A little ston, Out of the MOUNTAIN.  
CHURCH-ORDER briefly opened, BY Nicholas Lockyer, Minister of the Gospel.  EZEK 47.3. 
— the waters were to the ankles.  PSAL. 27.4. 
One thing have I desired, &c.  
Printed at Leith by Evan tiler. Anno Dom. 1652.   

To the LORDS afflicted People in SCOTLAND, Be tender mercy by JESUS CHRIST.  
Dear Brethren,  
WE have been in one furnace together, and under one cruel Tyrant and Task-master together, whose anger did tear perpetually, 
Amos 1.11  and who kept his wrath for ever. How blessed a thing now would it be, if we could all refine together under the Lords hand, and so become one staff of beauty and bonds, for the great Works of these latter dayes. The procession of things to this end, hath not pleased you all, but not for want of will( I assure you) in the poor agents, but for want of skill to compass you and their great affairs. But what is the pleasure of the Lord in all this? And how may we understand and comport with it? Such beatings of heart, how sweet would they keep our souls, under very hard and bitter things? Bitter things alone, lean and shrivell such as will feed alone upon them; which is a disease( I doubt) amongst many of Gods dear ones at this day, which makes them like thin fleshed folks, so fretful and angry at every thing. You are brought into the wilderness, look to that high Hand which indeed hath done this,& here dwell▪ and you may have vineyards from hence; great gain from your great loss, your wilderness turned into such pleasant vineyards for soul and body, as yet S●otland never saw: Such prospect is the daily entertainment, and heavenly vision, of an instructed soul under Gods hand.  
Dear Brethren, I beseech you therefore in the bowels of Christ, receive instruction by your Correction; for the people which do nor understand, 
Hos. 4 14  shall fall. Tis a fire of jealousy that burns, it kindled in the Sanctuary, and there it yet flames, and I fear yet will, because it finds so much hay and stubble upon the foundation, and so little care and life yet to remove it. The fire of jealousy is not a flash, quickly gone; tis a strange fire, tis the rage of God, and will set his polluted Spouse as in the day she was born, 
Hos. 2.3. compare Ezek. 16 4:  if she repent not: and then will Israel be Jesrael, a scattered forlorn State, for Tsiim and O him, for all howling creatures and complaints. God will recover his wool, take from us his kindness, our enjoyments, opportunities, hearts, and in a month do this: 
Hos. 5.7.  and then twill be worse then now when God shall say, afflict no more, let no man strive nor reprove one another, because twill make men worse, Hos. 4.4. This( I fear) God puts to his heart, that Scotland all this while is not guilty. Good people fret and rage, throw darts and javelins, to pin poor instruments next them to the walls; which practise, whispers in the ears of God, we are not guilty: which may make Scotland abide many dayes, not only without a King, and without a Prince, but without a sacrifice, and without a Teraphim, without their best and highest mercies, as well as without c●mmon temporeall honors and enjoyments: Tis three transgressions to despise the Word and works of God; and tis so many more to despise transgression; for in this, blood toucheth bloods as the Prophet speaks, 
Amos 2.4.  one sin becomes many.  
Dear Brethren, stoop under Gods hand: God hath hedged up your way with thorns, and yet many of you seem by your carriage to say, we will go after our Lovers, our King, our Kirk, between which two millstones, you may be ground to dust, if the Lord give you not spiritual understanding. Fear the Lord and his goodness: your rod hath been goodness; every twig, gentleness and goodness; hear the voice thereof, and return to your first husband Jesus Christ, in your worship, in your dependence in all things; and cease from man, from your own wisdom which hath undone you, and from prejudice which will seal this state upon you, and bow down your backs always. Some of you( I fear) your doings will not suffer you to return, 
Hos. 5.4  as the Prophet speaks: that is, you are so far engaged, that you think 'twill be your disgrace for ever, to retreat: but O Augustines retractations! What part of his Works, so sweet? And what a glory of a sudden would shine from Heaven upon Scotland, in the sight of all the Christian World, if the Ministers and Christians thereof, would publish their Retractations of those harsh things, of which their pens, pulpits, and papers are full.  
