ministers1  ,elders1 
and ,people1 meet with many             
discouragements1 and may 7possibly7     
grow faint1 and weary and neglective of 
their duties3 ,therefore1 ,we  have also
 thought our selves obliged1 to our     
,vindication1 to adde  an ,exhortation1 
unto all ,ministers1 ,elders1 and       
,people1 within the  bounds of our      
,province1 whether joyning with us1 or  
separating from  us4    ,the work 7we   
acknowledge7 is very weighty1 and       
difficult2 and the  times wherein we    
live1 are very perillous1 in which men  
are made  ,offenders for a word2        
,provincial ,assemblies 7as now         
constituted7 are  new1 and strange with 
us1 weak in power1 and of no repute with
 many2  suspected by some1 as likely to 
prove prejudiciall to the ,kingdom2 and 
by others1 to the liberty of            
,congregations4 ,and the judgments and  
consciences of most people1 are so      

prepossessed with prejudices and        
self-interest1 as that we cannot but    
expect1 that this our first  expression 
of our selves1 will meet with much      
opposition1 and  contradiction4 ,some   
will not vouchsafe to read it2 ,others  
will read  it1 and contemn it2 ,others  
will mock and scoff at it4 ,but our     
comfort  is1 the ,testimony of our      
,consciences4 ,that the grounds of this 
our  present undertaking1 are neither   
pragmaticalness of spirit1 nor to  vent 
our own spleen1 in aspersing others2 nor
 affectation of  domination over others2
 nor to blow the ,trumpet to new        
troubles4 ,but  our ends and ayms1      
herein1 sincerely are1 ,that the truths 
of ,christ  may be vindicated1 the      
,government of the ,lord ,jesus         
advanced1 the  power of ,godliness      
exalted1 the credit of the ,godly       
,ministry repaired1  the unity of the   
,spirit gained1 and kept in the bond of 
peace1 ,that  our ,congregations may be 
purged1 purity of ,ordinances promoted1 

divisions healed1 breaches made up1     
stumbling blocks removed2 ,that  those  
who stand may be established1 the weak  
feeble strengthened1  the seduced may be
 converted from the errour of their     
wayes and  repent1 to the acknowledgment
 of the truth2 ,that languishing gifts  
and  graces1 may be quickened and       
increased2 ,that a through ,reformation 
7according to our solemn ,covenant7 may 
be really endeavoured2 ,that no  means  
of edification1 may by ,us be neglected2
 ,that we may keep our  selves pure from
 the bloud of all men3 ,that the        
,kingdome of our ,lord  and ,saviour may
 be inlarged1 and ,god in all things    
glorified4    ,we confess1 it is hardly 
possible1 to wipe off the dirt cast upon
 us1  but some of it will necessarily   
light upon those that cast it2 7and it  
is fit1 that they1 that unjustly besmear
 others1 should have their own          
filthiness impartially discovered7 yet  
notwithstanding1 we have  purposely     
avoided1 as much as may be1 all         

personall reflections1 and  have waved  
the answering of some objections made   
against us1 lest in  answering to them1 
we should give occasion1 to those that  
seek  occasion4 ,and we doubt not       
7however others may be transported with 
passion1 or prejudice7 but this         
endeavour of ours1 which so much        
concerns the preservation of ,religion1 
,truth1 ,godliness1 and ,ministry  from 
ruine and destruction1 will be          
acceptable1 to all sober1 and  unbyassed
 ,christians4    ,we shall begin with   
our ,vindication1 and therein first     
assert  ,church-,government1 by ,divine 
,right2 and then clear up the           
,presbyteriall ,government1 and         
,ministry2 and represent them unto  you1
 in their native colours2 and afterwards
 proceed to our  ,exhortation4          
,the ,,vindication4      ,the externall 
,government and ,discipline of ,christ1 
7though it be not  necessary to the     
being1 yet it7 is absolutely necessary  
to the  well-being of a ,church3 ,so    

necessary1 as that we cannot but be     
deeply  affected with grief and sorrow1 
when we consider how long the through   
setling of it hath been delayed1        
7notwithstanding the ,covenant we have  
taken1 with hands lifted up to heaven1  
to endeavor a reformation in  point of  
,discipline7 and cannot but conceive it 
to be one chief reason  of all the      
miseries that are now upon us2 because  
those that have been  in ,authority     
amongst us1 have laboured to build their
 own houses1 and  have suffered the     
house of ,god to lye waste4 ,if         
,nehemiah sate down  and wept1 and      
mourned certain days1 because the wall  
of ,jerusalem was  broken down1 c4 ,much
 more have we cause to mourn1 that the  
wall of  ,zion is not yet reared up2 for
 as a ,city without walls1 a ,sea       
without banks1 a vineyard without a     
hedge1 so is a ,church without          
,discipline1 and he that shall consider 
the multitude of ,heresies and          
,blasphemies1 the abundance of          

iniquities and abominations1 that have  
crowded into the ,church1 whilest this  
wall hath been unbuilt1 and this  hedge 
unmade2 cannot but take up the          
lamentation of ,david#d1 though  with a 
little difference1----,why hast thou    
suffered thy ,vineyard to  be without a 
hedge1 so that all they which do passe  
by pluck her4 ,the  ,boar out of the    
wood doth waste it1 and the wild ,beasts
 of the field  devour it4 ,return1 we   
beseech thee1 ,o ,lord of ,hosts2 look  
down from  ,heaven1 and behold and visit
 this ,vine1 and the ,vineyard which thy
  right hand hath planted1 and the      
branch that thou madest strong for  thy 
self1 c4 ,and likewise to pray the      
prayer of the same ,prophet in  another 
place#e1 ,do good in thy good pleasure  
to ,zion1 and build  thou the walls of  
,jerusalem4    ,the differences1 we     
confess1 about this wall1 are very many1
 and so  many1 as that it would require 
a large ,volume to treat of them2 and it
  cannot be denyed1 but these           

differences have been the great apple of
  strife for these many years3 ,and     
although it be our design 7as we have   
said7 to heal and make up the breaches  
of this wofully divided ,church1  and   
not to widen and increase them2 yet     
notwithstanding1 we cannot  without     
prejudice to the truth1 to our selves1  
and to our respective  ,congregations1  
but give the world some short account of
 two opinions  about                    
,church-,government4    ,there are some1
 that although they have taken a        
,covenant1 to  endeavour the            
,reformation of the ,church in          
,discipline1 according to  the ,word1   
yet are not afraid to say2 ,that there  
is no particular  ,church-,government   
set down in the ,word2 that the         
,christian  ,magistrate is the ,fountain
 of all ,church-power1 and that to      
assert a jus divinum of                 
,church-,government1 is destructive to  
all  political ,government4 ,now though 
this ,opinion prevail much  with        

,state-,divines1 and with ,christians   
that study worldly-policy1  more then   
,scripture simplicity2 ,and though it be
 likely 7if ,god  prevent not7 to       
swallow up in a short time1 all other   
,opinions about  ,church ,government3   
,and though the asserting of a jus      
divinum in  ,church-,discipline1 be with
 some men1 the only heresie not to be   
tolerated1 and more hated1 then the     
abomination of desolation1  standing in 
the holy place1 was by the ,jews2 yet   
notwithstanding1 we  hold it our duties1
 especially in these times1 to make it  
known to  all our respective            
,congregations4    #a4 ,that ,jesus     
,christ1 as ,king and ,head of his      
,church1 hath appointed  a particular   
,government in his ,church4    #b4 ,that
 the ,christian ,magistrate1 is not the 
originall of ,church  ,government4      
,which two particulars1 we shall        
endeavour with great  brevity and       
perspicuity1 to make out unto all       
unprejudiced ,christians4  ,and first4  

#a4 ,that there is a particular         
,church-,government by divine right3 not
  that we think1 that every circumstance
 in ,church ,government is set  down    
precisely in the ,word1 or is of divine 
right in a strict  sence3 ,but this we  
say1 ,that the substantials and         
essentials1 are  recorded particularly  
in the ,word by ,christ1 the ,king of   
his ,church1  and are unalterable by any
 ,state whatsoever2 ,and that the       
circumstantials are set down under      
generall rules1 sufficient for  the     
ordering of them2 and that therefore1   
even they also in a large  sence may be 
said to be of a divine right4 ,now this 
we shall  endeavour to prove by these   
ensuing ,arguments4    #a4 ,from the    
fulness1 and sufficiency of the ,holy   
,scriptures4 ,the  ,apostle ,paul saith1
 that his first ,epistle to ,timothy#f1 
was  written1 ,to teach him how to      
behave himself in the house of ,god1    
which is the ,church of the living ,god1
 the pillar and ground of  truth4 ,and  

in his second ,epistle#g he tels us2    
,that the holy  ,scriptures are able to 
make the man of ,god perfect1 throughly 
furnished unto all good works4 ,now to  
know how to govern the ,church1  is one 
of the great works that belong to the   
,minister3 ,and therefore1  to say1 that
 this is not recorded in ,scripture1 is 
to make the holy  ,scripture a rule     
defective1 and ineffectuall for the end 
for which it  was written1 and to cast a
 very great reproach and dishonour upon 
it4 ,and surely1 if some substantiall   
parts of ,church-,government1 are       
exprest in the ,word 7as few will deny7 
then 7as we conceive7 all of  them of   
necessity must be expressed1 or else the
 ,word should not be  able to attain its
 end2 which to affirm1 is no small      
errour3 ,and for  our parts1 we cannot  
conceive any reason to induce us to     
believe1 that  the ,holy ,ghost should  
set down in the ,word1 some of the      
substantials of ,church-,goverment1 as  
binding and unalterable unto  the end of

 the ,world1 and leave other things as  
substantiall as  they1 arbitrary and    
alterable1 according to the will and    
pleasure of  the ,christian ,magistrate4
    #b4 ,from the excellency of the     
,kingly ,office of ,jesus ,christ2 ,for 
,christ ,jesus is the only ,king of his 
,church1 governing it not only          
inwardly1 and invisibly1 by the working 
of his ,spirit2 but outwardly  also1 and
 visibly1 as it is a visible1           
politicall1 and ministeriall  body1 in  
which he hath appointed his own proper  
#h;,ambassadors1  #i;,assemblies1       
#aj,lawes1 #aa,ordinances1 and          
#ab;,censures1 to  be administred in his
 name1 and according to his own way4 ,as
 a ,king of  this politicall and        
ministeriall ,church1 he breathed on his
  ,disciples1 and said1 ,receive the    
,holy ,ghost1 whose sins ye remit1 they 
are remitted unto them2 and whose sins  
ye retain1 they are retained4  ,as a    
,king of this visible ,church1 he said  
unto his ,apostles1 ,all  power is given

 to me in ,heaven1 and in ,earth2 ,go ye
 therefore1 and  teach all ,nations1    
baptising them in the name of the       
,father1 and of  the ,son1 and of the   
,holy ,ghost1 teaching them to observe  
all things  whatsoever ,i have commanded
 you2 and lo ,i am with you alway1 even 
unto  the end of the world4 ,as a ,king 
of the same ,church1 he gave gifts to   
men1 when he ascended up to heaven1     
#acsome to be ,apostles1 some           
,prophets1 and some ,evangelists1 and   
some ,pastors and ,teachers4 ,as a      
,king1 he now sits at ,gods right hand1 
and is made ,head over all things  to   
his ,church2 which ,church is called the
 house of ,god2 and who should  appoint 
,orders for the ,government of the      
,house1 but the ,lord of the  house8    
,and to say1 that he hath not ordained  
how his house should be  governed1 is   
#adto make the ,master less faithfull in
 his own house1  then his ,servant      
,moses was2 which ,church is ,christs   
,vineyard1  ,christs ,garden1 and can we

 think ,christ so negligent1 as not to  
appoint a hedge to fence his ,vineyard1 
and a wall to preserve his  ,garden8    
which ,church is a spirituall           
,republique4 ,and shall we deny  that to
 ,christ in the ,government of his      
,kingdome1 which we grant  unto all     
,earthly ,monarchs8 ,shall we say1 ,that
 ,christ hath ordained  no ,laws1 by    
which his ,kingdome shall be governed2  
no ,censures1 by  which his rebellious  
subjects shall be punished2 no ,officers
 to  dispence those censures8 ,this is a
 high defamation to ,jesus ,christ1  and
 his ,kingly ,office4    #c4 ,from the  
immediate1 and proper end of ,church    
,government1 which is  not only matter  
of order and decency1 but spiritual and 
supernatural1  being appointed for the  
#ae;,edification of the body of ,christ 
in  grace unto glory2 and more          
particularly1 for the gaining of an     
offending brother unto repentance1 and  
for the saving of his soul in  the day  
of the ,lord ,jesus4 ,now this is a     

certain rule1 whatsoever  hath a        
spiritual efficacy1 must of necessity   
have a divine originall2  humane        
institutions can but produce humane     
effects3 ,and therefore1  seeing ,church
 ,government is designed for divine and 
supernaturall  ends1 it must of         
necessity1 plead its originall from ,god
 himself4    #d4 ,we argue from an      
enumeration of the substantials of      
,church-,government4 ,the ,word of ,god 
declares unto us1 ,that there are       
,church-officers1 and who they are1     
viz41 #af,pastors and  ,teachers1       
#ag,ruling-,elders1 and #ah;,deacons2   
,and how they are to  be #aiqualified   
for1 and #bj;externally called unto     
their  respective ,offices1 together    
with all the ,ministerial duties in     
those  ,offices1 by them to be performed
 respectively2 as #bapublike  prayer1   
the ,ministry of the ,word1 #bb;by      
reading and  #bcpreaching1 the          
#bd;blessing of the people in the name  
of the  ,lord1 #be;,administration of   

the ,sacraments1 #bf;,censures and      
#bg;distribution of ,alms4 ,the         
,scripture also tells us of a           
#bh;,church1  consisting of no more then
 can conveniently meet in one place to  
partake in all the ,ordinances of       
publike ,worship3 and of #bi;a ,church  
consisting of divers congregations4 ,the
 ,scripture also speaks of  #cj,synods1 
with ,ecclesiasticall ,authority1       
together with the  #casubordination of  
the lesser1 to the greater1 and appeals 
thereunto4 ,now all these are the       
substantials of ,church ,government1    
and are sufficiently set down in the    
,word1 as may partly appear by the      
quotations in the ,margent1 and shall   
further appear by what we shall  say    
afterwards4 ,and more then these1 and   
such as are necessarily  included in    
these1 are not 7as we humbly conceive7  
substantials in the  outward ,government
 of the ,church4 ,the rest are          
circumstantialls1 for  which ,christ    
hath given general rules sufficient to  

direct the ,church  in the ordering of  
them1 and from which therefore she may  
not depart4  ,these rules are set down1 
#a ,cor4 #ad4bf1 #dj4 ,let all things be
 done  unto edifying1 decently and in   
order1 #a ,cor4 #aj4ca1 #cb4 ,do all to 
the glory of ,god1 c4 ,rom4 #ad4ai4 ,let
 us therefore follow after the  things  
that make for peace1 c4    ,the second  
thing1 which with the like brevity and  
perspicuity1 we  shall endeavour to     
evidence unto you1 is1 ,that the        
,christian  ,magistrate1 is not the     
,fountain and ,origin of                
,church-,government4 ,the  former       
assertion1 gave unto ,god1 the things   
which were ,gods2 and  this doth not at 
all take away from ,csar1 the things    
that are  ,csars3 ,for we freely        
acknowledg1 that ,magistracy is an      
,ordinance of ,god1 appointed for the   
great good of mankind2 so that1  whoever
 are enemies to ,magistracy1 are enemies
 to mankind1 and  #cbto the revealed    
,will of ,god4 ,we desire to hold up the

 honour and  greatness1 the power and   
authority of lawful ,magistracy1 against
  ,papists1 ,anabaptists1 and all       
others1 that despise dominion1 and speak
  evil of dignities4 ,we say1 that the  
,magistrate is1 in a civil notion1  the 
supream ,governor in all causes         
,ecclesiastical2 the #cckeeper of  both 
tables2 #cdthe nursing father of the    
,church3 #cethat it belongs  to him1 by 
his ,political power1 to reform the     
,church1 when corrupted2  to preserve   
it1 when reformed2 to suppresse         
blasphemy1 idolatry1  heresie1 schisme1 
and prophanenesse1 and whatsoever is    
contrary to  godlinesse and sound       
doctrine2 that the people under him1 may
 lead a  quiet life1 in all godlinesse  
and honesty4 #cf,that he is sent of ,god
  for the punishment of evil doers      
7amongst which1 are heretiques1 as  well
 as others1 and therefore called evil   
workers2 and heresies1 evil  deeds1     
,phil4 #c4b4 #b ep4 ,joh4 ver4 #aa47 and
 for the praise of them  that do well4  

,that he is the #cg;,bishop of those    
things that are  without the ,church2 as
 ,constantine stiled himself4 ,that to  
him  belongs to punish                  
,church-,officers1 with civil           
punishments1 when they  abuse their     
power2 and to give protection to the    
publique exercise of                    
,church-,government1 within his         
dominions4    ,but yet1 notwithstanding 
all this1 we affirm1 ,that though the   
,magistrate be a nursing father of the  
,church1 yet he is not the  begetting   
father2 ,that the ,magistrate1 as a     
,magistrate1 is no  ,church-,officer1   
neither are the keyes of the ,kingdom of
 heaven  committed unto him4 ,neither   
did ,christ ever say to the ,kings of   
the  ,earth2 whose sins you remit1 shall
 be remitted2 and whose sins you        
retain1 shall be retained2 and          
whatsoever you shall binde on earth1    
shall be bound in heaven2 and whatsoever
 you shall loose on earth1  shall be    
loosed in heaven4 ,neither is the       

offended brother directed  to tell the  
civil ,magistrate1 but to tell the      
,church4 ,neither doth it  belong to him
 to preach the ,word1 or to administer  
the ,sacraments4  ,neither is he1 as a  
,magistrate1 seated by ,christ in his   
,church1 but is  to be subject to the   
,church in all spiritual things1 as a   
member  thereof4 ,neither is it in his  
power to appoint what ,government he    
please in the ,church2 no more then what
 ,religion he please4 ,and this  we     
prove3    #a4 ,because ,jesus ,christ   
7as hath been already shewed7 hath      
appointed  a particular                 
,church-,government in his ,word1 to be 
observed by all  ,kingdoms and ,states  
immutably1 and unalterably1 for the     
substantials  of it4    #b4 ,because the
 ,church of ,christ had a ,government   
within it self for  #cjj years before it
 had a ,christian ,magistrate4 ,the     
,scripture tells  us1 that the ,church1 
in the ,apostles dayes1 had power to    
meet for  ordering ,church-affairs1 for 

excommunicating scandalous offenders1   
and  obstinate heretiques4 ,and this    
power was not derived to them1 from the 
,magistrate1 being then ,heathen2 nor   
were they ,traytors and ,rebels  against
 the ,state1 in challenging this power4 
,and when the  ,magistrate1 afterwards1 
became ,christian1 the ,church did not  
lose  that power which it had before1   
when he was heathen4 ,for the truth is1 
when a heathen ,magistrate becomes a    
,christian1 he doth not acquire  more   
,authority over the ,church of ,christ1 
then he had before1 no more  then a     
heathen husband converted1 doth over his
 wife1 which he  married1 when          
unconverted4 ,a ,magistrate1 by becoming
 ,christian1 is  better inabled to do   
service to ,christ1 and his right is    
sanctified to  him2 but his ,authority  
is no greater then it was before4    #c4
 ,because the power of the ,magistrate1 
in reference to the power of  the       
,church1 is not privative of the        
,churches power1 but cumulative  and    

additional4 ,for if it were otherwise1  
then the condition of the  ,church      
should be worse under a ,constantine1   
then under a ,nero2  under a ,christian 
,magistrate1 then under a ,heathen2     
which is  contrary to all those         
,scriptures1 which tell us #chwhat      
glorious  advantages the ,church should 
have1 by the ,magistrates becoming      
,christian2 and that the ,magistrate    
shall bring honour and glory to the  new
 ,jerusalem1 and not take away that     
power that properly belongs to  the new 
,jerusalem4    #d4 ,because that this   
assertion1 denyeth an intrinsecall power
 to the  ,church1 to preserve it self in
 unity1 to purge out spiritual          
defilements1 and to take care for its   
own preservation against                
,church-destroying enemies1 and         
iniquities2 which makes the  happinesse 
of the ,church wholly to depend upon the
 civil ,magistrate2  and is contrary1   
not only to the nature of the           
,church#ci1 but of all  other societies1

 which have a power within themselves1  
of  self-preservation2 and is contrary  
to the experience of former ages1  which
 tell us1 ,that the ,church of ,christ  
did flourish more in truth  and         
holinesse1 7though not in wealth and    
honours17 whilest it was  under ,heathen
 persecuting ,emperours1 then           
afterwards4 ,from the  ,apostles1 even  
unto the dregs of our time1 the ,church 
of ,christ1 both  in its infancy and    
fuller growth1 increased by             
persecutions1 and was  crowned by       
,martyrdoms3 ,but after it had          
,christian ,princes1 indeed it  was     
greater in power and riches1 but lesse  
in piety1 saith  ,jerome#dj4    #e4     
,because that this opinion1 ,that the   
,magistrate is the ,fountain of  all    
,church-power1 derives upon the         
,christian ,magistrate most of that     
power1 which the ,pope did formerly most
 unjustly and tyrannically  usurp over  
the ,churches of ,jesus ,christ2 and    
thereby makes the  ,christian           

,magistrate to become a ,political      
,pope1 and sets up a  civil ,antichrist 
instead of a spiritual1 for one great   
part of  ,antichristianisme consisteth  
in the ,popes making himself to be the  
,original of all spiritual jurisdiction4
    ,and thus we have given you a short 
account of the first opinion2 and  we do
 beseech you1 in the ,name of our ,lord 
,jesus ,christ1 that you  would weigh   
what we have said1 in the ballance of   
the ,sanctuary2   that you would look   
upon ,church-,government1 as an         
,ordinance of ,god1  flowing unto you in
 the bloud of ,christ1 and as part of   
his ,kingly  ,office2 ,that you would   
allow of no ,church-officers1 or        
,offices1  that have not a divine stamp 
upon them1 accounting them guilty of a  
spiritual ,prmunire1 that will undertake
 an office in the ,church1 if  there    
cannot be shewed a ,scripture-warrant   
for it2 and that you  would submit unto 
it for conscience sake4    ,the second  
opinion1 is of those1 that will confesse

 a particular  ,church-,government by   
divine right2 but say1 that this is not 
the  ,presbyteriall1 but the ,government
 commonly called ,independent1 or       
,congregationall3 the truth is1 ,there  
are four kinds of  ,church-,government  
which lay claim to a jus divinum2 ,the  
,papal1  ,prelatical1 ,independent1 and 
,presbyterial4 ,the first of them was   
banished out of this ,kingdom1 by ,king 
,hen4 the #h4 ,the second of them1  as  
it was used and practised in this land1 
is abjured by our ,covenant4  ,the great
 debate of these late years1 hath been  
about the  ,presbyterial1 and           
,independent ,government4 ,and though we
 do not  intend at this time1 to enter  
into a large dispute2 yet we earnestly  
desire our ,brethren1 that differ from  
us only in point of                     
,church-,government1 to consider the    
wofull mischiefs1 that have come  upon  
the ,churches of ,christ in ,england1 by
 their dividing1 and  separating from   
us3 ,and that whilest we have been      

disputing what is  that ,government     
which ,christ hath appointed in his     
,word1 there are  a prevailing party    
risen up1 that will have no ,government 
at all to  be found in the ,word3       
whilest we have been so long debating   
about  the hedge1 the wild ,beasts have 
got in1 and made spoyl of the  ,vineyard
 it self3 ,whilest we have been building
 the wall1 others  have been plucking   
down the house3 ,whilest we have been   
consulting  about the ,garment of       
,christ1 others have taken advantage to 
deny the  ,divinity of ,christ3 ,whilest
 we have been so tediously contending   
about ,reforming of ,churches1          
,ordination of ,ministers2 and purity   
of ,ordinances1 there are men risen up1 
that deny all ,ministry1  ,ordinances1  
and ,churches4 ,and indeed1 there is    
scarce any fundamental  ,doctrine in    
,christian ,religion1 but is now1 not   
only called in  question1 but openly    
denyed by some1 or other4 ,and          
therefore1 we do  exhort our ,brethren1 

in the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1
 that  they would sadly lay to heart the
 unexpressible calamities1 which are    
brought upon our ,churches1 by their    
dividing from us2 and that they  would  
study1 for the time to come1 all wayes  
of ,union and  ,accommodation3 ,and for 
our parts1 we do here profess to all the
  ,world1 that we are1 have alwayes     
been1 and through the grace of ,god1    
shall ever be willing to study to find  
out any ,scripture way1  wherein we may 
unite together with them1 for the       
preservation of the  ,truths of ,jesus  
,christ1 the prevention of a toleration 
of ,heresies  and ,blasphemies1 and for 
the healing of the great scandal that is
  given to weak ,christians1 and wicked 
men1 by our unhappy  differences and    
divisions4    ,as for the ,presbyterial 
,government it self1 we may justly say  
of  it1 as the ,jews did upon another   
occasion1 #dawe know that every  where  
it is spoken against2 and that men deal 
with it1 and ,us that  profess it1 as   

the old persecutors dealt with the      
,christians2 when  they put them into   
,bear-skins1 and then baited them with  
dogs2 and  as the ,papists dealt with   
,john ,hus#db1 when they pinned a paper1
  with the picture of red ,devils1 upon 
his head1 and then exposed him to  the  
laughter of the people4 ,some say1 ,that
 it is a lordly1  ,domineering          
government2 and that if we had our      
wills1 we would lord  it over the people
 of ,christ1 more then ever the         
,prelates did2 and  instead of one      
,bishop in a ,diocess1 we should have   
many hundreds4  ,others say1 that it is 
a ,tyrannical and cruel government1 and 
if it  were once established1 it would  
fine and imprison all that would not    
yeeld to it4 ,others1 that we require an
 ,arbitrary power1 and challenge  an    
illimited jurisdiction4 ,others1 that we
 have a design to free our  selves from 
being under the power of the civil      
,magistrate4 ,others1  that this        
government doth rob the ,congregational 

,churches of their  power and liberty1  
no lesse then ,prelacy did1 so that the 
,church in  removing of ,prelacy1       
changed not ,dominium1 but ,dominum4    
,others1  that we seek for unity1 but   
neglect purity4 ,others accuse us1 that 
we contend too earnestly for purity1    
because we will not admit men  to the   
,sacrament1 before they give an account 
to the ,minister and  ,elders of their  
fitness thereunto4 ,others accuse us1   
for stamping a  jus divinum upon our    
government2 and others on the contrary1 
declaim  against us1 because we do not  
assert a jus divinum1 but depend upon  a
 jus humanum2 depend more upon an       
,ordinance of ,parliament for our       
establishment1 then an ,ordinance of    
,god4 ,others exclaim against us1  that 
we are now become the only troublers of 
,israel1 and the only  hinderers of a   
blessed and glorious ,reformation2 ,that
 we are  pestilent fellowes1 movers of  
sedition among the people1 causers  of  
the first war between ,king and         

,parliament1 and of all the murders  and
 blood-shedings1 that have been in the  
,nation for these many years2  ,that we 
were the ,authors and abettors of that  
violence that was  offered to the       
,parliament1 ,july #f4 #afdg4 ,that the 
,ministers of  ,london are              
,pulpit-,incendiaries1 and have         
separated their consecrated  lungs1 for 
,bellows1 to blow up the fire of a      
second ,war the last year2  that they   
were the bringers in of that numerous   
,army out of  ,scotland1 to invade the  
,parliament and ,army of ,england3      
,others  say1 that we are ,apostatized  
from our principles1 and are turned     
,malignants1 that we that were once the 
great ,parliament ,assertors1  are now  
become the only ,parliament-,opposers4  
,lastly1 that the  ,presbyterian        
,ministers seek their own private ease  
and interest1 and  not the things of    
,jesus ,christ2 ,that they are notorious
 hypocrites1  ,baals ,priests1 limbs of 
,antichrist4 ,and that the only reason  

why  they dislike1 and expresse an      
unsatisfiednesse with these times1 and  
the alterations therein made1 is1       
because they fear1 that their great     
,diana of tythes will be pulled down1   
and that their gains will be  lesse1 and
 their pains greater2 and that they     
cannot lord it over  their people1 as   
they hoped to have done4    ,these are  
the ,bear-skins in which we are put from
 day to day2 these  are the red ,devils 
that are pinned upon us1 to render our  
persons1  ,ministry1 and ,government    
odious unto the people4 ,but our comfort
  is1 that these accusations are meer   
calumnies and slanders1 and that  there 
is not the least shadow of reality or   
truth in them4 ,and it is  an evident   
token to us1 that ,god hath some great  
work for us to do1  because he suffers  
the red dragon to pour out such floods  
of  reproaches upon us2 and that our    
government is of ,divine ,original1     
because it is so much opposed1 and that 
by all sorts of men1 and that  in       

contrary ways3 some opposing it1 because
 it seeks so much after  purity of      
ordinances2 others1 because it seeks it 
not enough3 some1  because it layeth    
claim so much to a jus divinum2 ,others1
 because  not enough4    ,we well       
remember1 and are therein much          
comforted1 what ,tertullian  saith2     
,that that religion must needs be good  
which ,nero persecuted2  and what       
,spanhemius that late learned ,professor
 of ,leyden1 in his  history of the     
original1 and progress of the           
,anabaptists of ,germany1  tells us1    
#dc,that when ,god raised up ,luther1   
,melancthon1 ,zuinglius1  and divers    
other ,worthies1 to be the ,reformers of
 his ,church2 ,at the  same time1 the   
enemy of mankind raised up the          
,anabaptists1 to be the  disturbers of  
his ,church4 ,that ,thomas ,muntzer     
their great  ,antesignanus1 when he     
could not get ,luther to joyn with him1 
but on  the contrary was rebuked by him1
 and earnestly admonished not to        

disturb the publique peace1 c4 ,he began
 to rise up1 and thunder  against       
,luther himself1 crying out1 that       
,luther was as much in fault1  as the   
,pope of ,rome2 that it was true1 the   
work of reformation was  somewhat       
furthered by him1 but left still        
infected with much leaven2  yea that    
,luther was worse then the ,pope1 for   
that he had published  only a carnall   
,gospel4 ,and afterwards1 ,when ,luther1
 ,melancthon1  ,zuinglius1 ,bullinger1  
,menius1 ,regius1 and others1 began1 by 
writing1 to defend both their own1 and  
the cause of the ,church of ,god1  and  
to wipe off the blot that was cast as   
well upon themselves as upon  the       
,gospel1 by these ,anabaptists2 ,muntzer
 and his confederates were  the more    
enraged against them1 crying out1 ,that 
,luther1 and those of  his party1       
favoured nothing but the flesh1 vaunting
 indeed1 that they  had cut off some of 
the leaves of ,antichrist1 but the tree1
 and the  roots remained still          

untouched1 which must also be cut down1 
and which  cut down they would4 ,and    
because they could finde nothing in the 
written ,word1 to defend their errours1 
and the tumults which they  raised1 they
 fly to revelations1 and inspirations c4
 ,hereupon every  ,fish-monger begins to
 boast of the spirit1 feign revelations 
after the  example of ,storch and       
,muntzer2 ,the ,pulpit is open to every 
,cobler or  ,tinker4 ,they scoffed at   
the publique ,sermons of the reformed1  
inveighed against the ,lutherane ,faith1
 as being void of good works1  c4       
,muntzer1 the chiefe trumpet of these   
uproars1 proclaims openly1  that he was 
raised up by the command of ,god1 for   
the punishment of  wicked ,princes1 and 
altering of ,politick government4 ,his  
usual  subscription to his letters was1 
,thomas ,muntzer1 the servant of ,god   
against the ungodly4 ,what was the fatal
 end of this ,muntzer1 and of  ,iohn    
,becold the ,taylor of ,leyden1 and of  
the rest of that crew2  what prodigious 

opinions they held1 he that will1 may   
read them in the  forementioned ,author4
 ,there are two reasons have moved us to
 cite this  story3 ,first1 to shew1     
,that it is not unusual with ,god1 when 
he  raiseth up men faithful in their    
generation to reform his ,church1 to    
give way to the enemy of mankind1 for   
the trial of his people1 to  raise up   
some men even amongst the ,reformers    
themselves1 that by  spreading of       
errours and ,heresies1 and              
,state-disturbing opinions1  should     
endeavour to obstruct the ,reformation  
so happily begun4  ,secondly1 that in   
times of ,reformation1 it hath alwayes  
been the  practice of the ,ring-leaders 
of ,errours and ,heresies1 to inveigh   
more  bitterly1 and write more railingly
 against the ,reformers of the  ,church1
 and the ,reformation by them           
indeavoured1 then against the  common   
adversary1 both of themselves1 of the   
,reformers1 and of the  ,reformation4   
,and this is our lot and portion at this

 day4    ,but yet1 notwithstanding all  
this1 we hope1 that if this             
,presbyteriall ,government1 so much     
opposed both by ,malignants1 and        
,sectaries of all sorts1 were once      
presented unto our congregations in  its
 true and native colours1 it would be   
embraced by all that fear  ,god amongst 
us2 and that we might say of it1 as once
 it was said of  ,socrates1 ,that all   
that knew him1 loved him2 and the reason
 why any  did not love him1 was only    
because they did not know him4 ,and we  
likewise hope1 that if we shall fully   
answer the accusations that are  brought
 against us1 in the bitter and lying    
pamphlets of this  licentious age1 that 
then our persons also shall stand right 
in the  hearts and consciences of all   
that truly fear ,god within this        
,kingdome4 ,give us leave1 therefore to 
undertake these two things4    ,first1  
,to represent the                       
,presbyteriall-,government before you1  
in its  true beauty and excellency4     

,secondly1 ,to vindicate our persons    
from the slanders and cruell  reproaches
 that are cast upon them4    #a4 ,for   
the ,vindication of our ,government1 and
 therein the  undeceiving of our people1
 who look upon it2 as it is             
misrepresented  unto them1 by those that
 are enemies unto ,us1 ,them1 and the   
,government1 we shall offer briefly     
these ensuing particulars4    #a4 ,that 
the ,presbyteriall-,government is a     
,government that hath been  the fruit of
 the prayers of many thousands of godly 
people in  ,england1 in ,queen          
,elizabeth's1 and ,king ,iames his      
dayes3 ,there  were many knowing        
,christians1 and faithfull ,ministers1  
that made it  their frequent prayer1    
that ,god would reform ,england in      
,discipline1  as he had done in         
,doctrine2 and the ,discipline then they
 prayed for1  and many suffered for1 was
 the ,presbyterian2 as appears by the   
books  written in those days#dd4 ,and   
shall we now despise that mercy that    

comes swimming to us in the prayers of  
so many thousand ,saints8    #b4 ,though
 the ,presbyterian-,government 7for the 
practice of it7 be new  and strange to  
us in ,england1 yet it is not new4      
,first1 ,to the ,churches of ,christ in 
other ,countries3 ,for most of those    
places that did thrust out the ,popish  
,religion1 and ,government1 did  receive
 in the ,protestant ,religion1 and      
,presbyterial-,government4 ,it is  not  
new to the ,protestant ,reformed        
,churches in ,france1 ,scotland1        
,netherlands1 and ,geneva1 and divers   
other places1 who have had  comfortable 
experience of this ,government1 and have
 enjoyed a great  deal of liberty1      
verity1 piety1 unity1 and prosperity    
under it3 ,and  7which we desire all our
 respective ,congregations seriously to 
consider7 therefore it is 7as we humbly 
conceive7 that the framers of  our      
,national ,covenant did put in these    
words1 ,and the example of  the best    
,reformed ,churches1 into the first     

,article of the ,covenant1  that thereby
 they might hint unto us1 what that     
,government was1 which  is neerest the  
,word1 even that which is now practised 
in the best  ,reformed ,churches4    #b4
 ,to the ,word of ,god2 but is there to 
be found in all the  substantials of it1
 as we have briefly shewed already1 and 
some of  our own ,brethren ,ministers of
 this ,city1 have made to appear at     
large1 in a ,book1 entituled1 ,the      
divine ,right of the ,presbyterial      
,government4 ,we shall speak a little   
more to three of the  forementioned     
,substantials of ,church-,government3   
,and shall prove1    #a4 ,that the      
,scripture holds forth a ,church1       
consisting of divers  ,congregations4   
#b4 ,synods with ,ecclesiastical        
,authority4    #c4 ,subordination of    
,congregations unto ,synods1 together   
with ,appeals  thereunto4    #a4 ,that  
the ,scripture holds forth a ,church    
consisting of divers  ,congregations4   
,such a ,church was    ,the ,church of  

,jerusalem2 as appears1    #a4 ,by the  
,multitude of ,believers1 both before1  
and after the  dispersion 7mentioned1   
,act4 #h4a47 ,act4 #b4da1 #df1 #dg4     
,act4 #d4d4  ,act4 #e4ad4 ,act4 #f4a1   
#g4 ,act4 #i4ca4 ,act4 #ab4bd4 ,act4    
#ba4bj4    #b4 ,by the many ,apostles1  
and other ,preachers in the ,church of  
,jerusalem3 ,if there were but one      
,congregation there1 each ,apostle      
preached but seldom1 which will not     
consist with ,act4 #f4b4    #c4 ,the    
diversity of ,languages amongst the     
,believers1 mentioned both  in the      
second and sixt ,chapters of the ,acts1 
doth argue more  ,congregations then one
 in that ,church4    ,all which1 are    
fully and largely handled by the        
,reverend ,assembly of  ,divines in a   
book of theirs1 printed by ,authority of
 ,parliament4    #b4 ,that the          
,scripture speaks of ,synods with       
,ecclesiastical  ,authority1 this is    
evident from ,act4 #ae4 in which        
,chapter1 two  things are to be         

observed3    #a4 ,that the ,apostles in 
that ,meeting1 did not act as ,apostles 
with  infallible authority1 but as      
,elders1 in such a way as makes that    
,meeting1 a pattern for ordinary        
,synods4    ,for the proof of this1 we  
offer these reasons4    #a4 ,because    
,paul and ,barnabas did willingly submit
 to be sent from  ,antioch to           
,jerusalem1 which they needed not have  
done 7one of them  at least being an    
,apostle7 nor could have done1 had they 
acted as  ,apostles1 and not as         
,members1 for that time1 of the         
,presbytery of  ,antioch1 ,act4 #ae4b4  
#b4 ,because ,paul and ,barnabas were   
sent not only to the ,apostles at       
,jerusalem1 but to the ,apostles and    
,elders1 which at that time were  not a 
few 7the ,believers in ,jerusalem being 
many thousands7 which  proves1 that they
 sent not unto the ,apostles as         
extraordinary and  infallible 7for then 
what need the advice of the ,elders87   
but as  wise and holy ,guides of the    

,church1 who might not only relieve them
 by  some wise counsel1 but also set a  
president unto succeeding ,ages1  how   
,errours and ,dissentions in the ,church
 might be removed and  healed2 as ,mr4  
,cotton observes1 in his book of the    
,keyes1 c4 pag4  #bc4    ,sidenote3 ,mr4
 ,cotton of the ,keyes4    #c4 ,because 
in the ,synod1 the ,apostles did not    
determine the thing in  question1 by    
,apostolical ,authority1 from immediate 
revelation1 but  assembled together with
 the ,elders to consider of the matter1 
,act4  #ae4f4 and a ,multitude of the   
,brethren together with them1 ,act4     
#ae4ab1 #bb1 #bc4 ,and there the        
question was stated1 and debated from   
,scripture in an ordinary way4 ,peter   
proves it by the witnesse of  the       
,spirit to his ,ministry1 in ,cornelius 
his ,family1 ,paul and  ,barnabas by the
 like effect of their ,ministry amongst 
the ,gentiles4  ,james confirmed the    
same by the testimony of the ,prophets2 
with  which1 the whole ,synod being     

satisfied1 they determine of a judicial 
sentence1 and of a way to publish it by 
letters and messages4    #d4 ,because   
the ,decrees of the ,synod are put forth
 in the name1 not  only of the          
,apostles1 but of the ,apostles and     
,elders1 ,act4 #ae4bb1 #bc4  ,act4      
#af4d4 ,act4 #ba4be4    ,the second     
thing to be observed in that ,chapter1  
is1    ,that the ,apostles and ,elders  
did put forth ,acts of ,ecclesiasticall 
,authority in that ,synod4 ,this appears
 plainly from ,act4 #ae4bh4 to  lay no  
other burden4 ,to bind burdens1 is an   
act of the binding power  of the ,keyes4
 ,and it appears likewise from ,act4    
#af4d4 where mention  is made of        
,decrees ordained by the ,apostles      
,elders4 ,and it is  observeable1 that  
wheresoever 1 is used in the ,new       
,testament1  it is put either for       
,decrees or ,laws1 and so frequently by 
the  ,septuagint in the old ,testament1 
as is abundantly proved by the          
,reverend ,assembly of ,divines1 in     

their answer to the ,reasons of the     
,dissenting-,brethren1 against the      
instance of the ,church of  ,jerusalem1 
pag4 #ff4    #c4 ,that the ,scripture   
holds forth a subordination of          
,congregations  unto ,synods1 together  
with ,appeals thereunto4 ,to prove this1
 we will  bring two places3 ,the first  
is ,deut4 #ag4h4 to #ab4 together with  
#b ,chron4 #ai4h1 #aj1 #aa4 ,out of     
which two places1 compared together1  we
 gather these two conclusions3    #a4   
,that the ,jews had two supream         
,judicatories in ,jerusalem2 the one    
,ecclesiasticall1 for the matters of the
 ,lord2 the other civill1  for the      
matters of the ,king4 ,this appears by  
,deut4 #ag4 ver4 #h4  where we have a   
distinction of causes2 some forensicall 
between  blood and blood1 belonging to  
the civil ,judicatory2 some  ceremonial1
 between stroak1 and stroak2 that is1   
7as not only  ,hierome1 but the ,chaldy 
and ,septuagint read the words1 and as  
appears by the frequent use of the word 

in that sense1 ,levit4 #ac4  and        
elsewhere17 between leprosie1 and       
leprosie1 belonging to the  cognizance  
of the ,ecclesiastical ,judicatory4 ,and
 in the #ab verse1  these two           
,judicatories are distinguished1 by the 
disjunctive ,or2 ,and  the man that will
 do presumptuously1 and will not hearken
 unto the  ,priest1 7that standeth to   
minister before the ,lord thy ,god17 or 
unto  the ,judge1 c4 ,this further      
appears1 by #b ,chr4 #ai4h1 #aj1 #aa4   
,in  which we have clear mention2 first 
of two sorts of ,judges1 the  ,levites  
and ,priests1 and chief of the ,fathers1
 vers4 #h4 secondly1 of  two sorts of   
causes1 some spirituall and             
,ecclesiasticall1 called the  judgment  
of the ,lord1 ver4 #h4 and the matters  
of the ,lord1 ver4  #aa4 others civill1 
as between blood and blood1 ver4 #aj4   
,and thirdly1  of two ,presidents2      
,amariah the chief ,priest1 in all      
matters of  the ,lord2 and ,zebadiah the
 ,ruler of the house of ,judah1 in all  

the matters of the ,king4 ,and this     
distinction between the civil and       
,ecclesiastical ,judicatory1 is the     
opinion of many ,orthodox  learned      
,authors1 which are cited by ,mr4       
,gelaspy1 ,aarons rod blossom1 cap4  #c4
 pag4 #h4 where this conclusion is      
largely and learnedly debated           
asserted4    #b4 ,that there was a      
subordination in the ,jewish ,church1 of
 the  ,synagogues1 in all hard and      
difficult controversies1 and in all the 
matters of the ,lord1 unto the          
,ecclesiastical ,judicatory at          
,jerusalem1  and appeals thereunto2 this
 appears evidently1 ,deut4 #ag4h1 #i4   
#b ,chron4 #ai4h1 #aj4    ,now that this
 ,subordination1 together with appeals1 
did not belong  to the ,jewish ,church1 
as ,jewish only1 but as it was an       
,ecclesiastical ,republique1 is evident4
 ,for though the high ,priest1  amongst 
the ,jews1 was a type of ,christ1 yet   
these gradual  ,judicatories1 wherein   
the aggrieved party did appeal1 from the

  lesser to the greater2 7that against  
the very light of nature1 the  adverse  
party might not be the sole ,judge and  
party too1 in his own  cause7 were not  
in any kind ceremonial or typicall4     
,appeals1 7saith ,dr4 ,whitaker17 they  
are of divine and natural  light1 and   
certainly very necessary in every       
necessity1 because of the  iniquity and 
ignorance of ,judges1 ,whit4 ,contr4 #d4
 de ,romano ,pontific4  lib4 #d4 cap4   
#b4 ,and generally1 all ,protestant     
,writers against  appeals to the ,pope1 
acknowledge yet1 their necessary        
usefulness to a  ,synod4 ,so did that   
renowned ,martyr ,cranmer1 the form of  
whose  appeal to a ,council1 three      
several times urged by him1 with much   
instance1 we have recorded by ,mr4 ,foxe
 at large1 ,acts and ,monuments4    ,and
 indeed1 if the benefit of appeals1 and 
consociation of ,churches1  should not  
be as free to us1 as to the ,jews1 how  
much more  defective  improvident were  
the ,gospel1 then the ,law1 contrary  to

 all ancient ,prophesies of             
,gospel-,communion8 ,how were our       
,saviour  ,king of ,peace and           
,righteousnesse1 should he have ordained
 now under  the ,gospel such a          
government1 as by making ,parties sole  
,judges1  were neither righteous1 nor   
peaceable8 what ,judaicall type or      
ceremony1 can there be in this communion
 and mutual assistance in  government1  
which ,god 7as by his ,word1 so7 by the 
very light of  nature1 teacheth all     
societies whatsoever1 whether           
,common-,wealth1  ,armies1              
,universities1 or ,navies8 c4 as        
learnedly ,mr4 ,herle1 in his           
,independency1 c4    ,the second place  
is ,matth4 #ah4ae1 #af1 #ag1 #ah4 which 
text1 by a parity  of reason1 proves a  
subordination of ,congregations unto    
,synods4 ,for  there is the same        
relation between ,church and ,church1 as
 between  brother and brother2 and if a 
brother offending is subordinate  unto a
 particular ,congregation2 then by a    

like reason1 an  offending ,congregation
 is subordinate unto greater            
,assemblies4  ,and the reason of it is1 
because the grounds1 reasons1 and ends  
of subordination1 are the same in both4 
,that ,god might be  glorified1 the     
offendor shamed1 humbled1 reduced1 and  
sin not suffered  to rest upon him4     
,that others may be preserved from      
contagion1 and  made to fear4 ,that     
scandal and pollution of the            
,ordinances1 may be  prevented1 or      
removed4 ,all which argue as strongly   
and fully for  subordination of an      
offending ,congregation to superiour and
 greater  ,assemblies1 as of an         
offending brother to a particular       
,congregation3  ,and the truth is1      
whosoever denyes the subordination of a 
,congregation  unto a ,synod1 together  
with appeals thereunto1 doth in plain   
tearms  affirm these three things1      
#a4 ,that the ,government of ,christ in 
his ,church under the ,new  ,testament1 
is a ,government directly contrary to   

the very light of  nature making the    
same men parties1 and finall ,judges in 
their own  cause4    #b4 ,that the      
,government of the ,church in the ,old  
,testament1 was more  equal and just1   
then under the ,new4    #c4 ,that ,jesus
 ,christ hath in his ,government        
appointed no effectual  remedy to heal  
the scandals of an offending            
,congregation1 or at least1  a more     
effectual remedy to redresse an         
offending ,brother1 then an  offending  
,congregation4 ,all which are great     
derogations1 and  disparagements to the 
,kingly ,office and ,government of      
,jesus  ,christ4 ,and thus we have      
shewed that the ,presbyterial           
,government is  not new to the ,word of 
,god1 as some falsly object4 ,we proceed
 to  justifie it in other particulars4  
#c4 ,the ,presbyterial ,government      
challengeth no power over mens bodies   
or estates4 ,it medleth not in civil    
affairs1 or with inflicting civil       
mulcts1 or corporal punishments4 ,it is 

a government purely  spirituall1        
dispensing the ,keyes of the ,kingdom of
 heaven1 not of  earth2 and how then can
 it be cruel and tyrannical1 in fineing 
and  imprisoning mens persons1 as was   
objected8    #d4 ,it is not a           
,government that hath ,lordships and    
great ,revenues  annexed to it1 as the  
,prelatical had4 ,it is not gainful and 
profitable1 but burdensome and          
troublesome3 ,what do the ruling        
,elders gain by their office1 but       
reproach and contempt8 ,and is not the  
condition of the teaching ,elder worse1 
in regard of maintenance1 since  he     
ingaged in this discipline1 then ever it
 was8 ,this is a government  that hath  
no outward advantages to induce men to  
accept of it4 ,it is  conscience1 and   
7as we hope7 pure conscience1 that      
ingageth any in  it1 and therefore it   
is1 that it hath so few friends1 because
 there  are so few that are truly       
conscientious4    #e4 ,it is not a      
,domineering ,hierarchicall magisteriall

 ,government1  that lords it over       
peoples consciences1 requiring          
subjection to the  decrees of it1 with  
blind and slavish obedience4 ,but it is 
a  ,stewardship1 a ,ministry1 a painful 
and laborious service4 ,we say1  ,that  
all the determinations1 even of         
,nationall ,synods1 are to be  obeyed no
 further1 then they agree with the ,word
 of ,god4 ,and that a  ,synod is ,judex 
judicandus4 ,that ,congregations are to 
examine with  the judgment of           
discretion1 what is sent to them from   
,synods4 ,there is  no more obedience   
required to the ,decrees of a ,nationall
 ,synod1 then  the ,independents claim  
to the decrees of a particular          
,congregation4    #f4 ,it is not an     
,arbitrary illimited ,government1 but   
bounded and  limited3 #a4 ,by the ,word 
of ,god2 for in this ,government1       
everything  is to be administred        
according to the pattern in the ,mount4 
,we desire  none to follow1 but where   
the ,word goeth before4 #b4 ,by the     

civill  ,magistrate1 in regard of the   
exercise of it4 ,for we acknowledg our  
selves 7as we have said7 accountable to 
the civill ,magistrate1 to  punish us   
with civil mulcts1 if we abuse our      
power4    #g4 ,it is not a ,government1 
that doth rob and spoyl particular      
,congregations of their just power and  
priviledges1 but helps and  strengthens 
them4 ,for it is not 7as the ,prelatical
 was7  extrinsecall to the severall     
,congregations2 7which had no vote in   
the government1 nor consent to it1 but  
were sufferers only of it1 and  under   
it37 ,neither doth it assume to it self 
the sole power of  ,ordination and      
jurisdiction3 7as the ,prelatical       
likewise did1 and in  this1 was lordly  
and tyrannical over all particular      
,congregations in  each ,diocess37 ,but 
it is intrinsecall to the ,congregation1
  consisting of the ,pastors and ,elders
 of every ,congregation1 governing  one 
another by their own ,officers3 ,for we 
hold 7which few of our  ,adversaries    

will understand or consider7 ,that all  
,congregations are  equal4 ,no one      
,congregation over another4 ,that all   
,ministers are  equall1 ,no one         
,minister1 by divine right1 over        
another4    ,sidenote3 ,that which      
concerns all1 must be managed by all4   
,we hold no ,mother-,church1 on which   
all other ,churches should depend4  ,but
 our ,government1 so far as it is       
distinct from the ,congregational1      
consisteth of divers ,sister-,churches1 
combined by mutuall  concernment1 and   
governing one another in matters of     
mutuall  concernment1 by the common     
agreement of ,pastors and ,elders1      
according  to that ,golden ,rule1 ,quod 
omnes tangit1 ab omnibus tractari debet4
  ,in the ,presbyterial ,government     
every ,congregation hath a voyce1 by    
the ,pastors and ,elders thereof1 and so
 is governed by a power  intrinsecall to
 it self1 which cannot in its own nature
 be  tyrannicall4 ,though there is no   
power in the world so just1 but by      

abuse may prove tyrannicall4    ,to     
illustrate this by a simile4 ,the       
,presbyterial ,government is like  the  
,government of the ,city by the         
,common-councell1 wherein there  are    
,common-,councell-men sent from every   
,ward1 to judg and  determine of        
matters1 that concern the good of the   
whole ,city2 which  certainly in its own
 nature1 cannot be prejudicall to the   
severall  ,wards1 but every helpfull and
 commodious2 whereas the                
,prelatical-,government1 was just as if 
the ,city should be governed  by a      
,high-,commission chosen of ,forreiners2
 and the  ,independent-,government is   
just as if every ,ward should undertake 
to  govern it self1 divided from one    
another1 and not at all to be under  the
 power and authority of the             
,common-councell4    ,adde besides this1
 the ,presbyteriall-,government doth    
give unto  people of particular         
,congregations all that is by ,christ   
left them4  ,for1    #a4 ,we allow unto 

every ,congregation a particular        
,eldership1 where it  may be had4    #b4
 ,we impose upon no ,congregation a     
,minister against whom they can  give a 
rationall dissent4    #c4 ,we allow the 
,congregationall ,eldership to judg in  
all matters which  concern that         
particular ,church2 and to keep from the
 ,sacrament of the  ,lords ,supper1 all 
those whom they finde to be ignorant or 
scandalous4    #d4 ,in the great        
,censure of ,excommunication1 we say1   
,that it ought  not to be executed      
against the consent of that particular  
,congregation1 to which the party to be 
excommunicated belongs4 ,and in  all    
other matters of importance1 the        
,presbyterian-,government hath  great   
respect to that ,congregation which is  
particularly concerned  therein4 ,and   
therefore1 it is so far from robbing1   
that it is a  great ,pillar to uphold   
and support ,congregational ,government2
 as for  example3    #a4 ,when a        
particular ,congregation is destitute of

 a ,minister1 then the                  
,neighbour-,ministers of the ,classis   
help what in them lies to make up  that 
defect1 by sending supply in the mean   
time1 and afterwards by  joyning in the 
ordination of another4    #b4 ,when     
there is an insufficient ,eldership1    
then the ,classical  ,presbytery        
contributes light and strength4    #c4  
,when an ,eldership proves ,heretical1  
then the ,classical ,presbytery  helps  
to convince them of their ,heresies1    
which the people are not  able          
ordinarily to do1 and thereby to        
preserve the ,congregation from         
spiritual contagion4    #d4 ,when any   
member is wronged by the ,eldership1 the
 ,classis1 or ,synod1  contributes ayd  
and relief1 as will appear further in   
the next  particular4    #h4 ,the       
,presbyterial-,government is so far from
 being tyrannical1 as  that it is the   
greatest remedy against ,church-tyranny1
 because it is  as a city of refuge for 
all those that are oppressed in  their  

particular ,congregations1 to fly unto4 
,for under the                          
,congregational-,government1 when a     
brother is 7as he conceives7 wronged  by
 the major part of the ,church of which 
he is a member1 he is for  ever lock't  
up1 and hath no authoritative way to    
relieve himself4  7,indeed1 he hath     
moral wayes1 by advice and counsel1     
which are  altogether insufficient27    
,but the ,presbyterian-,government is a 
,zoar1  and an ,ark for the wronged     
party to fly unto1 from the ,particular 
,congregation1 to a ,classical1         
,provinciall1 or ,national ,assembly4   
,give  us leave to shew you the         
difference by this example3 ,suppose in 
the  civil ,government every            
,corporation should plead a power       
independent  from a ,parliament1 and    
challenge to be unaccountable1 would not
  this make as many ,parliaments1 as    
,corporations8 ,and if any member       
should be wronged by the major part of  
the ,corporation to which he  belongs1  

were he not left without remedy8 ,and if
 these ,corporations  should cry down   
the ,parliaments power over them as     
tyrannical1 would  it not be said1 that 
this is therefore only done1 that they  
themselves  might become petty ,tyrants8
 ,so is it here2    ,the                
,congregationall ,government is a       
,spiritual ,corporation  independent    
from all other ,ecclesiasticall         
,assemblies in point  of ,church-power4 
,as the ,pope claims a power over all   
,church-,assemblies1 so this claims an  
exemption from the power of all         
,church-,assemblies1 and cryeth down all
 ,classical1 ,provinciall1  or          
,nationall-,assemblies with power1 as   
tyrannical2 but is not this1  that in   
the mean time it may become absolute1   
and as it were a petty  ,tyranny8       
,there are in the ,congregational       
,government these six great defects1    
besides many others which we could name4
    #a4 ,there is 7as hath been said7 no
 authoritative way to relieve a         

,brother oppressed by the major part of 
his ,congregation1 which  granted1 would
 make the ,government of ,christ in the 
,new ,testament1  to be inferiour to the
 ,jewish ,government1 in which they had 
the  liberty of ,appeals4 ,and also to  
be against the light of right  reason1  
in making the same men to be parties and
 judges in their own  cause1 7as hath   
been formerly shewed47    #b4 ,there is 
no authoritative way to heal the major  
part of a  ,congregation1 when it falls 
into fundamental errours1 which is a    
great  disparagement to the ,government 
of ,jesus ,christ1 and reflects deeply  
upon the wisdome and care of the great  
,king of his ,church4 ,for it  makes    
,christ to provide a more efficatious   
remedy to cure an erring  member1 7to   
wit1 by the great ,ordinance of         
excommunication17 then an  erring       
,church4    #c4 ,there is no            
,authoritative way to keep out          
pluralities of  ,religions4 ,for if the 
whole power of ,church-,government be in

 the  ,congregation-,independently1 then
 let a ,congregation set up what        
,religion they think fit1 there is no   
,authoritative ,church-remedy  left to  
hinder them4    #d4 ,there is no        
,authoritative way for unity and        
uniformity in  ,church-administrations1 
which doth inevitably lay stumbling     
blocks  before weak ,christians1 and    
holds them in suspence1 not knowing to  
what ,congregation to joyn1 because they
 see such different wayes of            
administration of ,ordinances4    #e4   
,there is no relief when a ,congregation
 is destitute of a ,minister1  in point 
of ,ordination1 but the succeeding      
,minister is left to be  examined and   
ordained by the people of the           
,congregation that chose  him4 ,and so  
also when a ,congregation becomes       
hereticall1 and in other  such cases4   
#f4 ,if any of their ,ministers preach  
out of their own ,congregation1 he      
preacheth only as a gifted brother2     
neither can he1 7as we conceive7        

according to their own ,principles1     
administer the ,sacraments out of  his  
own ,congregation1 or perform any other 
act of office4 ,although we  believe    
some of them do so1 contrary to their   
own principles herein4    #i4 ,that the 
,presbyteriall ,government is a         
,government that tends not  at all to   
the destruction of any1 but for the good
 and edification of  all4 ,there are    
three chief ends of this ,government4   
#a4 ,to keep the ,churches of ,christ in
 unity amongst themselves4    #b4 ,to   
keep them in purity and holinesse2 it is
 ,christs ,fan1 to  purge his floor2 and
 his ,beesom to sweep out of his house  
every thing  that offends4    #c4 ,to   
keep them in verity1 it is ,christs     
,weeding-hook to weed out  heresies2 and
 therefore ,king ,james 7though no great
 friend to this  ,government7 would     
often say1 that it was ,malleus         
hreticorum1 a  ,hammer to beat down     
,heresies3 ,and we find1 that           
wheresoever it is set  up in strength1  

there the ,churches are kept in unity1  
verity1 and  purity2 and that 7which is 
very observeable7 where this ,government
  hath once got possession1 it hath for 
ever after kept out ,popery and  all    
,popish ,innovations4 ,the ,prelatical  
,government with all its  ,lordships and
 ,revenues annexed1 as it was managed of
 late years in  ,england1 was an in-let 
to ,popery1 and it had tantmnon brought 
it  in4 ,but wheresoever the            
,presbyterian-,government is setled1    
there  ,popery1 root and branch1 is     
plucked up and destroyed1 and that      
without  any hope of recovery4          
,sidenote3 ,object4    ,but it will be  
objected1 that notwithstanding all that 
hath been said  to render the           
,presbyterial ,government amiable and   
acceptable2 yet  there are two great    
,mountains which do lye in the way which
 do hinder1  and 7as some say7 will for 
ever hinder people from submitting unto 
it3  ,the one is1    #a4 ,because it    
sets up a new officer in the ,church1   

which is a meer  humane ,creature1      
having no authority from the ,word of   
,god1 nor was  ever heard of in the     
,church of ,christ1 till ,calvin's time1
  that is  the ,,lay-,,elder4    #b4    
,because it requireth all1 of all sorts1
 to come to the ,minister  and these    
,lay-,elders to be examined1 before they
 can be admitted to  the ,sacrament of  
the ,lords ,supper4    ,sidenote3       
,answer4    ,we cannot deny1 but that   
these two objections are great ,remora's
 to  the ,government1 and do hinder the 
general receiving of it1 and  therefore 
we shall be a little the larger in      
answering of them4    ,for the first of 
them1 we do here freely confesse1 that  
if we were of  opinion1 as some are1    
that the ,ruling-,elder hath no         
foundation in the  ,word of ,god1 but is
 a meer humane ,ordinance brought into  
the ,church  only in a prudential way2  
we should heartily desire the utter     
abolition of him3 ,for we are not       
ignorant1 that the ,ruling ,prelate was 

brought into the ,church upon the same  
account1 for the avoiding of  ,schism   
and ,division1 and afterwards proved the
 great ,author and  ,fomenter of ,schism
 and ,division4 ,and if we should       
decline the ,ruling  ,prelate1 and take 
in the ,ruling ,elder upon the same     
prudential  grounds1 it were just with  
,god to make him as mischievous to the  
,church1 as ever the ,ruling ,prelate   
was3 ,and therefore let us consider     
what may be said out of the ,word of    
,god1 for the justification of this  so 
much decryed ,officer3 ,yet first we    
cannot but take notice that  the name of
 ,lay-,elder was affixed to this        
,officer by way of reproach  and scorn1 
by the adversaries of him1 and that it  
ought not to be  continued4 ,for though 
it be evident by ,scripture#de1 that    
there is a  great difference betwixt the
 ,ministry usually called the ,clergy1  
and  the people commonly called the     
,laity3 yet its also as manifest1 that  
the ,scripture#df distinguisheth them   

not by the names of ,clergy and  ,laity2
 forasmuch as all ,gods people are      
therein stiled the ,lords  ,clergy1 or  
,inheritance1 and the ,lord is called   
their ,inheritance4 ,and  when persons  
are duly chosen from amongst the people 
to be ,governours  in the ,church1 as   
such1 they are no longer ,lay-men1 but  
,ecclesiastical  persons4 ,and therefore
 we profess a dislike of the name       
,lay-,elder1  and conceive they ought to
 be called either governours in the     
,church1  #a ,cor4 #ab4bc4 or           
,ruling-,elders1 as #a ,tim4 #e4ag4 not 
because their  ,office is to rule alone 
7for the ,teaching-,elder is a ,ruler   
also1  ,heb4 #ac4ag4 #a ,thess4 #e4ab47 
but because their ,office is only to    
rule4#dg ,now concerning these          
,ruling-,elders1 we confess1 that they  
are ,officers somewhat new and strange  
to the ,church of ,england2 yet  not new
 nor strange to the ,word of ,god1 nor  
to the ,primitive times1  nor 7as all   
know7 to the ,reformed ,churches4       

,first1 they are not new nor strange to 
the ,word of ,god1 neither in  the ,old 
,testament1 nor in the ,new4 ,the ,jews 
in the ,old ,testament1  had two sorts  
of ,elders2 ,elders of the ,priests1 and
 ,elders of the  people1 suitable to our
 teaching and ,ruling-,elders2 as       
appears1  ,jer4 #ai4a4 ,and these       
,elders of the people did sit and vote  
with  the ,priests and ,levites in all  
their ,ecclesiasticall ,consistories1   
and  that by divine appointment4 ,that  
they were constituent members of  the   
great ,sanhedrim1 appears1 #b ,chron4   
#ai4h4 where we reade1 ,that  some of   
the chief of the ,fathers were joyned   
with the ,priests1 to  judge in the     
matters if the ,lord4 ,and howsoever1   
many things among  the ,jews after the  
captivity1 did decline to disorder and  
confusion2  yet we finde even in the    
dayes of ,christ1 and his ,apostles1    
,that the  ,elders of the people still  
sate and voyced in the ,councell with   
the  ,priests1 according to the ancient 

form1 as is clear from ,matth4  #bf4eg1 
#ei4 ,matth4 #bg4a1 #ab4 ,matth4 #af4ba4
 ,matth4 #ba4bc4 ,mar4  #ad4dc4 ,luk4   
#bb4ff4 and ,saravia himself1#dh who    
disputeth so much  against ,ruling      
,elders1 acknowledgeth thus much3 ,i    
finde indeed1  7saith he7 ,elders in the
 ,assembly of the ,priests of the old   
,synagogue1 which were not ,priests2 and
 their suffrages and authority  in all  
,judgments1 were equal with the         
suffrages of the ,priests4 ,but  he     
adds2 ,that these ,elders of the people 
were civill ,magistrates2  which is a   
poor shift1 directly against many       
,scriptures1 which  contradistinguish   
these ,elders from the civil            
,magistrate2 as  appears2 ,act4 #d4e4   
,judg4 #h4ad4 ,deut4 #e4bc4 ,josh4      
#h4cc4  #b ,king4 #aj4ae4 ,ezra #aj4ad4 
,and though it were possible1 that some 
of them might be civill ,magistrates1 as
 some ,elders amongst ,us1 are          
,justices of the ,peace3 ,yet they did  
not sit under that capacity1 in  the    

,ecclesiastical ,sanhedrim1 but as      
,ecclesiastical ,elders4    ,and that   
the ,jews also had ,elders of the       
people1 sitting and voting  in their    
inferiour ,consistories1 appears 7as we 
humbly conceive7 from  ,act4 #ac4ae4    
,act4 #ah4h1 #ag4 ,mar4 #e4bb4 ,in which
 places1 we read  of the ,rulers of the 
,synagogue1 who were neither ,priests   
nor ,levites1  and yet were ,rulers in  
,church-matters1 and had power1 together
 with  the ,priests1 of casting men out 
of the ,synagogue1 and of ordering      
,synagogue-worship1 ,joh4 #ab4db4 ,act4 
#ac4ae4    ,now this ,association of the
 ,elders of the people1 with the        
,priest1  in the ,jewish                
,church-,government1 was by divine      
appointment2 for ,moses  first          
instituted it1 and afterwards           
,jehosaphat restored it1  according as  
they were directed by ,god1 ,num4       
#aa4af4 #b ,chron4 #ai4h4 ,and  it did  
belong to the ,jewish ,church1 not as it
 was ,jewish1 but as it  was a ,church1 

and therefore belongeth to the          
,christian ,church1 as well  as ,jewish4
 ,for whatsoever agreeth to a ,church1  
as a ,church2 agreeth  to every ,church4
 ,there was nothing ,judaical or typical
 in this  institution1 but it was       
founded upon the light of nature1 and   
right  reason1 which is alike in all    
ages4    ,but leaving the ,old          
,testament1 let us consider what may be 
said for  the divine right of the       
,ruling-,elder1 out of the ,new         
,testament4 ,for  this purpose1 we have 
already produced three places1 which we 
shall  now briefly open2 and shew how   
the ,ruling ,elder is proved out of     
them4  ,the places are1 #a ,cor4 #ab4bh4
 ,rom4 #ab4g1 #h4 #a ,tim4 #e4ag4       
,the first place is1 #a ,cor4 #ab4bh4   
,and ,god hath set some in the  ,church1
 first1 ,apostles2 secondarily1         
,prophets2 thirdly1 ,teachers2  ,after  
that1 ,miracles2 then gifts of healing1 
helps1 governments1  diversities of     
tongues2 ,where we have an enumeration  

of sundry  ,officers of the ,church2 and
 amongst others1 there are ,helps1      
,governments4 ,by ,helps1 are meant     
,deacons2 7as not only our  ,reformed   
,divines1 but ,chrysostome1 and ,estius1
 and others  observe1#di7 and by        
,governments1 are meant the             
,ruling-,elder1  which that it may the  
better appear1 we will propound1 and    
prove these  six things4    #a4 ,that by
 ,governments1 are meant men exercising 
,government1 the  ,abstract put for the 
,concrete4 ,the intent of the ,apostle1 
is not  to speak of offices distinct    
from persons1 but of persons  exercising
 offices4 ,this appears first1 by the   
beginning of the  verse1 ,god hath set  
some in his ,church2 this relates to    
persons1 not  unto offices4 ,secondly1  
by the #bi4 and #cj4 verses1 where the  
,apostle  speaks concretively1 of those 
things which he had spoken before       
abstractively4 ,are all workers of      
miracles8 have all the gifts of         
healing8 do all speak with tongues1 c8  

and so by consequence1 ,are  all        
helpers1 are all ,governours8 ,and      
therefore it is1 that the  ,syriack     
instead of helps1 ,governments1 reads it
 helpers1  ,governours4#ej    #b4 ,that 
the ,governour here meant1 must needs be
 a  ,church-,governour2 for it is       
expresly said1 that he is seated in the 
,church1 and therefore the civil        
,magistrate cannot be meant by this     
,governour1 as some would have it2      
partly1 because this is quite  besides  
the whole intent and scope of the       
,chapter1 treating meerly  upon         
spirituall ,church-matters1 not at all  
of secular civil matters2  and partly1  
because the ,magistrate1 as such1 is not
 placed by ,god in  the ,church1 but in 
the ,common-,wealth3 and partly1 because
 the  ,apostle writes of such           
,governours1 that had at that time      
actual  existence in the ,church2 and   
neither then1 nor divers hundred years  
after1 were there any ,christian        
,magistrates4    #c4 ,that this         

,church-,governour is seated by ,god in 
his ,church2 ,it is  a plant of ,gods   
own planting1 and therefore shall stand 
firme1  maugre all opposition4 ,for it  
is expresly said1 ,god hath set some in 
his ,church1 first ,apostles1 c4 then   
helps1 then ,governments4    #d4 ,that  
this ,church-,governour thus seated by  
,god in his ,churches1 not  only a      
,church-member1 but a ,church-,officer4 
,for though it be a  question amongst   
the learned1 whether some of the persons
 here named1  as the workers of         
miracles1 and those that had the gift of
 healing1  and of tongues1 were seated  
by ,god1 as officers in the ,church1 and
  not rather1 only as eminent members   
indued with these eminent gifts2  yet it
 is most certain1 that whosoever is     
seated by ,god in his ,church1  as a    
,church ,governour1 must needs be a     
,church officer2 for the  nature of the 
gift1 doth necessarily imply an office4 
,the ,greek  word#ea for ,governments1  
is a metaphor from ,pilots1 or          

,ship-masters1 governing their ships2   
7hence the ,master of a ship is  called 
1 a ,governour1 ,jam4 #c4d47 and it     
notes such  officers1 as sit at the     
stern of the vessel of the ,church1 to  
govern  and guide it in spirituals1     
according to the will and mind of       
,christ1  which is the direct office of 
our ,ruling-,elder4    #e4 ,this        
,church-,governour thus seated by ,god  
in his ,church as a  ,church-officer1 is
 an ordinary and perpetuall officer in  
his ,church4  ,indeed1 here is mention  
made of ,officers extraordinary1 as     
,apostles1  ,prophets2 and of gifts     
extraordinary1 as the gift of miracles1 
healing1 and of tongues2 but here is    
also mention made of ordinary           
,officers1 perpetually to abide1 as     
,teachers1 ,helpers1 and the            
,church-,governour1 or ,ruling-,elder4  
,and that this ,officer is ordinary  and
 perpetual1 appears from the perpetual  
necessity of him in the  ,church2 for a 
,church without government1 is as a ship

 without a ,pilot1  as a ,kingdom       
without a ,magistrate1 and a world      
without a ,sun4    #f4 ,that this       
,church-,governour thus seated by ,god  
in his ,church1 as a  perpetual         
,officer1 is an officer                 
contradistinguished in the ,text from   
the ,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,teachers1 and
 all other ,officers in the  ,church4   
,this appears2 #a4 ,by the ,apostles    
manner of expressing these  officers in 
an enumerative form2 ,first1 ,apostles2 
,secondarily1  ,prophets2 ,thirdly1     
,teachers2 ,after that1 miracles1 then  
gifts of  healing1 c4 #b4 ,by the       
recapitulation1 vers4 #bi1 #cj4 ,are all
  ,apostles8 ,are all ,prophets8 ,are   
all ,teachers8 ,are all workers of      
miracles8 c4 #c4 ,by the scope of the   
whole ,chapter1 which is to set  down   
different gifts and offices in different
 subjects2 ,it is said1  ver4 #h1 #i4   
,to one is given by the ,spirit1 the    
word of wisdom2 to  another the word of 
knowledg by the same ,spirit2 to        

another1 faith1  c4 ,and for this       
purpose1 the ,apostle draweth a simile  
from the  members of mans body3 ,as     
there are different members in mans     
body1 and  every member hath its        
different office1 and every member      
stands in  need one of another2 the ,eye
 cannot say to the ,hand1 ,i have no    
need of  thee2 nor again1 the head to   
the foot1 ,i have no need of thee1 c4   
,so  it is in the ,church ministerial1  
which is the body of ,christ4 ,god hath 
set different ,officers in his ,church2 
some ordinary and perpetual2  some      
extraordinary and temporary3 ,and these 
different ,officers have  different     
,offices1 some to teach1 others to      
distribute to the poor  ,saints1 others 
to govern4 ,are all ,teachers8 are all  
,deacons8 are all  ,church-,governours8 
and these have all need one of another4 
,the ,teacher  cannot say to the        
,deacon1 ,i have no need of thee2 nor to
 the ,church  ,governour1 ,i have no    
need of thee3 ,but if all these ,offices

 were in  the ,pastor alone1 and only1  
then might he truly say to the ,deacon  
and  ,ruling-,elder1 ,i have no need of 
thee4 ,but now ,god hath so set the     
members in his body which is his        
,church1 that every member stands in    
need one of anothers help and support4  
,sidenote3 ,object4    ,if it be        
objected1 that the ,apostles had all    
these offices and gifts  here mentioned1
 eminently seated in them1 for they were
 ,prophets1  ,teachers1 ,workers of     
,miracles2 and therefore why may not all
 these be  understood of one and the    
same person8    ,sidenote3 ,answ4       
,though it be true1 that the ,apostles  
had eminently all these2 yet it  is as  
true1 that there are many here named1   
which had but one of these  gifts       
formally seated in them3 ,and it is also
 apparent1 that some of  the persons    
here named were distinct ,officers in   
the ,church1 as the  ,prophet1 and the  
,teacher4 ,though the ,apostles were    
,prophets and  ,teachers1 yet the       

,prophet  the ,teacher were ,officers   
distinct from  the ,apostles2 and by a  
parity of ,reason1 so were the          
,governors from  the ,apostle1 ,prophet1
 and ,teacher2 the scope of the ,apostle
 being 7as  hath been said7 to set out  
distinct ,offices in distinct ,officers3
 are  all ,apostles8 are all ,prophets8 
are all ,teachers8 ,the sum of what we  
have said from this ,scripture1 then1 is
 this1 ,that ,god hath seated  some men 
in his ,church which have a gift and    
office to govern1 which  are neither    
,apostles1 ,prophets1 ,teachers1 nor    
,pastors2 and therefore  they are       
,ruling-,elders1 which is the ,officer  
which we are enquiring  after4    ,now  
this ,interpretation which we have      
given1 is not only the  interpretation  
of ,reformed ,divines1 both ,lutherane  
and ,calvinists1  but of the ancient    
,fathers1 and even the ,papists         
themselves1 as  appears by the          
quotations in the ,margent4#eb    ,the  
second text is1 ,rom4 #ab4f1 #g1 #h4    

,having then gifts differing  according 
to the grace given1 whether ,prophesie1 
let us prophesie  according to the      
proportion of ,faith2 or ,ministry1 let 
us wait on our  ,ministring2 or he that 
teacheth1 on teaching2 or he that       
exhorteth1 on  exhortation4 ,he that    
giveth1 let him do it with simplicity4  
,he that  ruleth1 with diligence4 ,he   
that sheweth mercy1 with cheerfulness4  
,in  which words1 we have a perfect     
enumeration of all the ordinary ,offices
  of the ,church4 ,these offices are    
reduced1 first1 to two general heads1   
,prophesie and ,ministry1 and are       
therefore set down in the  ,abstract4   
,by ,prophesie is meant the faculty of  
right  understanding1 interpreting1 and 
expounding the ,scriptures4 ,ministry   
comprehends all other employments in the
 ,church4 ,then these generals  are     
subdivided into the special offices     
contained under them1 and are  therefore
 put down in the concrete4 ,under       
,prophesie are contained1  #a4 ,he that 

teacheth1 that is1 the ,doctor or       
,teacher4 #b4 ,he that  exhorteth1 i4 e4
 the ,pastor4 ,under ,ministry are      
comprized1 #a4 ,he  that giveth1 that   
is1 the ,deacon4 #b4 ,he that ruleth1   
that is1 the  ,ruling ,elder4 #c4 ,he   
that sheweth mercy1 which #ec,office    
pertained  unto them1 who in those days 
had care of the sick3 ,so that in these 
words1 we have the ,ruling-,elder       
plainly set down1 and                   
contra-distinguished from the teaching  
and exhorting ,elder 7as  appears by the
 distributive particles1   1    1       
,whether he that teacheth2 ,whether he  
that exhorteth2  ,whether he that       
ruleth1 c47 ,and here likewise we have  
the divine  institution of the          
,ruling-,elder1 for so the words hold   
forth4 ,having  then gifts differing    
according to the grace that is given    
unto us2  and thus also in the third    
verse1 according as ,god hath dealt to  
every man1 c4 ,this officer is the gift 
of ,gods free grace to the  ,church1 for

 the good of it4    ,against this       
,exposition of the ,text1 it is objected
 by those that  oppose the divine right 
of the ,ruling-,elder1 that the ,apostle
 speaks1  in these words1 not of several
 offices in several persons1 but of     
severall ,gifts in one and the same     
person2 for he saith1 having then       
,gifts differing according1 c4 ,but we  
answer3    #a4 ,that the word ,gift is  
often in ,scripture taken for ,office2  
as  ,eph4 #d4h1 #aa4 ,when he ascended  
on high1 he led captivity captive1  and 
gave gifts unto men2 and v4 #aa4 ,he    
sheweth what these gifts  were1 some to 
be ,apostles1 some ,evangelists1 c4     
#b4 ,that the ,apostle in the ,protasis 
speaks not of severall ,gifts1  but of  
severall ,offices1 and these not in the 
same1 but in several  members1 v4 #d4   
,as we have many members in one body1   
and all members  have not the same      
office4 ,and therefore the apodosis must
 also be  understood not only of        
severall gifts1 but of severall         