We are a people, an iceland, saved by the Lord, and can be destroyed by none, but ourselves: but surely, he that hath begun a glorious work amid us, will perfect it, though many more of our carcases pay for it. I am as fearful of ourselves, who have now the ball before us, as of you who kick at us, whilst we are running after it; but the Lord will save us from you, and both of us from ourselves, that he may exalt that free grace in which he began this Work, and bent both our hearts for himself unto it, and bring us to meet all at last, in some other land and work, wherein we shall more plainly see what we are about, and better agree; yea, and better understand then, what we are doing now. For this, for you, for us, night and day is he yet upon his knees, with prayers and tears, who is in all simplicity yours, in the service of the Gospel  
NICHOLAS LOCKYER. From my Quarters in Edinburgh, April. 20. 1652.   

To the Reader.  
TIs remarkable, good Reader, how much GOD looks after the purity of his Worship, which most men think is but some mens stiffness, minding singularity, and punctilo's, more then the main. Tis ill to go to build without a foundation, and tis but ruinous to rest in a bottom without a top; a man shall dwell but coldly, in a house without a roof. If Gods house want but its glory, it may want its defence, as much as if it wanted its being, as to felicity in this world. When Samuel did something about cleansing GODS worship, GOD did something against the philistines: What he would have done he could not, because of the perverseness of the people. In Davids time a full Reformation was made and then GOD fully brought down all their Enemies, 
See the last English Annot in 1 Sam. 7.3 They did reform but in part, and so were delivered but in part by Samuel and Saul.  philistines, and all else round about. Upon this subject, thou wilt find this little piece spend itself.  
I have, Reader, endeavoured to be thy spy, in reference to that good Land of Ordinance, which flows with milk and hony: As to depth of discerning and judging in the Mysteries of Gospel-Worship, I confess myself very weak, and can onely say as Caleb when he came back, from espying the Land, that I have brought thee word as it was in my heart, Indeed I have, indeed I have beloved Reader: As I have learned and believed, I have spoken; It may be with more plain-dealing, then some other of my Brethren who have wrote of this Subject, but take that ingenuously as the complexion of my Spirit, as one deeply pressed with the weight of these things, and the dangerous averseness of this poor people, among whom I have more been and more seen, then some others of my Brethren have done. I writ, Reader, against things, not persons: All the LORDS People in Scotland are very dear unto me, with one little one of whom I cannot compare myself, because truly their little Ones are as David in some things, for affection and sobriety, though in other things, yet dark. In Persons of higher growth, I have observed eminent and excellent parts and graces, such as in the sweetness● of which, I have found in my heart to live and die.  
All that I have heavy upon my heart, respecting both the one and the other, is, that as to Church order, they are in an ill vessel, which cannot possible live, in such storms as now beat upon it, from Heaven, and from the Saints, and therefore I could wish that all the godly were out on't. The love of this hath constrained me to labour and travel, even beyond my strength, that great thoughts of heart, against what the great GOD is now adoing, may fall, and GOD▪ People no more fall with that whic●… is to fall, and is to be destroyed They had their Masculine, an●… Feminine gods, Baal, and Ashteroth. I hope Baal is become Ashteroth, that that masculine spirit which was for presbytery, grows Feminine; that some good people, more of love then of light, and others more of fear then of love, yet ly among the pots. Reader, think it thy duty to abate in affection, to things from which GOD is gone, and to abate in fury to them, who are going to Sion with their faces thitherward, who are seeking him whom their souls love: Let no Watch-man beat these, for GOD hath gloriously engaged to rebuk this spirit.  
Caleb takes much notice that he was kept alive, when so many of his brethren were slain, And now behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said these forty five years, whilst the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness, Josh. 14.7. Surely, Reader, 'tis not for nought, that the Lord hath kept thee and I alive, in all this time wherein our brethren have been slain on every hand of us; much less for worse then nought, are we left; to live up that, for which they are dead. What is here offered to thee with the right hand, Reader, do not thou take with the left. Anon I leave this Nation, and this world: these are my last words, to a People which I love as mine own soul; if in love they may be received, GOD will appear again in Shiloh.  
Thine in the hard travels, of these latter times, NICHOLAS LOCKYER. From my quarters in Edinburgh, April ●0. 1652.   

To all those of SCOTLAND That can red with a seeing eye, grace, mercy, and peace.  