,offices1  and these in several         
subjects4 ,and this further appears by  
the very  similitude which the ,apostle 
here useth1 which is the same he used1  
#a ,cor4 #ab4 from the body natural1    
wherein there are many distinct         
members1 and every member hath its      
distinct ,office2 and so it is in  the  
,church of ,christ4    #c4 ,these gifts 
here mentioned1 and the waiting upon    
them1 do  necessarily imply an ,office  
in whomsoever they are2 and therefore   
they  are set down emphatically with an 
,article1      4 ,he that hath the gift 
of teaching1 and exhorting1 and  ruling1
 and waiteth upon this gift1 what is he 
but a ,teacher1 ,pastor1  and           
,ruling-,elder8 ,and this must either be
 granted1 or else we must  open a door  
for all members of the ,church1 even    
women1 not only to  preach and teach1   
but to rule also1 and to wait upon      
preaching and  ruling3 ,this truth is so
 clear1 as that the ,papists themselves 
being  convinced of it1 do say#ed upon  

this text1 that the ,apostle here  first
 speaks of gifts in general2 and        
secondly1 applyeth these gifts  to      
,ecclesiastical ,officers1 v4 #f4 and   
afterwards directs his  exhortation to  
all ,christians in general4    ,the     
third text for the divine right of the  
,ruling-,elder1 is1  #a ,tim4 #e4ag4    
,let the ,elders that rule well be      
counted worthy of  double honour1       
especially they who labour in the ,word 
and ,doctrine4  ,for the understanding  
of which words1 we will lay down this   
rule1 ,that  every text of ,scripture is
 to be interpreted according to the     
literall  and grammatical construction2 
unless it be contrary to the analogie of
  ,faith1 or the rule of ,life1 or the  
circumstances of the ,text3  otherwise1 
we shall make a nose of wax of the      
,scriptures1 and draw  quidlibet ex     
quolibet4 ,now according to the         
,grammatical  construction1 here are    
plainly held forth two sorts of ,elders2
 the  one1 onely ruling2 and the other1 

also labouring in ,word and  ,doctrine4 
,give us leave to give you the true     
analysis of the words4    #a4 ,here is a
 ,genus1 a general1 and that is ,elders4
    #b4 ,two distinct species1 or kinds 
of ,elders1 ,those that rule well1  and 
those that labour in word and doctrine2 
as ,pastor and ,doctor4    #c4 ,here we 
have two participles1 expressing these  
two kinds of ,elders1  ,ruling1         
,labouring1 the first do only rule1 the 
second do also  labour in ,word and     
,doctrine4    #d4 ,here are two distinct
 ,articles1 distinctly annexed to these 
two  participles1  1  4 ,they that rule1
 ,they that  labour4    #e4 ,here is an 
eminent discretive particle1 set betwixt
 these two  kinds of ,elders2 these two 
participles1 these two ,articles        
evidently  distinguishing one from the  
other1 viz4  especially they  that      
labour1 c4 ,and wheresoever this word   
is used in the  ,new ,testament1 it is  
used1 to distinguish thing from thing1  
or person  from person2 as ,gal4 #f4aj4 

,phil4 #d4bb4 #a ,tim4 #e4h4 #a ,tim4   
#d4aj4 ,tit4 #a4aj4 #b ,tim4 #d4ac4 #b  
,pet4 #b4bj4 ,act4 #bj4ch4 ,in all      
which places1 the word especially is    
used as a discretive particle1  to      
distinguish one thing from another1 or  
one person from another2 and  therefore 
being applyed here to persons1 must     
necessarily distinguish  person from    
person1 officer from officer4 ,it is    
absurd to say1 7saith  ,dr4             
,whitaker1#ee7 that this text is to be  
understood of one and the  same ,elder4 
,if a man should say1 ,all the ,students
 in the ,university  are worthy of      
double honour1 especially1 ,they that   
are ,professors of  ,divinity2 ,he must 
necessarily understand it of two sorts  
of ,students4  ,or if a man should say1 
,all ,gentlemen that do service for the 
,kingdom  in their ,counties1 are worthy
 of double honour1 especially they that 
do service in the ,parliament2 this must
 needs be understood of  different      
persons4 ,we are not ignorant1 that     

,archbishop ,whitgift1  ,bishop ,king1  
,bishop ,bilson1 ,bishop ,downame1      
others1 labour to  fasten divers other  
interpretations upon these words1 which 
would be  over-tedious here to rehearse4
 ,only thus much we crave leave to say1 
which we desire may be seriously        
weighed2 ,that all other senses that    
are given of these words1 are either    
such as are disagreeing from the        
literall and ,grammatical construction1 
or such as fall into one of  these two  
absurdities1 either to maintain a       
non-preaching ,ministry1  or a          
lazy-preaching ,ministry to deserve     
double honour4 ,archbishop  #ef,whitgift
 by the ,elder that rules well1         
understands a ,reader that  is not a    
,preacher4 #eg;,dr4 ,king1 a ,bishop    
ruling1 and not preaching2  which is to 
say1 that a non-preaching ,minister     
deserves double honour4  ,dr4 ,bilson   
#ehsaith1 that the words are to be      
understood of two  sorts of ,elders1 and
 that the meaning is1 ,that the ,elder  

that rules  well1 and preacheth1 is     
worthy of double honour1 especially they
 that  labour1 that is1 that preach     
abundantly1 that do 1 labour as  a      
,waterman at his ,oar2 which is as much 
as if he had said1 that a  lazy         
,minister1 or a seldome-preaching       
,minister1 deserves double  honour4 ,for
 all ,preachers are in ,scripture       
required 1 to  labour abundantly1 #a    
,thess4 #e4aa4 #a ,cor4 #c4h4 where the 
same word  is used that is here         
expressed4 ,if the ,apostle had meant to
 have  distinguished them by their      
extraordinary labour1 he would rather   
have  said1 1 then 1 for other-where he 
useth 1 as  a degree of painful labour1 
above 1 which is put for common  labour1
 ,rom4 #af4ab4ei ,dr4 ,downame and      
others1 interpret the  words of one and 
the same ,elder1 thus1 ,the ,elders that
 rule well1 are  worthy of double       
honour1 especially they that labour2    
that is1 7say  they7 especially they    
labouring1 or especially because they   

labour4  ,and so they make their        
labouring1 to be the chief cause of     
their  double honour4 ,but this         
interpretation is against the literal   
meaning1  for the ,greek is not  1 if   
they labour1 but    1 especially they   
that labour4 ,here is a participle with 
an  ,article1 and a discretive particle1
 which can never be rightly and         
literally translated causatively4 ,and  
therefore we conclude1  together with   
our ,reformed ,divines#fj1 that this    
text according to  the proper and       
,grammatical construction of it1 doth   
hold forth unto  all unprejudiced       
,christians1 a ,ruling ,elder1 distinct 
from a teaching  ,elder1 which is the   
thing we undertook to prove4    ,besides
 these three ,scriptures thus expounded1
 we shall briefly offer  one more2 and  
that is1 ,matth4 #ah4ag4 where the      
offended ,brother is bid  to tell the   
,church1 c4 ,in which words1 the whole  
power of  excommunication is placed by  
,christ in the ,church4 ,the great      

question is1 what is meant by ,church8  
,here we take for granted3 #a4  ,that by
 ,church1 is not meant the civil        
,magistrate1 as ,erastus fondly         
imagineth2 for this is utterly contrary 
to the purpose of ,christ1 and  the aym 
of that discipline here recommended to  
be used1 which is the  gaining of our   
brother unto repentance2 whereas the aym
 of the civil  ,magistrate1 is not the  
spiritual good properly and formally of 
the  offender1 but the publique good of 
the ,common-,wealth4 ,and besides1 it   
is a language unknown in ,scripture1 to 
call the ,magistrate the ,church2  and  
it is an exposition purposely invented1 
to overthrow all  ,ecclesiastical       
government4    #b4 ,that by ,church1 is 
meant primarily and especially the      
particular  ,congregation2 we do not say
 onely1 but firstly and especially4     
,hence  we argue2 ,if the power of      
,excommunication be placed in the       
particular  ,church1 then either in the 
,minister alone1 or in the ,minister and

  whole ,congregation1 or in the        
,minister and ,elders chosen by the     
congregation4    ,but not in the        
,minister alone1 who being but one man1 
can no more be  called a ,church1 then  
one man can be called many1 or a member 
called a  body4 ,for one person cannot  
be called a ,church1 7saith ,bellarmine 
himself#fa17 seeing the ,church is the  
people and ,kingdome of ,god4 ,it  is   
certain1 that the ,church here spoken   
of1 is a certain number met  together2  
for it is said1 ,where two or three are 
gathered together1  c4    ,nor in the   
,minister and whole ,congregation2 for  
,god who is the ,god of  order1 not of  
confusion1 hath never committed the     
exercise of  ,ecclesiasticall           
jurisdiction1 to a promiscuous          
multitude2 the  ,scripture#fb divides a 
,congregation into ,rulers and ,saints1 
into  ,governours1 and governed2 and if 
all be ,governours1 who will be left  to
 be governed8 ,and besides1 if the      
collective body of a ,church be the     

,governours1 then women and servants    
must govern as well as others4    ,and  
therefore we conclude1 that by ,church1 
must needs be meant1 the  ,minister and 
,ruling-,elders1 which are the ,officers
 we are enquiring  after4    ,and this  
is no new interpretation1 but agreed    
unto by ancient and  modern ,writers4   
,chrysostome saith#fc1 by ,church1 is   
meant the  1 the ,rulers of the ,church1
 ,camer4#fd the ,colledg of             
,presbyters2 others1 the ,ecclesiacall  
,senate4 ,these are called a  ,church1  
for four ,reasons3    #a4 ,because it is
 usual in the ,old ,testament1 7to which
 our ,saviour  here alludeth1 as appears
 by the words ,publican and ,heathen17  
to call  the ,assembly of ,princes and  
,elders a ,church1 ,numb4 #ce4ab1 #bd1  
#be4 with  ,deut4 #a4af4 #a ,chron4     
#ac4b1 #c4 with #bh4a1 #b4  #bi4a1 #f4  
,deut4 #ca4bh1 #cj4  #a ,king4 #h4a1 #b1
 #ee4 ,num4 #e4b4 compared with ,levit4 
#ac4ae4    #b4 ,because they manage     
,church affaires in the name of ,christ1

 and of  the ,church1 and are servants  
of the ,church1 as well as of ,christ4  
#c4 ,because they are1 as it were1 the  
eyes and ears of the ,church2 and       
therefore as the body is said to see or 
hear1 when as the eyes and  eares alone 
do see and hear2 so the ,church is said 
to see1 hear1 and  act1 that which this 
,senate ,ecclesiasticall doth see1 hear1
 and act4    #d4 ,because they represent
 the ,church2 and it is a common form of
  speech1 to give the name of that which
 is represented1 to that which          
represents it2 as we say1 that to be    
done by the whole ,kingdome1 which  is  
done by a full and free ,parliament4    
,hence we might further argue3    ,if   
the ,colledge of ,presbyters represent  
the ,church1 then it must be  made up of
 ,ruling-,elders1 as well as ,ministers4
 ,for ,ministers alone  cannot represent
 the ,church2 the ,church consisting not
 of ,ministers  alone1 but of ,ministers
 and people1 who are part of the ,church
 as well  as ,ministers1 and are so     

called1 ,act4 #ae4c1 #d4    ,this is all
 we shall say1 for the ,scriptural part4
    ,sidenote3 ,episcopacy by ,divine   
right4    ,as for the ,primitive times  
of the ,church1 we should have wholly   
waved the mention of any thing about    
them1 were it not for the base          
calumnies  reproaches which the         
,prelatical party cast upon the         
,ruling-,elder1 in saying1 ,that it is  
the new fangled device of ,calvin  at   
,geneva2 and never known in the ,church 
of ,christ before his dayes4  ,there is 
a ,bishop that makes offer to forfeit   
his life to justice1  and his reputation
 to shame1 if any man living can shew1  
that ever  there was a ,ruling-,elder in
 the ,christian world1 till ,farell and 
,viret first created them4 ,but he hath 
been abundantly answered by             
,smectymnuus1 insomuch1 that whereas in 
his ,episcopacy by ,divine  ,right1 he  
boldly averreth1 that the name of the   
,elders of the ,church1  comprehendeth  
none but preachers1 #fe;and that        

therefore none but they  may be called  
,seniores ,ecclesi1 ,elders of the      
,church2 though some  others haply may  
have the title of ,seniores populi1     
,elders of the  people1 because of their
 civill ,authority4 ,yet notwithstanding
  afterward1 the same ,bishop in his    
#ffreply to ,smectymnuus  acknowledgeth1
 that besides ,pastors and ,doctors1 and
 besides  ,magistrates and ,elders of   
the ,city1 there are to be found in     
,antiquity1 ,seniores ,ecclesiastici1   
,ecclesiastical ,elders also2 only  he  
alledgeth1 they were but as our         
,church-,wardens1 or rather1 as our     
vestry-men2 whereas in truth1 ,they were
 ,judges in ,ecclesiasticall            
controversies1 and did assist the       
,pastor in ruling and governing the     
,church2 witnesse that famous place in  
#fg;,ambrose1 which testifies1  that    
both in the ,jewish and in the          
,christian ,church1 there were  these   
,ecclesiasticall ,rulers4 ,this is also 
the judgment of  #fh,tertullian1        

#fi,origen1 #gj;,basil1 #ga,optatus1    
#gb;,hierome1 #gc;,augustine1           
#gd;,gregory the great1 and divers      
others cited by ,justellus in his       
,annotations in ,can4 ,eccl4  ,affrican1
 and by ,voetius1 and by ,smectymnuus1  
and by the ,author  of the ,assertion of
 the ,scotch ,discipline1 some of which 
are  rehearsed in the ,margent4 ,we will
 conclude this ,discourse1 with the     
confession of ,archbishop ,whitgift1 a  
great ,writer against the               
,presbyterial-,government2 ,i know      
7saith he7 that in the ,primitive       
,church1 they had in every ,church      
,seniors1 to whom the ,government of    
the ,church was committed1 but that was 
before there was any ,christian  ,prince
 or ,magistrate4    ,and therefore1 let 
not our respective ,congregations suffer
 themselves  to be abused any longer    
with a false belief1 that the           
,ruling-,elder  is a new device1 and an 
,officer never known in the ,church of  
,god1  nor ,word of ,god4 ,for we have  

sufficiently 7as we conceive7 proved it 
to be warranted by the ,word1 and to    
have been of use in the purer  times of 
the ,church4    ,three things we shall  
desire to adde1 as a conclusion of this 
discourse4    #a4 ,that there are prints
 of the ,ruling-,elder remaining amongst
 us  even at this day2 for as the       
,overseers of every ,parish1 have a     
resemblance of the ,deacon2 so the      
,church-warden hath some  foot-steps of 
our ,ruling-,elder2 though we must needs
 confess1 that  this ,office hath been  
much abused2 and we could desire it     
might be  laid aside1 and the true      
,scripture-,ruling-,elder set up in his 
place4    #b4 ,that the ,prelatical     
,divines1 #gewhich are such great       
adversaries  to the ,ruling-,elder1 do  
yet notwithstanding1 hold and prove1    
that  men of abilities which are not    
,ministers1 are to be admitted into     
,generall ,councels2 because that in the
 ,synod of ,jerusalem1 not  only the    
,apostles1 but ,elders and ,brethren did

 sit and vote1  because this was        
practised in the ,old ,testament2 and   
because that  this was practised in the 
,councels held afterwards in the ,church
 of  ,christ1 as appears out of         
,eusebius1 ,sozomen and ,theodoret1 and 
by the subscriptions of those ,councels 
done by men1 not ,ministers1 as  well as
 others4    ,hence we might argue2      
,if other men1 besides ,ministers1 are  
by ,gods word1 even in the  judgment of 
the ,prelaticall ,divines1 to be        
admitted into the greatest  ,assemblies1
 and ,councels of the ,church1 much more
 are they by the same  right to be      
admitted into particular ,congregations1
 to sit and vote  with the ,minister in 
the ,government of the ,church4    #c4  
,adde thirdly1 that even in the ,bishops
 days1 for these many hundred  years1   
there have been ,ruling-,elders in the  
,church2 for the  ,chancellours1        
,commissaries1 ,officials1 and such     
others1 were all  of them ,governours of
 the ,church1 and had the power of      

suspension  and excommunication2 and yet
 were few of them1 if any1 ,ministers of
  the ,word3 ,and it seems to us1 to be 
a great curse of ,god1 that  lyeth upon 
mens spirits1 that could willingly      
submit to ,chancellours   ,commissaries1
 who did nothing else but pick their    
purses1 and  tyrannize over their bodies
 and estates1 and yet will not submit   
unto  the ,ruling-,elder now            
established1 who seeks no other         
interest1 but  the interest of ,christ1 
and medleth not with mens bodies or     
estates1  and desireth nothing but to be
 helpfull to the ,ministers of ,christ1 
to  keep their ,congregations in unity1 
piety1 and verity4 ,this is all we      
shall say1 in answer to the first       
,objection4    ,the second grand        
,objection against the                  
,presbyteriall-,government1 is1  that it
 requires all1 of all sorts1 to come to 
the ,minister and  ,elders to be        
examined1 before they can be admitted to
 the ,sacrament  of the ,lords ,supper1 

which is 7as some ignorantly say7 to    
bring in  auricular confession again    
into the ,church1 to bring the people of
 ,god  into a spirituall slavery and    
bondage unto the ,eldership1 and which  
is  an usurpation more then prelaticall1
 and a tyrannicall domineering  over    
mens consciences1 and hath no footing in
 the ,word2 for the  ,scripture saith1  
,let a man examine himself1 and so let  
him eate1 c4  ,it is not said1 ,let him 
first be examined by the ,ministers and 
,elders3 the ,scripture addes1 ,he that 
eats and drinks unworthily1  eats and   
drinks damnation to himself1 not to the 
,eldership4 ,and why  then must a man   
submit himself unto the examination of  
the ,eldership8  and how come the       
,eldership to be guilty of another mans 
unworthy  receiving8 ,it is further     
added by some1 that for their parts1    
they  will willingly come before the    
,minister1 and submit to his            
examination1 but they will rather for   
ever be without the ,sacrament1  then   

submit to come before the ,lay-,elder1  
for whom1 they see no  warrant in the   
,word of ,god3 ,others say1 that they   
will freely yield  that the younger     
sort1 that never have received the      
,sacrament1  should present themselves  
to the ,eldership to be catechized1 and 
instructed1 and fitted for the          
,sacrament2 but they will never yield1  
that old men and women1 that heretofore 
have divers times received1  should now 
in their old age be required to come1 to
 be examined not  only by their         
,minister1 but by the ,elders also1 who 
oftentimes are  very unfit for that     
,office3 ,others adde1 that though some 
,ministers  rigidly keep all from the   
,sacrament1 that will not come before   
the  ,elderships2 yet there are others1 
that are ,presbyterians1 and have       
,elders chosen1 that act without them1  
and will receive us to the  ,sacrament  
without comming before them4 ,these1 and
 such like  ,objections1 are brought    
against this way of ,examination1 that  

is so  happily begun amongst us4 ,now   
that we might satisfie these            
,objections1  and make good our practice
 out of the ,word of ,god1 we shall     
briefly do  these four things4    #a4   
,we will declare what our practice is in
 this particular4    #b4 ,we will prove1
 that he that will come to the          
,sacrament1 ought  first to submit to   
examination4    #c4 ,that the power to  
examine1 belongs not to the ,minister   
alone1 nor  to the ,minister with the   
whole ,church1 but to the ,minister and 
,elders4    #d4 ,we will answer the     
,objections1 that are brought against   
this way  of examination by the         
,minister and ,elders4    ,for the first
 of these1 we say2    ,first1 ,that the 
,presbyterial-,government1 doth not     
precisely   peremptorily require of     
those that come to the ,sacrament1 that 
they  should first be examined by       
questions and answers1 but if any man or
  woman shall make a good profession of 
their ,faith in a continued  discourse1 

without being asked any questions1 it   
will be as well  accepted1 as if they   
were examined by particular questions4  
,secondly1 that this examination or     
profession is not required  every time  
men come to the ,sacrament1 but only at 
their first  admission4    #c4 ,that he 
that is duly admitted into compleat     
,church-fellowship in  the              
,presbyterian-way1 is not only by vertue
 of his first admission1  freed from all
 after-examination 7unless it be when he
 falls into  any scandalous             
transgression7 in the ,congregation1 to 
which he  belongs2 but he is inabled by 
a certificate from his ,eldership1 to   
receive the ,sacrament in any ,church of
 the ,christian world of the same       
constitution1 without any new           
examination4    ,fourthly1 that the     
reason why ancient men and women1 and   
others1 that  have formerly under the   
,prelatical ,government been admitted to
 the  ,sacrament1 are now required to   
submit to examination1 before they can  

be again admitted1 doth not proceed from
 the nature of the  ,presbyterian       
,government1 but chiefly from the       
neglect of the  ,prelaticall3 ,for it is
 so evident1 that it cannot be denyed1  
that  under the former ,government1 men 
and women of all sorts1 though never  so
 ignorant or scandalous1 were in most   
places admitted promiscuously  to the   
,sacrament without any examination4 ,now
 this grievous disorder1  and great     
iniquity in the ,prelatical ,government1
 is the principal  cause of all the     
trouble we meet withal in ours2 and we  
desire  earnestly our people to         
distinguish with us1 between a ,church  
deformed1 and reformed4 ,if the         
,churches of ,god in ,england were once 
so reformed1 that there were an orderly 
admission1 by examination or            
profession1 unto the ,lords ,table by   
the ,eldership2 then we should  require 
none to come to examination1 but such   
only as never yet  communicated1 whom we
 would endeavour to train up in         

knowledge1 by  catechizing1 and by ,gods
 blessing1 make fit in time1 to be      
partakers  of such heavenly mysteries4  
,but now because our ,churches1 through 
want  of ,discipline1 are deformed1  all
 sorts have been sinfully admitted      
without tryal3 ,hence it is1 that we are
 forced1 even out of tender  regard to  
the souls of old people1 and to free our
 selves from the  guilt of their sins1  
and out of desire to keep the ,sacrament
 from  prophanation1 to examine even    
aged people 7many of whom we find very  
ignorant7 and all sorts as have been    
formerly admitted 7many of whom  we find
 to be very unworthy7 that so we may    
bring our ,congregations  into          
,gospel-order4 ,this we say1 we are     
absolutely necessitated to do  upon     
conscientious grounds1 which we cannot  
recede from1 though we  find it very    
prejudiciall to our selves1 and to our  
,government4 ,but  in the mean time1 we 
desire our respective ,congregations to 
consider1  that this is a necessity1    

that the iniquity of former times hath  
brought upon us2 and that it doth not   
flow from the principles of our         
,government1 but only from the          
negligence and sinfulness of ,prelatical
  ,governours4    ,the second thing     
propounded1 is to prove1 that he that   
will come to  the ,sacrament of the     
,lords ,supper1 ought first to submit to
  examination1 and tryal1 as it hath    
been formerly explained3 ,for this      
purpose1 we will lay down these three   
,propositions4    #a4 ,it is the ,will  
of ,jesus ,christ1 that no grosly       
ignorant1 or  scandalous person should  
come to the ,sacrament4    #b4 ,that it 
is the ,will of ,jesus ,christ1 that    
those who are grosly  ignorant1 or      
scandalous1 should be kept from the     
,sacrament 7if they  offer to come7 by  
the ,officers of the ,church4    #c4    
,that it is the ,will of ,jesus ,christ1
 that ,church-,governours have  some    
sufficient way to find out who are such 
ignorant and scandalous  persons1 that  

they may be kept away4    ,sidenote3 #a4
 ,proposition4    ,that it is the ,will 
of ,jesus ,christ1 that no grosly       
ignorant1 or  scandalous person1 should 
come to the ,sacrament4    #a4 ,no      
grosly ignorant person1 because the     
,scripture saith1 that a  man must first
 examine himself1 and so eat of that    
bread1 and drink of  that cup2 and it   
likewise saith1 that he that will come  
to the  ,sacrament must be one that     
discerneth the ,lords body2 otherwise he
  eats and drinks damnation to himself2 
and it adds1 that we are to do  this in 
remembrance of ,christ1 and thereby to  
shew forth the ,lords  death till he    
come4 ,and therefore a man that is      
grosly ignorant1 and  is not able to    
examine himself1 nor to discern the     
,lords body1 nor to  remember ,christ2  
nor understands what it is to shew forth
 the ,lords  death1 ought not to come to
 the ,sacrament1 no more then a baptized
  ,infant1 who is therefore not to      
partake of this ,ordinance1 because of  

his want of knowledge4    #b4 ,no       
scandalous person3 ,this is evidenced   
from the words of the  ,apostle1 ,let a 
man examine himself1  so let him eat1 c4
 from which  words we gather two things3
    #a4 ,that he that would come to the 
,sacrament1 must examine himself2  which
 examination ought to be according to   
the nature of the ,ordinance  of the    
,lords ,supper1 viz4    #a4 ,in general2
 whether he be worthy to come1 or no2   
7not with a  worthinesse of merit1 but  
of ,evangelical suitablenesse47    #b4  
,in particular3    #a4 ,whether he have 
true ,faith in ,christ1 without which1  
he cannot  worthily eat this bread1 and 
drink this cup4    #b4 ,whether he truly
 repent for sin1 and from sin4 ,for he  
that comes  in any sin unrepented of1   
comes unclean1 and so pollutes the      
ordinance4    #c4 ,whether he be        
#gftruly united by love to ,jesus       
,christ1 and his  members2 without      
which1 he cannot enjoy communion with   
them in that  ordinance4    #b4 ,that he

 who upon due examination1 can find none
 of these  qualifications1 should not   
presume to come1 which appears3    #a4  
,by the ,apostolical command1 ,but let a
 man examine himself1 and so  let him   
eat2 so1 and not otherwise4    #b4 ,by  
the sin which he commits1 in being      
guilty of the body and blood  of        
,christ1 vers4 #bg4    #c4 ,by the      
,danger he incurres to himself1 in      
eating and drinking his  own damnation1 
vers4 #bi4    #b4 ,from the nature of   
the ,sacrament4    #a4 ,it is the table 
of the ,lord1 and the ,lords ,supper2   
and  consequently the friends1 and not  
the enemies of ,christ1 are thereto     
invited4    #b4 ,it is an ordinance1    
wherein we publiquely profess communion 
with  ,christ and his mystical body1  if
 he that comes1 be by sin disjoyned     
from ,christ1 he is guilty of a         
sacrilegious lye against him and his    
,church1 whilest he professeth himself  
to be a friend1 and is  really an enemy4
    #c4 ,it is 7according to the nature 

of all ,sacraments17 #gg;a sealing      
,ordinance1 as is intimated in those    
remarkable sacramental phrases1  ,this  
is my body1 this is my blood1 denoting  
not only a bare  sacramental            
signification1 but also a spiritual     
obsignation and  exhibition of ,christs 
body and blood1 to a worthy receiver4   
,now a seal  supposeth a writing to     
which it is annext1 or else it is a meer
  nullity2 and certainly ,christ never  
intended to have his ,seal put to  a    
blank or counterfeit writing4    #d4 ,it
 is an ordinance appointed for the      
nourishment of those who are            
spiritually alive1 ,christs body  blood 
being therein conveyed under  the       
,elements of bread  wine2 which they    
only can eat and drink1  #ghwho are     
alive by ,faith1 and not they that are  
dead in trespasses   sins4    #e4 ,it is
 the ,new ,testament in the blood of    
,christ1 that is1 a  confirmation of the
 ,new ,testament1 and of all the        
promises and  priviledges thereof in the

 blood of ,christ1 which belong not at  
all to  wicked men1 #gi;,godlinesse     
having the promises of this life1 and   
that  which is to come4    ,by all which
 it appears1 that it is the ,will of    
,christ1 that no  scandalous person     
should come to the ,lords table4        
,sidenote3 #b4 ,proposition4    ,that it
 is the ,will of ,jesus ,christ1 that   
those who are grosly  ignorant1 or      
scandalously wicked1 should be kept from
 the ,sacrament1  7if they offer to     
come17 by ,church-,officers4    ,and    
this is evident3    #a4 ,from the power 
given to ,church-,officers for that     
purpose4    #b4 ,from the evill         
consequents that will otherwise ensue4  
#a4 ,that such a power is given to      
,church-,officers1 appears1    ,not     
onely    ,from the proportionable       
practice of ,church-,officers under the 
,old  ,testament1 who kept the charge of
 the holy things of ,god1 and were      
appointed #hjto see that none who were  
unclean in any thing1 or  uncircumcised 

in flesh1 or in heart1 should enter into
 the ,temple1 to  partake of the holy   
things of ,god1 and #ha;had a power to  
put  difference between holy and unholy1
 which power was not meerly  doctrinall 
or declarative1 but decisive1 binding1  
and  juridicall1 so far1 as that        
according to their sentence1 men were to
  be admitted1 or excluded4 ,that there 
was a power in the ,old ,testament  to  
keep men from the ,sacrament of the     
,passeover1 for morall  wickednesse1    
vide ,aarons rod blossoming1 lib4 #a4   
cap4 #i1 #aj1 c4    ,but also1    ,from 
that power of ,government1 and key of   
,discipline1 committed by  ,jesus       
,christ1 to ,church-,officers1 under the
 ,new ,testament4 ,for ,christ  hath    
given to them the keys of the ,kingdom  
of heaven1 which imply not  only a key  
of doctrine1 but of discipline1 and that
 both to keep out  such as ,christ would
 not have received in1 and to shut out  
such as  ,christ would not have to      
continue in2 ,the use of a key being for

 both  these purposes4 ,for shutting out
 those that should not be continued  in1
 as is granted on all hands from divers 
,scriptures#hb4 ,and  consequently1 for 
keeping out those that should not be    
received in1  there being the same      
reason of both4 ,for to what purpose    
should such  be received in1 as are by  
,christs command immediately to be cast 
out  again4    #b4 ,that divers ill     
consequences will otherwise ensue1 if   
grosly  ignorant1 and scandalous persons
 be not kept away1 is plain4    #a4     
,church-,governours should be very      
unfaithfull ,stewards of the  ,mysteries
 of ,christ1 and perverters of his      
,ordinance4 ,if a ,steward to  whom his 
,lord hath committed his goods to be    
carefully distributed1 to  such as are  
honest1 faithfull1 and diligent in his  
field or ,vineyard1  shall not only     
admit of ,loyterers1 and such as by     
their evill  example discourage others1 
but also shall give to such the bread   
and  wages which belongs to them who are

 faithfull and industrious1 should  he  
not be accounted a very unjust and      
unfaithfull ,steward1 and an  abuser of 
his trust8    #b4 ,they should be guilty
 of polluting and prophaning the        
,sacrament4  ,if a ,minister should give
 this ,sacrament to an ,infant1 or to a 
,mad-man1 or to a meer fool2 or to a    
,swine1 or a ,dog1 would not all men    
say this were a horrible prophanation   
thereof8 ,shall it then seem a  small   
prophanation to give it unto one who is 
as ignorant as an  ,infant1 and         
walloweth as a ,swine in the mire of sin
 and uncleanness8    #c4 ,they should   
express a great deal of cruelty and     
inhumanity to the  soul of him to whom  
they give the ,sacrament2 because they  
give it to  one who will eat and drink  
his own damnation4    #d4 ,they will    
hereby make themselves accessary to his 
sin of unworthy  receiving2 ,for it is a
 certain ,rule in ,divinity2 #hc;,he    
that suffers  a man to commit sin1 when 
it is in his power to hinder him1 is    

accessory to the sin that that man      
commits2 as appears by the  #hd;example 
of ,eli3 ,and therefore1 if the         
,officers of the ,church  that are      
deputed by ,christ to keep grosly       
ignorant1 or scandalous1  from the      
,sacrament1 shall yet notwithstanding   
suffer them to come1 and  can hinder    
them1 but will not1 they themselves     
become guilty of his  sin4    #e4 ,they 
do hereby grieve the ,godly1 that are   
members of the same  ,congregation1 and 
as much as in them lies1 they pollute   
defile the  whole ,congregation3 ,for   
know you not1 saith the ,apostle1 that a
  little ,leaven leaveneth the whole    
lump8    #f4 ,adde lastly1 that hereby  
they bring down the judgments of ,god   
upon  the ,congregation2 according to   
that text1 #a ,cor4 #aa4cj4 ,for this   
cause many are sick4    ,from all this1 
we argue thus2 ,if ,church-,officers    
under the ,old  ,testament had an       
authoritative power to separate between 
the holy and  prophane2 and if under the

 ,new ,testament they have a power to   
keep out  from the ,sacrament1 such as  
are grosly ignorant1 or scandalously    
wicked2 and if it be the ,will of       
,christ1 that the ,officers of the      
,church should be faithful ,stewards of 
the ,mysteries of ,christ1 that  they   
should not pervert1 nor pollute his     
,ordinance2 that they should  not be    
cruel to the souls of their ,brethren1  
or be partakers of other  mens sins1    
that they should not grieve the ,godly1 
nor bring guilt and  judgment upon the  
,congregation of which they are         
,officers3 ,then it is  the ,will of    
,christ1 that they should not give the  
,sacrament to such1  who are grosly     
ignorant1 and scandalously wicked4      
,sidenote3 #c4 ,proposition4    ,that it
 is the ,will of ,christ1 that          
,church-,governours have some           
sufficient way to discover who are such 
ignorant and scandalous  persons1 that  
they may be kept away4    ,this         
followeth clearly from the two former   

,proportions4 ,for if it be  the ,will  
of ,christ1 that no grosly ignorant1 or 
scandalous person  should come to the   
,sacrament2 and if they offer to come1  
should be  kept back by                 
,church-,officers2 then it follows1     
,that they must have  sufficient way to 
detect who are ignorant and scandalous4 
,for ,christ  never wills any end1 but  
he wills also all necessary and         
sufficient  mean1 conducing to that end4
    ,now what sufficient means can be   
propounded or imagined1 for detection   
of ignorant or scandalous persons1 but  
by examination before these             
,church-,officers2 examination1 we say1 
of the persons themselves in  case of   
ignorance1 and of witnesses also in the 
case of scandal4 ,for  though in some   
particular cases for private            
satisfaction1 private  conference with  
the ,minister alone may sufficiently    
discover the  knowledge or ignorance of 
persons1 yet in this common case1 for   
publique satisfaction touching the      

fitness of persons for the ,lords       
,supper1 no lesse then a publike and    
judicial examination before the         
,eldership can be sufficient2 inasmuch  
as an authoritative act of  admitting1  
or refusing the persons so examined1    
depends thereupon4    ,to illustrate    
this2    ,if a man by his last ,will and
 ,testament1 should leave unto the      
,master  and ,fellows of a ,colledge in 
trust a sum of money2 to be distributed 
to hopeful poor schollars1 such as were 
well verst in the learned ,arts  and    
,tongues3 ,would it not hence follow8   
#a4 ,that those ,trustees have a power  
granted them by the ,will1 to  examine  
those that come to desire that ,legacie4
    #b4 ,that if any refuse to be       
examined1 or upon examination be found  
insufficiently qualified1 they have     
authority to refuse them4    #c4 ,that  
the most sufficient1 proper1 and        
satisfactory way1 is not to  trust to   
,reports or ,testimonials1 but to       
examine the persons  themselves that sue

 for such a ,legacie3 ,so in the present
 case1 ,jesus  ,christ hath left as a   
,legacie1 the ,sacrament of his ,body   
and ,bloud1  and hath left the          
,church-,officers in trust with it1 and 
hath said in  his ,will1 ,that no grosly
 ignorant1 or scandalous person ought to
 come  to partake thereof2 and if any   
come1 that he be debarred from it by    
those ,church-,officers4 ,hence it      
followeth inevitably4    #a4 ,that those
 in trust have power to examine such as 
desire to  partake of this ,legacie1    
whether they be of sufficient knowledg1 
and  of good conversation1 or no4 #b4   
,that they have power to refuse all     
such as either refuse to be examined1 or
 upon examination1 are found            
insufficient4 #c4 ,that if the ,church  
,officers would give up their  account  
with joy at the great day of judgment1  
they ought not to rest  satisfied with  
private ,reports or ,informations of    
others2 but to  examine the persons     
themselves1 that thereby they may       

faithfully  discharge their trust in a  
matter of so great concernment2 ,and    
that  they that will have the           
,sacrament1 according to the will of    
,christ1  ought first to submit         
themselves to such examination4         
,besides this that hath been said1 to   
prove that those that would come  to the
 ,sacrament ought first to submit to    
examination2 ,we shall  further offer   
these following ,arguments4    #a4 ,we  
argue from that general exhortation of  
the ,apostle1 #a ,pet4  #c4ae4 ,but     
sanctifie the ,lord ,god in your hearts1
 and be ready alwayes  to give an answer
 to every man that asketh you a reason  
of the hope  that is in you1 with       
meekness and fear4    ,now if           
,christians are bound to give an account
 of their ,faith and hope  to every one 
that asketh them1 yea even to heathen   
,persecutors3 how  much more ought they 
to do it to the ,officers of the        
,church8  especially at such a time1    
when they desire to be admitted to an   

,ordinance that is not common to all    
sorts of ,christians1 but  peculiar to  
such as are indued with knowledg1 and of
 an unblameable  life and conversation4 
#b4 ,from that power that ,jesus ,christ
 hath seated in his ,church1 of         
examining such as are by the ,will of   
,christ to be excommunicated from  the  
,sacrament4 ,that there is a power of   
examining1 in order to  excommunication1
 appears from ,matth4 #ah4af1 #ag4 and  
from ,revel4 #b4b4  where ,christ       
commends #hethe ,angel of the ,church of
 ,ephesus1 because  he could not bear   
them which were evill1 and had tryed    
them who said1  they were ,apostles1 and
 were not1 and had found them lyars4    
,this  trying was not only charitative1 
and fraternall1 but  authoritative and  
judiciall4 ,for it was an act of the    
,angel of the  ,church2 which ,angel is 
not to be understood individually1      
#hf;but  collectively1 for all the      
,angels in ,ephesus4 ,and that there    
were  more ,angels then one in ,ephesus1

 appears from ,act4 #bj4ag4 7,the  like 
may be said of the ,angel of the ,church
 of ,smyrna1 ,pergamus1  ,thyatira1 c4  
for ,christ speaks unto each ,angel in  
the plural  number1 ,rev4 #b4aj1 #ac1   
#ad47    ,from hence we argue1 ,if      
,iesus ,christ hath given power         
,authoritatively1 to examine such as are
 to be cast out from the  ,sacrament1   
then he hath also given power to examine
 such as are to be  received in4 ,for   
there is the same reason of both4 ,and  
as the power  of excommunication would  
be wholly useless and frustraneous1 if  
there  were not a power of examination  
precedent thereunto2 so would the  power
 of keeping such as are grosly ignorant 
or scandalous1 from the  ,sacrament1 be 
utterly in vain1 and of no benefit to   
the ,church of  ,christ1 if the power of
 examination should be denyed unto it4  
,and  certainly1 whosoever is an enemy  
to this power1 must be forced to  grant1
 that it is the ,will of ,iesus ,christ1
 that all sorts of  people1 though never

 so wicked1 though actually drunk1      
though fooles1  though ,turks1 ,iews1 or
 ,heathen1 are to be admitted to the    
,sacrament1  if they come unto it4      
,for if there be no divine right of     
,examination1 or of rejection1 how  dare
 any ,church or ,state assume a power of
 making rules for keeping  any persons  
from the ,sacrament8 should they make   
rules for keeping  ignorant and         
scandalous persons from the hearing of  
the ,word1 would it  not be accounted a 
sin of an high nature8 ,and is it not as
 great a sin  to keep any from the      
,sacrament1 if ,christ hath left no     
power for the  doing of it8 is not this 
to be wise above what is written8 ,and  
therefore let us either admit all sorts 
to the ,sacrament1 without any          
distinction of persons1 and thereby     
become guilty of the body and  blood of 
,christ1 and accessary to the sins of   
those that come  unworthily2 7as hath   
been said1 and formerly proved17 or else
 let us  diligently and conscientiously 

examine all of all sorts1 that desire   
to be made partakers of this            
distinguishing ordinance4    #c4 ,from  
the titles that are given to the        
,officers of the ,church1 and  from the 
duty that ,god requires at their hands4 
,the ,officers of the  ,church are      
called ,rulers and ,governours1  such as
 are over their  people in the ,lord4   
,and it is their duty to watch over the 
souls of  their people1 as such as must 
give an account for them into ,god4 ,now
  it is all the reason in the world1    
that they that must give an  account to 
,god for their people1 should take an   
account of their  people2 and that they 
that watch over their souls1 should know
 the  state of their souls4 ,and that   
they that are ,governours1 ,rulers1  and
 ,overseers1 should teach1 instruct1 try
 and examine those over whom  they rule 
and govern4#hg    ,sidenote3 ,quest4    
,but you will say1 who are these ,rulers
 and ,governours1 by whom we  are to be 
examined8    ,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,the  

,answer to this1 will lead us to the    
third thing propounded2 and  that is to 
prove1    ,sidenote3 ,the #c4           
,particular4    ,that the power of      
examining those that desire to be       
admitted to the  ,lords ,supper1 belongs
 not to the ,minister alone1 nor to the 
,minister  with the whole ,church1 but  
to the ,minister  ,ruling ,elders4      
#a4 ,not to the ,minister alone4 ,indeed
 there is an examination1 which  belongs
 only to the teaching-,elder1 and that  
is #hh;a catechizing of  his people in  
publique1 by questions and answers2 and 
this is part of  the key of doctrine4   
,sidenote3 ,non uni1 sed unitati4       
,but the examination that we are now    
treating of1 belongs to  ,discipline and
 ,government2 for it is not only a naked
 examination1  but an authoritative     
determining whether the party examined  
shall be  detained from the ,sacrament1 
or admitted2 which is formally an act   
of ,church-,government1 and therefore   
belongs not to the ,minister alone1  but

 to all those whom ,christ hath made    
,church-,governours1 also3 of  which    
sort are the ,ruling-,elders1 as hath   
been sufficiently proved4  ,the power of
 ,discipline is given by ,christ1 not to
 one ,elder1 but to  the united company 
of ,elders3 and for one ,minister alone 
to assume  this power unto himself1 it  
is to make himself the ,church2 it is to
  make himself a ,congregational ,pope2 
it is a bringing in of a ,power  into   
the ,church1 that would have some       
resemblance 7as was objected7 to        
auricular confession4    ,now there are 
two things we are very confident of2    
#a4 ,that when the ,parliament gave     
their allowance to the ,presbyterial    
,government1 if they had put the whole  
juridical power of the ,church  into the
 hands of the ,minister alone1 they that
 now seem so willing to  come to be     
examined by the ,minister without his   
,elders1 would have  more bitterly      
declaimed against that way1 then now    
they do against  this3 ,for this indeed 

were to make every ,minister a ,prelate 
in his  ,congregation2 and 7as we now   
said7 to bring in that which hath some  
resemblance to auricular confession4    
#b4 ,that it is as warrantable by the   
,word of ,god1 for one ,minister to     
assume the whole power unto himself     
alone1 of suspending persons from  the  
,sacrament1 who have been duly admitted 
thereunto 7which is a  graduall         
excommunication7 as it is to assume the 
whole power of  admitting unto the      
,sacrament2 for contrariorum eadem est  
ratio4 ,and  oh that our ,brethren in   
the ,ministry1 that take this power unto
  themselves1 would seriously consider  
what is here said4    ,secondly1 the    
power cannot be placed in the whole     
,church collectively  taken2 for then it
 should be also in children and         
servants4 ,the  ,scripture makes an     
exact distinction between ,rulers1 and  
,ruled2 and we  are very well assured1  
that if this power were seated in the   
,minister  and whole ,congregation1 that

 they that are now so unwilling to come 
before the ,minister and ,elders1 would 
be much more unwilling to come  before  
the ,minister1 and whole ,congregation4 
,and therefore we  conclude1 ,that this 
power of examining1 and receiving unto  
the  ,sacrament such are fit1 and       
detaining such as are found to be grosly
  ignorant1 and visibly wicked must     
needs belong to the ,minister1  assisted
 with the ,elders1 chosen out from      
amongst the rest of the  ,congregation3 
,for if the ,elders are ,rulers1 and    
,governours1 seated by  ,god in his     
,church1 7as hath been abundantly       
proved7 then it will  undeniably follow1
 ,that whatsoever is properly an act of 
,government1  must belong to them as    
well as the ,minister4 ,and who can     
deny1 but  that the power of admitting  
unto1 or detaining from the ,sacrament1 
is  an act of ,government8 and therefore
 it doth by divine right belong to  the 
,elders1 as well as to the ,minister4   
,but yet here we must carefully         

distinguish between the act of          
examination1 and the judgment given     
upon the person examined4 ,the managing 
of the ,examination1 is the  proper act 
of the teaching ,elder2 ,it is he that  
is to pray for a  blessing2 ,it is he1  
that is for order sake to ask the       
questions4 ,but  as for the determining1
 whether the party examined be fit or no
 to  receive1 this is an act of power   
and government1 and belongs not to  the 
,minister alone1 but to the ,eldership4 
,and it is a very great  wonder unto us1
 that people should profess so much     
dis-satisfaction  and dislike1 in coming
 before the ,ruling-,elders whereas they
 cannot  but take notice1    #a4 ,that  
the ,elders are such1 as they themselves
 have1 or might have  chosen4    #b4    
,they are chosen for the relief and     
benefit of the ,congregation4  ,that so 
the ,minister might not be sole judge of
 those that are to  come to the         
,sacrament1 but might have others joyned
 with him1 to see  that he doth nothing 

out of envy1 malice1 pride1 or          
partiality1 but  that all things be     
managed for the good and edification of 
them1 for  whose sake they are chosen3  
which two particulars1 if our people did
  seriously consider1 they would quickly
 be perswaded to a hearty and an        
unanimous submission unto this ordinance
 of ,jesus ,christ4    ,there remains   
the fourth thing yet behind1 which is an
 answering of  the objections that are  
brought against this way of examination 
by  ,minister and ,elders4 ,but this1   
and divers other considerable things1   
which we shall propound1 to perswade    
people unto a cheerful obedience  to    
this part of ,church-,reformation1 so   
comfortably begun in many               
,congregations in this ,kingdome2 ,we   
shall leave1 till we come to that  part 
of this discourse1 which we call1 ,the  
,,exhortation2 to which we  refer the   
,candid ,reader1 that desires further   
satisfaction4    ,and thus we have given
 you a short survey of the nature of the

  ,presbyterial ,government2 together   
with an answer to the most material     
objections against it3 which we have    
done only for this end1 that so  7as we 
have said7 we might undeceive those1 who
 look upon it as lordly  and tyrannical2
 and by these bug-bears1 are scared from
 submitting to  it4 ,and we beseech our 
several ,congregations1 to judge of it1 
as it is  here represented1 and to be   
willing to come under the yoke of it1   
which is light and easie1 7being the    
yoke of ,christ7 and which will in  a   
short time make our ,congregations 7if  
received into them7 glorious  for their 
unity1 verity1 and piety4    ,we are not
 ignorant1 that it hath many            
,adversaries4 ,the obstinately  ignorant
 hates it1 because it will not suffer   
him to go blindfold to  hell4 ,the      
prophane person hates it1 because it    
will not suffer him to  eat and drink   
his own damnation1 by unworthy coming to
 the ,sacrament4  ,the ,heretique hates 
it1 because after two or three          

admonitions1 it  rejects him4 ,the      
,jesuite hates it1 because it is an     
invincible bulwark  to keep out ,popery4
 ,the ,schismatique1 because the main   
design of it1  is to make all the       
,saints to be of one lip1 one heart1 and
 one way4  ,and above all1 the ,devil   
hates it1 because if rightly managed1 it
 will  in a short time blow up his      
kingdome4    ,but notwithstanding all   
these great and potent enemies1 our     
comfort  is1 ,that this ,government is  
the ,government of ,jesus ,christ1 who  
is the  ,king of his ,church1 and hath  
given unto us the keyes of his ,kingdom1
  hath promised to be with us1 to       
protect and defend us to the end of  the
 world2 upon whose shoulders the        
government is laid2  though we be       
utterly unable1 yet he that was able to 
bear the wrath of ,god upon his         
shoulders1 is able to bear up this      
,government against the wrath of  man4  
,for this end and purpose1 all power in 
heaven and earth is given  unto him2 and

 he is now sitting at the right hand of 
,god1 for the more  effectual exercising
 thereof3 and will there remain1 till he
 hath made  all his enemies his         
foot-stool4 ,whose priviledge it is1 to 
rule in the  midst of his enemies3 ,and 
will one day say1 ,those mine enemies1  
which  would not that ,i should reign   
over them1 bring hither and slay them   
before me4 ,be wise now therefore1 ,o ye
 ,kings1 be instructed ye ,judges  of   
the ,earth2 serve the ,lord with fear1  
and rejoyce with trembling4  ,kisse the 
,son lest he be angry1 and ye perish    
from the way1 when his  wrath is kindled
 but a little2 blessed are all they that
 put their  trust in him4           99  
99       99       99       99    ,there 
remains the second particular yet       
behind2 and that is the  ,vindication of
 our persons1 7especially of such       
amongst us1 who are  teaching ,elders17 
from the slanders and cruel reproaches  
that are cast  upon us2 which we shall  
undertake1 not so much for our own1 as  

for our  peoples sake1 lest hereby our  
,ministry should be rendred useless and 
ineffectual2 for 7as #hi;,austine saith7
 though a ,ministers good  conscience is
 sufficient for himself1 yet his good   
name is necessary  for his people3 who  
ordinarily dis-esteem the ,doctrine of  
him1 whose  person they dis-esteem4 ,we 
thank ,god1 we can say with the         
,apostle1  with us1 ,it is a very small 
thing that we should be judged of mans  
judgment3 ,he that judgeth us is the    
,lord4 ,we remember what the  ,apostle  
tells us in that little ,book of        
,martyrs1 of divers ,saints1  whose     
shoe-latchets we are not worthy to      
untye2 who endured cruell  mockings1 yea
 moreover bonds and imprisonments1 they 
were stoned1 they  were sawn assunder1  
were tempted1 were slain with the sword1
 c4 of  whom the world was not worthy1  
and yet even they were not thought      
worthy to live in the world4 ,and       
therefore we can with the more          
willingness1 suffer our selves to be the

 ,but of every mans malice1  and the    
subject of every dayes ,pamphlet4 ,we   
read1 that even ,elias  himself was     
called the troubler of ,israel1 by him  
who was the chief  troubler thereof4    
,and that ,saint ,paul1 who was wrapt up
 into the  third heaven1 was accused by 
,tertullus1 to be a ,pestilent fellow1  
and a mover of sedition among all the   
,jews throughout the world4 ,and  that  
the ,primitive ,confessors and ,martyrs1
 famous for the holiness of  their      
lives1 were charged before the ,heathen 
,emperors1 to be the  vildest of men2 to
 be first murderers1 and then eaters of 
their own  children2 to be guilty of    
incestuous marriages1 and in their      
private  meetings to commit uncleanness4
 ,and their ,religion also was          
represented1 as the cause of all the    
,earthquakes1 famines1 plagues1  and    
other miseries of those times4#ij    ,we
 have formerly made mention of the      
reproaches which the  ,anabaptists of   
,germany cast upon ,luther2 and we might

 adde the  horrible and prodigious lies 
slanders raised by the ,arians against  
,athanasius1 that great ,champion of    
,jesus ,christ1 and the hideous and     
strange reports1 and bitter invectives  
of ,michael ,servetus and  ,bolseck1    
against ,calvin4 ,but that which doth   
quiet our spirits1  more then all this1 
is1 the consideration of ,christ ,jesus 
himself1 who  when he was here upon     
,earth1 was accused to be an ,enemy to  
,csar1 a  friend to ,publicans and      
,sinners1 a ,glutton and a ,wine-bibber1
  c4 ,it is enough for the ,disciple    
that he be as his ,master1 and  the     
,servant as his ,lord2 if they have     
called the ,master of the  house        
,belzebub2 how much more shall they call
 them of his ,houshold8    ,as for the  
particular accusations that are charged 
upon us1 they are1  we confess1 very    
many1 and very great2 and if to be      
accused1 were  sufficient to make us    
guilty1 we were of all men most         
miserable4 ,but  we hope it may be said 

of us1 as it was once of ,cato1 ,that as
 he  was #cb4 times accused1 so he was  
#cb4 times cleared and absolved4 ,and   
we trust1 that the ,lord will in due    
time1 dispell all these thick  mists and
 fogs which our adversaries have raised 
up against us1 and  bring forth at last 
our ,righteousnesse as the light1 and   
our judgment  as the noon day4 ,and we  
do here profess before the great ,god1  
that in  all the great changes that have
 bin lately made amongst us1 it hath    
been our great endeavour to keep our    
selves unchanged1 making the            
unchangeable ,word our ,rule1 and the   
unchangeable ,god our ,rock4  ,and we   
are confident1 that no man will account 
us ,apostatized from  our principles1   
but such as are in a great measure      
,apostatized from  their own            
professions4 ,there are some men that   
,proteus-like1 can  transform them into 
all shapes1 for their own advantage1    
according to  the times wherein they    
live2 and ,camelion-like1 can change    

themselves into any colour but white1   
can turn any thing1 but what  they      
should be4 ,and because we cannot change
 our consciences with the  times1 as    
some do2 therefore1 and therefore only1 
are we counted  ,changlings4 ,it is just
 with such men1 as with men in a ship at
 ,sea1  that will not be perswaded1 but 
that the shore they pass by moves1 and  
not the ship wherein they are4 ,as for  
,us1 we are1 and hope 7through  ,gods   
grace7 ever shall be fixt and immoveable
 in our first  principles4 ,we were not 
the causers of the first ,war1 between  
,king and  ,parliament2 but were called 
by the ,parliament to their assistance3 
and  the ground of our ingaging with    
them was1 ,the ,propositions and ,orders
  of the ,lords1 and ,commons in ,parl4 
,jun4 #aj4 #afdb4 for bringing in of    
mony and plate1 c4 wherein they assured 
us1 that whatever should be  brought in 
thereupon1 should not at all be employed
 upon any other  occasion1 ,then to     
maintain the ,protestant ,religion1 the 

,kings  authority and his person1 in his
 ,royall ,dignity2 the free course of   
justice2 the ,laws of the ,land1 the    
peace of the ,kingdom2 and the          
,priviledges of ,parliament1 against any
 force which shall oppose them4  ,and in
 this we were daily confirmed           
incouraged more and more1 by  their many
 subsequent ,declarations and           
,protestations1 which we held  our      
selves bound to believe1 knowing many of
 them godly and  conscientious men1 of  
publique ,spirits1 zealously promoting  
the good  both of ,church and ,state4   
,the ,war we ingaged in by ,authority of
  ,parliament1 was only defensive1      
7which not only #ia;,bishop ,bilson1    
and #ib;,bishop ,bedell1 but divers     
others of the ,prelatical way hold  to  
be just and warrantable47 ,we never     
opposed the ,king further1 then  ,he    
opposed ,his own ,laws3 ,our aym in all 
that great ,undertaking 7as the  great  
,heart-searcher knows7 was to secure    
,religion1 to preserve the  ,government 

of the ,kingdom1 and to remove the      
,wicked from before the  ,king1 that his
 ,throne might be established in        
,righteousness4    ,and this ,act of    
ours1 was not at all contrary to the    
,oath of  ,allegeance which we have     
taken2 because the intent of that ,oath 
can  be no other1 then to oblige to obey
 the ,king1 according to the ,laws of   
the ,kingdome2 and to our knowledg1 we  
never disobeyed the ,king in his  legall
 and political capacity2 though we      
confess we did1 and by the  ,law were   
allowed to deny obedience unto him in   
his personall capacity1  when it did    
cross his legall4 ,and therefore they   
that charge us so  deeply1 and reiterate
 their charge by their multiplyed       
,pamphlets1  ,that we ,ministers are the
 cause of all the ,murders and ,blood   
sheddings of these late years1 and other
 horrid practices which we  forbear to  
mention1 have the greater sin4    ,but  
our comfort is1 the witness of our      
,consciences1 and the integrity  of our 

,carriages2 and we doubt not but we can 
truly appeal1 as  ,david1 did when he   
was accused for seeking the life of     
,saul4 ,the  ,lord judg between them and
 us1 and plead our cause1 and deliver us
 out  of the hands of these cruell and  
unreasonable accusers4 ,this is all  we 
shall return in answer to the first     
,war2 ,as for the second ,war1 we       
profess1 we stand amazed at the         
impudency of that man#ic1 who is not    
afraid1 even against his own conscience 
7we fear7 to say of the  ,presbyterian  
,ministers1 ,that they did separate     
their consecrated  ,lungs1 for ,bellows 
to blow up the ,coals amongst the       
,people this last  ,summer2 ,that they  
were the ,ghostly ,fathers of all or the
 greatest part  of those                
,anti-,parliamentary ,barabasses1 who so
 lately commenced  ,masters of ,mis-rule
 in ,surrey1 ,sussex1 ,kent1 ,essex1    
,wales1 c4 ,that  in stead of lifting up
 their voyces like ,trumpets1 to cause  
the ,people  to know their abominations1

 they lift them up like ,trumpets1 to   
prepare them to commit abominations1 c4 
,that ,tumults1 ,insurrections1  and    
,rebellions of the ,people against      
,authority1 in order to the  advancement
 of ,high ,presbytery1 seem lawfull1    
yea1 and commendable  practices unto    
many of them4 ,to all which1 and        
,multitudes of such  like cruel         
invectives1 we return the answer of the 
,archangel1 ,jude #i4  ,the ,lord rebuke
 thee4 ,it is well known to all that are
 not wilfully  and maliciously blind1   
what help the ,presbyterian ,ministers  
and ,people  did contribute towards the 
quenching of those flames2 and that in  
all  probability1 the ,army had been    
utterly destroyed1 had not the          
,presbyterian ,forces in ,lancashire1   
,suffolk1 ,essex1 and in divers  other  
places 7incouraged by the ,ministers7   
come in timously1 and  vigorously to    
their assistance4 ,and the time was1    
when this was  ingenuously acknowledged 
by one of the chiefest of the ,army1    

though  the forementioned ,pamphleter1  
possessed with prejudice against us1    
will not remember any such thing2 and   
though some of us be like to be  dealt  
withall by way of recompence1 just as   
,m4 ,tullius ,cicero was1  who had his  
head cut off by ,popilius ,lnas1 whose  
head he had saved  from cutting off2 or 
as ,constans1 the ,son of ,constantine  
the great  was served1 who was kil'd by 
one ,magnentius1 whose life he had      
formerly preserved4#id ,and what the    
,ministers of ,london in  particular did
 in this kind1 is well known to all     
unprejudiced  ,citizens4 ,we did not    
abet 7as we are falsly accused7 but     
abhor and  detest1 that horrid violence 
offered to the ,parliament1 upon that   
fatall ,munday1 ,july #f4 #afdg4 ,we    
have always been1 and still are  friends
 to the ,priviledges of ,parliament1    
according to our ,covenant4  ,and for   
this very cause it is1 even because we  
will not break the  priviledges of      
,parliament1 that we suffer so deeply   

from these kind of  men at this day4    
,although we could 7if recriminations   
were good  answers7 put them in mind of 
,pamphlets1 not a few1 written by them1 
and those of their way1 in justification
 of as horrid acts of  violence offered 
to the ,parliament4 ,when the ,scottish 
,army came last  into ,england1 7though 
we are shamefully traduced1 as if we had
  encouraged and invited them to come   
in17 yet our consciences do  witness    
with us1 and our ,auditors can testifie 
for us1 that we did  unanimously oppose 
them1 as men that pretended the         
,covenant1 but  acted quite contrary    
unto it4 ,we profess1 that in conscience
 we are  bound1 and in practice we shall
 endeavour to obey lawfull ,authority   
in all lawfull things2 and when we      
cannot actively obey1 we shall be  ready
 passively to submit4 ,if our hearts    
deceive us not1 we have no  design but  
the glory of ,god1 no interest like that
 of ,religion4 ,we  desire more to sow  
spiritualls1 then reap temporalls4 ,and 

that  ,christ and his ,gospel1 may be   
exalted1 though upon our ruines4 ,pardon
  us1 that we become fools in           
glorifying1 for ye have compelled us4   
,we  hunt not after tythes1 and great   
,livings1 but seek the salvation of  our
 peoples souls2 and had our enemies a   
window into our hearts1 they  would     
finde these our professions to be true  
and unfeigned4 ,and yet we  must crave  
leave to tell these men1 ,that the      
design of taking away  ,tythes from the 
,ministry1 was first invented by that   
cursed ,apostate  ,julian1 who 7as ,mr4 
,stock that ,reverend1 pious1 and       
painfull  ,preacher hath observed#ie17  
by this means is noted1 more to have    
overthrown the ,church1 then all the    
,persecuting ,emperours before him4     
,because they took away ,presbyters1 and
 their ,martyrs blood was the  seed of  
the ,church1 but he took away           
,presbyterium1 the ,ministry it  self1  
in withdrawing the maintenance from the 
,church1 and so overthrew  the ,worship 

of ,god4 ,as for our way of preaching1  
though we are far  from justifying any  
indiscreet and passionate expressions1  
yet we  conceive it to be very hard     
measure1 to have our integrity arraigned
  and condemned for humane infirmities4 
,and we hope we may1 without  boasting1 
say thus much2 ,that the setled         
,ministry of ,england was  never more   
censured1 molested1 impoverished and yet
 never more pious1  peaceable1 and      
painfull4 ,and that our condition in    
this juncture of  affaires1 is just like
 that of the ,romane1 ,that had a suit  
commenced  against him1 because he did  
not receive the sword of his enemy far  
enough into his bowels4 ,and that       
therefore it is that some men  rail     
against us1 because we will not break   
our ,oaths and ,covenants1  and will not
 serve the times1 but serve the ,lord4  
,it is a great  refreshing to us1 to    
consider the wise dispensation of ,god1 
in  ordering the affaires of this       
,kingdome1 so1 as he hath thereby       

discovered the hidden hypocrisie and    
cousenage of many men1 unto those  who  
otherwise would not have believed it4   
,and we earnestly intreat  these men to 
consider1 as in the sight of ,god1      
before whose dreadfull  judgment ,seat1 
both we and they must shortly give an   
account of all  things done in these our
 mortall bodies2 ,whether in that       
dreadful day  it will appear a righteous
 thing1 ,if those who have cryed down   
,persecution so much1 should now        
themselves become the greatest          
,persecutors4 ,and if they who have     
formerly abhorred others1 as men        
transported with an ,antichristian      
spirit1 but for a bare suspition1  that 
if they got power into their hands1 they
 would prove cruell and  tyrannicall to 
poor tender consciences1 should now     
actually attempt  to do that themselves1
 the which upon bare suspition1 they did
 condemn  in others3 ,and if any who    
have accused others for seeking great   
,offices1 and places of gain and        

preferment1 should now manifest         
themselves to be none of the least      
self-seekers4 ,alas6 who knows1 or  can 
discern the deceitfulness of our hearts8
 and that if we give way  upon meer     
outward occurrences1 to change our      
principles1 but that upon  further      
changes1 the ,righteous ,lord may leave 
us to ,satans stronger  delusions1 to   
transport us further1 then at present   
can come in our  hearts to imagine2 that
 so after all the glorious beginnings in
 the  ,spirit1 we should fearfully      
,apostatize1 and end in the flesh4 ,for 
our  parts1 we tremble to think of those
 formidable ,judgments of our           
,righteous ,god4 ,and our prayer to ,god
 is1 that he would keep us sincere  in  
all changes1 and that he would plead our
 cause for us4 ,and our  rejoycing1 is  
the testimony of our consciences1 that  
in simplicity  and godly sincerity1 not 
with fleshly wisdome1 but by the grace  
of  ,god1 we have had our conversation  
in the world4 ,it is the integrity  of  

our consciences1 that carries us above  
all the reproaches and  slanders that   
are cast upon us3 and that makes us go  
on in doing our  duties1 maugre all     
opposition2 and to commit the           
maintaining of his  own cause1 and the  
cleering of our callings and persons    
unto the ,lord1  who judgeth            
righteously4    #a ,ezra #d4ae1 #bd4    
#b ,justini ,martyris ,apologia4        
,tertul4 ,apol4    #c ,juell4 ,apolog4  
#d ,psal4 #hj4ab1 #ac1 #ad1 #ae4    #e  
,psal4 #ea4ah4    #f #a ,tim4 #c4ae4    
#g #b ,tim4 #c4af1 #ag4 ,psal4 #ai4g4   
#h #b ,cor4 #e4bj4 ,eph4 #d4aa4    #i   
,matth4 #ah4bj4    #aj ,iam4 #d4ab4     
,isa4 #cc4bb4    #aa ,matth4 #bh4ai4 #a 
,cor4 #aa4bc4 c4    #ab #a ,cor4 #e4    
,ioh4 #bj4ba1 #bb1 #bc4 ,matth4 #bh4ah1 
#ai1 #bj4    #ac ,eph4 #d4aa4 ,eph4     
#a4bb4 #a ,tim4 #c4ae4    #ad ,heb4     
#c4b1 #c4 ,ha4 #e4a1 #g4 ,cant4 #d4af1  
#f4b4 ,eph4 #b4ab4    #ae ,eph4 #d4ab4  
,matth4 #ah4ae4 #a ,cor4 #e4e4    #af   
,eph4 #d4aa4    #ag #a ,tim4 #e4ag4 #a  

,cor4 #ab4bh4 and ,rom4 #ab4f1 #g1 #h4  
#ah ,act4 #f4e1 #f4 ,phil4 #a4a4 and #a 
,tim4 #c4h4    #ai #a ,tim4 #c4b4 to    
#ac4 c4 ,act4 #f4c4    #bj ,act4 #f4e1  
#f4 #a ,tim4 #c4aj4 ,act4 #ac4a1 #b1 #c4
 and #ad4bc4  #a ,tim4 #e4bb4 and #d4ad4
    #ba ,act4 #f4d4    #bb ,act4 #ae4ba4
 ,act4 #ac4ae4    #bc ,matth4 #af4ai4 #b
 ,tim4 #d4a1 #b4    #bd ,numb4 #f4bc4   
,luk4 #bd4ej4 #b ,cor4 #ac4ad4    #be   
,matth4 #bh4ai1 #bj4 ,mat4 #bf4bf4 to   
#ca4 #a ,cor4 #aa4bc4    #bf ,tit4      
#c4aj4 #b ,thess4 #c4ad1 #ae4 ,mat4     
#ah4ae4 to #ba4 #a ,cor4 #e4c4 and  #b  
,cor4 #b4f1 #g1 #h1 #i1 #aj4    #bg     
,act4 #d4ce and #f4a1 #b1 #c4 ,act4     
#aa4bi1 #cj4 ,rom4 #ab4h4    #bh #a     
,cor4 #ad4cd4 ,rom4 #af4a4    #bi ,act4 
#b4da1 #dg4 ,act4 #e4d4 ,act4 #f4a4     
,act4 #ba4bj4    #cj ,act4 #ae4    #ca  
,deut4 #ag4 to the #ab4 ,mat4 #ah4ae1   
#af1 #ag1 #ah4    #cb #b ,pet4 #b4aj4   
#cc ,deut4 #ag4ah1 #ai4  cap4 #ca4i4    
,josh4 #a4g1 #h4a4 #b ,king4 #aa4ab4    
#cd ,isa4 #di4bc4    #ce ,ezr4 #g4bf1   

#bg4 #a ,pet4 #b4ad4 compared with ,gal4
 #e4ai1 #bj4  ,phil4  #c4b4  #b ep4     
,joh4 #aj4 #b ,chron4 #ae4  #b ,chron4  
#ag4f4 #b ,chron4 #ai4c4  #b ,chron4    
#bi4 #b ,chron4 #cc4ae1 #af4 #b ,chron4 
#cd4ca1 #cb1 #cc4 ,nehem4 #ac4ae  ad    
finem4 ,dan4 #c4bi4 #a ,tim4 #b4b4 ,rev4
 #ag4af1 #ag4    #cf #a ,pet4 #b4ad4    
,rom4 #ac4c1 #d4    #cg     1 ,euseb4   
vit4 ,constant4 cap4 #bd4    #ch ,isa4  
#di4bb4 ,psal4 #gb4aj1 #aa4 ,isa4       
#fj4aj4 ,rev4 #ba4bd4    #ci #a ,cor4   
#e4ab4    #dj ,ab ,apostolis usque ad   
nostri temporis fecem1 ,ecclesia        
,christi  nata  ,adulta persecutionibus 
crevit1 ,martyriis coronata est2 et     
postquam ad ,christianos ,principes     
venit1 potenti quidem  divitiis  major1 
sed virtutibus minor facta est4 ,hieron4
 tom4 #a4 in vit  ,malchi4    #da ,act4 
#bh4bb4    #db ,act4  ,mon4    #dc      
,spanhemius in a ,book1 called ,englands
 warning1 by ,germanies  woe2 or1 ,an   
,historicall ,narration of the          
,anabaptists in ,germany1  c4    #dd ,by

 ,mr4 ,carthwright1 against ,archb4     
,whitgift4 ,mr4 ,vdal4 ,mr4             
,hildersham4 ,mr4 ,traverse1 c4    #de  
,heb4 #ac4ag1 #bd4    #df #a ,pet4 #e4c4
 ,ier4 #aj4af4    #dg ,non quia soli1   
sed quia solm prsunt4    #dh ,de divers4
 grad4 ,minist4 ,evang4 cap4 #aa1 p4    
#ajh4    #di ,calvin4 in locum4         
,chrysostom4 upon #a ,cor4 #ab4bh4      
,estius upon  #a ,cor #ab4bh4    #ej    
,syriac3 two words  4    #ea 4    #eb   
,gerhardus de ,ministerio               
,ecclesiastico1 ,calvin4 in locum1 ,p4  
,martyr1 in locum4 ,beza in locum4      
,piscator in locum4 ,ambros4 in  locum4 
,chrys4 in locum4 ,salmer4 in locum1    
,septimo loco ponit  gubernatores1 id   
est1 eos qui prsunt aliis1  gubernant1  
plebemque in  officio continent4 ,et    
,ecclesia ,christi habet suam politiam1 
cum  ,pastor per se omnia prstare non   
posset1 adjungebantur ille duo          
,presbyteri1 de quibus dixit1 ,qui bene 
prsunt ,presbyteri1 duplici  honore     
digni habeantur1 maxime qui laborant in 

verbo  doctrina2 ,qui  una cum ,pastore 
deliberabant de ,ecclesi cura1          
instauratione3 qui  etiam fidei atque   
honest vit consortes erant4    #ec      
,estius in ,rom4 #ab4 ,aliis placet     
etiam hac parte speciale  quoddam       
charisma sive officium significari1     
misereri dicatur is qui  ab ,ecclesia   
curandis miseris1 potissimum grotis1    
prfectus est1  iisque prbet obsequia2   
velut etiam hodie fit in nosocomiis2 qui
  sensus haudquaquam improbabilis est4  
#ed ,cornelius  ,lapide1 in ,rom4 #ab4f1
 #g1 #h4    #ee ,whitak4 in             
prlectionibus suis1 ut refert in        
refutatione ,dounami  ,sheervodius1     
cited by the ,author of ,altare         
,damascen4 cap4 #ab4 pag4  #ibe1 #ibf4  
#ef ,whitgift against ,carthwright4     
#eg ,in a ,sermon of his in print4      
#eh ,de perpetua ,eccl4 gubernat4    #ei
 #b ,cor4 #aa4bg4 #a ,thess4 #b4i4      
#fj ,beza in #a ,tim4 #e4ag4 ,piscator  
in locum4 ,calvin4 in loc4    #fa ,non  
enim una persona potest dici ,ecclesia  

cum ,ecclesia sit  populus  ,regnum     
,dei4    #fb ,heb4 #ac4ag1 #bd4    #fc  
,chrys4 upon ,matth4 #ah4    #fd ,camer4
 de ,ecclesia1 upon ,matth4 #ah4    #fe 
pag4 #bjh1 #bji1 #bba4    #ff pag4 #adf4
    #fg unde  ,synagoga1  postea        
,ecclesia ,seniores habuit1 quorum sine 
consilio nihil agebatur in ,ecclesia2   
quod qua negligenti obsoleverit  nescio1
 nisi forte ,doctorum desidi1 aut magis 
superbi1 dum soli  volunt aliquid       
videri1 ,ambros4 in #a ,tim4 #e4    #fh 
,prsident probati quique ,seniores      
honorem istum non pretio sed  testimonio
 adepti4 ,tertull4 ,apolog4 cap4 #ci4   
#fi ,nonnulli prpositi sunt qui in vitam
  mores eorum qui  admittuntur          
inquirant1 ut qui turpia committant iis 
communi ctu  interdicant1 qui vero ab   
istis abhorrent1 ex animo complexi      
meliores  quotidie reddant1 ,orig4 lib4 
#c4 ,contra ,celsum4    #gj ,basil in   
,psalm #cc4 ,ubi quatuor gradus         
,ministrorum constituit1  quod scilicet 
alii sint in ,ecclesia instar oculorum1 

ut ,seniores2 alii  instar lingu1 ut    
,pastores2 alii tanquam manus1 ut       
,diaconi1 c4    #ga ,optatus lib4 #a4   
advers4 ,parmen4 mentioning a           
persecution1 that  did for a while      
scatter the ,church1 saith1 ,erant      
,ecclesi ex auro   argento quam plurima 
ornamenta1 nec defodere terr1 nec secum 
portare  poterat1 quare fidelibus       
,ecclesi ,senioribus commendavit4       
,albaspinus that learned ,antiquary upon
 that place acknowledged1  ,that besides
 the ,clergy1 there were certain of the 
,elders of the  people1 men of approved 
life1 that did tend the affaires of the 
,church1 of whom this place is to be    
understood4    #gb ,et nos habemus in   
,ecclesia ,senatum nostrum1 ctum        
,presbyterorum2  cum ergo inter ctera   
etiam senes ,judea perdiderit quomodo   
poterit  habere concilium1 quod proprie 
,seniorum est8 ,hier4 in ,is4 #c4b4     
#gc ,aug4 writing in his #acg4 ,epistle 
to those of his own ,church1  directs   
his ,epistle1 ,dilectissimis ,patribus1 

,clero1 senioribus1   univers plebi     
,ecclesi ,hipponensis4    ,so again4    
,aug4 lib4 #c4 contra ,cresconium1 cap4 
#ef4 ,peregrinus  ,presbyter1  ,seniores
 ,ecclesi ,mustican regionis4    ,again1
 ,sermo4 #ai4 de verbis ,domini4 ,cum ob
 errorem aliquem a  ,senioribus         
arguuntur  imputantur alicui de illis1  
cur ebrius fuerit8  c4    ,again1       
,epistola ,synodalis ,concilii          
,carbarsussitani apud eundem1 ,aug4     
enar4 in ,psalm #cf4 ,necesse nos fuerit
 ,primiani causam quem plebs  sancta    
,carthaginensis ,ecclesi ,episcopum     
fuerat in oculis ,dei sortita1          
,seniorum literis ejusdem ,ecclesi      
postulantibus audire atque  discutere4  
#gd ,gregor4 ,magnus4 lib4 #aa4 ep4 #ai4
 ,si quid de quocunque  ,clerico ad     
aures tuas pervenerit1 quod te juste    
possit offendere1  facile non credas1   
sed prsentibus ,ecclesi tu ,senioribus  
diligenter  est perscrutanda veritas1   
tunc si qualitas rei poposcet1 ,canonica
  districtio culpam feriat delinquentis4

 ,we should have added before1  that in 
actis purgationis ,cciliani  ,flicis2   
,we read ,episcopi1  ,presbyteri1       
,diaconi1 ,seniores4 ,again1 ,clerici   
,seniores ,cirthensium4  ,sundry        
,letters were produced and read in the  
conference3 one directed1  ,clero       
,senioribus3 another1 ,clericis         
,senioribus4 ,the ,letter of  ,purpurius
 to ,sylvanus1 speaketh thus1 ,adhibete 
conclericos1   ,seniores plebis         
,ecclesiasticos viros1  inquirant       
diligenter qu sint  ist dissensiones4   
#ge ,sutlivius de ,concil4 ab #a4 cap4  
#h saith1 that among the ,jews          
,seniores tribuum1 the ,elders of the   
,tribes did sit with the ,priests  in   
judging controversies of the ,law of    
,god4 ,hence he argues against          
,bellarmine1 that so it ought to be in  
the christian ,church also1  because the
 priviledge of christians is no less    
then the priviledg of  the ,jewes4      
#gf #a ,cor4 #aj4af1 #ag4    #gg ,rom4  
#d4aa4    #gh ,joh4 #f4fc4    #gi #a    

,tim4 #d4h4    #hj #b ,chr4 #bc4ai4     
,ezek4 #dd4g1 #h4    #ha ,levit4 #aj4aj4
 ,ezek4 #bb4bf4    #hb #a ,cor4 #e4ac4  
,rev4 #b4ad1 #ae1 #bj4 ,tit4 #c4aj4     
#hc ,levit4 #ai4ag4    #hd #a ,sam4 #b4 
#he ,zelum singularem laudat in tuenda  
disciplina ,ecclesi1 quod  vitiis in ctu
 grassantibus se fortiter opposuerit1   
scandalosos  censuris debitis           
correxerit1 vel ,ecclesi communione     
ejecerit4 ,ita  enim prcepit ,christus  
,apostolus1  viguerunt censur in        
primitiva  ,ecclesia magno bono1 ,pareus
 in locum4    #hf ,that the ,church of  
,ephesus1 is not ,individually1 but     
collectively to be taken1 vide          
,smectymnuum4    #hg #a ,cor4 #ab4bh4 #a
 ,tim4 #e4ag4 #a ,thess4 #e4ab4 ,heb4   
#ac4ag4    #hh ,gal4 #f4f4 where the    
word  properly signifieth a  teaching by
 questions and answers4    #hi ,mihi    
quidem sufficit conscientia mea1 vobis  
autem necessaria est  fama mea4 ,aug4 ad
 fratr4 in ,eremo4    #ij ,tertullian4  
,apologet4    #ia ,in his ,book of      