WHat is now held out in the forepart of this Piece( which occasioned the second) was first offered by the Author, in the very love and faithfulness of his spirit, in a Lecture at Edinburgh. It was then frowardly entertained by some, roughly by many, and yet earnestly desired to the Press by others. At that time with him, the frame of the former hindered the desire of the latter; yet so as he restend in an expectation of a season, wherein the former also would be likely to hear such words, which to some are never sweet till a day of calamity, 
Psal. 141.  or when their Judges are overthrown. Thus doth the Lord oft times sweeten his truth and sayings, with the bitterness of his doings, and takes out one heat by another. Jonah is peevish and hot, and in his heat cannot receive the expostulation of God himself,( and such hath been the case here) but afterward the suns heat, and the East-wind( both which are Scripture hieroglyphics of affliction) do beat something into Jonahs head, 
Jonah 4.  and( having Gods own comment) do silence the passion of the Prophet.  
Possibly Scotlands vision may come as Ezekiels, out of the whirlwind and the fire. 
Ezek. 1.  God, afore this testimony was given, had spoken in his wrath to Scotland, at Preston against the grosser, at Dunbar against the finer, and at Hamilton against the finest oposites of this truth and its interest; and since this testimony given, he hath gone on to speak the same language from Enerkethen to Worcester. It may be, some of you the beloved Saints of Scotland,( for we cannot but think and call some so, howsoever it hath been taken) may suspect or be willing to search the wretchedness, poverty, blindness and nakedness of your national Church state, and having your ear opened to Gods discipline in the rod, will not in love of your own, stop the ear to this faithful Charmer, 
Psal 58.  or soft and sweet wisperer, as the Hebrew signifies. He is wisely charming you from the corruption, not use of Ordinances. If a loose spirit, despising those precious things of Heaven, should seize upon you( which God forbid) we should judge it to have more of the venomous adder in it, and more to be resisted and detested, then any thing in your present state. If this good man be not a sweet savour to you all, yet we believe, he will be so to Christ, whom his soul loves, and in whom also you are the desire of his soul. The first part of his Work may put you upon enquiry, whether you have dealt kindly with Christ, to obtrude as imperious and selfish Guardians or Tutors, such a spouse upon him, as is not according to his choice, mind or l●king. The experience of the true and deserving shepherds here( who are as dear to their other brethren, as sh●ep to the wolves) doth tell them, that almost nine parts of ten in their flock are not sheep, not fit( say they) of civill, much less( say we) of spiritual privileges; and then they are rather a herd or driven, then a flock, for few( as the shepherds themselves think now their driving power ceaseth) will be willing to be kept by them, nay many( as they already know) do turn again, and would gladly rend them. The keeping of such for their flock, may be as unsafe to the good Ministers as it is unprofitable to the people( both good and bad) and dishonourable to Christ.  
Wherefore, it will not onely be a right done to Christ, but also mercy to themselves and the people, to harken to the voice of this testimony in the first part thereof; and that will better dispose to the reception of the second, as a necessary preservative of the first, and give a blessed tendency to a better correspondence with God and men. But while( not the godly, but) the bulk of the Nation is the Church, it must have Officers and subordinations accordingly, and then no less can be expected, then that the generality of the Officers& members, be an abomination to the Lord and his people, in point of Gospel-communion. Nor is it any wonder, that those few Saints that are lost and drowned among the rest of the Ministers and people, be an abomination to the greatest part of such a Church. If such Saints will not, but in company of this multitude walk with God, or his people, what Gospel-communion can there be expected? As for the purging of this body, we suspect it to be( as the body) supposed, and a diversion from a real duty: For, beside what we apprehended, how impossible it is, that the far lesser number( retaining their present constitution) should regularly cast out the greater part therefrom; we are informed by our experience, that the worse and greater part, is more able and willing to a formal ejection of the better, then on the contrary: And therefore this ten years talk of the lips( about purging) hath tended only to penury, 
Pro. 14.  and the last years have been further from that work then the former.  
But we may now hope, some more real truth and course will take place. God hath found Scotland, 
Act. 12.  as Peter in a prison, and asleep, between two armed Keepers, the Kirk,( so called) and the State, and bound with two chains. May there not a light have now shone in the Prison, and the Angel of the Lord with a wakening stroke have smitten her on the side, and bid her rise quickly? And may not her chains, at that voice fall off, and she gird her loins, and get her out of her bondage? Scotland's sickness discovered itself, and for twelve years her issue, or fountain of blood hath been opened, 
Mark 5.  and she hath suffered many things of many Physicians, and spent all that she had, and is nothing bettered, but rather the worse; her touching other garments and garbs, hath not healed her. Oh that now she would try in faith, what a touch of Christ will do! It may be, the fountain of blood would be dried up, and she might feel in her self, that her plague was healed. For which, and all our mercies to this people, shall, with the endeavours be joined the requests of  
Yours in the love and work of the Gospel 

JOSEPH CARYLL.  