,christian subjection1 c4    #ib ,in his
 letters to ,wadesworth4    #ic ,j4,g4  
#id ,pezelii mellificium historicum1    
pars #b4 pag4 #bfh4    #ie ,m4 ,stock   
upon ,malachy1 cap4 #c4          ,the   
,,exhortation4      ,having thus in few 
words1 vindicated both our ,government  
and our  ,persons1 we conceive it       
necessary to subjoyn an ,exhortation    
unto all  the ,ministers1 and ,elders1  
and people1 that are within the         
,province2  which we shall branch into  
these ensuing particulars3    #a4 ,we   
shall direct our speech unto the        
,ministers and ,ruling ,elders1  that   
have accepted of1 and do act according  
to the ,rules of the  ,presbyterian     
,government1 as they are conjoyned in   
one and the same  ,presbytery4    #b4   
,unto those of our respective           
,congregations1 that submit unto the    
,government1 and are admitted unto the  
,sacrament of the body and blood  of    
,christ1 in the ,presbyterian way4      
#c4 ,unto those that live within the    

bounds of the ,province1 and have  not  
yet submitted to the ,government1 nor   
are admitted to the  ,sacrament1 in the 
,presbyteriall way4    #a4 ,we shall    
direct our speech unto the ,ministers   
and ,ruling-,elders1  that have accepted
 of1 and do act according to the ,rules 
of the  ,presbyterian ,government1 as   
they are conjoyned in one and the same  
,presbytery4    ,that which we have to  
say unto them1 is1    ,to perswade them 
to be faithfull in the discharge of the 
great trust  committed unto them4 ,to be
 a ,ruler in ,gods house1 as it is a    
place  of great honour1 so also of great
 trust2 and he that hath this  trust    
committed unto him1 ought to be one of a
 thousand4 ,it is a good  saying of an  
,heathen1 ,magistratus virum indicat1   
,magistracy will try  a man what he is1 
so will this office you4 ,such are the  
mountains of  opposition you are like to
 meet withall2 such is the courage you  
must  put on2 such is the wisdome and   
piety you must be cloathed withall1     

that we may truly say with the ,apostle1
 ,who is sufficient for these  things8  
,as ,tacitus saith of ,galba1 that he   
was ,capax imperii1  nisi imperasset1   
thought very fit to have been an        
,emperour1 had he  not been an          
,emperour2 so there are many that have  
been thought fit  to be ,elders1 till   
they were made ,elders4 ,many that      
seemed very  good1 when private         
,christians2 when advanced into places  
of trust1  have proved very wicked4 ,to 
have the body and blood of ,christ      
,sacramentall in your custody2 ,to be   
made ,keepers of ,christs  ,vineyard1   
and watchmen over his flock2 ,to have   
the keyes of the  ,kingdom of ,heaven   
committed unto you3 ,this is not only a 
great  honour1 but a great burden4 ,and 
therefore it must be your exceeding     
great care1 so to behave your selves in 
the ,church of ,god1 which is  his      
house1 that you may give up your account
 with joy at that great  day4 ,for this 
purpose we ,exhort you2    #a4 ,that you

 would labour to discharge your ,office 
with care and  diligence1 according to  
the advice of the ,apostle1 #if,let him 
that  ,ruleth1 ,rule with diligence4    
,the ,apostle foresaw how negligent     
,elders  would be1 in the trust         
committed unto them2 and therefore he   
chose to  lay this speciall injunction  
upon them4 ,you must not suffer the key 
of  discipline to rust for want of      
using1 but must remember1 that the life 
of discipline is in the execution2 and  
that the unprofitable servant  was cast 
into ,hell1 not for abusing2 but for not
 improving of his  ,talent4    #b4 ,that
 you would study to ,rule with all      
humility and ,self-denyal1  #ignot as   
lording it over ,gods heritage1 but as  
being examples to the  flock1 remembring
 the saying of our blessed ,saviour1    
#ih,the ,kings of  the ,gentiles        
exercise ,lordship2 ,and they that      
exercise authority upon  them1 are      
called ,benefactors3 ,but ye shall not  
be so4 ,but he that is  greatest among  

you1 let him be as the younger2 and he  
that is chief1  7or1 as it is in the    
,greek#ii1 he that ,ruleth17 as he that 
serveth4  ,you must not be as           
,diotrephes who loved to have the       
,preheminence2  not as the ,pharisees1  
#ajjwho loved the uppermost roomes at   
feasts1  and the chief seats in the     
,synagogue4    #c4 ,that you would      
labour to ,rule the ,church of ,god with
 all  peaceablenesse1 and quietness2    
doing nothing out of contention1  envy1 
or malice2 but all out of pure love1    
with the spirit of meekness  and        
patience4 ,that the people may read love
 and gentleness written  upon all your  
admonitions and censures4 #aja;,for the 
servant of the  ,lord must not strive1  
but be gentle unto all men1 apt to      
teach1  patient1 in all meekness        
instructing those that oppose           
themselves1 if  ,god peradventure will  
give them repentance1 to the            
acknowledgment of  the truth2 ,and that 
they may recover themselves out of the  

snare of  the ,devill1 who are taken    
captive by him at his will4 ,famous is  
the saying of our ,saviour1 ,have salt  
in your selves1 and peace one  with     
another4 ,by salt1 is meant 7as         
,chemnitius and others  observe17       
sincere doctrine and discipline whereby 
the people of ,god  are seasoned1 and   
kept from the putrefaction of sin and   
errour2 this  salt is so to be          
sprinkled1 as that if it be possible1 it
 may have  peace joyned with it4 ,have  
salt in your selves1 and peace one with 
another4 ,there are that think1 that    
sincere discipline and peace  cannot    
stand together1 but they are confuted by
 ,christs own words4 ,the  readiest way 
to have true peace one with another1 is 
to have salt  within our selves4 ,there 
are indeed1 some ,congregations1 that   
have  this salt1 without this peace2    
which is a misery to be exceedingly     
bewailed4 ,there are others which have  
peace without this salt1 but  this peace
 is a wicked peace2 a peace with sin and

 errour1 which  will end in damnation4  
,but blessed and happy are those        
,congregations1  that have salt in      
themselves1 and true ,christian peace   
one with  another4 ,a ,church-,officer  
must not be a bramble1 rending and      
tearing the people committed to his     
charge1 but as a fig tree1  vine1 and   
olive tree1 refreshing them with his    
fatnesse1  swetnesse1 and fruitfulnesse4
    #d4 ,that you would labour to make  
your ,congregations pure1 as well as    
peaceable2 following after piety1 as    
much as verity and unity4 ,that  all    
your people under your charge1 may be   
visible ,saints at least4 ,it  is the   
great complaint that some take up       
against the ,presbyteriall  ,government1
 that it studieth unity and truth1 but  
neglecteth holiness  and purity4 ,and   
therefore we beseech you ,brethren1 by  
our ,lord ,jesus  ,christ1 who is called
 the holy ,one1 that you would labour to
 free  the ,government from this        
scandal4 ,if there be any under your    

inspection grosly ignorant1 or of       
scandalous life and conversation1  you  
ought not to admit him to the           
,sacrament2 for if you do1 you are      
accessary to his sin of unworthy        
receiving2 you are instrumentall to  the
 damnation of his soul1 you pollute the 
ordinance2 you offend the  godly amongst
 you2 you render the ,government        
obnoxious to just  exception2 and you   
bring down the heavy judgments of ,god  
upon the  ,congregation4 ,if there be   
any that after admission prove          
scandalous1  you are to admonish him2   
and if he continue obstinate1 you are to
 put  away from among your selves that  
wicked person1 to purge out the old     
leaven1 that you may be a new lump4 ,and
 this you are to do3    #a4 ,for the    
,churches sake2 that the ,church in     
which you are ,rulers1  may not be      
infected2 for know you not1 that a      
little leaven leaveneth  the whole lump8
    #b4 ,for the sinners sake2 you must 
deliver such a one unto ,satan1  for the

 destruction of the flesh1 that the     
spirit may be saved in the  day of the  
,lord ,jesus4    #c4 ,for ,christs sake1
 that his name may not be dishonoured1  
and that  he may not be forced to depart
 from your ,assemblies4    #d4 ,for the 
,ordinances sake1 that they may not be  
polluted4    #e4 ,for your own sakes1   
that you may not be damned for other    
mens  sins4    ,oh that our words might 
take impression upon all your hearts1   
that are  ,ministers and ,elders within 
the ,province6 what a glorious thing    
were  it1 if it might be said of all our
 ,congregations1 that they are not  only
 true1 but pure ,churches1 and ,churches
 united in love1 and in  the truth8 ,how
 would this tend to the honour of ,jesus
 ,christ1 the  ,king of his ,church8    
,how would this make him delight to     
dwell in the  midst of you8 ,how would  
this stop the mouthes of ,anabaptists1  
,brownists1 and ,independents8 ,how     
would the blood of ,jesus ,christ be    
preserved from prophanation1 and the    

wicked in time gained to  repentance1   
and the blessing of ,god be upon us1    
together with peace  and plenty in all  
our dwellings8    ,we beseech you once  
more1 by the blood of ,jesus ,christ1   
which was shed  for your souls1 that you
 would not prostitute it to open        
sinners1 but  use all possible means to 
make your ,congregations more and more  
pure4  ,for this purpose1 consider1 what
 the ,directory for ,church-,government1
  advisedly and religiously requireth of
 you1 namely1 ,that where there  are    
many ,ruling-,officers in a particular  
,congregation1 some of them do  more    
especially attend the inspection of one 
part1 some of another1 as  may be most  
convenient4 ,and some of them are1 at   
fit times1 to visit  the several        
families for their spiritual good4 ,and 
for the better  inabling you to do these
 things1 we exhort you further3    #e4  
,that you would labour to abound more   
and more in all knowledge1  and         
soundnesse of judgement1 and in all     

manner of godly  conversation2 for he   
that would be fit to purge ,gods house  
of  ignorance and scandal1 must first   
purge himself of ignorance and  scandal4
 ,church-purification and reformation1  
must begin in  self-purification and    
reformation4 ,he that will reprove sin  
in  others1 must be free from that sin  
himself2 otherwise it will be said1     
,thou hypocrite1 first cast out the beam
 out of thine own eye1 and  then thou   
shalt see clearly1 to cast out the moat 
out of thy brothers  eye4 ,and he must  
be free from all other scandalous sins  
also2  otherwise men will be ready to   
say1 ,this man reproveth me for         
drunkenness1 but he himself is covetous2
 he reproveth me for swearing1  but he  
himself will lie4 ,and therefore our    
prayer to ,god for you is1  #ajb,that   
you may be filled with the fruits of    
,righteousness1 which  are by ,jesus    
,christ1 unto the glory and praise of   
,god1 that your  love may abound yet    
more and more1 in knowledge1 and in all 

judgment2  that ye may approve the      
things that are excellent3 ,that ye may 
be  sincere1 and without offence1 till  
the day of ,christ4 ,for you are        
appointed by ,christ to convince        
gain-sayers1 and therefore you had  need
 to let the ,word of ,god dwell in you  
richly1 in all wisdom1  especially in   
these dayes1 wherein there are many     
unruly and vain  talkers1 and deceivers1
 whose mouthes must be stopped2 who     
subvert  whole houses1 teaching things  
they ought not1 for filthy lucres sake4 
,you are appointed by ,christ1 to be    
examples to the flock4 ,and that  which 
is but a little sin in others1 will be a
 great one in you4 ,your  sins are not  
sins1 but monsters3 ,you are like       
,looking-glasses1  according to which1  
others dresse themselves2 you are like  
pictures in  a glass-window1 every      
little blemish will be quickly seen in  
you3 ,your  lives are looked upon as    
,presidents1 your examples1 as ,rules3  
,and  therefore you ought to be         

exemplarily holy1 or else you shall     
receive the greater condemnation4    #f4
 ,that you would labour to be good in   
all your relations1 good  ,parents1 good
 ,masters1 good ,husbands1 dwelling with
 your wives  according to knowledge1 as 
being heires together of the grace of   
life1  that your prayers be not         
hindered3 ,for if a man know not how to 
rule  his own house1 how shall he take  
care of the ,church of ,god8 ,how shall 
he be a good ,ruling ,elder1 that doth  
not rule well his own house1  having his
 children in subjection with all        
gravity8 ,how can he  perswade others to
 set up the worship of ,god in their    
families1 that  hath none in his own8   
,and therefore1 that you may rule the   
better in  ,gods ,church1 you must make 
your houses as it were little ,churches4
    #g4 ,that you would labour to be men
 of publique spirits1 seeking the       
things of ,christ before1 and more then 
your own2 mourning more for the         
miseries of the ,church1 then your own2 

and rejoycing more in the  prosperity of
 ,sion1 then your own4    ,a            
,church-,officer must be like old ,eli1 
who was more troubled at the  losse of  
the ,ark1 then the death of his two     
sons4 ,and like the  ,psalmist1 that    
bewailed more the burning of ,gods      
house1 then his  own2 and the desolation
 of ,gods ,church1 then of the          
,kingdome4#ajc    #h4 ,that you would   
labour to be of a liberall and free     
spirit1 feeding  the flock of ,god which
 is among you1 taking the oversight     
thereof1 not  by constraint1 but        
willingly1 not for filthy lucre1 but of 
a ready  mind4 ,a ,covetous ,judas will 
betray ,jesus ,christ for thirty pieces 
of silver1 and sell a good conscience   
for a messe of pottage2 and be  prodigal
 of the blood of ,christ1 rather then   
lose his trading4    #i4 ,that you would
 labour to be of a courageous and       
resolute spirit1  valiant for the truth 
and cause of ,god2 as ,luther was1 who  
alone  opposed a world of ,enemies2 and 

as ,athanasius1 who was both as an      
,adamant1 and a ,loadstone1 in his      
private converse#ajd2 he was  very      
courteous and affable1 drawing all men  
to him1 even as a  ,loadstone doth iron2
 but in the cause of ,god1 and of his   
truth1 he was  unmoveable1 and          
unconquerable as an ,adamant4 ,there is 
nothing will  cause you sooner to       
apostatize from your ,principles1 and   
from your  practices1 then base fear of 
men4 ,this made even ,peter deny        
,christ2  and ,david1 run to the        
,philistines1  ,abraham1 to dissemble4  
,the  ,wise man saith1 ,the fear of man 
bringeth a snare1 but who so putteth    
his trust in the ,lord1 shall be safe4  
,our prayer to ,god for you1 is1  ,that 
the #aje,lord would speak unto you with 
a strong hand2 and  instruct you1 that  
you may not walk in the way of this     
people1 saying  a ,confederacy unto     
those unto whom this people shall say a 
,confederacy2 nor fear their fear3 but  
sanctifie the ,lord of hosts in  your   

hearts1 and make him your fear and your 
dread4 ,and you have a  most blessed    
promise added1 ,that ,jesus ,christ will
 be unto you for a  ,sanctuary1 to      
protect and defend you in the day of    
your greatest  fears and dangers4       
#aj4 ,that you would labour to be of a  
tender spirit1 tender of the  honour of 
,god1 of the blood of ,christ           
,sacramental1 of the souls of the       
people committed to your charge1 of the 
truths and ,government of  ,christ4 ,a  
,church-,officer must not be a ,gallio1 
not caring what  becomes of ,religion1  
and the interest of ,christ4 ,nor a     
luke-warm  ,laodicean1 neither hot nor  
cold1 lest he be spewed out of the mouth
  of ,christ4 ,but he must be a ,josiah1
 whose commendation was this1  that his 
heart was tender1 a ,david1 whose eyes  
ran down with  rivers of tears1 because 
men kept not the law3 a ,jeremiah1 who  
wished1 that his head were waters1 and  
his eyes a fountain of tears1  that he  
might weep day and night for the slain  

of the daughter of his  people4    #aa4 
,that you would persevere and continue  
in the great trust  committed unto you1 
not deserting1 nor neglecting the duty  
thereof1  for any present               
discouragements whatsoever2 remembring  
what out  ,saviour saith1 ,he that hath 
put his hand to the plough1 and looketh 
back1 is not fit for the ,kingdome of   
,heaven4    ,we cannot deny1 but there  
are many things to dishearten you1 and  
make  you grow faint and weary1 viz4    
your own insufficiency to so great a    
work2 the untractablenesse1 and         
unperswadeablenesse of many among the   
people to submit unto the ,government2  
,the small beginnings of  reformation in
 ,church-,government unto which we have 
yet attained1 and  especially the little
 countenance that it finds with many1   
from whom  it might most justly be      
expected4 ,yet notwithstanding1 we hope1
 that  that ,god which hath stirred you 
up to help to lay the first stone in    
this building1 will not suffer you to   

leave the work1 till the head  stone be 
brought forth with shoutings1 crying1   
grace1 grace unto  it4 ,for this        
purpose1 we desire you earnestly to     
consider with us2    #a4 ,that the      
,authority by which you act1 is divine4 
,for the office not  only of a teaching1
 but also of a ,ruling ,elder1 is       
founded upon the  ,word of ,god1 as hath
 been already shewed4    #b4 ,that the  
,government which you have entred upon1 
is not a ,government  of mans framing1  
but the ,government of ,jesus ,christ2  
who as ,king and  ,head of his ,church1 
hath appointed you your work1 and hath  
promised1  #ajf,that where two or three 
of you are gathered together in his     
name1 there to be in the midst of you1  
to protect1 direct1 sanctifie1  support1
 and comfort you4 ,this ,christ is      
#ajgthat stone cut out of  the mountain 
without hands1 that will destroy all the
 ,kingdomes that  oppose him and his    
,government1 and will himself become a  
great  mountain1 filling the whole      

earth4 ,the time is shortly coming1 when
  the ,kingdomes of this world shall    
become the ,kingdoms of our ,lord1  and 
of his ,christ2 when the #ajhmountain of
 the house of the ,lord  shall be       
established in the top of the mountains1
 and it shall be  axalted above the     
hills1 and people shall flow unto it3   
,and many  ,nations shall say1 ,come and
 let us go up to the ,mountain of the   
,lord1  and to the house of the ,god of 
,jacob1 and he will teach us his  wayes1
 and we will walk in his pathes4 ,and   
that ,nation and ,kingdome1  that will  
not serve the ,lord ,christ1 shall      
perish yea those ,nations  shall be     
utterly wasted4    #c4 ,the reward you  
shall have for the faithfull continuance
 in your  office1 #aji;is not from men1 
7though you deserve1 and ought to have  
even from men double honour1 and are to 
be had in high esteem from  your work   
sake17 but from ,god1 who hath promised 
to give you a  #aaj;crown of glory1 that
 fadeth not away1 when the chiefe       

,shepherd  shall appear2 which promise  
is applicable1 not only to the teaching1
  but ,ruling ,elder2 the ,apostle      
speaking there of ,elders indefinitely1 
without restriction or limitation4      
#d4 ,the strength by which you act1 is  
the strength of ,christ2 and  though in 
your selves you be insufficient for so  
great a work1 7for  who is sufficient   
for these things7 yet by ,christ that   
strengthens  you1 you are able to do all
 things4 ,god never calls a man to any  
employment1 but he giveth a competent   
ability thereunto2 and is angry  with   
those that pretend insufficiency for    
that ,office to which he  calls them1 as
 appears by the example of ,moses1      
,exod4 #c4aj1 #aa1  #ac1 #ad4    #e4    
,consider what great things ,god hath   
brought to pass with weak  instruments4 
,moses a shepherd was the deliverer of  
the ,israelites  out of ,egypt2 and a   
great part of the ,world was converted  
by a few  ,fisher-men4 ,god delights to 
convey grace by contemptible ,elements2 

as  ,water1 ,bread1 and ,wine1 and to   
manifest his great power in mans great  
weakness1 that so all the glory may     
redound to him alone4    #f4 ,that the  
greatest undertakings in the ,church1   
have met with  greatest difficulties and
 oppositions4 #aaa;,jerusalem was built 
again even in troublous times4 ,tobia   
and ,sanballat1 and all their           
,adherents set themselves against it1   
both with scorns1 false  informations1  
and acts of violence1 yet the work went 
on and  prospered3 and though it had    
very many years interruption1 yet at    
last  ,god raised up the spirit of      
,haggai1 ,zecheriah1 and of  ,zerubbabel
 and ,joshua1 and the work was suddainly
 finished4 ,who  art thou ,o great      
,mountain before ,zerubbabel8 thou shalt
 become a  plain1 c4 ,oppositions should
 rather quicken1 then cool activity4    
#g4 ,that the greatest affairs and      
achievements are wont at first to  have 
but small beginnings1 like the ,prophet 
,elias cloud4 ,the repair  of the       

,temple and of the ,city of ,jerusalem  
was so small at first1 as  that the     
enemies mockt1 and said#aab2 ,even that 
which they build1 if  a ,fox go up1 he  
shall break down their stone wall4 ,and 
,iudah her  self said#aac1 ,the strength
 of the bearers of the burden is        
decayed1  and there is much rubbish1 so 
as we are not able to build the wall4   
,and yet notwithstanding ,god saith#aad1
 ,who hath despised the day of  small   
things8 for they shall rejoice1 and     
shall see the plummet in the  hand of   
,zerubbabel4 ,the hand of ,zerubbabel   
laid the foundation of  this house1 his 
hand shalt also finish it1 not by might1
 nor by power1  but by my ,spirit1 saith
 the ,lord#aae4    #h4 ,consider1 who1  
and of what carriage the most of those  
are that  oppose this ,government1 and  
upon what grounds they are against it1  
and  it will adde a singular testimony  
to the goodness of it1 and incourage    
you the rather to stand for it1 seeing  
so many erroneous1  superstitious1      

hereticall1 leud and licentious persons 
of all sorts1  are so violent against   
it4    #i4 ,if ,god countenance the     
,government1 it is the less matter if it
 want  the countenance of man4 ,let not 
the faultinesse of others1 discourage   
,gods faithfull ,ones from their trust  
and duty3 ,the fewer stand for it1  the 
more reason there is that we should4    
,the ,lord of ,hosts is with  us1 the   
,god of ,jacob is our refuge3 ,and      
therefore let us not fear  what man can 
do unto us1 for there are more with us1 
then against us4    #aj4 ,god hath the  
hearts of all men in his hands1 and he  
can in an  instant raise up a ,cyrus to 
appear for his ,people1 and his ,cause2 
he can raise up ,zerubbabels1           
,nehemiah's1 and ,ezrah's2 he can1  and 
he will raise up ,kings to be the       
nursing ,fathers1 and ,queens the       
nursing ,mothers of his ,church2 he can 
turn the hearts of people1 and  make    
them willing to submit their necks to   
the yoak of the ,lord2 and  he hath     

promised1 that in the day of his power1 
the people shall be  willing4    #aa4   
,lastly1 consider what great things ,god
 hath done already for us2  and if he   
had meant to have destroyed us1 he would
 not have done all  this for us3 ,he    
hath broken the iron yoak of ,prelacy1  
removed  superstitious ,ceremonies1 and 
,service-book1 established a more pure  
way of ,ordination of ,ministers1 and of
 worshipping of ,god1 and there  are    
hopefull beginnings of this ,government 
in many of our  ,congregations2 and we  
doubt not1 but that ,god1 who hath been 
the  ,author1 will be the ,finisher of  
this mighty ,work4    ,let the          
consideration of these particulars      
exceedingly affect you1 and  stir you up
 to persevere1  hold out in that great  
office you have  undertaken1 in nothing 
being terrified or discouraged1 but     
trusting in  the great ,god1 who never  
faileth those that put their trust in   
him4           99       99       99     
99       99    ,our second ,exhortation 

is unto those of our respective         
,congregations1  that submit unto the   
,government1 and are admitted unto the  
,sacrament  of the body and bloud of    
,christ1 in the ,presbyterian way2 ,that
 we are  to exhort you unto1 is1    #a4 
,that as you are ,saints outwardly1 and 
such who live 7as we hope7  unblameably 
in the eyes of the world2 so you would  
labour to be ,saints  inwardly1         
approving not only your wayes unto men1 
but your hearts and  consciences unto   
the heart-searching ,god4 ,and for this 
purpose1 we  perswade you1 #aafto wash  
not only your hands1 but your hearts1   
from  all iniquity1 and not to suffer   
vain thoughts to lodge within you2 ,to  
put away the evill of your doings from  
before ,gods eyes2 #aag,to be  ,jews    
inwardly circumcised with the           
circumcision of the heart1 in the       
,spirit1 not in the ,letter1 whose      
praise is not of ,man1 but of ,god2  ,to
 labour more to be good1 then to seem to
 be good2 to be more  ashamed to be     

evill1 then to be known to be evill2 to 
strive more  to get your sins cured1    
then covered2 and to be not gilded1 but 
golden ,christians4 ,alas6 what will it 
avail you1 to be esteemed by  your      
,minister and ,elders reall ,saints1    
when the ,lord who is your  ,judge1     
knows you to be but painted ,sepulchres3
 ,what will it profit you  to have our  
,euge and approbation1 when you have the
 ,apage and  disallowance of ,god1 and  
all his holy ,angels8 ,and therefore our
 prayer  to ,god for you is1 that he    
would make you not only nominall1 but   
reall  ,christians2 not only ,saints by 
profession1 but by conversation2 not    
only morally and formally1 but          
,spiritually and ,theologically good1   
having your persons1 principles1 and    
aims holy1 as well as your  actions4 ,he
 and he only is a right ,christian1     
whose person is united  to ,christ by a 
lively ,faith2 and whose nature is      
elevated by the  ,spirit of             
,regeneration1 and whose principles1    

practices1 and aims1  are divine and    
supernatural4    ,secondly1 as it is    
your great honour and priviledg to be   
admitted to  the ,sacrament1 when others
 by reason of ignorance or scandal are  
refused2 so it must be your great care1 
to come worthily2 and so to  demean your
 selves1 that you may be made partakers 
of the graces   consolations of this    
heavenly banquet2 ,and for this end1 we 
think it  our dutie to propound certain 
necessary directions to you1 for the    
right ordering of your ,sacramental     
approaches2 and to perswade you by  the 
mercies of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 to 
the diligent and  conscientious practice
 of these following particulars4    #a4 
,not to rest contented with the         
examination of your ,minister and       
,elders1 but chiefly and especially to  
examine your selves1 and so to  eat of  
that bread1 and drink of that cup3 ,to  
examine your selves1  whether you be in 
,christ or no1 whether ,you do truly    
repent2 whether  ,you do hunger and     

thirst after ,christ in the ,sacrament2 
whether ,you  have an unfeigned love to 
,god1 and ,your ,neighbour1 manifested  
by an  impartial respect unto all the   
,commandements and ,ordinances of       
,christ3  ,for though we may and ought  
to admit you upon the profession of     
these  graces2 yet ,christ will not bid 
,you welcome1 unless ,you have them in  
truth and sinceritie4 ,and though we    
cannot discern who are hypocrites1  and 
who are sincere amongst ,you2 yet he    
that can distinguish between  star and  
star1 can and will distinguish between a
 true ,saint1 and a  formal ,hypocrite3 
and therefore labour to be such1 indeed 
and in  truth1 as ,you seem to ,us1 to  
be in word and profession4    ,secondly1
 ,as not to come without preparation and
 examination2 so also  not to trust to  
your preparation and examination4       
,sacraments do not  work as ,physick1   
whether men sleep or wake1 ex opere     
operato1 by  vertue inherent in them2   
but ex opere operantis1 according to the

  disposition and qualification of the  
party that partakes of them4 ,if  the   
party be not qualified according to the 
tenour of the ,covenant of  grace1 he   
eats and drinks damnation to himself1   
and not salvation2 and  when he hath    
done all he can by grace received1 to   
prepare himself2  yet he must not relie 
upon his preparation1 for this were to  
make an  ,idol of it1 and set up dutie  
in the room of ,christ4 ,excellent is   
that  saying of ,austine#aah1 ,he that  
stands upon his own strength1 shall     
never stand2 and of ,bernard#aai1 ,that 
man labours in vain1 that  doth not     
labour resting upon ,christ and his     
merits2 and therefore we  exhort ,you1  
after all your care of preparation1 to  
renounce it as to  the point of         
confidence1 and to come to ,christ in   
the strength and  confidence of ,christ 
alone4    #c4 ,not be satisfied in the  
bare bringing of the forementioned      
graces  with you to the ,sacrament1 but 
to labour according to the advice of    

the ,apostle#abj1 to stir up the gift of
 ,god that is in you4 ,the  ,greek is1  
to blow up1 and cause the grace of ,god 
within us to  kindle4 ,fire1 as long as 
it lyeth raked up in the ,embers1 will  
give no  heat2 a man may die with cold1 
for all such a fire4 ,grace1 as long as 
it lyeth dead in the habite1 will not   
avail a man at the ,sacrament4  ,and    
therefore1 that you may be worthy       
receivers1 you must take pains  to blow 
up the grace of ,god that is in you4    
,you must arise and trim  your          
spirituall lamps1 7as the wise ,virgins 
did17 that so you may  be fit to meet   
with your ,bridegroom4 ,you must        
brighten your  spirituall armour1  gird 
up the loins of your mind2 ,you must not
  only have1 but put on your wedding    
garment1 and come to this  heavenly     
feast apparrelled in all your spiritual 
ornaments4 ,for it is  a certain truth1 
that not only a wicked man1 that wants  
grace1 but a  childe of ,god that hath  
true grace1 may receive the ,sacrament  

unworthily2 though he cannot come       
unworthily as the wicked do1 out of  a  
total want of grace1 yet he may come    
unworthily out of grosse  negligence1   
and sinful carelesness1 in not exciting 
and stirring up1  and improving the     
grace of ,god that is in him4#aba ,for  
not to use  grace1 and not to have      
grace1 in this case1 do little differ in
  ,gods account4 ,and therefore1 if you 
would be worthy guests at this  ,supper1
 you must not only have a true ,faith1  
but a fit ,faith2 not  only a true      
repentance1 but a fit repentance2 you   
must not only have  grace1 but act      
grace2 you must set your ,faith on work1
 to feed upon  that blessed             
,sacramentall promise1 ,take1 eat1 this 
is my body which  is broken for you2    
,this is my blood which is shed for you4
 ,and you  must labour to make strong   
and particular applications of ,christ  
to  your souls1 and to believe1 that as 
verily as you eat the ,bread1 and  drink
 the ,wine1 so verily you are made      

partakers of ,christs body and  blood1  
to your everlasting happiness4 ,and so  
likewise you must act  repentance1 love1
 thankfullness1 and obedience1 according
 to the  direction of the ,word of ,god4
    #d4 ,to do all that you do at the   
,sacrament1 in remembrance of ,christ4  
,for this is the main design of ,christ1
 in appointing this ,ordinance1  that it
 might be a ,love-token from ,christ    
alwaies by us1 and an  effectual means  
to keep his death in perpetual          
remembrance1 that it  might be a lively 
picture of ,christ crucified2 and he    
that will  receive aright1 must be eying
 this ,picture while he is at the       
,sacrament2 and the more he minds it1   
the more he will admire it3 ,the        
,angels#abb #abcstoop down to look upon 
,christ incarnate1 and it  is the       
happiness of heaven to have ,christ     
alwaies before them2 and it  is our     
happiness on earth1 that we have such a 
blessed commemoration  of ,christ       
crucified3 ,as ,christ is all in all1 in

 all ,creatures1 in all  ,relations1 in 
all ,conditions1 and in all ,ordinances2
 so more  especially in this3 ,for the  
,elements of ,bread and ,wine are not   
appointed for natural ends and purposes1
 but ,christ is all in all in  them3    
,they are ,representations1             
,commemorations1 ,obsignations1 and     
,exhibitions of ,jesus ,christ4 ,you    
must labour with the ,eye of ,faith to  
see ,christs name written upon the      
,bread and ,wine1 and you must read     
,christ in every ,sacramental action3   
when ,you behold the ,bread and ,wine   
consecrated2 ,you must remember how     
,jesus ,christ was set apart by his     
,father1 from all ,eternity1 to be the  
,redeemer of his ,people3 ,and when  the
 ,minister breaks the bread1 ,you must  
remember the great sufferings  that     
,jesus ,christ endured for ,your sins2  
and when ,you take the ,bread1  and     
drink the ,wine1 you must do this in    
remembrance of ,christ2 ,you  must      
believe1 that now ,christ giveth himself

 to be ,your nourishment1  and your     
,comforter unto eternal life2 and you   
must labour by a lively  ,faith1 to take
 him as your ,lord and ,saviour1 and to 
cry out with  ,thomas in the highest    
degree 7if it be possible7 of rejoycing1
 ,my  ,god1 and my ,lord3 #abd;,and when
 you eat the ,bread1 and drink the      
,wine1 you must remember1 that ,christ  
is the living ,bread that came  down    
from ,heaven1 and that whosoever eats of
 this ,bread1 shall live  for ever3 and 
that whosoever eateth the flesh of      
,christ1 and drinketh  his blood1       
dwelleth in ,christ1 and ,christ in him4
 ,and you must  endeavour to receive    
,soul-nourishment from ,christ1 as your 
bodies do  by the bread you eat2 and as 
the bread is turned into your substance1
  so to be made more and more one with  
,christ by faith3 that having a  reall1 
though spirituall union with him1 ,you  
may have a happy interest  and communion
 in all his purchases4 ,this is the life
 of the ,holy  ,sacrament1 without      

which1 all is but a dead and empty      
,ceremonie4 ,but  we adde further1 ,that
 this remembrance of ,christ must not be
 barely  notionall1 doctrinall1 and     
historicall1 but it must be also        
practicall1 experimentall1 and          
applicative2 it must produce  these and 
such like blessed effects and operations
 in your hearts4    #a4 ,you must so    
remember ,christ1 as to find power      
coming out of ,christ  ,sacramental1 to 
break your hearts for all the sins you  
have committed  against him4 ,christ is 
presented in the ,sacrament as a broken 
,christ2  his body broken1 and his bloud
 poured out3 and the very breaking of   
the bread understandingly looked upon1  
is a forcible argument to break  your   
hearts4 ,was ,jesus ,christ rent and    
torn in pieces for you1 and  shall it   
not break you hearts1 that you should   
sin against him8 ,was he  crucified for 
you1 and will you crucifie him by your  
sins8 ,and  besides1 the breaking of the
 bread is not only ordained to be a     

motive unto brokenness of heart for sin1
 but also in the right use to  effect   
that which it doth move unto4    #b4    
,you must so remember ,christ           
,sacramentall1 as to find power coming  
out of ,christ1 to subdue all your sins 
and iniquities2 as the diseased  woman  
felt vertue coming out of ,christ1 to   
cure her bloody ,issue2 so  there is    
power in an applicative and fiduciall   
remembrance of ,christ  at the          
,sacrament1 to heal all the sinfull     
issues of our souls4 ,there  is no sin  
so strong1 but it is conquerable by a   
power derived from  ,christ crucified4  
#c4 ,this is to remember ,christ aright 
at the ,sacrament1 when you never  cease
 remembring him1 till your hearts be    
brought into a thankfull  frame to ,god1
 for ,christ and for his ineffable      
blessings and mercies  exhibited in the 
,sacrament to a worthy receiver4 ,and   
therefore it is  called an ,eucharist1  
or a feast of thanksgiving4 ,it is as   
,justin  ,martyr saith1 #abe;food made  

up all of thanksgiving4 ,it is a        
custome in ,colledges and houses founded
 by the bounty of great men1 to  have a 
feastivall commemoration of the bounties
 of their  ,benefactors4 ,the ,sacrament
 is a commemoration day of your great   
,benefactor ,iesus ,christ1 wherein you 
are to remember all those things  which 
he suffered for you2 and the proper duty
 of the day is  thanksgiving4    #d4    
,you must not leave off remembring      
,christ ,sacramental1 till your  hearts 
be inflamed with an ardent love to      
,jesus ,christ2 for he is set  forth in 
this ,sacrament1 in all the endearing   
expressions1 as a  crucified ,christ1 as
 pouring out his blood for us4 ,now it  
is an  excellent expression of ,bernard3
 #abf,the more vile ,christ made        
himself for us1 the more dear he ought  
to be unto us4 ,you must never  leave   
meditating of his love1 #abgtill he be  
as fast fixed in your  hearts1 as he was
 upon the ,cross4    #e4 ,you must so   
remember ,christ1 as to be willing to do

 and suffer any  thing for that ,christ1
 that hath done and suffered so much for
 you2  till you can say with ,david1    
,what shall ,i render for all his       
blessings towards me8 till you can say  
with ,thomas1 ,come1 let us go  dye with
 him2 and we add1 for him3 till with the
 ,apostle1 you can  rejoyce to be       
counted worthy to be whipt for his names
 sake4 ,and can  with ,ignatius that    
blessed ,martyr1 #abh;call your iron    
chains1 not  bonds1 but ,ornaments1 and 
,spirituall ,pearls2 till you can say1  
as ,judg4 #h4bb4 ,rule thou over us1 c4 
for thou hast delivered us  from the    
hand of ,midian4 ,there is nothing hard 
to that ,christian1  that doth rightly  
remember ,christ ,sacramental4    #f4   
,you must continue in remembring ,christ
 in the ,sacrament1 till your  hearts be
 wrought up to a through contempt of the
 world1 and all  worldly things4 ,christ
 instituted the ,sacrament when he was  
going out  of the world2 and when he was
 crucifying1 the whole world was in     

darkness and obscurity3 and he is       
propounded in the ,sacrament1 as a      
persecuted1 broken1 crucified ,christ1  
despising1  being despised of  the      
world4 ,and if you do practically       
remember the ,sacrament of his  death1  
you will finde vertue coming out        
thereof1 to make you dead to  the world1
 and all worldly things4 ,the ,sacrament
 is called by the  ,ancients1 #abi;a    
feast for ,eagles1 not for ,dawes2 and  
therefore it  was a phrase ordinarily   
used in the administration of this      
,sacrament1  ,lift up your hearts to    
heaven where ,christ is4    #g4 ,cease  
not remembring ,christ1 till you be made
 partakers of the rare  grace of        
humility4 ,of all the graces that       
,christ picks out1 in which  he would   
have ,christians to imitate him in1     
humility is one of the  chiefest1       
,matth4 #aa4bi4 ,learn of me1 for ,i am 
humble1 c4 ,and  ,christ in the         
,sacrament is presented1 as humbling    
himself to the  death of the ,cross1 for

 our sakes4 ,and what a shame is it1 to 
remember  an humble ,christ1 with a     
proud heart8 ,the practicall remembrance
 of  the humility of ,christ            
,sacramental1 when sanctified1 is mighty
 in  operation1 to tame the pride of our
 hearts4    #h4 ,you must not fail to   
remember ,christ in the ,sacrament1 till
 by  faith you have applyed ,christ1 as 
your ,christ3 ,till you can say with    
,paul1 ,gal4 #b4bj4 ,who loved me1 and  
gave himself for me4  ,propriety in     
,christ1 is that which sweetens all4    
,for what are you the  better for       
,christ1 if he be not your ,christ8 ,the
 ,divels and damned  in ,hell may       
remember ,christ1 but not with comfort1 
because they cannot  remember him1 but  
as their enemy4 ,but you must so        
remember ,christ1 as  to make him yours1
 by an appropriating ,faith4            
,sidenote3 ,quest4    ,but how shall we 
be inabled thus to apply ,christ8       
,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,this is done1 by  
studying the free tender that is made of

 ,christ in  the ,covenant of grace1    
which is expressed1 ,isai4 #ee4a4       
,revel4  #bb4ag4 ,jesus ,christ is that 
brazen ,serpent lifted up upon the      
,cross1  on purpose1 that whosoever     
looks up to him1 shall be healed2 and   
whosoever receives him as his ,lord and 
,saviour1 should not perish1  but have  
everlasting life4 ,you must study the   
freeness1 fulness1  and particularity of
 the offer of ,christ2 and pray unto    
that ,christ1  who bids you believe1 to 
give you to believe4 ,and truly there   
cannot  be a greater discourtesie to    
,jesus ,christ1 then to doubt of his    
love  towards you1 while ye are         
receiving the pledges of his love4 ,for 
herein hath #acj;,god commended his love
 toward us1 in that while we  were yet  
sinners1 ,christ dyed for us4 ,what can 
,christ do more to  manifest his love1  
or to perswade us of his love he bears  
to us8 ,much  more might be said to this
 purpose1 but we leave these things to  
be  amplified by the ,ministry of your  

faithful ,pastors4 ,and we proceed to   
give you further directions1 for the    
right managing of your  ,sacramental    
addresses4    #e4 ,in the fifth place1  
we exhort you to consider the           
,sacrament1 under  a four-fold ,notion3 
#a4 ,as it is a spirituall medicine to  
cure the remainders of your  corruption4
    #b4 ,as it is spirituall food to    
strengthen your weak graces4    #c4 ,as 
it is a spiritual ,cordial to comfort   
your distressed  consciences4    #d4 ,as
 it is a strong obligation and forcible 
engagement to all acts  of thankfulness 
and obedience unto ,jesus ,christ4      
,now if you would get the benefit and   
comfort of the ,sacrament1 you  must    
when you come to it1 carry these four   
considerations in your  mind2 and labour
 to draw out good from the ,sacrament1  
according to  each of them4    #a4 ,you 
must consider what sin it is1 that is   
most unsubdued1 and  unmortified in you2
 you must use the ,sacrament as a       
medicine made of  ,christs body and     

blood1 to heal that sin4    #b4 ,you    
must consider1 what grace is most weak  
in you2 and you must  come to the       
,sacrament1 as to food appointed on     
purpose to strengthen  weak grace4      
#c4 ,you must consider what doubt it is1
 that doth most obstruct your  full     
assurance of salvation2 and you must    
come to the ,sacrament1 as to  a        
cheering ,cordial1 made for this very   
end1 to revive your fainting  spirit4   
,it is also a sealing ,ordinance to seal
 up the love of ,god in  ,christ1 and to
 be as a golden clasp to fasten you to  
,christ1 and  ,christ to you3 ,and in   
which ,christ doth often go from man to 
man1 with  his privy seals1 and his     
hidden manna of heavenly consolation4   
#d4 ,you must consider how apt you are  
to start from ,god1 and his just        
,commands1 and therefore you must at the
 ,sacrament renew your  ,covenant with  
,,god1 and binde your selves afresh unto
 ,,god1 in the  strength of ,christ1 to 
be his more faithful servants           

afterwards1 then  ever you were before4 
,and hereby likewise you may know when  
you come from the ,sacrament1  whether  
you have received worthily1 or no3 ,for 
if you finde these  ,effects from the   
,sacrament1 that it hath been           
,medicinall1  corroborative1 comforting1
 and obliging3 ,if you find your sins   
more  mortified1 your graces more       
strengthened1 your souls more comforted1
  and your hearts more engaged unto ,god
 in obedience2 ,you may certainly       
conclude1 that you are worthy           
,receivers4 ,nay we adde1 for the       
comfort  of weak ,christians1 if you    
find any one of these ,effects4 ,for    
sometimes ,christ lets out himself in   
the ,sacrament in a way of  ,comfort2   
sometimes he hides1 as it were1 his     
face1 and sends us home  more inlarged  
in our desires after him2 sometimes he  
kisses his  children with the kisses of 
his lips1 and gives them to eat of his  
hidden ,manna2 sometimes he sends them  
home inlarged with godly  sorrow1 for   

want of his imbraces4 ,his dispensations
 are various4 ,but  if you finde his    
presence in any one of these waies1 ,you
 are worthy  ,communicants4    #f4 ,to  
endeavour1 that your #aca;eyes may      
affect your hearts1 when  you are at the
 ,sacrament4 ,for as ,christ in the     
,ministery of his ,word1  preacheth to  
the ear2 and by the ear conveyeth       
himself into the heart3  so in the      
,sacrament he preacheth to the eye2 and 
by the eye1 conveyeth  himself into the 
heart4 ,and therefore it is well called 
a visible  ,sermon4 ,take heed1 lest the
 ,devil steal away the benefit  comfort 
of  it out of your hearts1 by a wanton  
or wandring eye4 ,and when you find     
your hearts deaded1 and your meditations
 begin to flag and grow dry1  fasten    
your eyes upon the ,sacramental         
,elements1 and ,sacramental  actions4   
,consider the bread broken1 and the wine
 poured forth1 and  let your eye affect 
your heart2 and never leave looking upon
 them1  till ,christ be pleased to look 

upon you1 as he did upon ,peter1 and    
then your hearts will be affected       
indeed1 as his was4    #g4 ,to take heed
 of passing rash censures upon those    
that are  admitted to the ,sacrament1   
together with your selves2 say not such 
a  man is unworthy1 but say rather with 
the ,centurion1 #acb,lord ,i am  not    
worthy that thou shouldst enter under my
 roof1 wherefore neither  thought ,i    
myself worthy to come unto thee2 say as 
,john ,baptist  of ,christ1 ,i am not   
worthy to untye thy shooe-latchet1 much 
lesse to  sit with thee at thy table2   
say not that such a one is a ,dog1 and  
not  fit to eat childrens bread1 but say
 rather of thy self1 as  ,mephibosheth  
doth1 #acc,what am ,i8 that thou        
shouldest look upon  such a dead dog1 c4
 ,the nature of man is very apt 7as one 
saith7  #acdto use spectacles1 rather   
then looking-glasses2 spectacles1 to    
behold other mens faults1 rather then   
looking-glasses to behold our  own4 ,but
 we hope better things of you4          

,remember1 that when the  ,disciples    
were at the ,passeover with ,christ1 and
 ,christ told them1  that one of them   
should betray him2 ,they did not passe  
harsh sentences  one upon another1 but  
every one suspected himself1 rather then
 his  fellow-,apostle1 and said1        
,master1 ,is it ,i8 ,be not offended at 
thy  brothers wickednesse1 which thou   
art not sure on1 but at thine own       
unthankfulnesse1 which thou art sure is 
very great4    #h4 ,when you are gone   
from the ,sacrament1 you must labour to 
walk in  the strength of that food1 7as 
,elias did of his7 till you come to  the
 mount of ,god4 ,as you have been made  
partakers of an ,ordinance1 to  which   
others are not admitted1 so you must    
endeavour to live more  self-denyingly1 
more heavenly mindedly1 more holily and 
righteously1  then they do1 that are not
 admitted4 #ace,you must love your      
enemies2  blesse them that curse you2 do
 good to them that hate you1 and pray   
for them that do despitefully use you1  

and persecute you4 ,for if you  love    
them that love you1 what reward have    
you8 ,do not even the  ,publicanes the  
same8 ,and if you salute your ,brethren 
only1 what do ye  more then others8 ,do 
not even the ,publicanes so8 ,you are   
admitted to  an ,ordinance1 that is not 
common to all1 but peculiar to ,saints1 
and  therefore your lives must have     
something peculiar in them1 which no    
wicked man can have4 ,you must believe  
and repent after such a manner1  as no  
,reprobate can do2 ,you must pray in    
your families with more  life and zeal  
then others2 you must be more just      
faithful in your  dealings then others2 
and have more faith1 and hope1 and love 
to ,god4  ,in a word1 ,you must so carry
 and demean your selves in all your     
words  and actions1 as that you may be a
 credit and an ornament1 and not a      
scandal to the ,congregation1 of which  
you are members4 #acf,walking  worthy of
 the ,lord unto all pleasing1 being     
faithfull unto every good  work1 and    

increasing in the knowledge of ,god3    
,strengthened with all  might1 according
 to his glorious power1 unto all        
patience and  long-suffering with       
joyfulnesse4 ,and this we pray#acg1     
,that your  love may abound yet more and
 more1 in knowledge1 and in all         
judgment3  ,that ye may approve the     
things that are excellent1 that ye may  
be  sincere and without offence till the
 day of ,christ3 ,being filled with  the
 fruits of ,righteousnesse1 which are by
 ,jesus ,christ unto the glory  and     
praise of ,god4    ,we have been larger1
 then we thought1 in these particulars  
about the  ,sacrament1 out of a holy    
jealousie which we have over you1 7which
 we  doubt not but you will pardon in   
us7 fearing lest after your first       
admission to this ,ordinance1 you should
 grow remiss and careless1  satisfying  
your consciences with the naked         
approbation that your  ,minister and    
,elders give of your knowledg and       
conversation2 and in the  mean time1    

neglecting to get the benefit and       
comfort of this  ,ordinance1 and to     
thrive1 and increase in knowledg and    
holiness  proportionably to the         
expectation of ,god1 and your godly     
officers4    ,we shall be briefer in    
what we have further to say unto you4   
#c4 ,in the third place we exhort you1  
to #ach,obey those that rule  over you1 
and submit your selves1 for they1 watch 
for your soules1 as  they that must give
 an account1 that they may do it with   
joy1 and not  with grief2 for that is   
unprofitable for you4 #aci;,and we      
beseech  you1 ,brethren1 know them which
 labour amongst you1 and are over you in
  the ,lord1 and admonish you1 and      
esteem them very highly in love for     
their works sake1 and be at peace       
amongst your selves4 ,and remember1     
#adj,that the ,elders that rule well1   
are worthy of double honour1  especially
 they that labour in the ,word and      
,doctrine4 ,for the  ,scripture saith1  
,thou shalt not muzzel the oxe that     

treadeth out the  corn1 and the labourer
 is worthy of his reward4 ,and it       
likewise  saith1 #ada,let him that is   
taught in the word1 communicate unto him
  that teacheth in all good things4 ,and
 further1 #adb;,do ye not know1  that   
they which minister about holy things1  
live of the things of the  ,temple2 and 
they which wait at the ,altar1 are      
partakers with the  ,altar8 ,even so    
hath the ,lord ordained1 that they which
 preach the  ,gospell1 should live of   
the ,gospel4----,if we have sowen unto  
you  spirituall things1 is it a great   
matter1 if we reap your carnal  things8 
,this we write1 not to shame you1 but to
 intreat you to give  liberall and      
honourable maintenance to your godly    
,ministers1 that they  may not only be  
#adclovers of hospitality1 but also     
inabled to  exercise it3 lest ,god in   
anger to you1 drive your ,ministers into
  corners1 and take both your estates1  
and your ,ministers from you2 so  as you
 shall neither have ,ministers to give  

maintenance to1 nor  estates to maintain
 ,ministers4    #d4 ,to perform all     
those offices which are required of you1
 as you are  ,members of a particular   
,congregation4 ,for this purpose we     
exhort you  brethren1 to #add;comfort   
your selves together1 and edifie one    
another1 even as you also do2 to warn   
them that are unruly1 comfort  the      
feeble minded1 support the weak1 be     
patient towards all men3 ,and  see that 
none render evill for evill unto any    
man1 but ever follow  that which is     
good1 both among your selves1 and       
towards all men1 c4  #ade,let the ,word 
of ,christ dwell in you richly1 in all  
wisdome1  teaching and admonishing one  
another in ,psalms and ,hymnes1 and     
spiritual songs1 singing with grace in  
your hearts to the ,lord4  #adf,let no  
man seek his own1 but every man anothers
 wealth2 and  #adglet every one of you  
please his neighbour for his good1 to   
edification2 for even ,christ pleased   
not himself2 but as it is  written1 ,the

 reproaches of them that reproached     
thee1 fell on me4  #adh,let nothing be  
done through strife1 or vain-glory2 but 
in  lowliness of minde1 let each esteem 
other better then themselves4 ,now      
though we are far from thinking1 7as    
some do17 that you are bound to  perform
 these duties only to those to whom you 
are united in  ,church-fellowship1 7for 
if you ought to pluck your neighbours ox
 and  horse out of a ditch1 and to      
relieve his body1 when in want1 though  
not of the same ,congregation with you1 
much more ought you to extend  acts of  
spirituall mercy 7such as these are7 to 
their souls2 and this  you are bound    
unto by communion of natures1 communion 
of ,saints1  communion of ,churches2 and
 by that ,royal law of love1 which      
commands  us to love our neighbour as   
our selves17 yet notwithstanding we     
conceive that you are more especially   
tyed by your ,congregational  relation1 
to perform these duties to those that   
are of your own  ,communion4    ,and    

therefore we further perswade you1 to   
watch over one another1 to  bear the    
burdens one of another1 and so fulfill  
the ,law of ,christ4 ,to  consider one  
another1 to provoke unto love and good  
works1 not  forsaking the assembling of 
your selves together1 as the manner of  
some is1 but exhorting one another1 and 
so much the more1 as you see  the day   
approaching4 ,and we likewise desire you
 not to neglect  private meetings       
together for holy conference and prayer2
 that hereby  you may be better         
acquainted one with another1 and be     
mutual helps one  to another in         
spirituall things4 ,we think that speech
 of ,cain  unbefitting the mouth of any 
,christian2 ,am ,i my brothers keeper8  
,and  though we believe1 that none ought
 to take the ,office of a ,minister1    
but he that is elected and ordained     
thereunto1 yet we believe also1  that it
 is the duty of all private ,christians1
 in a brotherly way1  out of the common 
bond of charity1 to build up one another

 in their  most holy ,faith4 ,and       
therefore let those #adithat fear the   
,lord1  speak often one to another1     
especially in these evil daies3 and     
strive together for the ,faith of the   
,gospel1 standing fast in one  spirit   
with one mind4 ,for it seemeth to us to 
be very unchristian1  that they         
especially1 that have chosen one and the
 same ,minister1 and  wait constantly   
upon his ,ministry1 and that break bread
 together1  should live together like   
,heathens and ,publicanes3 at as great a
  strangeness one from another1 as if   
they lived many miles asunder4 ,and     
that ,drunkards and ,adulterers should  
meet together to dishonor ,god1  and to 
encourage one another in wickednesse2   
and you should not  assemble your selves
 together1 to honour ,god1 to strengthen
 and edifie  one another1 and to confirm
 one another in the truth4 ,only be     
careful  in your meetings1 to take heed 
of #aej;doting about questions1 and     
strifes of words1 whereof cometh envy1  

strife1 railing1 evill  surmises1       
perverse disputings of men of corrupt   
minds1 and destitute  of the truth4 ,and
 #aea;avoid all foolish and unlearned   
,questions1  for they are vain and      
unprofitable1 and gender nothing but    
strife2  ,but help one another in that  
one thing necessary1 how to grow up in  
,christ2 how to make your calling and   
election sure2 how to thrive  under     
,ordinances2 to be faithfull under      
,relations1 to adorn the  ,gospel you   
profess2 how to advance the power of    
godliness in your  several spheres2 and 
to be more spiritually serviceable unto 
,god in  your generations1 and such     
like4    ,and we further exhort you1    
that if any ,brother in the             
,congregation  walk disorderly and      
scandalously1 that you would carefully  
remember1 ,it is your duty1 first1 to   
tell him privately2 7and not to  tell it
 to ,others1 to his and the ,churches   
disgrace1 as the manner of  some is17   
,the text is plain1 ,go and tell him his

 fault betwixt him  and thee alone2 and 
if he shall hear thee1 thou hast gained 
thy  ,brother4 ,but if he will not hear 
thee1 then take with thee one or  two   
more1 that in the mouth of two or three 
witnesses1 every word may  be           
established4 ,and if he shall neglect to
 hear them1 tell it to the  ,church4    
,and consider1 we beseech you1 that the 
most part of  ,sacramental reformation1 
begins with your performing of this     
dutie4  ,for how can the ,elders        
judicially take notice of any scandall1 
till it  be brought unto them1 in the   
way of ,christ1 by you that are         
,church-,members8 ,there is great       
complaint amongst well-affected people1 
of ,sacramental pollutions2 and many    
thereupon1 though groundlesly1  separate
 from our ,congregations4 ,but if things
 were rightly  considered1 it would     
appear1 that the people themselves are  
the chief  causes of this pollution2 for
 you are the first wheel of this part   
of reformation1 and if you neglect your 

part1 how can we discharge  ours8 ,and  
therefore we intreat you1 even for      
,christs sake1 as ever you  desire to   
keep your selves pure from the sin of   
those that receive  unworthily1 and from
 being ,authors of the prophanation of  
the  ,sacrament1 faithfully to discharge
 this your dutie4 ,and we shall 7by  the
 help of ,god7 be exactly careful of    
ours1 that so the ,lord may  delight to 
dwell in the midst of us4    #e4 ,to    
labour to keep your selves free from the
 ,errours1 ,heresies1 and  ,blasphemies 
of these ,times4 ,for it is evident to  
every impartial  ,observer1 that false  
teachers1 evil men1 and seducers are    
gone abroad  amongst us2 subverting of  
,souls and overthrowing the ,faith of   
some2  speaking perverse things1 to draw
 away disciples after them2  subverting 
whole ,housholds1 teaching things they  
ought not for filthy  lucres sake2      
creeping into houses1 and leading       
captive silly women1  laden with divers 
lusts2 and by good words1 and fair      

speeches1  deceiving the hearts of the  
simple2 yea1 by slight and cunning      
craftiness1 lying in wait to deceive 7if
 it were possible7 the very  ,elect2 and
 not only privily2 but now openly and   
avowedly bringing in  damnable          
,heresies1 denying the ,lord that bought
 them4 ,the ,divine  ,authority of the  
,scriptures is oppugned1 the ,deity of  
,christ  opposed1 and his ,holy ,spirit 
blasphemed1 the ,doctrine of the        
,blessed ,trinity questioned1 the ,holy 
,god made the ,author of sin  and       
sinfulnesse1 ,universall ,redemption    
preached1 and the ends of  ,christs     
death evacuated1 ,free-will by nature to
 do good  maintained1 the mortallity of 
the ,soul affirmed2 the ,use of the     
,morall ,law of ,god1 the ,observation  
of the ,christian ,sabbath1 the  very   
calling and ,function of the ,ministry1 
the very being of a  ,church amongst    
,us1 and all the ,ordinances of ,christ1
 are slighted  and rejected4 ,these1 and
 too many more such monstrous ,opinions 

in  the very spring-time of ,reformation
 do so multiply amongst vs1 that  the   
tares are like to overgrow the ,wheat1  
if ,god prevent not4 ,and  that which   
aggravates the evil of these things is1 
,that ,london  should be guilty of such 
,apostacy from the truth4 ,london6 which
  hast had able and faithful ,ministers 
of the ,word preaching to thee2  that   
hast been so miraculously preserved from
 the ,sword1 ,famine1 and  ,pestilence  
these last ,years1 yet have ,heresies   
been hatched and  nourished up under thy
 wings2 and from thee have they been    
spread  all the ,kingdom over4 ,how many
 in this ,city have turned away their   
ears from the truth1 faithfully preached
 by their ,pastors2 and being  turned   
unto fables1 have already followed the  
pernicious waies of  ,seducers1 whereby 
the way of truth is evil spoken on6 ,how
 is ,religion  degenerated into vain    
janglings1 and the power of ,godlinesse 
eaten  up by perverse disputings6 ,and  
that which should fill ,us with more    

grief and astonishment is1 ,that this   
inundation of ,errours and  ,heresies   
hath increased upon ,us1 after such     
prayers1 preachings1  disputes1 and     
testimonies against them2 after a       
,covenant  solemnly sworn to ,god1 with 
hands lifted up to heaven1 for the      
extirpation of them2 and after a solemn 
,fast commanded by ,authority1  and     
observed throughout the whole ,kingdom1 
for our humiliation for  them4 ,and yet 
7with grief of heart we mention it7     
those ,errours which  in the ,prelates  
time were but a few1 are now many3      
,those that of late  crept into corners1
 now out-face the ,sun3 ,those which the
 ,godly  abhor'd from their hearts1 are 
now vented as new and glorious  truths3 
,nay1 to such a degree of ,apostacie are
 some arrived1 being  waxen worse and   
worse1 that they are labouring for an   
odious  tolleration of all those        
abominable opinions1 as can shroud      
themselves under the name of ,christian 
,religion4    ,wherefore1 in the ,name  

of ,jesus ,christ1 we warn you all to   
take heed  of these ,impostors and      
,seducers2 and to keep close to those   
good  and old principles of             
,christianitie1 which you have suck't in
 at  your first conversion1 out of the  
,word1 from your godly ,ministers3  ,and
 seeing ye know these things before1    
beware lest you also being  led away    
with the errour of the wicked1 fall from
 your own  stedfastnesse2 ,but grow in  
grace1 and in the knowledge of our ,lord
 and  ,saviour ,jesus ,christ2 to him be
 glory1 both now and for ever1  ,amen4  
,oh how happy were it1 if it might be   
said of all ,you that submit  to the    
,presbyterian ,government2 as once of   
the ,godly in ,sardis4  #aeb,there are a
 few names even in ,london1 that have   
not defiled  their ,garments1 and they  
shall walk with me in white1 for they   
are  worthy4 ,which that you may the    
better be inabled to do1 ,we beseech    
,you ,brethren1 in the words of the     
,apostle1 #aec,to mark them which  cause

 divisions and offences1 contrary to the
 ,doctrine which ye have  learned1 and  
avoid them1 for they that are such1     
serve not our ,lord  ,jesus ,christ1 but
 their own belly4 ,observe here1 that   
you are not  only required to avoid     
their ,doctrines1 but their persons4    
,and so  likewise the same ,apostle1    
#aed;,if any man teach otherwise1 and   
consent not to wholsome words1 even the 
words of our ,lord ,jesus  ,christ1 and 
to the ,doctrine which is according to  
,godlinesse1 he is  proud1 knowing      
nothing1 c4 ,from such withdraw thyself4
 ,it is your  dutie1 not onely to keep  
your selves from the ,heresies of these 
times2  but1 that you may be preserved  
from the ,heresies1 you must keep your  
selves1 and all under your charge1 from 
such as spread them1 and from  their    
meeting-places4 ,for he that without a  
just cause goeth into a  ,pesthouse1 may
 thank himself1 if he get the plague4   
,and he that runs  headily into         
temptation1 hath no promise from ,god to

 be delivered  out4 ,the ,apostle ,john 
refused to tarry in the same ,bath with 
,cerinthus2 and he commands us in his   
second ,epistle1 ,if there come  any    
unto you1 and bring not this ,doctrine1 
receive him not into your  house1       
neither bid him ,god speed2 for he that 
biddeth him ,god-speed1  is partaker of 
his evil deeds4    ,take heed how you   
touch pitch1 lest you be defiled2 ,and  
remember1 we  have faithfully discharged
 our consciences to you1 in this        
particular2  ,and that you may be       
farther instructed against the ,errors  
and  ,heresies of these times1 ,we will 
propound a few ,antidotes and           
,preservatives unto you1 under these    
general ,rules following4    #a4        
,whatsoever ,doctrine is contrary to    
,godlinesse1 and opens a door  to       
,libertinism and ,prophaneness1 you must
 reject it as ,soul-poyson4  ,such are  
,doctrines against the ,sabbath1        
,family-duties1 and  publique           
,ordinances3 ,such is the ,doctrine of  

an ,universall  tolleration of all      
,religions4 ,the ,doctrine of the       
,gospel1 is a  ,doctrine #aee;according 
to ,godliness2 ,it is a ,mysterie of    
,godliness2 ,it teacheth to deny all    
ungodlinesse and worldly lusts1  and to 
live soberly1 righteously1 and godly in 
this present world4    #b4 ,you must    
reject all such ,doctrines1 as hold     
forth a strictnesse  above what is      
written4 ,papists teach many strict     
,doctrines1 of  self-whippings1 and     
voluntary povertie1 vows of continency1 
and many  such like2 but the ,apostle   
gives you an ,antidote against them1    
,col4 #b4ah1 #ai1 #bj1 #ba1 #bb1 #bc4   
,and so also our blessed ,saviour1      
,matth4 #ae4a4 to the #aj4 ,devout      
people are much taken with ,doctrines   
that carry a shew of strictness1 and of 
much purity2 but you must not  be wise  
above what is written2 ,you must be     
,candidates of a  ,canonicall1 not an   
,apocryphal strictness2 ,and therefore  
when you  are taught1 that whosoever    

will enter into ,church-fellowship1 must
  first take a ,church-,covenant2 and   
that whosoever will be admitted  unto   
the ,lords ,supper1 must not only be    
free from ignorance and  scandal1 but he
 must have other1 and more strict       
qualifications2 you  must enquire what  
word they have for these assertions2 and
 where ,god  hath not a mouth to speak1 
you must not have an ear to hear1 nor an
  heart to believe4    #c4 ,whatsoever  
,doctrine tendeth to the lifting up of  
nature  corrupted1 to the exalting of   
unsanctified ,reason1 and giveth free   
will in supernaturall things to a man   
unconverted1 is a ,doctrine  contrary to
 the ,gospell4 ,for this is one chief   
aym of ,pauls  ,epistles1 to shew1      
#aef,that by nature we are dead in sins 
and  trespasses1 and that the naturall  
man receiveth not the things of the     
spirit of ,god1 for they are            
foolishnesse unto him2 neither can he   
know  them1 because they are spiritually
 discerned1 and that #aegthe  carnall   

mind is enmity against ,god1 for it is  
not subject to the ,law  of ,god1       
neither indeed can be4 ,this ,rule will 
preserve you against  all ,arminian     
,tenets4 ,for this is the main          
difference between the  ,doctrine of the
 ,gospel1 and the ,arminians4 ,the      
,gospel makes free  grace put the       
distinction between the ,elect and      
,reprobate2 and the  ,arminians         
,free-will4    #d4 ,all ,doctrines that 
set up our own ,righteousness1 whether  
of  ,morality1 or ,sanctification1 in   
the room of ,christs ,righteousness2    
,that place good works in the throne of 
,christ1 are ,doctrines of  ,antichrist1
 and not of ,christ4 ,for the ,gospel   
teacheth us1 #aehthat  all our best     
works are imperfect1 and that we are    
justified1 not by  our own inherent     
,righteousness1 but by the              
,righteousness of ,christ  only1 made   
ours by ,faith3 this ,rule will keep you
 from much of the  poyson of ,popery4   
#e4 ,all ,doctrines that do set up      

,christ and his ,righteousness1 as to   
decry all works of ,sanctification1 and 
to deny them to be fruits and  evidences
 of our justification1 are to be avoided
 and abhorred4 ,for  #aeithe ,scripture 
makes sanctification an evidence of     
,justification1  and commandeth all     
,believers to maintain good works4 ,this
 ,rule will  preserve you against most  
of the ,errors of the ,antinomians4     
#f4 ,that ,doctrine that lesseneth the  
priviledges of ,believers under  the    
,new ,testament1 and maketh their       
,infants in a worse condition1 then     
they were in under the ,old ,testament1 
cannot be the ,doctrine of the  ,gospel4
 ,for the ,gospel tells you1 #afjthat   
,jesus ,christ was made a  ,surety of a 
better ,testament1 and that the new     
,covenant is a better  ,covenant2       
established upon better promises4 ,this 
,rule will preserve  you from the poyson
 of ,anabaptism4 ,for if the children of
 the ,jews  were circumcised1 and the   
children of ,christians should not be   

baptized1 either it must be granted1    
that circumcision was of no  benefit to 
the ,jewish children1 which is contrary 
to ,rom4 #c4a1 #b4 or  it must be       
granted1 that the children of the ,jews 
had greater  priviledges then the       
children of ,christians4    #g4 ,that   
,doctrine that cryeth up ,purity to the 
ruine of ,unity1 is  contrary to the    
,doctrine of the ,gospel4 ,for the      
,gospel calleth for  unity1 as well as  
purity1 #a ,cor4 #a4aj4 ,phil4 #b4a1 #b4
 ,eph4 #d4c1  #d1 #e1 #f4 ,and ,christ  
prayed for the unity of his ,church1 as 
well as the  ,holiness1 ,joh4 #ag4ba1   
#bb4 and it is prophesied of the times  
of the  ,gospel1 ,that in those daies1  
,god will give his people1 one heart1   
and  one way1 and to serve him with one 
consent1 ,jer4 #cb4bi4 ,zeph4  #c4i4    
,this ,rule will teach you what to judg 
of the ,congregational-way3  ,for       
certainly that ,government that carrieth
 in the front of it ,a  tolleration of  
different ,religions1 and is not        

sufficient to keep the  body of ,christ 
in unity and purity1 is not the         
,government of ,christ4    #h4          
,whatsoever ,doctrine is contrary to the
 ,rule of ,faith1 or to any  duty       
required in the ten ,commandements1 or  
to any ,petition of the  ,lords prayer1 
is not a ,doctrine of ,christ1 and      
therefore to be  rejected4    ,we might 
add many more ,rules1 but we forbear1   
lest we should be  over-tedious4 ,our   
prayer to ,god for you is1 ,that you may
 be fix't1 not  falling ,stars1 in the  
,firmament of his ,church2 ,not children
 tossed to  and fro1 and carried about  
with every wind of ,doctrine2 ,not      
,reeds  shaken with every wind1 but firm
 ,pillars in his house4 ,wherefore1     
,beloved ,brethren1 ,stand fast and     
immoveable1 alwayes abounding in the    
,work of the ,lord2 ,forasmuch as you   
know1 that your labour is not in  vain  
in the ,lord4    ,but now1 because he   
that would keep himself from the ,errour
 of the  times1 must also keep himself  

from the sins of the times3 7,for it is 
sin that makes ,god give us up to       
errour1 #b ,thess4 #b4aj1 #aa4 and it   
is sin that makes a man like a piece of 
wax1 ready to receive the  impression of
 any errour4 ,the women in ,timothie    
were first laden  with divers lusts1    
before they were led away captive to    
divers  errours2 and whosoever puts away
 a good confidence1 will quickly        
concerning ,faith make ship wrack1 as we
 are told1 #a ,tim4 #a4ai47  ,therefore 
we are necessitated to inlarge our      
,exhortation to you in one  particular  
more2 which though it be the last1 yet  
it is not the least  of those things    
which we have to say unto you1 and that 
is1    #f4 ,to exhort you1 or rather to 
require and charge you1 to keep your    
selves unspotted1 not only from the     
errors and heresies1 7as before7  but   
also from the sins and iniquities of the
 times wherein you live4  ,we say1      
unspotted1 and so doth the ,apostle1    
,jam4 #a4bg4 ,it is not  enough for you 

to keep your selves from being bemired  
and besmeared1  but you must labour to  
keep your ,garments so white1 as not to 
have  the least spot of defilement from 
the persons or places where you  live4  
,the ,apostle tells us1 ,that #afa;in   
the last daies perillous  times shall   
come3 ,for men should be lovers of their
 own selves1  covetous1 boasters1 proud1
 blasphemers1 disobedient to ,parents1  
unthankfull1 unholy1 without naturall   
affection1 truce-breakers1 false        
,accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1         
despisers of those that are good1       
,traytors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of
 pleasures more then lovers of  ,god2   
having a form of ,godlinesse1 but       
denying the power thereof4  ,those      
words1 having a form of ,godlinesse1    
must be understood1   1 and referred to 
all the other sins4 ,and the meaning is1
 ,that  men would be self-lovers1 having
 a form of godlinesse1  truce-breakers1 
having a form of godliness1             
truce-breakers1 having  a form of       

godlinesse1 ,traytors and false         
accusers1 having a form of  godlinesse1 
c4 ,they should cover all their         
ungodlinesse1 under the  specious form  
of ,godliness3 ,such are the times in   
which we live1 of  which we may truly   
say1 ,there were never fewer1 and yet   
never more  ,saints2 never more nominal1
 never fewer real ,saints2 ,never more  
self-seekers1 and yet never more that   
pretended to seek the interest  of      
,christ4 ,we are an hypocritall ,nation1
 the people of ,gods wrath2  ,we have   
broken the ,covenant of our ,god1 even  
that ,covenant1 which in  the day of our
 distress and fear1 we made with hands  
lifted up to  heaven4 ,we are           
apostatized from our ,principles and    
practices2 ,we  contemn the pretious    
ordinances1 despise and abuse the ,godly
  ,ministers2 ,we break the ,sabbaths1  
hate the very name of ,reformation1  and
 scorn to submit to the sweet yoke of   
,christ and his ,government2 ,we  are   
proud1 secure1 lyars1 swearers1 and     

forswearers1 ,murderers1  drunkards1    
,adulterers1 and oppressors3 ,we have   
not learned  ,righteousnesse1 but       
unrighteousness1 by all the ,judgements 
of ,god2 ,we  are worse and worse by all
 our deliverances2 ,we have spilt the   
blood  of ,christ in the ,sacrament1 by 
our unworthy receiving1 and therefore   
it hath been just with ,god to spill our
 blood4 ,it would be too long to  reckon
 up all the particular sins of          
,magistrates1 ,ministers1  ,husbands1   
wives1 ,fathers1 ,children1 ,masters1   
and ,servants2 neither is  it the design
 of this ,discourse4 ,we may truly say  
with the ,prophet1  #afb;,ah sinful     
,nation1 a people laden with iniquity2 a
 seed of evill  doers1 children that are
 corrupters1 that have forsaken the     
,lord1 that  have provoked the holy ,one
 of ,israel unto anger2 that are gone   
away  backward3 ,why should we be       
smitten any longer8 we will revolt more 
and  more1 the whole head is sick1 and  
the whole heart is faint2 from the  sole

 of the foot1 even unto the head1 there 
if no soundness in us1 but  wounds and  
bruises1 and putrified sores1 c4        
,wherefore dearly beloved1 we do most   
earnestly beseech you1 in the  bowels of
 ,jesus ,christ1 that you would be      
deeply sensible of1 and  humbled for    
these evills that do so much abound in  
the midst of us1  for which the ,earth  
mourns1 and the ,heavens are black over 
us4 ,oh let  your souls weep in secret1 
and your eyes weep sore1 and run down   
with  tears1 and sigh to the breaking of
 your loyns1 yea to the breaking of     
your hearts with godly sorrow1 which may
 work in you repentance1 never  to be   
repented of4 ,mourn more for the sins   
that have brought these  miseries upon  
us1 then for the miseries our sins have 
brought2 more1  for burdening ,god with 
sin1 then for being burdened with       
plagues2 more  for your hard hearts1    
then these hard times4    ,and we       
further intreat everie one of you1 to   
put away the iniquity  that is in his   

hand2 to know every man the plague that 
is in his own  heart2 to search and try 
his waies1 and to turn unto the ,lord   
his  ,god2 to cease to do evill1 and to 
learn to do well3 to be tender of  the  
oathes which he hath taken1 or which may
 be offered unto him to  take2 to keep  
close to his ,covenant2 to prize the    
,ordinances1  ,reverence ,godly         
,ministers1 sanctifie the ,sabbaths1 to 
hate hypocrisie  and self seeking1 to   
receive the love of the truth1 lest ,god
 give him  over to believe lyes4 ,not to
 trust to his own understanding1 lest   
,god  blind his understanding4 ,to      
practise the truths he doth know1 that  
,god may reveal unto him the truths he  
doth not know2 not to heap to  himself  
teachers1 having itching ears1 lest he  
turn away his ears  from the truth1 and 
be turned unto fables2 not to have the  
faith of  our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in  
respect of persons1 imbracing the       
,doctrine  for the persons sake1 and not
 the person for the ,doctrines sake4 ,to

  seek after the truth1 for the truths  
sake1 with uprightness of heart1  and   
not for outward respects1 lest ,god     
answer thee according to the  ,idols    
thou hast in thy heart4 ,to labour to be
 more and more grounded  in the         
,principles of the ,doctrine of ,christ2
 to study catechisme more  diligently1  
and so to be led on to perfection1 that 
he may not alwayes  be a babe1          
unskilfull in the word of               
,righteousness1 but by reason of  use1  
may have his senses exercised to discern
 both good and evil4    ,in a word1 we  
once more beseech you all that are      
admitted to our  ,sacraments1 that your 
conversation may be as becometh the     
,gospell of  ,christ2 and as you have   
given up your names unto ,christ by     
profession1 so give up your hearts to   
him1 by universall1 sincere1 and        
constant obedience3 ,and let every one  
that nameth the name of ,christ1  depart
 from iniquity4           99       99   
99       99       99    ,our third and  

last ,exhortation is unto all those that
 live within the  bounds of the         
,province1 and have not yet submitted to
 the ,government1  nor are admitted to  
the ,sacrament of the body and blood of 
,christ in  the ,presbyterian way3      
,these may be reduced into two ranks3   
#a4 ,such as separate from our          
,churches4    #b4 ,such as continue     
still with us1 but do not joyn in the   
,sacrament4    ,the first of these admit
 of so many divisions1 and subdivisions1
  and are so contrary not only to us1   
but one to another1 as that we are      
hardly able to rank them into order2 and
 yet for method sake1 we will  divide   
them into two sorts3    #a4 ,such as    
separate from us1 only for matter of    
,government4    #b4 ,such as separate   
from us1 for matter of doctrine also4   
#a4 ,such as separate from us1 only for 
matter of ,government4 ,to these  we    
have spoken already in our ,vindication2
 ,we now think fit to add one  thing    
more2    ,and that is1 ,to beseech and  

intreat you1 as ,brethren1 to consider1 
what a sin it is1 to separate from      
,churches1 which you your selves        
acknowledg to be true ,churches of      
,jesus ,christ2 and that1 while they    
are endeavouring more and more after a  
reformation according to the  ,word2 and
 to set up ,churches of another         
constitution2 ,is not this to  set up   
,church against ,church8 and as the     
,ancients were wont to express  it1     
,altar against ,altar8 ,and whereas you 
should rather joyn with us1  and put to 
your helping hand to reform the ,nation1
 and to bring our  ,churches into the   
order of the ,gospel2 do you not rather 
weaken our  hands1 by dividing from us1 
and dividing of us2 and thereby         
obstructing and hindering the glorious  
work of ,reformation8 ,for what  with   
the ,prelatical on the one hand1 that   
will not come up to a                   
,scripture-,reformation2 and with you on
 the other1 that will not joyn  with us 
whilest we are endeavouring after a     

,scripture-,reformation1 ,the  building 
of ,gods house ceaseth1 in most parts of
 the ,kingdome2 and  instead of a       
,reformation1 we see nothing but        
deformation and  desolation4 ,if we be  
the ,church of ,christ1 and ,christ     
holdeth  communion with us1 ,why do you 
separate from us8 ,if we be of the body 
of ,christ1 do not they that separate   
from the body1 separate from  the head  
also8 ,we are loath to speak any thing1 
that may offend you2  yet we intreat you
 to consider1 ,that if the ,apostle     
calls those  divisions of the ,church of
 ,corinth1 wherein ,christians did not  
separate into divers formed             
,congregations of several communion in  
the  ,sacrament of the ,lords ,supper1  
,schismes1 #a ,cor4 #a4aj4 ,may not your
  secession from us1 and profession that
 you cannot joyn with ,us as  members1  
and setting up ,congregations of another
 communion be more  properly called     
schisme8 ,the ,greek word for ,schism   
signifies  rending2 and sure it is1 that

 you rend your selves from ,us1 and not1
  as from ,churches the same rule1 but  
as ,churches differing in the  rule1    
with a dislike of ,us1 and a            
protestation1 that ,you cannot joyn     
with ,us as fixed members without sin2  
,you hear ,us preach1 not as  persons in
 ,office1 but as gifted men only2 and   
some of you refuse to  hear us preach at
 all3 ,you renounce all ,church         
communion with us as  members2 and not  
only so1 but you invite our people from 
,us1 by  telling them1 ,that they cannot
 continue with us without sin3 ,you     
gather ,churches out of our ,churches1  
and ,you set up ,churches in an         
opposite way to our ,churches2 and all  
this you do voluntarily1 7not           
separated1 but separating1 non fugati1  
sed fugitivi7 and  unwarrantably1 not   
having any sufficient cause for it2 and 
notwithstanding all this1 yet you       
acknowledge ,us to be the true          
,churches of ,jesus ,christ1 and        
,churches with which ,christ holds      

communion4 ,may we not therefore most   
justly charge you as guilty in  making a
 ,schism in the ,body of ,christ8    ,we
 are far from thinking1 that every      
difference in ,judgment1 or every       
separation from a ,church1 maketh a     
,schism2 for it is not the  ,separation1
 but the ,cause1 that makes the         
,schismatick4 ,the  ,godly-learned say1 
#afc,that every unjust1 and rash        
separation from a  true ,church1 7that  
is1 when there is no just cause1 or at  
least no  sufficient cause of the       
separation7 is a schism4 ,and that there
 is  #afd;a negative and positive       
schism1 the former is1 when men do      
peaceably and quietly draw from         
communion with a ,church1 not making a  
head against that ,church from which    
they are departed3 the other is1  when  
persons so withdrawing1 do consociate   
draw themselves into a  distinct and    
opposite ,bodie1 seting up a ,church    
against a ,church 7as  you do27 which   
,camero cals ,a schism by way of        

eminencie1  further  tels us1 that there
 are #afe;four causes that make a       
separation from a  ,church1 lawful4     
#a4 ,when they that separate1 are       
grievously and intollerably  persecuted4
    #b4 ,when the ,church they separate 
from1 is heretical4    #c4 ,when it is  
,idolatrical4    #d4 ,when it is the    
,seat of ,antichrist4 ,and where none of
 these four are  to be found1 there the 
separation is insufficient and          
schismatical4  ,now we are fully        
assured1 that none of these four causes 
can be  justly charged upon our         
,congregations4 ,and therefore you must 
not be  displeased with us1 but with    
your selves1 if we blame you as guilty  
of  a positive ,schism4    ,there are   
two things will be objected against what
 is here said4    ,sidenote3 ,object4   
#a4    ,that you are forced to separate 
from ,us1 because of those sinfull      
mixtures that are tolerated amongst ,us2
 ,that our ,congregations are           
miscellaneous companies of all          

gatherings1 without any due separation  
of the wheat from the chaff3 that all   
sorts are admitted even to  ,sacramental
 communion4 ,and that therefore you     
ought to come out from  amongst ,us1    
that you be not made partakers of our   
sins4    ,we answer1    ,sidenote3      
,answ4 #a4    #a4 ,that this charge1 if 
understood of those ,congregations1 that
 are  reformed according to the rules of
 the ,presbyterial ,government1 is  most
 untrue and unrighteous4 ,it is         
sufficiently known what we suffer  in   
our estates1 and in our outward peace   
and quiet1 because we will  not allow of
 sinful mixtures in our ,churches4 ,the 
,lord that observes  our particular     
carriages knows1 that we study purity of
 members1 as  well as purity of         
,ordinances1 and verity of doctrine4    
,and though we  dare not make separation
 from a true ,church1 by departing from 
it1 as  you do2 yet we do make a        
separation in a true ,church1 by purging
 and  reforming it1 which you do not do4