JOHN OXENBRIDGE.  
CUTHBERT SIDENHAM.   Dalkeith, April 22. 1652.   

THE ORDER Of the GOSPEL, In some more main parts thereof, briefly and plainly handled,( as such a Subject will permit.)  ACT. 15.3. 
And being brought on their way by the Church, they passed thorough Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.  
THE Church of Antioch had great stirs in it, by men of unsound mindes, who therefore desired aid from the Church at Jerusalem: What persons they deputed for Messengers, you may see in the verse before my Text, to wit, Paul and Barnabas, and certain others, &c. v. 2. The Church brought these their Messengers on their way, to testify their great affection and thankfulness, for so brotherly a work. The way they went, my Text tells you, to wit, thorough Phenicia and Samaria, which were people near of lip to the Jews, and among which, many were turned to the Faith of Christ, and walking together in the Order of the Gospel, as was signified by Christ himself, Act. 1.8. and is mentioned as fulfilled, Act. 9.31. and in the close of my Text; who joy to hear like things among the Gentiles.  
The principal things in this verse are these, viz. a Church of the New Testament, described by its proper matter, and by a proper effect and operation which this hath, upon such who are indeed turned to the Lord, and able to discern spiritual beauty and glory, it causeth great joy to all such. And being brought on by the Church.] What the matter or this Church is, red the next words, and they will tell you:— they declared the conversion of the Gentiles. What conversion was this? A mere outside conversion? Surely if the Brethren had apprehended no more in them, they would have had little matter for a great joy: but of this more will be said by and by.  
Let's take terms as they lie, and see how other Scriptures do explain them, and make Scripture its own interpretation, which will be most safe for all persons to go by. The complexion of a visible Church under the Gospel, is here said to be conversion: the constituting matter, converted ones. What these converted ones were, according to what Christian can discern of Christian, is the thing to be inquired into. Paul& Barnabas, who were Master-builders, and surely very seeing men, that they might not make a mere report, took of these converted ones with them— were brought on in their way by the Church. We t●ll you,( as if they had said) of such glad tidings touching the Gentiles; but what they are, see yourselves, here they are, discourse with them, see if they have not the same Soul-complexion with yourselves, whether they have not received the same Spirit of adoption, owning and experiencing the same grace of God which you do. That there was an effectual work wrought in the hearts of these my Text speaks of, I judge will sufficiently appear, by comparing with my Text, these Scriptures, Act. 11.20, 21.22, 23.— which when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus: and the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of them believed, and turned to the Lord. The tidings of these things came to the ears of the Church which was at Jerusalem, and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go to Antioch, who when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. For he was a good man, and full of the holy Ghost. The next verse tells us, that he found out Saul, and brought him to this Church of Antioch, where they abode a whole year: and these Converts first called Christians. Barnabas is here said to be a man full of the Holy Ghost, and therefore able to taste his Communion, what divine reciprocation was made amongst them, and heart answering to heart; and he and Paul together in a whole years time, might be competently able to give a judgement what they found amongst these first Christians; and I think 'tis very dangerous to say, that as far as they could apprehended, these first Christians had not both name and thing, for which commended, and in which by these worthies joyed in: In particular Churches, some competent judgement may be made of every particular Member, by able men, in a long tract of time; and so are these Worthies elsewhere said, with this Church, to have had intimate Communion, Act. 14.27, 28. And from thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God, for the work which they fulfilled. And when they were come, and had gathered the Church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. And there they[ abode a long time] with the disciples. Add to this Act. 15. where you shall see further, what is solemnly asserted of thess Converts in several verses, as v. 8. And God which know●th the hearts beareth them witne●, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us, and put no difference between us and them, purifying their h●arts by Faith. H●re is a Text to some purpose, God which knoweth the hearts beareth them witness, &c. That they had like powerful, spiritual purifying receptions, with the best of them at Jerusalem: and indeed I think it dangerous for any to affirm, that all these expressions might not mean effectual grace, or else be spoken of some onely, but not of the whole. Compare with this, v. 11.16, 17, 18, 19. what he concludes, Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles, are turned to God.  