 ,the rule of the ,assembly for the     
,church-members1 is very full3 ,that    
they must be visible ,saints1 such  as  
being of age1 do professe ,faith in     
,christ1 and obedience unto  ,christ1   
according to the rules of ,faith and    
life1 taught by ,christ and  his        
,apostles4 ,doth not the ,scripture     
require more then this8 why then  will  
ye separate from us for sinfull         
mixtures1 when we are purging  out      
sinfull mixtures8 when ,god is coming   
towards us1 why will you run  away from 
us8 ,when ,god is building us up1 why   
are you so active in  pulling us down8  
,are we not coming out of the           
,wildernesse1 and will  you now forsake 
us8 ,it is not many years since the ship
 of this ,church  was sinking into      
,popery1 and then some of you separated 
from it into  other parts of the world4 
,and when of late years1 there was hope 
through the mercy of ,god1 of saving the
 ship1 you returned back2 and  instead  
of helping to save her1 you presently   

began to separate from  her2 and whilest
 we were pumping to preserve the ship1  
your practices  have occasioned  made   
many leaks in it4 ,this is a sad thing1 
and if  rightly apprehended1 must sit   
sadly upon the spirits of some4         
,sidenote3 ,answ4 #b4    ,suppose there 
were some sinfull mixtures at our       
,sacraments1 yet we  conceive1 this is  
not a sufficient ground of a negative1  
much lesse of  a positive separation4   
#aff,the learned ,author forementioned  
tells us1  that corruption in manners   
crept into a ,church1 is not sufficient 
cause of separation from it4 ,this he   
proves from ,matth4 #bc4b1 #c4 and  he  
also gives this reason for it2 ,because 
in what ,church soever1  there purity of
 ,doctrine1 there ,god hath his ,church1
 though  overwhelmed with scandalls4    
,and therefore whosoever separates from 
such an ,assembly1 separates from that  
place where ,god hath his ,church1      
which is rash and unwarrantable4    ,the
 ,church of ,corinth had such a profane 

mixture at their ,sacrament1  as we     
believe few 7if any7 of our             
,congregations can be charged withal4   
,and yet the ,apostle doth not perswade 
thy godly party to separate1  much less 
to gather a ,church out of a ,church4   
,there were many godly  and learned     
,non-conformists of this last age1 that 
were perswaded in  their consciences1   
that they could not hold communion with 
the ,church  of ,england1 in receiving  
the ,sacrament kneeling1 without sin1   
yet  did they not separate from her4    
,indeed1 in that particular act they    
withdrew1 but yet so1 as that they held 
communion with her in the  rest1 being  
far from a negative1 much more from a   
positive separation4  ,nay some of them1
 even then when our ,churches were full 
of sinfull  mixtures1 with great zeal   
and learning1 defended them so far1 as  
to  #afgwrite against those that did    
separate from them4 ,he that will  never
 communicate with any ,church1 till     
every thing that offendeth be  removed  

out of it1 must tarry till the great day
 of judgment1 when  7and not till then7 
#afh;,christ will send forth his        
,angels1 to gather  out of his ,kingdome
 every thing that offendeth1 and them   
that do  iniquity4 ,musculus tells us of
 a #afi,schwenkfeldian at  ,augusta1    
whom he asked1 when he had received the 
,sacrament2 he  answered1 not these     
twelve years3 ,he asked him the reason2 
he  answered1 ,because he could not     
finde a ,church which was inwardly and  
outwardly adorned fit for a spouse of   
,christ1 and that he would defer        
receiving the ,sacrament1 till he could 
finde such a one4 ,this man  never did  
receive3 ,no more will any of his       
opinion4 ,we speak not of  these things1
 to justifie the negligence and         
wickedness of  ,church-,officers1 in    
suffering these prophane mixtures2 we   
have already  proved it to be their     
duty1 to keep all visibly-wicked persons
 from  the ,sacrament1 and have given   
divers arguments to perswade them       

thereunto4 ,we have likewise shewed it  
to be the duty of private  members1 to  
do what in them lyes1 for the removing  
of scandalls out  of the ,church4 ,if a 
brother offend them1 they are not to    
separate from  him1 7for this is not the
 way of ,christ1 to gain1 but to destroy
  his soul17 but they are to tell him of
 it privately1 and in an orderly  way to
 bring it to the ,church4 ,and when they
 have done their duty1  they have freed 
their own souls1 and may safely and     
comfortably  communicate in that        
,church1 without sin4    ,sidenote3     
,object4 #b4    ,though we do separate  
from you1 yet we cannot stand charged   
with  ,schisme1 because the nature of   
,schisme consisteth in an open breach   
of ,christian love2 and is such a       
separation1 which is joyned with a      
condemnation of those ,churches from    
which they separate1 as false           
,churches1 which we are far from4       
,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,we grant1 that to 
make up the formality of a ,schismatick1

 there must  be added uncharitableness2 
as to make up the formality of an       
,heretique1 there must be added         
obstinacy4 ,but yet as he that  denyeth 
a fundamental ,article of ,faith1 is    
guilty of heresie1 though  he add not   
obstinacy thereunto to make him an      
heretique2 so he that  doth             
unwarrantably separate from a true      
,church1 is truly guilty of  ,schisme1  
though he add not uncharitableness      
thereunto1 to  denominate him a compleat
 ,schismatique4    ,a ,reverend ,brother
 of your own1 calleth #agj;,brownisme1 a
 bitter root  of rigid separation4 ,and 
we beseech you1 with the spirit of      
meekness1  to consider what bitter      
fruits have sprung from your more       
moderate  separation3 what great and    
wofull breaches have been made upon the 
blessed grace of charity3 what harsh and
 rigid censures some of you  have passed
 upon our persons and government2       
calling us ,lordly1 and  ,prelaticall2  
and it1 ,tyrannical and prejudicial to  

civill ,states1  on purpose1 to make us1
 and it odious1 and thereby to render   
your  persons and way the more amiable  
to the people4 ,and that which is more  
then this1 ,are there not some of you1  
that choose rather to joyn with         
,anabaptists1 and ,episcopal men1 then  
with us8 ,and that will give  letters   
dimissory to your members1 to depart    
from you to the ,churches  of the       
,anabaptists8 and at the same time1 deny
 them to such as desire  them1 for to   
joyn with ,churches of our communion8   
,is not this to  separate with an open  
breach of ,christian ,charity8 ,we      
charge not these  things upon all of    
you1 but only upon some1 whose names we 
forbear to  mention4 ,and for our parts1
 we do here profess1 ,that it is and    
shall  be our great care1 to study      
purity and charity1 as well as verity   
and unity2 and purity of members        
according to the ,word1 as well as  of  
,ordinances4    ,we abhor an over rigid 
urging of uniformity in circumstantiall 

things4  ,and are far from the cruelty  
of that ,gyant1 who laid upon a bed all 
he took2 and those who were too long1 he
 cut them even with his bed2  and such  
as were too short1 he stretched out to  
the length of it4 ,god  hath not made   
all men of a length1 nor height4 ,mens  
parts1 gifts1  graces differ2 and if    
there should be no forbearance in       
matters of  inferior alloy1 all the     
world would be perpetually quarrelling4 
,if you  would fully know our judgments 
herein1 we will present them in these   
two ,propositions3    #a4 ,that it is   
the duty of all ,christians1 to study to
 enjoy the  ,ordinances of ,christ in   
unity1 and uniformity1 as far as it is  
possible2 for the ,scripture calls      
#agato unity and uniformity1 as  well as
 to purity and verity3 and surely1 it is
 not impossible to  obtain this so much 
desired unity and uniformity1 because   
that ,god  hath promised1 that his      
children shall serve him with #agbone   
heart1 and with one way1 and with one   

shoulder4 ,and that in the days  of the 
,gospel1 ,there shall be one ,lord1 and 
his name one4 ,and ,christ  hath prayed1
 #agc,that we may be all one1 as the    
,father is in him1  and he in the       
,father4 ,and he adds a most prevalent  
reasons1 that the  world may believe    
that thou hast sent me4 ,nothing hinders
 the  propagation of the ,gospel1 so    
much as the divisions and separations of
  ,gospel-,professors4 ,if then it be   
,gods promise1 and ,christs prayer1 it  
is certainly a thing possible to be     
obtained1 and a duty incumbent  upon all
 true ,christians1 to labour after4     
#b4 ,that is their duty to hold         
communion together1 as one ,church1 in  
what they agree2 and in this way of     
union mutually to tolerate and  bear    
with one another in lesser differences4 
,and here that golden ,rule  of the     
,apostle takes place1 #agd,let us       
therefore as many as be  perfect1 be    
thus minded2 and if in any thing ye be  
otherwise minded1  ,god shall reveal    

even this unto you3 ,neverthelesse      
whereto we have  already attained1 ,let 
us walk by the same ,rule1 let us mind  
the same  thing4 ,this was the practice 
of the primitive ,christians4    ,all   
such who professed ,christianity1 held  
,communion together1 as one  ,church1   
notwithstanding the difference of       
,judgements in lesser things1  and much 
corruption in conversation4    ,we      
beseech you therefore ,brethren1 that   
you would endeavour to keep  the ,unity 
of the spirit in the bond of peace2 for 
there is one ,body  and one ,spirit1    
even as ye are called in one hope of    
your ,calling2 one  ,lord1 one ,faith1  
and one ,baptisme2 one ,god and ,father 
of all1 who is  above all1 and through  
all1 and in you all4    ,for our parts1 
we do here manifest our willingness1 7as
 we have  already said7 to accommodate  
with you according to the ,word1 in a   
way  of union2 ,and 7such of us as are  
,ministers17 to preach up1 and to       
practise a mutual forbearance and       

toleration in all things1 that may      
consist with the fundamentalls of       
,religion1 with the power of            
,godlinesse1 and with that peace which  
,christ hath established in his         
,church1 but to make ruptures in the    
body of ,christ1 and to divide  ,church 
from ,church1 and to set up ,church     
against ,church1 and to gather          
,churches out of true ,churches3 ,and   
because we differ in some things1       
therefore to hold ,church-communion in  
,nothing2 this we think hath no  warrant
 out of the ,word of ,god1 and will     
introduce all manner of  confusion in   
,churches and ,families2 and not only   
disturb1 but in a  little time destroy  
the power of ,godlinesse1 purity of     
,religion1 peace  of ,christians1 and   
set open a wide gap to bring in         
,atheisme1 ,popery1  ,heresie1 and all  
manner of wickednesse3 ,we will         
therefore conclude  with that           
description that ,doctor ,ames gives of 
the sinfulnesse and  mischievousnesse of

 ,schisme1 lib4 #e4 cap4 #ab4age        
,schisme1 properly so called1 is a most 
grievous sin2    #a4 ,because it is     
against charity towards our ,neighbour1 
c4    #b4 ,because it is against the    
,edification of him who makes the       
separation1 in that he deprives himself 
,communion in spirituall good4    #c4   
,because it is against the honour of    
,christ1 in that1 at much as in  it     
lyeth1 it takes away the ,unity of his  
mysticall body4    #d4 ,it makes way    
unto ,heresie1 and separation from      
,christ4 ,and  therefore it is a sin by 
all good men to be abhorred4            
,sidenote3 ,second sort of ,separatists4
    #b4 ,the second sort are such1 as   
separate from our ,churches1 as false   
,churches2 ,and from our ,ministry1 as  
,antichristian3 and differ from  us not 
only in ,discipline1 but in ,doctrine   
also4 ,we purpose not to  undertake a   
particular confutation of your ,errours4
    ,four things only we have to say3   
#a4 ,to beseech you to consider1 whether

 you did not receive the work  of       
,conversion from sin unto ,god1 which ye
 presume to be wrought in you  first of 
all1 in these publique assemblies1 from 
which you now  separate8 ,and if once   
you found ,christ walking amongst us1   
,how is it  that you do now leave us8   
,do you not therein leave ,christ also8 
,are we  lesse1 and not rather more     
reformed then we were8 ,if the presence 
of  ,christ1 both of his power and      
grace1 be with us1 why will you deny us 
your presence8 ,are ye holier and wiser 
then ,christ8 ,is not this an  evident  
token that we are true ,churches1 and   
have a true ,ministry1  because we have 
the seal of our ,ministry1 even the     
conversion of many  sons and daughters  
unto ,god8 ,doth not the ,apostle from  
this very  ground1 #agf;argue the truth 
of his ,apostleship8 ,is it not         
apparent1  that our ,ministers are sent 
by ,god1 ,because their ,embassage is   
made  successfull by ,god1 for the good 
of souls8 ,did you ever read of true    

conversion ordinarily in a false        
,church8 ,will the ,lord concur with    
those ,ministers whom he sends not8     
,doth not the ,prophet seem to say  the 
quite contrary1 ,ier4 #bc4cc4 ,and      
therefore either renounce your          
conversion1 or be converted from that   
great sin of separating from us4    #b4 
,to consider1 whether there was not a   
time1 when ye could have  plucked out   
your own eyes1 and have given them to   
those ,ministers1  whose eyes you would 
now pluck out1 and whom now you hate1   
and think  you do ,god good service1 in 
reviling and persecuting them4 ,how is  
it1 that you are thus altered and       
changed8 ,are they become your  enemies1
 because they tell you the truth8 ,you  
will ,reply1 ,it is  because they are   
,ministers ,ordained by ,antichristian  
,bishops2 and  therefore before they    
have renounced their false ,ministry1 we
 cannot  with a safe conscience hear    
them1 nor expect a blessing from their  
,ministry4 ,this ,reply is1 we confess1 

a great stumbling block to many  godly  
people1 in this ,kingdome2 for          
satisfaction to it1 we offer these      
particulars3    #a4 ,many of you that   
make this ,reply1 hold1 ,that the       
,election of the  people is by ,gods    
,word sufficient to make a man a true   
,minister  without ,ordination4    ,now 
it is certain1 that many publique       
,ministers have been chosen by  the free
 and full consent of their              
,congregations2 and most of them  have  
had an after consent1 which was         
sufficient to make ,leah ,jacobs        
wife#agg1 and why not 7to use your own  
words7 to marry a man to a  people2 and 
therefore according to your own         
judgments1 all such are  lawfull        
,ministers4 ,for sinfull superadditions 
do not nullifie divine  ,institutions4  
#b4 ,some of you1 that besides          
,election1 require ,ordination for the  
making of a ,minister1 yet say1 that    
this ,ordination must be by the  people 
of the ,congregation2 and thus are your 

,ministers ordained4    ,now we finde   
neither precept nor president for this  
in all the  ,scripture2 we finde        
#agh,ordination by the laying on of the 
hands of  the ,presbytery1 but never of 
the laying on of the hands of the       
people4 ,we finde #agithe ,apostles1    
,timothy and ,titus1 ,ordaining1  but   
never the people ,ordaining2 and for    
private persons to assume  the power of 
,ordination 7that is1 a power to send   
men to preach the  ,gospel1 and         
administer the ,sacraments7 is a sin    
like unto the sin of  ,uzzah1 and of    
,corah1 and his company4 ,therefore we  
say to you1 as  ,christ doth1 ,matth4   
#f4 ,first pluck the beam out of thine  
own eye1 and  then1 c4 ,first justifie  
the ,ordination of your own ,ministers  
by  private persons1 and then you will  
see better1 to find fault with the      
,ordination of our ,ministers4    #c4   
,we distinguish between a defective     
,ministry1 and a false ,ministry1  as we
 do between a man that is lame or blind1

 and a man that is but  the picture of a
 man4 ,we do not deny1 but that the way 
of ,ministers  entring into the         
,ministry by the ,bishops1 had many     
defects in it1 for  which they ought to 
be humbled3 ,but we add1 that           
notwithstanding all  the accidental     
corruptions1 yet it is not substantially
 and  essentially corrupted3 ,as it is  
with ,baptism in the ,popish ,church2   
all  ,orthodox ,divines account it      
valid1 though mingled with much dross1  
because the party baptized1 is baptized 
in the name of the ,father1  ,son1 and  
,holy ,ghost4 ,and therefore1 when a    
,papist turns ,protestant1  he is not   
baptized again1 because the substance of
 ,baptisme is  preserved in ,popery     
under many defects4 ,the like1 and much 
more1 may  be said for the ,ordination  
of our ,ministers by ,bishops3 ,it is   
lawful  and valid for the substance of  
it1 though mingled with many            
circumstantial defects4    ,and this    
appears1    #a4 ,because when they were 

ordained1 they were designed to no other
  ,office1 but to preach the ,word1 and 
administer the ,sacraments2  according  
to the ,will of ,christ4    #b4 ,because
 since their ,ordination1 ,god hath     
sealed the truth of their  ,ministry 7as
 hath been said7 by his blessing upon   
it4 ,if they be  ,antichristian         
,ministers1 how is your conversion      
,christian8    #c4 ,because they were   
ordained by ,bishops1 not as ,lord      
,bishops1 or as  a superiour ,order by  
divine ,right above a ,presbyter2 but as
 they  were ,presbyters4 ,for the       
understanding of which1 you must know1  
#a4 ,that by ,scripture1 a ,bishop and  
,presbyter is all one1 as appears by    
,act4 #aj4bg1 #bh4 ,tit4 #a4e1 #f1 #g1  
#h4 ,phil4 #a4a4 #a ,tim4 #c4a1 #b1 c4  
#a ,pet4 #e4a1 #b4 and by what is said  
by the ,authors quoted in the           
#ahj,margent4    #b4 ,that the ,lordly  
,dignities of ,bishops were meer civill 
additaments  annexed to their           
,bishopricks by ,kingly favour4    #c4  

,that this ,opinion1 that ,bishops are a
 #ahasuperiour ,order of  ,ministry1 by 
,divine ,right above a ,presbyter1 is a 
late upstart  ,opinion1 contrary to     
antiquity1 as appears by the ,authors   
quoted in  the ,margent4    #d4 ,that   
the ,laws of this ,realm do account     
nothing divine in a  ,bishop1 but his   
being a ,presbyter2 and therefore the   
,parliament in  their ,ordinance for    
,ordination1 tels us1 ,that they did    
ordain as  ,presbyters1 not as ,bishops1
 much lesse as ,lord ,bishops4    ,as   
for their usurpation of the sole power  
of ,jurisdiction1 together  with their  
,lordly ,titles  ,dignities1 and        
,dependances1 we have  renounced them in
 our ,solemn ,league and ,covenant3 ,but
 we never did1  nor never shall renounce
 them as ,presbyters1 which by the      
consent of  all sides1 are by ,divine   
,right4    ,we shall add one thing more1
    #d4 ,that ,ministers do not receive 
their ,ministry from the ,people1 or    
,bishops1 but immediatly from ,jesus    

,christ3 ,for they are ,ministers and   
,embassadors of ,christ1 not of the     
,people3 ,indeed they are ,embassadors  
for the good of the ,people1 but not    
,embassadors of the ,people3 ,all  that 
the people or ,bishop doth1 is but to   
choose and ordain a man2  but it is     
,christ that gives him his power and    
authority2 ,as when a  wife chooseth a  
husband1 and a ,town a ,mayor2 the ,town
 doth not  give the ,mayor1 nor the wife
 the husband1 the power they have2 but  
the  ,laws of ,god1 the one and of ,man1
 the other3 ,so it is here1 ,it is      
,christ that gives the ,office1 and the 
,call to the ,ministry2 ,they are  his  
,servants1 and in his ,name execute     
their function4 ,it is he  that fits    
them with ability for their work2 the   
people they consent1  and the ,bishop as
 a ,presbyter1 with other ,presbyters1  
ordain him2  which though it had many   
,corruptions mingled with it1 when the  
,bishop was in all his pomp and         
,lordliness1 yet for the substance of   

it1 it was lawful  warrantable1 and     
therefore cannot without sin be         
renounced and abjured4    #c4 ,in the   
third place we exhort you to consider1  
whether since you  have forsaken our    
,congregations1 you have not fallen into
 such strange  opinions1 and those of so
 high a nature1 as that if any man      
should  have told you seven years ago1  
that you would have one time or another 
fall into them1 you would have said to  
him1 as ,hazael did to the  ,prophet2   
,am ,i a dog1 that ,i should do this8   
,who would ever have  thought1 that you 
that did once sigh1 mourn1 and bitterly 
complain1  ,that a ,chappell was        
permitted to the ,queen to hear ,masse  
in1 should  now plead for a toleration  
of ,popery1 and all manner of ,errours  
and  ,heresies8 ,that you that did once 
flock to our ,churches as ,doves to the 
windows1 should now not only forsake    
ours1 but all ,churches of  whatever    
constitution2 ,that you that did once so
 much prize ,christ1  and his holy      

,scriptures1 should now 7some of you at 
least7 deny the  ,divinity of ,christ1  
and his holy ,scriptures8 ,but this is  
no great  wonder1 for the ,apostle hath 
foretold it1 #ahb,that evill men and    
seducers shall wax worse and worse1     
deceiving and being deceived2 and  that 
they will increase unto more            
ungodliness1 and their word will  eat as
 doth a ,canker1 c4 ,errour is of an    
incroaching nature2 as  the little      
,theef openeth the door oftentimes to   
the great ,theef  so a little errour    
paves a cause-way to a greater3 ,the    
,popish  superstition at first grew     
secretly1 the tares were hidden under   
the corn2 but in a little while the     
tares grew up1 so as no corn  could be  
seen3 ,images1 at first were brought    
into the ,church only for  an           
historicall use2 afterwards1 to stir up 
devotion1 at last1 they  came to be     
worshipped3 ,let the ,serpent but winde 
in his head1  he  will quickly bring in 
his whole body3 ,your first errour was  

in  separating from our ,churches1 from 
which ,christ doth not separate4  ,here 
the ,serpent got in his head1  no wonder
 his whole body  followed2 he that saith
 yea to the ,devil in a little1 shall   
not  say nay when he please3 ,he that   
tumbleth down the ,hill of ,error1  will
 never leave tumbling1 till he comes to 
the bottome4 ,first you  deny our       
,ministers to be true ,ministers1 and   
our ,ordinances to be true  ,ordinances2
 and then ,god1 as a just ,judge1 gives 
you over1 in a little  time1 to deny all
 ,ministers and ,ordinances1 and then to
 be above  all ,ministers and           
,ordinances2 and at last1 to be above   
,christ  himself1 and not to stand in   
need of his mediation to ,god the       
,father4 ,first you deny ,baptisme of   
,infants1 and then after1  ,baptisme of 
water3 ,in a word1 ,first you run away  
from us1 and then  for the most part    
turn ,independents1 then ,antinomians1  
then  ,anabaptists then ,arminians1 then
 some of you ,socinians1                

,antiscripturists1 ,anti-,trinitarians1 
still waxing worse and worse1  deceiving
 and being deceived1  in the conclusion1
 meer ,atheists4    ,suffer us therefore
 to speak to you in the words of        
,christ1 to the  ,church of ,ephesus4   
,rev4 #b4e4 ,remember from whence you   
are faln1 and  repent1 and do your first
 works1 c4 ,repent of all your          
,soul-destroying ,errours1 and return to
 the ,churches from which ye  have most 
unjustly separated1 for fear1 lest ,god 
as a just ,judge1  because you would not
 receive the love of the truth that you 
might be  saved1 should still give you  
over to strong delusions1 that ye should
  believe a lye1 ,that all they might be
 damned1 who believed not the  truth1   
but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse3   
,and this makes way to  the fourth thing
 we have to say to you2 and that is1    
#d4 ,to beseech you to consider1        
,whether since you forsook our          
,congregations1 you are not much decayed
 in the power of ,godliness1  whether   

you have not lost your first love to    
,godly ,ministers1  ,gospel-,ordinances1
 ,fastings1 reading the ,word1 private  
,family  prayers1 and ,communion of     
,saints2 whether you are not grown more 
censorious1 self-conceited1 headie1     
high-minded1 treacherous1 fierce1       
despisers of those that are good1 and   
lovers of pleasure more then  lovers of 
,god2 whether ,duties to ,god and ,man  
have not been more  neglected1 ,sabbaths
 more prophaned1 ,families worse        
governed2 the  publique welfare of      
,church and ,state have not been less   
minded1  whether prophaneness1 or       
prophane ,ones1 have not been more      
indulged2  and whether you be not       
sensibly and dangerously apostatized    
from that  close and humble walking with
 ,god1 which formerly some of you did so
  much labour after3 ,for the truth is1 
,corruption in the ,judgment1 will      
quickly bring corruption in the         
conversation4 ,our actions are guided   
by our apprehensions2 and if our        

apprehensions be erroneous1 our  actions
 will quickly be tainted with           
wickednesse2 ,and therefore it  is very 
observeable1 #ahc,that in the old ,law1 
when the ,leprosie was  in the head1 the
 ,priest was not only to pronounce the  
man unclean1 but  utterly unclean3 ,for 
,leprosie in the head1 will quickly     
beget a  ,leprosie in the whole man3 ,as
 the ,sun is to the ,world2 so is the   
,understanding to ,man3 ,if the ,sun be 
dark1 all the world is in  darknesse2   
and if the light that is in thee 7saith 
,christ7 be  darkness1 ,how great is    
that darkness8 ,we wonder not at the    
looseness of your practices1 when we    
consider the looseness of  your         
principles3 ,for ,doctrines contrary to 
,godliness1 must needs  bring forth a   
conversation contrary to the ,gospell4  
,and this is an  evident token to us1   
that the ,new-,lights 7as they are      
called7 which  you hold forth to the    
world1 proceed not from the ,father of  
,lights1  but the ,prince of ,darkness1 

because they lead men into the ,works of
  ,darkness4    ,therefore seeing that  
since your departure from us1 you have  
wofully  back-slidden from ,god1 and are
 visibly decaid in ,holiness and        
,righteousness1 ,our ,exhortation to you
 is1 that you would return to  your     
first ,principles2 for then it was      
better with you1 then now2 ,and  our    
prayer to ,god for you is1 ,that he     
would give you repentance to  the       
acknowledging of the truth2 and that you
 may recover your selves  out of the    
snare of the ,devill1 who are taken     
captive by his will4    ,having finished
 that we had to say to those that       
separate from our  ,church1 we now go on
 to speak a few words to those that     
continue with  us still1 and that wait  
upon the publique ,ministry1 but do not 
yet  joyn with us1 in partaking of the  
,sacrament of the ,lords ,supper4       
,these we shall divide into three ranks4
    #a4 ,such as are young people1 not  
yet sufficiently instructed in the      

grounds of ,religion4    #b4 ,such as   
are grown in years1 and come to our     
,churches1 but yet are  scandalous in   
life and conversation4    #c4 ,such as  
live1 for ought we know1 unblameably1   
but yet refuse to  come to the          
,sacrament in the ,presbyterian way4    
#a4 ,such as are young people1 and not  
yet sufficiently instructed in  the     
grounds of ,religion2 ,our ,exhortation 
to you is1 ,that you would  remember    
your ,creator in the days of your       
,youth2 the word in the  ,hebrew#ahd is1
 in the choyce of thy dayes3 ,the time  
of ,youth is the  ,golden ,age2 and     
grace in ,youth1 is like a ,jewel in a  
gold-ring4 ,the  time of ,youth1 it is  
the ,seasoning ,age3 ,a ,vessell will of
 a long  time retain the savour of that 
liquor that it is first seasoned        
withall2 ,teach a child 7saith ,solomon7
 the trade of his way1 and he  will not 
depart from it when he is old4 ,the time
 of ,youth is the  chiefe time you have 
to work for heaven4 ,old age is a time  

to spend  grace2 but ,youth is the time 
to get it3 ,old ,age is the time to reap
  the fruit of holiness1 but ,youth is  
the time to sow the seed of it3  ,and it
 is a time1 that of all times ,god doth 
most require1 and most  delight in4 ,it 
is observed by one1 that ,christ        
#aheloved his  youngest ,disciple best3 
,and by ,another1 that ,christ was      
wonderfully  delighted with that        
,hosanna that the children sang unto    
him1 ,mat4  #ba4af4 #ahf,the childrens  
,hosanna pleased him no less then the   
mens  ,hallelujahs2 ,suffer little      
children to come unto me1 saith ,christ1
  for to them belongeth the ,kingdome of
 ,god4 ,in the ,old ,testament ,god     
hath manifested a great deal of love to 
young people2 ,he chose ,abel1  the     
younger1 ,shem1 the younger1 ,abraham1  
the younger1 ,jacob1 the  younger2 young
 ,samuel1 and young ,david1 and young   
,josiah3 ,and  therefore let young men1 
especially1 be exhorted to begin        
betimes1 to  bear the yoak of the ,lord2

 ,seek ye first the ,kingdome of ,god1  
and his  ,righteousness2 first1 before  
any thing else2 and first1 more then    
any other thing4 ,say not1 7,o say not67
 ,i am a young man1 and therefore  may  
plead for liberty to do what ,i list1   
till ,i come of riper years3  ,but      
remember1 ,that ,jesus ,christ shed his 
blood for thee when he  was #h4 dayes   
old2 and took thee into his ,family by  
,baptisme1 when  thou didst hang upon   
thy mothers ,breast2 ,thou art 7it may  
be7 a young  man1 but a ,baptized       
young-man2 ,a ,young-man consecrated and
 dedicated  to ,god2 ,and it is not only
 sin1 but sacriledg and perjury1 to     
impropriate that that is dedicated to   
,god1 to the service of the  ,devill4   
,remember the wrath manifested from     
,heaven against the #db4  children that 
mocked ,elisha2 ,and remember further1  
,that young  people must dye1 as well as
 old3 ,there are ,skulls in ,golgotha1  
of all  sizes2 and young people have    
immortall souls1 and must appear at  the

 great day of ,judgment1 as well as old2
 ,young people are by  nature children  
of wrath1 heires of hell2 and therefore 
this is thy  first work 7,o young man7  
to get out of the ,root of ,abomination1
 into  the ,root of ,acceptation2 out of
 the old ,adam into the new ,adam2      
before this be done1 7though thou       
shouldst spend thy time in gathering  up
 ,pearls and ,jewels17 thou art an      
undone creature4    ,for the better     
effecting of this1 we exhort you1 to    
attend diligently  to the publike       
,preaching of the ,word1 and willingly  
and cheerfully to  submit to be         
catechized and instructed by your       
,parents1 ,masters1 and  ,ministers4    
,the ,scripture divideth a              
,congregation1 into him that            
catechizeth1 and those that are         
catechized1 saying1 #ahg,let them  that 
are taught1 or 7as it is in the ,greek7 
,catechized1 communicate  to him that   
teacheth 7or catechizeth7 them in all   
good things4 ,in  the ,primitive times1 

when any ,heathen man was converted to  
,christianity1 he was first a           
catechumenus1 before he was admitted    
either to ,baptisme1 or the ,lords      
,supper4 ,and ,egesippus  testifies1    
#ahhthat by the diligent instruction of 
the ,church1 there  was no known        
,common-,wealth in any part of the      
,world1 inhabited1 but  within fourty   
years after ,christs passion1 received a
 great shaking of  ,heathenish          
,religion4 ,there are in ,christian     
,religion1 fundamentalls  and           
superstructions4 ,the fundamentalls are 
the vitals of  ,christianity3 ,these are
 comprized in many of our ,english      
,catechismes4 ,amongst all others1 we do
 more especially commend the  greater   
and lesser ,catechismes made by the     
,reverend ,assembly of  ,divines1 and   
published to be used in all ,churches in
 ,england and  ,wales1 by ,authority of 
,parliament4 ,these we exhort you1 not  
only to  read1 but to learn4 ,and to    
invite you thereunto1 we further        

declare2    ,that the study of the      
,catechisme1 is a singular help for the 
right  understanding of the ,scriptures3
 7,for the ,catechisme is nothing else1 
but a ,methodical ,extract out of the   
,bible1 of the fundamentals of          
,christian ,religion27 ,and it is also  
very useful to make you understand  what
 your ,ministers preach to you2 ,and to 
keep you from the  ,errours and         
,heresies of these times to prepare you 
to give a  distinct and perfect account 
of your ,faith to the ,minister and     
,elders4  ,for one great ,reason why men
 do so pervert the ,scriptures to their 
own  destruction1 and run wilde into so 
many errors and heresies1 and are  so   
unable to give a particular and distinct
 account to the ,minister  and ,elders1 
is for want of the study of the         
,catechisme4 ,as a ship  without ballast
 is tossed about with every wave and    
wind2 so is a  man without the study of 
the ,catechisme1 carried about with     
every  wind of vain doctrine4 ,as a     

house without a foundation will quickly 
fall1 so will a ,christian that is not  
well verst in the fundamentals  of      
,religion4 ,as ,children grow crooked1  
that are not well looked to  at first2  
so many run into crooked opinions1      
because not well  catechized4    ,and   
therefore we earnestly beseech and      
intreat all ,parents1 and  ,masters of  
,families1 that they would make         
conscience of this great  duty of       
catechizing their children and servants4
 ,and oh that the ,lord  would make our 
words to take impression upon your      
hearts4 ,in the ,old  ,testament ,god   
commands ,parents to teach diligently   
their children4  ,the word in the       
,hebrew#ahi is1 to whet the ,law upon   
their children4  ,the fourth            
,commandement is directed not to        
children1 and servants1 but  to ,parents
 and ,masters2 ,and they are there      
commanded1 not only in  their own       
persons1 to keep the ,sabbath2 but to   
see that their  children and servants do

 it also4 ,it is not1 ,thou1 or thy son1
 or  thy daughter2 ,but thou1 nor thy   
son1 nor thy daughter4 ,it doth not     
say1 7as ,zanchy well observes#aij17    
,remember thou to keep holy the         
,sabbath day1 and to perswade thy       
children and servants to keep it  holy3 
,but remember thou to keep it holy1 and 
thy son1 and thy  servant1 implying     
thereby1 that it is the ,duty of the    
,master and  ,father1 to compell his    
servant and children to the keeping of  
the  ,sabbath day4 ,for doing of this1  
,god exceedingly extols ,abraham1  ,gen4
 #ah4ai4 ,i know that he will command   
his children1 and his  household after  
him1 that they keep the wayes of the    
,lord3 upon which  words1 a learned     
,divine wrote thus2 #aia;,abraham did   
not leave his  children and servants to 
their own genius1 their own counsels1   
their  own lusts1 though it is certain1 
divers of them would have thanked him   
for such a liberty2 for they had been   
nursed up in superstition and  idolatry1

 as ,abraham was1 and might have        
pretended1 that they were  not satisfied
 in point of conscience4 ,but ,abraham  
knew how to  distinguish between liberty
 of conscience1 and liberty of lust1 and
  therefore would not allow them such a 
liberty as would have enticed  them into
 the worst kinde of bondage4 ,the ,new  
,testament also calls  upon ,parents1   
not only to bring up their children1 but
 to  #aibnurture them up in instruction 
and admonition of the ,lord4 ,old  ,eli 
was grievously punished for neglect of  
this duty3 ,and let his  severe         
chastisement be as a warning-piece to   
all ,fathers and  ,masters2 ,and let    
them know1 ,that if their children and  
servants  perish for want of            
instruction1 through their negligence1  
their blood  will be required at their  
hands4    ,and if ,parents and ,masters1
 much more ought ,ministers to be very  
conscientious in the diligent discharge 
of this duty4 ,our ,saviour  ,christ    
layeth an express command upon them1 not

 only to feed the  sheep1 but also the  
lambs of ,christ4 ,it is no             
disparagement to a  ,peter1 to be a     
feeder of ,christs lambs4 ,oh that      
,ministers would  unanimously and       
universally set to this duty6 ,we       
commend it to them1  as a most          
,soveraign ,antidote1 to preserve their 
,congregations from  the errours of     
these times4 ,it is reported of ,julian1
 that amongst  other subtile plots he   
used for the rooting out of ,christian  
,religion2  ,one was the suppression of 
all ,christian ,schools1 and places of  
catechizing4 #aic;,and as one saith1 ,if
 he had not been as a ,cloud  that soon 
passeth away1 it had been to be feared1 
lest within a short  time he had        
overshadowed all ,religion4 ,for when   
,catechizing was taken  from the        
,church1 it was presently all overspread
 with ignorance4 ,and  it is further    
added by the same ,author1 ,that the    
,papists themselves  acknowledg1 that   
all the advantage the ,protestants got  

of them in the  beginning of            
,reformation1 was by their catechizing2 
because they began  sooner to catechize1
 then they did4 ,and it is to be feared1
 saith he1  if ever the ,papists get    
once again advantage of ,us1 it will be 
by  their exacter catechizing1 then     
ours4 ,and therefore1 if ever you would 
prevent the further corruption of mens  
,judgments1 and secure them  from the   
infection of errour1 and preserve       
,religion from ruine4 ,we  exhort you in
 the bowels of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1
 to practise this  duty2 and intreat our
 people with all readiness and          
constancie1 to  submit unto this        
,ordinance of ,god1 which with so much  
publique  prejudice1 hath been so long  
neglected4    ,and to perswade people   
thereunto1 let them consider further1   
#a4 ,if ,ministers are bound to         
catechize2 then people are bound to be  
catechized4    #b4 ,that they are       
baptized1 and thereby consecrated unto  
,christ1 and  obliged by promise1 to    

give up themselves unto instruction4    
#c4 ,that ignorance1 though it be not   
the greatest1 yet it is a most          
dangerous sin3 ,all sin is wrapt up in  
ignorance1 as a child in  swadling      
clouts4 ,the ,scripture saith1 #aid,that
 ,christ will come in  flaming fire to  
render vengeance upon all those that    
know him not1  c4    ,it makes the      
ignorance of ,god to be the cause of all
 sin1 #a ,sam4  #b4ab4 #a ,joh4 #b4d4   
,eph4 #d4ai4 ,and ,david prayeth unto   
,god1  #aie,to pour out his wrath upon  
the heathen that know him not2 how  much
 more upon the ,christians that know him
 not8 ,as toads and ,serpents  grow in  
dark and dirty sellars3 so all sin and  
wickednesse in an  ignorant and blind   
soul4 ,now there is no ordinary way for 
young people  to gain the knowledge of  
,god1 but by ,catechizing4    #d4 ,that 
the time of youth is the golden ,age1   
the seasoning age1  and a time in which 
men are apt to receive abiding          
impressions of  evil1 or good4 ,and if  

they can learn to say to ,elisha1       
,bald-pate1  why should they be         
unwilling to learn to sing to ,christ1  
,hosanna8    #e4 ,that it is not so     
great a shame for young people to be    
ignorant1 as  to be wilful and obstinate
 in ignorance4 ,and if they refuse to be
  ,catechised1 they shall perish in     
their ignorance2 but the ,minister  is  
free from the blood of their souls4     
,the second sort are such as live within
 the bounds of our ,province1  and come 
to our ,congregations1 and yet are      
wicked and prophane1 and  such1 as if   
they should come to be examined by the  
,minister and  ,elders1 would not be    
received to the ,sacrament4 ,these are  
,christians  in name1 but they are a    
shame to the name1 and bear it 7as      
,urijah did a letter to ,joab7 for their
 ruine and destruction4 ,we  beseech and
 intreat them to consider1 what a sinful
 and cursed  condition it is to live    
ungodlily and unrighteously under the   
abundance of ,gospel-,ordinances4       

,first1 what a sinful condition it is2  
,for1    #a4 ,it is as much as in them  
lyes1 a frustrating of the great love of
  ,christ in dying for them3 ,for1      
therefore ,christ dyed1 that they which 
live1 should not henceforth live unto   
themselves1 but unto him which  dyed for
 them1 and rose again1 #b ,cor4 #e4ac4  
#b4 ,it is a frustrating of the gracious
 design of ,god1 in sending the  ,gospel
 to them2 for one chief errand of the   
,gospel1 is to teach us to  deny        
ungodlinesse and worldly lusts1 and to  
live soberly1 righteously1  and godly in
 this present world1 ,tit4 #b4ab4    #c4
 ,it is not only to sin against the     
light of nature1 but against  the light 
of the ,gospel4    #d4 ,not only against
 the creating and preserving mercies of 
,god1 but  against the heart-blood mercy
 of ,jesus ,christ4    #e4 ,it is a sin 
of horrible ingratitude and             
unthankfulness2 a sin  that makes ,god  
himself to stand1 as it were1 amazed1   
that any man  should be so wicked1 as to

 be guilty of it1 ,isai4 #a4b4 ,jer4    
#b4aa1  #ab4    #f4 ,it is a sin that   
will make us speechlesse1 and           
unexcusable at the  great day1 ,joh4    
#ae4bb4    #g4 ,it is a sin that renders
 a ,christian worse then the very bruit 
creatures1 ,isa4 #a4c4 ,and in this one 
sense1 worse then the ,devills          
themselves1 because the ,devills never  
refused so great salvation4    #b4      
,consider what a cursed condition this  
is3 ,for1    #a4 ,it is a spirituall    
plague1 which is so much greater then a 
corporal1 by how much the ,soul is      
better then the ,body4    #b4 ,it is a  
sign not only of ,gods ,fatherly1 but   
revengeful displeasure1  a brand of     
reprobation1 and the high-way to        
damnation4    #c4 ,it renders a man     
utterly uncapable 7as such7 of the      
,sacrament of  the body and bloud of    
,christ2 for ,christ ordained the       
,sacrament for  his friends1 not for his
 enemies2 to increase1 not beget grace2 
for  those that are visible ,saints1 not

 for those that are visibly wicked4     
#d4 ,it brings ,personall1              
,congregationall1 and ,nationall        
,judgments1  ,luk4 #ac4e4 ,isa4 #e4     
#e4 ,it makes a ,christians condition at
 the day of ,judgment more  intolerable1
 then the condition of ,sodom and       
,gomorrah4 ,it makes the  ,gospel it    
self to be the chiefest inditement      
against him2 and the  hottest place in  
,hell to be his portion for ever1 and   
ever4    ,oh that the ,lord would give  
hearts to these men to meditate on these
  things6 and to repent of all their    
swearing1 cursing1 lying1  drunkenness1 
fornication1 adultery1                  
,sabbath-breaking1 and such like        
abominations6 ,and let them not be      
offended with us1 7as most of them  are7
 for not admitting them to the          
,sacrament2 but rather offended with    
their sins1 that make them uncapable1 as
 such1 of the ,sacrament4 ,let  not them
 cry out against us1 but against        
themselves2 and study to be  revenged1  

not of their ,ministers and ,elders1 but
 of their sins1 and  themselves4 ,the   
,lord knows1 that it is meer love to the
 ,lord ,jesus  ,christ1 and tender pity 
and compassion to their and our own     
souls1  that forceth us to deny them    
this ,ordinance2 lest we should be      
instrumental to their eating and        
drinking their own damnation1 and       
accessary to their unworthy receiving1  
and to the prophanation of the          
,sacrament2 ,let not our pity1 love1 and
 care to them1 breed hatred  against us1
 in them4 ,and why should they desire to
 partake in these  holy mysteries1 whose
 hearts and lives are so full of        
unholinesse8 why  should they that want 
spirituall life1 desire to eat of       
spirituall  food8 ,what should men      
spiritually dead1 do at a spiritual     
feast8 why  should they desire to eat   
that bread1 which will certainly1 as    
long  as they continue in this          
condition1 be the bread of death1 not of
  life2 and to drink that cup1 which    

will certainly be a cup1 not of         
salvation1 but of damnation6 ,let our   
counsel be acceptable to you2  ,first   
wash you1 make ye clean1 put away the   
evill of your doings from  before ,gods 
eyes1 cease to do evill1 learn to do    
well2 and then come  and see whether we 
will not receive you heartily and       
joyfully to the  ,sacrament4 ,first wash
 your hands in innocency1 and then you  
will be  fit to compasse the ,lords     
,altar4 ,first get spirituall life1 and 
then  come and eat spirituall food4     
,first get to be a friend and ,disciple 
of ,christ2 and then not only ,we1 but  
,christ himself1 will bid you  welcome1 
and make you partakers of all the       
benefits and comforts of  the blessed   
,sacrament4    ,the third and last sort1
 are such as come to our ,congregation1 
and  live 7for ought we know7           
unblameably2 and yet refuse to joyn with
  ,us in the ,sacrament upon this       
account1 because they will not come to  
be examined by the ,minister and        

,elders4 ,this 7as we find by woful     
experience7 is the great mountain that  
lyeth in the way1 and hindereth  the    
free passage of the                     
,presbyterial-,government2 and therefore
 we have  taken some pains in our       
,vindication for the removing of it2 we 
have  shewed1    #a4 ,that the          
,ruling-,elder 7which is the ,officer so
 much opposed7 hath a  ,divine ,warrant4
    #b4 ,it is the ,will of ,jesus      
,christ1 that they that come to the     
,sacrament1 should first submit         
themselves to ,examination2 and not only
  so1 but to ,examination by ,minister  
and ,elders4    #c4 ,what this          
,examination is1 which is required1 and 
how often it is  required4    #d4 ,the  
reason why ancient men and women1 that  
have formerly under the  ,prelatical    
,government been admitted to the        
,sacrament1 are required to  submit unto
 ,examination1 before they can be again 
admitted2 ,it  remains1 ,that we give   
,answers to the ,objections that are    

brought  against this way of            
,examination2 but before we do this1 we 
will first  offer certain ,reasons and  
,motives 7besides those already named7  
to  perswade every one of our respective
 ,congregations1 as well old1 as  young1
 rich as poor1 freely and cheerfully to 
submit unto it4    ,sidenote3 ,motive   
#a4    ,the first ,motive1 is from the  
evident necessity of it1 especially     
now1 while we are reforming the         
promiscuous admission of all sorts of   
people to the ,lords ,table1 formerly so
 scandalous4    ,and this appears2      
because1    #a4 ,without this1 how can  
ignorant persons 7unfit to communicate7 
be detected8 what other ordinary and    
regular course can be imagined1  to     
discover who are insufficient in regard 
of their want of knowledge8  ,and it is 
most certain1 that there are many       
ignorant persons1 old1 as  well as      
young1 rich1 as well as poor1 in the    
most knowing  ,congregations2 and many  
times1 those whom we suppose to be very 

skilful in the word of ,righteousnesse1 
upon ,examination are found  to be babes
 in knowledge4    #b4 ,without this     
course1 multitudes of ignorant persons1 
both old and  young1 will intrude       
themselves1 who by reason of their      
ignorance1  being not able to discern   
the ,lords body1 must needs eat and     
drink  ,judgment to themselves1 and     
become guilty of the body and blood of  
,christ1 #a ,cor4 #aa4bg1 #bi4    #c4   
,without this1 how shall ,ministers and 
,elders ever come truly to  know the    
spiritual state of their ,congregation1 
that they may watch  over them in the   
,lord8    #d4 ,unless every one of the  
,congregation give an account of their  
,faith to the ,eldership1 as well as any
 one1 the people will be  extreamly apt 
to object unto the ,minister and        
,elders1  partial-dealing in this       
particular1 which is contrary to that   
heavy  charge of the ,apostle1 #aif;,i  
charge thee before ,god1 and the ,lord  
,jesus ,christ1 and the ,elect ,angels1 

that thou observe these things1  without
 preferring one before another1 doing   
nothing by partiality4  ,and it will    
breed discontents and animosities in the
 people  against the ,eldership1 and    
great divisions and dissentions among   
themselves4    #e4 ,this course should  
be submitted to by the most intelligent 
and  knowing ,christians in a           
,congregation1 that by their good       
example1  and professed subjection to   
the ,government of ,christ1 those that  
have not so great a measure of          
knowledge1 and so have more need to     
come1 may more readily and effectually  
be perswaded to do the same4    #f4     
,finally1 how can the ,ministers and    
,elders1 intrusted by ,god with  the    
,oversight of their flock1 keep         
themselves pure from the sin of  those  
,persons1 who through ignorance cannot  
chuse but prophane the  ,lords ,supper2 
unless by this means1 they use their    
best endeavors to  finde out where      
ignorance is1 and to remove it3 ,and it 

is their duty  to keep themselves pure1 
and not to be partakers of other mens   
sins4    ,sidenote3 ,motive #b4    ,the 
second motive1 is from the great profit 
and benefit that will  redound to our   
respective ,congregations1 from this    
practice1 prudently  and faithfully     
undertaken1 and universally submitted   
unto4 ,for1    #a4 ,hereby the whole    
,congregation1 in all the members of it1
 shall  receive much advantage and      
edification1 whilest those that are     
knowing1 shall be encouraged1 and those 
that are weaker in  understanding1      
further strengthened in knowledg2 and   
those that are  ignorant1 put into a way
 of gaining knowledge1 and so be        
prepared to  partake of the ,ordinance  
of the ,lords ,supper1 more             
conscionably2 and  more comfortably     
discern the ,lords body1 which is done  
by knowledge2  as well as by ,faith1 #a 
,cor4 #aa4bi4    #b4 ,hereby the great  
offence of promiscuous1 or mixt         
communion1 will be  prevented1 which    

hath been heretofore1 and is to this    
day1 a great  grief to the godly1 both  
,ministers and people3 and which hath   
been1  and is daily objected against us1
 by them that separate from our         
,churches1 as the ground why they are   
necessitated to depart from us2  and are
 still discouraged from returning to us4
    #c4 ,hereby a good foundation will  
be laid1 of carrying on that reall      
reformation which we have covenanted    
for1 both in ,congregations1  families1 
and particular persons2 growth in       
knowledge being a great  means to       
further our growth in the grace of our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ1  #b ,pet4 #c4ah4  
#d4 ,hereby those uncomfortable and     
disorderly fractions and divisions      
among the members of our severall       
,congregations1 7some refusing to       
submit to all orders1 while others      
christianly submit themselves17 wil  in 
good measure be cured1 and our          
,congregations to the glory of  ,god1   
and the comfort of ,minister1 and       

,elders1 be reduced to a  sweet         
,harmonious unity and uniformity1 not   
only in judgment1 but in  practice1 both
 thinking and doing the same thing2     
which were a  ,gospel-blessing much to  
be desired1 as a fruit of that ,ancient 
,promise1 ,jer4 #cb4ci4    ,sidenote3   
,motive #c4    ,the third ,motive is    
from the ,mischiefs that will inevitably
 ensue  upon the neglect of this        
practice4 ,for hereby1    #a4 ,ignorant 
persons shall go on in their ignorance  
undiscovered1  unreformed4    #b4 ,the  
,lords ,supper in many ,congregations   
will be wholly disused1 or  miserably   
prophaned4 #c4 ,particular              
,congregations will be filled with      
distractions and discontents1 whilest a 
great part among them refuse  to walk   
orderly4 #d4 ,the ,ministers and        
,elders1 who sincerely tender  the      
spiritual welfare of their              
,congregations will be much  discouraged
 and discomforted4    #e4 ,the ,work of 
,reformation1 and particularly the      

growth of people in  knowledg and the   
grace of ,jesus ,christ1 will extreamly 
be obstructed  and hindered2 and        
whosoever shall be any cause or occasion
 thereof1  will but uncomfortably answer
 it unto ,jesus ,christ4    ,sidenote3  
,motive #d4    ,the fourth ,motive1 is  
from the weaknesse and insuffiency of   
the  objections that are brought against
 this practice2 ,to which we shall  now 
7,god assisting us7 return distinct1 and
 we hope1 satisfactory  ,answers4       
,the ,objections are3    ,sidenote3     
,object4 #a4    ,many who are well      
inclined1 object their own timorousness3
 ,and have  jealousies that the         
,minister will propound such hard and   
unusual  questions1 as they shall not on
 a sudden be able to answer4            
,sidenote3 ,answ4 #a4    ,the ,questions
 to be propounded by the ,eldership to  
persons1 before  they come to the ,lords
 ,table1 are for the substance of them  
contained  in the ,ordinance of         
,parliament1 of the #bjth of ,october1  

#afdc4 the  particulars thereof being   
the fundamentalls of ,religion1         
contained  usually in most ,catechismes1
 which persons of the meanest capacity  
ought to understand4    #b4 ,we doubt   
not but the ,ministers with the ,elders1
 will make it  their serious            
,endeavours1 to deal with all persons in
 all ,prudence1  meeknesse1 tendernesse1
 and love1 as the condition of those    
that come  before them shall require2   
,they being not insensible of their own 
weaknesse1 will take heed of            
,discouraging the meanest1 or ,quenching
  the smoaking flax1 well knowing1 ,that
 they are not to ,lord it over  ,gods   
heritage1 but to promote their growth1  
and to be ,helpers of their  joy4       
,sidenote3 ,object4 #b4    ,why may not 
people be now admitted to the           
,sacrament1 without  examination1 as    
well as before the ,elders were chosen8 
,sidenote3 ,answ4 #b4    ,because2 #a4  
,before ,elders were chosen1 and the    
foundation of  ,church-,government begun

 to be laid1 the ,church of ,england was
 in  point of ,church ,government in an 
unreformed condition3 ,but now  7blessed
 be ,god7 in a way of ,reformation4 ,and
 we have in our  ,nationall ,covenant1  
sworn to endeavour a reformation in     
,church-,government1 according to the   
,word of ,god4 ,in pursuance of that    
,covenant1 there are many ,ordinances of
 ,parliament1 to require it2 and        
accordingly it is practised in many     
,congregations2 and shall we still      
persist in our old unreformed way8      
#b4 ,the ,promiscuous admission of all  
sorts of ,persons heretofore  without   
examination tended much to the          
,prophanation of the ,lords  ,supper1   
and was a great scandall in our ,church1
 ,hazarded the  souls of thousands1     
occasioned separations from our         
,churches1  brought the judgments of    
,god upon the ,kingdome1 and was no     
small  griefe to godly ,ministers1 c4   
,but now ,god having provided a further 
,remedy1 we ought not only1 not to      

oppose it1 but to submit to it1  with   
all readiness and thankfulness4         
,sidenote3 ,object4 #c4    ,will you    
have the ,ancient men of a              
,congregation1 that have for divers     
years been partakers of the ,sacrament1 
come now in their ,old ,age to be       
,examined2 will you have ,noblemen1 and 
,rich men1 and ,aldermen1 c4            
,sidenote3 ,answ4 #a4    ,we have       
formerly declared1 ,that the            
,presbyteriall ,government doth not     
precisely require of those that come to 
the ,sacrament1 ,that they  should first
 be ,examined by ,questions and         
,answers3 ,but if any man  shall make a 
good profession of his ,faith1 in a     
continued discourse1  without being     
asked any ,questions1 it will be        
accepted1 as well as if  they were      
,examined by particular ,questions4     
#b4 ,we have likewise shewed the ,reason
 why ,ancient men and women1 that  have 
formerly been admitted1 are required to 
submit to ,examination1  before they can

 be again admitted1 c4 ,we have         
intreated you1 to  distinguish between a
 ,church-reforming in ,discipline1 and  
reformed3  ,when a ,church is once      
reformed1 and members admitted by       
,examination of  the ,eldership1 there  
will never be any necessity of coming   
afterwards  to ,ministers and ,elders1  
for re-admission2 7unless it be in case 
of  excommunication47 ,but in a ,church 
reforming1 as ours is1 when all  sorts  
have formerly been admitted1 without any
 ,distinction1 then ,old  men must be   
willing to give an account1 as well as  
young men1 and  rich men1 as well as    
poor3 ,because1    #a4 ,old men and rich
 men are found to be ignorant1 and to   
prophane  the ,sacrament1 as well as    
young men1 and poor men4    #b4 ,in     
,gospell-administrations ,god is no     
respecter of persons2 neither  must his 
,officers be1 if they would be found    
faithfull in their  places2 ,it is not  
gray hairs1 nor silken coats2 but       
knowledg1 faith1  repentance1 love and  

thankefulness1 will qualifie a man for  
the  ,sacrament4    #c4 ,if old men and 
rich men are more gracious and knowing1 
then others1  their good examples will  
be mighty incouragements1 to draw on the
  younger1 and poorer sort4 ,and wherein
 can ,noblemen1 and ,richmen1  express  
their thankfulness to ,god1 for his     
distinguishing mercies  towards them1   
better1 then in becoming patterns and   
presidents to  others1 in their ready   
obedience to the will of ,christ1 in    
this  particular8    ,sidenote3 ,object4
 #d4    ,we are willing to come to the  
,minister alone1 to be examined2 ,but we
  will never come before the            
,ruling-,elders4    ,sidenote3 ,answ4   
#a4    ,the ,office of the ,ruling      
,elders1 as they are distinct from      
teaching  ,elders1 is grounded upon     
,scripture2 and is not an invention of  
man1  but an ,ordinance of ,christ1 7as 
we have shewed17 and therefore to be    
submitted unto4    #b4 ,admission of    
members to the ,sacrament1 is an act of 

,church-,government1 and therefore      
belongs to the ,elders1 as well as the  
,minister3 7as we have likewise shewed47
 ,church-,government is not  committed  
by ,christ unto ,ministers severally1   
but1 to ,ministers and  ,elders joyntly1
 ,matth4 #aj4ag4 #a ,cor4 #ab4bh4 #a    
,tim4 #e4ag4 #a ,thess4  #e4ab4 ,act4   
#ae4f4 ,act4 #bj4ag1 #bh4 ,and therefore
 in conscience1 people  ought to submit 
to the ,ministers and ,elders4    #c4   
,this is a ,practice according to the   
example of the best reformed  ,churches1
 wherein ,elders are joyned with        
,ministers in this  particular4    #d4  
,to devolve this work upon one ,minister
 alone1 as it is sinful1 so  it will    
prove very prejudicial1 both to         
,minister and ,people3 ,for in  some    
places ,ministers may not be so faithful
 and ,prudentiall as they  ought to be1 
and may1 through pride1 covetousness1   
partiality1 or  rashness1 keep from the 
,sacrament1 or admit to the ,sacrament1 
whom  ,christ would not have admitted1  

or kept away4 ,and in other places1     
where ,ministers are more wise1 and     
humble1 and faithfull1 if  they should  
assume the power of ,examination1       
without ,elders  assisting of them1 they
 will be wofully mis-reported and       
scandalized  by those that come before  
them1 or by others1 that are disaffected
 to  them2 ,for if such horrid and base 
reports are already raised about the    
,questions propounded by the ,minister  
and ,elders1 when they sit  together2   
7as by sad experience these wicked dayes
 of ours will  witnesse37 what will not 
ungodly men be afraid to report1 when   
the  ,minister alone shall ingross this 
power8    #e4 ,we have formerly shewed1 
that these ,elders whom you so much     
oppose1  are such as you either have1 or
 might have chosen2 and they were       
chosen for the relief and benefit or the
 ,congregation1 that so the  ,minister  
might not be sole judge of those that   
come to the ,sacrament1  but might have 
others joyned with him1 to see that he  

doth nothing out  of envy1 malice1      
pride1 or partiality2 but that all      
things may be  managed for the good and 
edification of those for whose sake they
 are  chosen3 ,and therefore it is a    
wonder to us1 to hear men speak so much 
against ,ruling-,elders1 when they are  
purposely chosen for their own  relief  
and benefit4    #f4 ,we have also       
formerly shewed1 that when the          
,parliament gave their  allowance to the
 ,presbyterial ,government1 if they had 
put the whole  juridical power of the   
,church1 into the hands of one ,minister
 alone1  they that now seem so willing  
to come to be examined by the ,minister1
  without his ,elders1 would have more  
bitterly declaimed against that  way1   
then now they do against this3 ,for this
 indeed were to make every  ,minister a 
,prelate in his ,congregation2 and to   
bring in that1 which  hath some         
,resemblance to ,auricular confession4  
,sidenote3 ,object4 #e4    ,though some 
,ministers rigidly keep all from the    

,sacrament1 that will  not come before  
the ,eldership2 yet there are others    
that are  ,presbyterians1 and have      
,elders chosen1 that examine without    
them1 and  will receive us to the       
,sacrament1 without coming before them4 
,in answer to this1    ,sidenote3 ,answ4
    #a4 ,we doubt whether there be any  
,ministers of the ,presbyterian         
judgment1 that do thus practise4    #b4 
,if there be any such1 we conceive that 
herein they act not only  contrary to an
 ,ordinance of ,parliament1 but to an   
,ordinance of  ,christ1 who hath given  
the power of ,discipline1 not to one    
,minister1 7as we have said7 but to an  
united company of ,presbyters  ,and for 
one ,minister to assume this power unto 
himself1 is 7as we have  also declared7 
to make himself the whole ,church2 ,it  
is to build up  what he hath destroyed1 
and to usurp the ,prelaticall power of  
sole  jurisdiction1 in his              
,congregation4 ,for he doth not only    
assume a  ,pastoral power of instructing

 those that are to come to the          
,sacrament1  but an ,authoritative power
 of admitting to1  keeping from the     
,sacrament2 which is to take to himself 
an authority that ,christ hath  never   
given him4 ,and we desire these         
,ministers to consider what we  have    
formerly delivered1 ,that it is as      
warrantable by the ,word of ,god  for   
one ,minister to assume the whole power 
of suspending persons  from the         
,sacrament1 who have been duly admitted 
thereunto1 as it is to  assume the whole
 power of admitting to the ,sacrament1  
c4 ,and further  we beseech and intreat 
them 7if there be any such17 to consider
 what  an offence they give in this     
particular1 to all their ,brethren in   
the  ,ministry2 and what an argument    
they put into the mouthes of those that 
are disaffected to the government2 and  
in the fear of ,god to forsake  this way
 and course1 lest while they think to   
build with us1 they be  found to be     
destroyers1 both of the ,presbyterian   

,government and  ,ministry1 and to open 
a wide door to ,sacramental             
,prophanation4    ,sidenote3 ,object4   
#f4    ,doth not the ,scripture say1    
,let a man examine himself1 and so let  
him  eat8 c4 but it no where saith1 ,let
 a man be examined by the ,minister  and
 ,elders4    ,sidenote3 ,answ4    #a4   
,the text speaks of those that were     
formerly admited in a due way to  the   
,sacrament2 and of such it is only      
required1 that they should  examine     
themselves3 ,for the ,examining of those
 amongst us that have  formerly bin     
admitted1 is occasioned by the great    
,church deformation  that hath been     
amongst us2 which being once healed1    
there will not be  again that need      
afterwards of ,church-,examination4     
#b4 ,the ,apostles words are not to be  
understood restrictively and            
exclusively4 ,for he doth not say1 ,let 
a man examine himself only1  ,but let a 
man ,examine himself1 that is1 ,let him 
especially examine  himself4 ,take a    

parallel text1 ,rom4 #ad4ab4 ,so then   
every one of us  shall give an account  
of himself to ,god2 which text is not to
 be  understood exclusively2 ,for it is 
certain1 that ,ministers must give an   
account to ,god1 not only of themselves1
 but also for their people2 ,and        
,parents and ,masters1 for their        
children1 and servants2 so it is here1  
,let a man examine himself3 ,this doth  
not exclude the duty of a  father1 in   
examining his children2 or of a ,master1
 ,minister1 or ,elder1  in examining    
those under his ,charge3 ,but it        
teacheth us1 ,that we must  not rest in1
 nor trust to the ,examination of our   
,father1 ,master1  ,minister1 or        
,elders1 but likewise examine our       
selves3 ,if a childe1 or  servant should
 say unto his father1 or master1 when he
 is examined  about his knowledge1 or   
faith1 ,the ,scripture bids me examine  
my self1  and therefore ,i will not be  
examined by you4 ,would not this be     
accounted a great affront1 and an       

unnsufferable abuse to the holy         
,scriptures8 and yet just so do they    
reason  argue1 that from this           
,scripture1 would exempt themselves from
 all examination by ,minister   ,elders4
 ,and so likewise when ,christ saith1   
,matth1 #g4a4 ,judge not1  that you be  
not judged3 ,he that should interpret   
that text  exclusively1 of all kind of  
judging2 would overthrow all            
,magistracy4  ,but it is to be          
understood only1 as excluding private   
and rash  judging1 7when a man judgeth  
his ,brother1 and hath no calling to    
judge  him1 not a just cause37 so it is 
here2 ,this text excludes all private   
,christians from examining others2 but  
to say1 that it excludes all men  in    
office and place in the ,church1 and in 
the family1 would at once  destroy all  
,church-,government1 and all            
family-government4    #c4 ,we might add1
 that those that are most ready to      
pretend1 that it is  needless to give an
 account before the ,minister and       

,elders1 because  they are to examine   
themselves1 it is to be feared1 are as  
regardless of examining themselves1 as  
unwilling to give an account to  the    
,eldership4    ,sidenote3 ,object4 #g4  
,doth not the ,scripture also say1      
whosoever eateth and drinketh           
unworthily1 eateth and drinketh         
damnation to himself8 ,it is not said1  
to the ,eldership4    ,sidenote3 ,answ4 
,that text is not to be understood      
exclusively1 unless it relate to  close 
hypocrites3 ,an hypocrite eats and      
drinks damnation to himself  only1 but  
if it relates to those that are grosly  
ignorant and  scandalous1 it cannot be  
understood exclusively4 ,for when a man 
that  is grosly ignorant and scandalous1
 receives the ,sacrament1 he not only   
eats and drinks judgment to himself1 but
 the guilt of the sin lyeth  upon all   
those that knew of it1 and did not do   
their duty for the  hindering of it1 as 
we have formerly shewed4    ,sidenote3  
,object4 #h4    ,there are many ,elders 

that are very ignorant1 and fiter rather
 to be  examined1 then to examine2 and  
that propound unbeseeming and  absurd   
questions4    ,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,the 
ignorance of some ,elders doth no more  
prejudice the office of an  ,elder1 then
 the ignorance of some ,physitians1 or  
,ministers1 doth the  calling of        
,ministers and ,physitians3 ,if ignorant
 ,elders be chosen1 the  fault is not in
 the ,office1 but in the ,choosers4     
#b4 ,this objection cannot be justly    
made against the ,ruling-,elders  within
 this ,province2 we hope we may say     
without boasting1 that they  are very   
knowing1 and very godly2 and we are     
confident1 that all the  reports that   
are vented concerning absurd and        
unbeseeming questions1  c4 are meer lyes
 and falsities4 ,in all such meetings1  
the ,minister is  the ,moderator1 and he
 onely propounds the questions2 the     
,elders sit by  and judge4    #c4 ,in   
those ,parishes where there are none    
sufficiently qualified to be  ,elders1  

the ,presbyterian ,government doth not  
require them to chuse  ,elders1 but     
,orders1 ,that all such ,parishes should
 be under the  immediate care1          
inspection1 and government of the       
,classical  ,presbytery4    ,sidenote3  
,object4 #i4    ,it is not enough for a 
,minister to forewarn his people of the 
danger  of unworthy coming to the ,lords
 ,supper2 and if they will              
notwithstanding the warning1 come       
unworthily1 is not the ,minister  free8 
,it is not enough for a father to tell  
his child1 that he must not  drink such 
a cup of poyson1 and yet afterwards     
7when he seeth his  child very greedy of
 it7 to give it him2 especially1 when he
 knoweth  that it will certainly poyson 
him4 ,it was not enough for old ,eli to 
admonish his ,sons2 but because he did  
not use his power1 in hindring  them1 he
 is reproved1 as accessary to their     
sins4    ,sidenote3 ,object4 #aj4    ,i 
have lived thus long1 and never yet was 
examined1 and certainly ,i  will not now

 begin in my old age1 ,i will rather    
never receive the  ,sacrament at all4   
,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,old ,customes are 
no good principles to build upon2 these 
are times of  ,reformation4    #b4      
,consider thine own spiritual wants1 and
 what need thou hast of this  blessed   
,ordinance2 and remember what the       
servant of ,naaman said unto  him1 ,if  
the ,prophet had bid thee do some great 
thing1 wouldest thou  not have done it8 
how much rather then1 when he saith1    
,wash and be  clean8 ,so give ,us leave 
to say to you1 ,if ,christ had commanded
 you  to do some great thing1 would you 
not have done it1 rather then be        
deprived of this ,ordinance8 how much   
rather when he saith to thee  only1     
,come and give an account of thy ,faith 
before the ,eldership1 and  thou shalt  
be made partaker of this ,heavenly      
banquet8    ,sidenote3 ,object4 #aa4    
,but ,i have made a ,vow1 that ,i will  
never come before the ,elders4          
,sidenote3 ,answ4    ,this ,vow is rash 

and sinful1 a bond of iniquity2 and     
therefore by  keeping of it1 you become 
guilty of a double sin3 the ,eldership  
is an  ,ordinance of ,christ 7as we have
 shewed7 and therefore not to be vowed  
against4    ,sidenote3 ,object4 #ab4    
,i am every way able to examine my self1
 and none knows what is in my  heart2   
and therefore ,i will venture upon my   
own private examination4    ,sidenote3  
,answ4    ,how is it1 that thou art     
unwilling to venture thy estate1 without
  first advising with a ,lawyer3 and    
wilt advise with ,physitians about  thy 
bodily health2 but wilt venture thy soul
 at the ,sacrament1 upon  thine own     
head1 without taking the advice of      
,minister and ,elders2 ,is  thy soul    
less precious to thee1 then thy body1 or
 thy estate8  ,besides1 if thou hast    
knowledg1 why wilt thou not come to     
examination2  if no knowledg1 why wilt  
thou refuse the way  means to get       
knowledg8  the truth is1 the true ground
 why some men do oppose this way1 is    

either1    #a4 ,out of ignorance and    
pride1 because they are impatient to    
have  their ignorance discovered3    #b4
 ,or else1 ,secondly1 it is from a      
prophane spirit of opposition2 not      
onely against ,church-,government1 and  
all good order2 but against all  the    
wayes of ,christ4 ,but let such persons 
consider2    #a4 ,that it is far better 
to have their ignorance cured1 then     
covered3  ,ignorance covered will make  
us go blindfold to ,hell2 ,but          
,ignorance  cured1 will make us go with 
open eyes to ,heaven4    #b4 ,that      
,christ accounts them his enemies1 that 
will not have him to  #aigreign over    
them1 and will destroy them as his      
enemies4    #c4 ,to hate ,instruction   
and ,reformation1 is a certain sign of  
wickedness1 which ,god abhors4    #d4   
,all the opposition that carnal and     
rebellious spirits have against  ,christ
 and his wayes1 will in the end1 prove  
kicking against the  pricks1 and most   
pernicious to their own ,souls4    ,and 

thus we have answered all those         
objections1 that are usually  brought   
against this way of ,examination1 and   
herein 7as we hope7 have  given abundant
 satisfaction to all those that are     
willing to receive  it4 ,and we have    
likewise finished our ,exhortation4 ,as 
for the successe  of it1 we leave it    
wholy to ,god2 as having learn't1 that  
duty is  ours1 but success is ,gods4    
,when ,paul had finished his ,sermon at 
#aih;,athens1 some mocked2 and others   
said1 we will hear thee again  of this  
matter4 ,howbeit certain men clave unto 
him1 and believed1 c4  ,we doubt not but
 there are many within the ,province2   
whose hearts the  ,lord will open1 to   
attend to what is here said4 ,our desire
 is to do  good unto all1 even unto     
those that are our greatest adversaries2
 and  not to be overcome of evil1 but to
 overcome evil with good4 ,if they  mock
 at us 7as they did at ,paul7 yet       
surely1 #aii,our ,judgment is  with the 
,lord1 and our work with our ,god2 ,he  

that is filthy1 let him  be filthy      
still2 and he that is unjust1 let him be
 unjust still3 ,but  we hope better     
things of you1 that have submitted to   
the  ,presbyterian-,government4 ,for    
whom we pray1 #bjj,that the ,god of     
peace1 that brought again from the dead 
our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 that  great   
,shepherd of his sheep1 through the     
bloud of the everlasting  ,covenant1    
would make you perfect in every good    
work1 to do his ,will2  working in you1 
that which is well-pleasing in his      
sight1 through  ,jesus ,christ2 to whom 
be glory1 for ever and ever1 ,amen4     
#if ,rom4 #ab4h4    #ig #a ,pet4 #e4    
#ih ,luk4 #bb4be1 #bf4    #ii 4    #ajj 
,matth4 #bc4g1 #h1 #i1 #aj1 #aa4    #aja
 #b ,tim4 #b4bd1 #be1 #bf4    #ajb      
,phil4 #a4    #ajc ,psal4 #gd4  #acg4   
#ajd unus homo1 solus totius orbis      
impetum sustinuit4    #aje ,isai4 #h4aa1
 #ab1 #ac1 #ad4    #ajf ,matth4 #ah4bj4 
#ajg ,dan4 #b4ce1 #de4    #ajh ,micah   
#d4a1 #b4    #aji ,isai4 #fa4ab4 #a     

,tim4 #e4ag4 #a ,thes4 #e4ac4    #aaj #a
 ,pet4 #e4d4    #aaa ,dan4 #i4be4       
#aab ,neh4 #d4c1 #d4    #aac ,neh4      
#d4aj4    #aad ,zech4 #d4aj4    #aae and
 ,zech4 #d4i4 #f4h4    #aaf ,jer4 #d4ad4
 ,isai4 #a4af4    #aag ,rom4 #b4bi4     
#aah ,in te stas1  non stas4    #aai    
,frustra nititur qui non innititur4     
#abj #b ,tim4 #a4f4    #aba ,manducatio 
,indignorum1  ,manducatio ,indigna4     
,alsted4    #abb #a ,pet4 #a4ab4    #abc
   4    #abd ,joh4 #f4ea4 and #ef4      
#abe  4    #abf ,quant pro nobis vilior1
 tant nobis charior4    #abg ,donec     
totus fixus in ,corde qui totus fixus in
 cruce4    #abh ,non vincula sed        
ornamenta1  spirituales ,margarit1      
quoted by  ,nyc4 ,vedelius1 in his      
,epistle before his ,commentary upon    
,ignatius4    #abi ,festum ,aquilarum1  
non ,graculorum4    #acj ,rom4 #e4h4    
#aca ,lam4 #c4    #acb ,luk4 #g4f1 #g4  
#acc #b ,sam4 #i4    #acd ,utimur       
perspecillis magis qum speculis4 ,senec4
    #ace ,matth4 #e4dd1 #de1 #df4       

#acf ,col4 #a4aj1 #aa4    #acg ,phil4   
#a4i1 #aj1 #aa4    #ach ,heb4 #ac4ag4   
#aci #a ,thess4 #e4ab4    #adj #a ,tim4 
#e4ag1 #ah4    #ada ,gal4 #f4f4    #adb 
#a ,cor4 #i4ac1 #ad4    #adc 4 ,tit4    
#a4h4    #add #a ,thess4 #e4aa1 #ad1    
#ae4    #ade ,col4 #c4a1 #f4    #adf #a 
,cor4 #aj4bd4    #adg ,rom4 #ae4b1 #c4  
#adh ,phil4 #b4c4    #adi ,mal4 #c4af4  
#aej #a ,tim4 #f4d1 #e4    #aea #b ,tim4
 #b4bc4    #aeb ,rev4 #c4d4    #aec     
,rom4 #af4ag4    #aed #a ,tim4 #f4c1 #d1
 #e4    #aee ,tit4 #a4 #a ,tim #c4af4   
,tit4 #b4ab4    #aef ,eph4 #b4a4 #a     
,cor4 #b4ad4    #aeg ,rom4 #h4g4    #aeh
 ,gal4 #e4ag4 ,rom4 #g4ah1 #ai1 #bc1    
#bd4 ,isa4 #fd4f4 ,rom4 #c4bh4 ,phil4   
#c4i4 #b ,cor4 #e4ba4    #aei ,rom4     
#h4a1 #ac4 #a ,joh4 #c4ad4 ,eph4 #b4af4 
,titus #c4af4 #a ,thess4 #d4c4  ,heb4   
#ab4ad4    #afj ,heb4 #g4bb4 ,heb4 #h4f4
    #afa #b ,tim4 #c4a1 #b1 c4    #afb  
,isai4 #a4e1 #f4    #afc ,schisma1 ni   
fallor1 est eadem opinantem1  eodem ritu
 utentem  solo ,congregationis delectari

 dissidio1  ,schismaticos facit non     
diversa fides1 sed communionis disrupta 
societas1 ,aug4 contra  ,faustum4 lib4  
#bj4 cap #c4    ,schisma dicitur a      
scindendo1  est scissio1 separatio1     
disjunctio1  aut dissolutio unionis     
illius1 qu debet inter ,christianos     
observari4  ,quia autem hc ,scissio     
maxim perficitur1  apparet in debit     
communione ,ecclesiastic recusand1      
idcirco illa separatio per              
appropriationem singularem1 rect vocatur
 ,schisma4 ,ames4 cas4 consc4  lib4 #e4 
cap #ab4    ,schisma est secessio in    
religionis negotio1 vel temeraria1 vel  
injusta1 sive facta sit1 sive           
continuata1 ,camero1 de ,eccles4 tom #a4
  pag #cif4    #afd ,schisma aliud est1 
ut loquuntur in scholis1 negativum1     
aliud  positivum4 ,negativum vocamus1   
quod non exit in ctum  societatem       
aliquam religiosam1 sed simpliciter     
secessio est1  subductio2 cum non       
instituitur ,ecclesia1 facto schismate  
c4 ,positivum tum fit1 cum  instituitur 

,ecclesia1 hoc est1 cum fit consociatio 
qudam1 qu legibus  ,ecclesiasticis1     
,dei verbo atque ,sacramentorum         
administratione utitur  separatim3 quod 
quadam formul desumpt ex ,scriptura     
dicitur struere  altare adversus altare1
 hoc est1 quod ,schisma ,antonomastics  
dicitur1   ' 1 c4 ,camero de ,schismate1
 pag4 #djb4    #afe ,temeritas          
secessionis deprehenditur1 ut loquuntur1
 a  posteriori1 si ejus occasio levis   
sit3 erit autem levis1 nisi vel         
inciderit gravis  intolerabilis         
persecutio1 vel ille ctus unde  fit     
secessio laboret hresi1 aut ver deditus 
fit ,idololatri4  ,camero1 pag4 #cii4   
,and afterwards1 pag4 #dje4 ,quarta ver 
causa 7cujus  non meminimus supra1 quia 
versabamur in thesi1 hic vero meminimus1
  quia ventum est ad hypothesim7 si     
agnitus fuerit ,antichristus4    #aff   
,etiam secessio fit temer1 cum fit ob   
morum corruptelas2  quorsum illud       
,christi pertinet1 ,sedent in ,cathedra 
,mosis1 facite  qucunque dixerint vobis4

 ,cujus rei hc est ratio1 qud ubicunque 
viget puritas doctrin1 ,deum in eo ctu  
necessse est habere  ,ecclesiam1 tametsi
 obrutam pen multitudine scandalorum4   
,itaque qui  secessionem faciunt ab     
ejusmodi ctu1 haud dubi inde secedunt   
ubi  ,deus colligit ,ecclesiam4 ,camero1
 pag4 #djj4    #afg ,mr4 ,carthwright4  
,mr4 ,dod4 ,m4 ,hildersham4 ,mr4        
,bradshaw4 ,mr4  ,ball4    #afh ,matth4 
#ac4i4    #afi ,musculus on #a ,cor4    
#aa4    #agj ,thomas ,goodwin1 in his   
,sermon upon ,zech4 #d4    #aga #a ,cor4
 #a4aj4 ,phil4 #b4a1 #b4 ,eph4 #d4c1 #d1
 #e1 #f4    #agb ,jer4 #cb4ci4 ,zeph4   
#c4i4 ,zach4 #ad4i4    #agc ,joh4       
#ag4ba4    #agd ,phil4 #c4ae1 #af4      
#age ,schisma propri dictum est peccatum
 gravissimum3    #a ,quia adversatur    
charitati erga proximum1  privat eum    
spirituali  bono4    #b ,adversatur     
dificationi illius qui facit            
separationem1 quatenus  privat          
semetipsum ,communione in bono          
spirituali4    #c ,adversatur ,christo1 

quatenus unitatem corporis ejus mystici 
suo modo  tollit4    #d ,viam facit ad  
hresin  separationem  ,christo4    #agf 
#a ,cor #i4b4    #agg ,subsequens       
consensus ,jacobi in ,leam1 fecit eos   
conjuges4  ,pareus1 c4    #agh #a ,tim4 
#d4ad4    #agi ,act4 #ad4bc4 #a ,tim4   
#e4bb4 ,tit4 #a4e4    #ahj ,smectymnuus4
 ,the answer of ,mr4 ,marshal1 ,mr4     
,vines1 ,mr4  ,caryl1 ,mr4 ,seaman1     
returned to the late ,king1 in the      
,treaty at the  ,isle of ,wight4    #aha
 ,ambros4 in cap4 #d4 ad ,ephes4  in #a 
,tim4 #c4 ,hier4 in ,tit4 #a4   ad      
,euagrium4 ,aug4 epist4 #ai4 ,chrys4 in 
#a ,tim4 #c4    #ahb #b ,tim4 #c4ac4    
#b4af1 #ag4    #ahc ,levit4 #ac1 #ad4   
#ahd ,eccl4 #ab4a4 4    #ahe ,discipulum
 minimum ,iesus amavit plurimm1 ,hieron4
    #ahf ,non minus placet ,deo ,hosanna
 puerorum1 qum ,hallelujah  virorum1    
,dr4 ,andrews in his ,preface to the    
,command4    #ahg ,gal4 #f4f4    #ahh   
,quoted by ,dr4 ,andrewes1 in his       
,preface to the ,com4    #ahi ,deut4    

#f4g4 4    #aij ,zanch4 in #d4 prceptum4
    #aia ,mr4 ,cheynell in a ,sermon    
before the ,house of ,commons4    #aib  
,ephes4 #f4 4    #aic ,dr4 ,andrews in  
the forementioned ,preface4    #aid #b  
,thess4 #a4h4    #aie ,psal4 #gi4f4     
#aif #a ,tim4 #e4ba4    #aig ,luk4      
#ai4ad1 #bg4    #aih ,act4 #ag4cb1 #cd4 
#aii ,isa4 #di4d4    #bjj ,heb4 #ac4ai1 
#bj4          ,subscribed in the ,name1 
and by the ,appointment of the          
,assembly1     ,george ,walker1         
,moderator4   ,arthur ,jackson1         
,edmund ,calamy1    ,assessors4         
,roger ,drake1 ,scriba4   ,elidad       
,blackwell1 ,scriba4      ,,finis4      
,reader1 be pleased to read in page     
#aaa4 line #bc4 ,and let every one1 c4