Having thus painfully and plainly laid the foundation by the Word, and by a simplo and sincere judgement thereupon, without the least respect to any party, or self-interest in the world, as he knows to whom in this as in all my ways, I desire humbly to refer myself. I build thereupon this doctrine, That the proper and allowed matter of a visible Church now in the dayes of the Gospel, is persons truly converted, such as God, who knoweth the hearts of all men, can bear witness of, as indeed sealed for his, by his Holy Spirit. I say, this is the matter we ought now to take, to raise again the Tabernacle of David, and none other, not one other, no not in a whole Church, so far as men truly converted, and very spiritual, are able to discern and judge. The particular Text I would city for the further confirmation of this( that you may see how richly the Scripture consents to this) are these, Act. 9. v. 26, And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the Disciples, but they were[ all] afraid of him( by which it seems, they were a homogeniall body, under the same light and conscience, and tenderness in this matter) and believed not that he was a Disciple. What did they fear? That he did not make profession of Christianity? Why, now he tend●red himself to do ●t, why should they have denied him now, if bare profession had been enough? But it is evident, that they feared that he did but merely profess, and that they should take in a heterogeniall piece, one that had but the outside of that qualification which this new building should have; and therefore Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and how he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus, and ventured his life in the practise of his Profession, used all means to satisfy them of the reality of Gods work upon his heart, and upon this received as sit matter for this new house, and as suitable matter to that which was already in the building. add to this Act. 2.47. the Lord added to the Church {αβγδ}, the saved, eos qui salvi fiebant, those which were out of harms way, as we say, in a safe and sure state& so are no persons, but such who have received of the sure mercies of David: a sinner is not safe, not out of gun-shot, till indeed in Chr●st, and this the matter ●ccepted and taken in to build withall, and none else, so far as they could make judgement between things that differed, and either they were thus strict upon their own will, and s● not to be fo l●wed, or else by d●vine and infall●ble warra●t, and so as presidents, which hath the force of a precent, and this, in, over and abov●, a plain demonstration of the possibility of the precept to be obeied and followed, which take● off that objection;' twe●e well S r, if 'twere so; but how can ●t be? how shal we do it? why 'tath been done, therefore may be, therefore should be,& no otherwise. To this add Heb. 3.5, 6. And Moses verily was faithful in all his hou●e, as a servant, for a testimony of tho●e things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm to the end. To a Church of the Jews is this spoken, who did apost●tize much, and fo●sook their Asse●blings, and so their exhorting one another, with all those means of grace and life, which God h●th inst tuted in his new house, and so indeed grew worse and worse, till at length they came as the rest of the J●wish Churches, to nothing. As l●n●, s●ith the Apostle, as you hold fast the practise and power of what you profess, so long you are a Church; but when you let go this, you watch yourselves, and should be pursued upon you, you should be thrown out, as such un-allowed matter; but ●f others which should do it, will not, why the Master himself who is faithful in all his house, h● will do it himself, he will cast such a Church wholly off, which thus suffer his institution to be corrupted,& so indeed did he writ Loami upon the first Churches, quickly after the Apostles time, for this thing.  
Hints and shadows of this truth, take in these Scriptures Mat. 16.17, 18, 19. Blessed art thou Simon Barjona, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, and I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Note in these verses, these things, First, that CHRIST doth not speak heer of the invisible Church, for he speaks of the power of the keys, binding and losing on earth; the invisible Church is the greatest part in heaven, and they which are in earth considered as one with them, as one entire universal body, whereof CHRIST is the Head, are not capable of visible and limited Discipline: Therefore I judge, we are to gather from CHRISTS words, that he speaks by way of anticipation, of that visible order, which he did purpose to institute after his departure, by his apostles, whereof Peter was one. And then secondly observe, of what matter he saith this building should be, to wit, of such as have a Faith, which flesh and blood cannot reveal, and to a body thus constituted, is the power of the Keys given, and both these represented and personated to us in Peter. I do not find the Learned and Orthodox of latter times, to apply this place to the invisible Church, and I think I am not then a forcer of this Scripture, in the sense I give of it. Another shadow or hint of this Truth, see Revel. 11.1, 2. And there was given me a Reed like unto a Rod, and the Angel stood, saying, Rise and measure the Temple of GOD, and the Altar and them that worship therein, but the Court which is without the Temple leave out, or cast out,( saith the original) for it is given unto the Gentiles, and the Holy C●ty shall they tread under foot forty and two moneths. By the Temple is meant the visible Ch●rch, the state and welfare of which, though most infested of any public condition, shall not be left and ruined, but be carefully looked unto& raised from its corruptions, intrusions& ruine● made by unsound men. Hunc in modum jubet ut Ecclesiam Johannis metiatur significans eam nusquam relictum i●i, 
Altaris nomine Christum quidam intelligunt, de quo Apost. Heb. 13.10 said rectius alii cultum div●num intelligunt, quemadmodum in plerisq●e Scripturae locis pro toto Dei cultu su●●itur. Marlorat.  etiansi variis modis ab hostibus infestatur Agust. Marloratus. By alter is meant per synecdochē, the whole worship of God, as the same author hath it. The next term, to wit, worshippers, that explains itself. The state of worship, and wor●hippers now under the Gospel is to be measured, kept regulated to an exact rule. What is that? why the word of God. Postquam edoctus est Johannis quanta sit verbi Domini virtus, munus ei injungitur dispiciendi, judicandi, et discernendi Ecclesiam, quae est verum Dei Templum juxta doctrinam Pauli dicentis, Templum Dei sanctum est, quod estis vos. 1 Cor. 3.17. Marlorat. What then is meant by the Court which is without the Temple; men which have onely an outside Religion, and an outside worship and devotion, but destitute of the power of Religion. What is meant by the not measuring of these? To thi● let the same worthy man before mentioned make answer.— Ne metiaris illud. Hoc ●st, Ne complectaris eos in Spirituali aedificio Domini. Do not embrace them to be matter in this spiritual House, they are without, and let them be cast out. 
Et atrium quod foris est Templum, ejice foras  Why must not such be received into the Church, or why must they not abide in the Church? these make a profession? Why, because the house saith he is spiritual, Holy, they are not congruous matter. The C●ty of God is a Holy City, a● 'tis in the following words of this verse called,— Why must not these outer-Court Christians be taken in,? Why saith John, these are given to the Gentiles: Hoc est, ipsi facti sunt conforms Gentibus incredulis, imo deteriores sunt illis, quantalibet sanctitatis specie polleant: Nam traditi sunt in reprobum sensum, alienati a cultu Dei, &c. Such ki●de of Professors, and outside christians, w●ll soon ●n times of temptations comform themse●ves to the worst of men, Heathens, Turks, yea, and be worse then they, and will strike in w●th the vilest to to tread down the Holy City, that is the true worshippers in Gods visible Church, such as have indeed name and thing, Form and Power of godliness: I city this Author, not that I find him fully of my judgement in the matter I am upon, but to see how he and other good men of the reformed Churches, speak unawares the Thing we hold, and cannot indeed tell how else to give any life to places of Scripture, which they undertake to expound; neither indeed can a man tell how to make themselves agree with themselves in their Commentaris, without taking them with a grain of Salt in this manner. Upon the whole, this I collect, that persons merely professing the things of God, are not approved and allowed matter by the Lord in a visible Church, they are such as he doth not measure, embrace for his Building, they are such as are fit to destroy, not to build the ho●y City, and these Christ not allowing of them, nor measuring of them, but casting them by, and will do if we do not; how then we can, but at our peril, both in order to God, and in order to such men, embrace them, I know not. Another shadow or hint of this truth, see Rev. 4. which whole Chapter is taken up to show the state of the holy City forementioned. And in the first verse, observe whether John is taken to have the frame of this new building given to him. After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet, talking with me, which said, Come up hither and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And imm●diatly I was in the spirit, and behold a throne was set in heaven, &c. Moses had his pattern upon the Mount near Heaven, not in Heaven; and yet some very learned Men think, that even that was teaching what that people should be which walked in that first House, Persons really l●ving very near Heaven, with which compare Ezek. 44.7. But John hath his pattern given him in Heaven, to shadow, that this Temple, Altar, Worshippers, should all indeed be from above, and such as should have indeed an internal consecration, and the Law given into the mind, as the Author to the Heb. saith, and made Jews inwardly, a holy Nation, according to inward choice and call, and so a spiritual Priesthood, &c.  
But this is not the way which I most mind to make Probation by, of this Point. I would prove it by induction. The Church of the Romans, the Church of the Corinthians, the Church of the Galathians, the Church of the Ephesians, the Church of the Philippians, the Church of the colossians, the Church of the Thessallonians, the Church of the Jews which are mentioned by Peter, and james, and the Author to the Hebrew, and in the Acts, were all thus constituted, with Persons truly Godly, so far as a godly man can make judgement of one like himself, Ergo. If these be denied, as Presidents, then I would ask our Brethren of the Presbytery, according to what rule they walk? But if these be confessed as Presidents, then I have onely to show unto you, that these Churches did all thus constitute, though I think, did not long carefully keep and maintain this pure constitution, for which bore their judgement, and yet do. What the Church of the Romans was, red Paul, who surely was able to discern in spiritual matters, and who surely durst not compliment with Persons in things of eternal concernment. Among whom ye are the called of Iesus Christ, to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be Saints, grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank God for you,[ All] that your Faith is spoken of throughout the whole world, for God is my witness, that I make mention of you always in my Prayers, &c. I cannot think that a Faith of so high esteem with Paul, and of such renown through the Christian world, and the matter of such fervent Prayer, should mean onely a temporary faith: Some of these were such as laid down their necks for Paul, Rom. 16.4. The rest surely endangered their own necks, every day by their Profession, living in the mouth of that Tyrant Nero as Paul calls him, or Dragons, as John calls all the Heathen Emperours of that place.  
If this be accounted but little, yet many litles put together, amount to much. add therefore to this, the Church of the Corinthians, 
1. Epist Corinth 1.2  To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them which are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be Saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours. I thank God in your behalf, that in every thing ye are enriched by him in all utterance, and in all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who also shall confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1. Cor. 4.15. For though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you all. Persons having such grace in them, as shall be confirmed to the end, as keeps them waiting for the coming of Christ●, as are the comfortable seals of a faithful Minister; that all this should signify but outward profession, or that these expressions should any way advantage any, to say, that this Church did constitute and congregate together, upon any other account, but as there was the true grace of God evident, as far as man could judge, I cannot indeed see. Fo● the rest of the gentle Churches( that I may not be too large) red yourselves these Scriptures, Gal. 4.9. Gal. 6.1. Ephes. 1.1. and 13. Act. 20.28.32. Phil. 1.1, 6. Phil. 4.15, 16. 1. Thess. 5, 6, 7. &c.  
For the Churches of the Jews, you have in part heard already, how the first Church, to wit, at Jerusalem constituted, and upon what terms they stood with Paul: which first Church gave the first Copy to all the Christian World, what to do, and( I think) held their own best, till their scattering by persecution, which God ordered to the increasing of the Churches of Christ, both amongst Jews and Gentiles. But what all the Jewish Churches were in this thing for their Members, and how they did build their houses to God, see 1. Pet. 1.2, 3. 1. Pet. 5.13. with which compare Gal. 1.22.— and was unknown by face to the Churches of Judea which were in Christ. And whether this was onely in profession? see, 1. Thess. 2.13, 14. For this cause thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the Word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received not as the word of men, but as it is indeed the word of God, which effectually also worketh in you which believe. For the brethren became followers of the Church of God, which in Judea are in Christ Jesus, for ye have also suffered like things of your countrymen, even as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own Prophets, and have persecuted us, &c. The Church of the Jews were such Professors of Christ, as endured persecution, sharp trials for the truth, and were eminently exemplary to the Christian World this way, as indeed Profession then did generally expose unto, though now not, and so voluntary Profession then, signified a great deal more, then that forced Profession of the gospel, which now we make, under such powers as call for, and countenance these things, doth; which should be observed and allowed by them, which compare profession then with profession now, if they dealt equally in this controversy.  
If it be objected, that there were wicked persons in these Churches which you have mentioned, therefore we may constitute visible Churches now in the dayes of the Gospel, with good and bad, with truly good and seemingly good, such as make only a profession, though we cannot discern the power of Religion in them.  
Sol. To this I answer, à facto ad jus non valet argumentum, because such things are, therefore they ought to be, will not hold. Because bad men were in the Churches, the general State of which in such a time of the World John speaks, Rev. 11.1.2. therefore they should be there, will not follow, for then why is John bid to cast out that which is without, and not measure it, not embrace it: What is allowed to abide, is rather the Index, showing what is the proper and allowed matter, the true constitution and complexion of Church State, now in the dayes of the Gospel. Churches may be negligent, and not so strict to their rule, to examine and prove the grace of God in such as offer to join themselves unto them, as the Church of Jerusalem did: If Churches do not mind diligently their rule, to look well who they add to them, and how congruous in weight to the balance of the Sanctuary, they may have evil persons amongst them enough, and yet not be able to maintain that it should be so. T'is like that the Asian Churches, and most of the first Churches, quickly after the Apostles time, grew faulty in this kind, opened the door wider then they had warrant for, by which corrupted themselves, and for which God turned them all out of his house, as defiling of it. Or Churches, though very diligent and duly strict in this matter, yet are not infallible, and therefore hypocrites may deceive a Church for a time, and so get in where they have no right to be; The Apostle judas doth confess so much, verse 4. of his Epistle: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, &c. Not only persons may thus creep into the Church, but also creep into office, and still escape the first judgement upon them, made by the Churches, of which they are. The Apostle doth intimate this to Tim. Lay hands suddenly on no man, and observe his charge, which may make a man tremble to red. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect Angels, that thou observe these things, without preferring one before another, be not partaker of other mens sins, keep thy self pure; for some mens sins are open before hand, going before to judgement, and some they follow after. 1. Tim. 5.21, 22. We are as appears by this, compared with other Scriptures, to use all care, as much as in us lies, to prevent by the first judgement of the Church, all that are not godly, from coming into a State, to which they are not approved by God, but if men by their subtlety creep in, as the serpent into the garden, where they should not be: we are to cast that out which is without, whilst within by the after judgement of the Church, which is excommunication, when it doth evidently appear that men are hypocrites, though not drunkards, and such kind of bodily sinners, as I may say, which is far less, simply considered, then hypocrisy; which after judgement, is an ordinance to cleanse the house of God and keep it pure, and according to what it ought to be, and doth strongly confirm the point that I am upon, that the matter of a visible Church, now in the dayes of the Gospel, should be real Saints, the proper and approved complexion of a visible Church is sanctity, saving grace, and not one known to be otherwise, can justifiably enter or abide within Gods Holy hill.  
This truth I humbly conceive, hath strong appearance of reason in it, that the matter of a Church, should be men truly turned to God: for, how otherwise can there be uniformity in the Church, the thing so much desired and admired? Christ is the Rock and Foundation ston of the Building, this confessed of all sides; the rest of the Building then must be& bear upon him, as a superstruction, {αβγδ}, as superstructed, as the Apostle useth the word, Ephes. 2.20. And how they can hold and bear upon him, who have not the faith of him, that faith which flesh and blood cannot reveal, as is spoken of Peter? I know not. And then how can that house stand which hath such materials? which do not make {αβγδ}, coagmentatio congrua, a fit and congruous increase and building, as the same Apostle speaks: How can that building stand, whose materials have not a symmetry, but antilogie and antistasie, not an agreement, but a fighting with the foundation, and one another? Christ doth argue from this medium, that suitable to the foundation should be the building; or otherwise, such incongruous superstructions will be fired, and they which make them.— As a wise builder( saith he) I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon: but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble: every mans work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, &c. In which words, the Apostle argues as I do, that if Christ be laid as the Foundation ston in a building, 'tis good for men to take heed, that they make congruous superstructions, lest all the building fall about their ears: And see how he applies this, v. 16.17. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you. If any man defile the temple of God, him shal God destroy, for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Incongruous superstructions, if it be in point of doctrine, it makes incongruous matter, it defiles the temple of God, destroys the temple of God, saith the margin, citing the original, and such will God destroy. For the temple of God( saith he) is holy, which temple ye are,( i.) such are the temple of God which are holy, which have the Spirit of God dwelling in their hearts, and none else. According to this medium is Christ called the Head, and the Church the body, which means homogenialnesse; otherwise, how can there be mutual derivation from one to another, and groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord, as the Apostle adds, Ephes. 2.22.  
2. The matter of a visible Church should be real Saints, how else should it be the Church of the living God, the pillar and stay of truth, according to that of the Apostle to Tim. 1. Tim. 3.15.— Church of the living God( i.) such as in which God lives, and such as will bear up truth to all the world, as a pillar bears out any thing hung upon it, to all lookers on. Alas! Christians, which are only so outwardly, God doth not live in these, neither can, nor will these be any stay to truth, and the things of God in the world, who have already denied and destroyed the power of these in their own hearts. Will he hold out truth firmly and faithfully to the world, in the midst of all trials, which daily denies it in his own heart? This expression, living God, is opened, 2. Cor. 6.16. For ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, &c. Church of the living God, and temple of the living God, are one, and the interpretation is one, and here given, ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. So that the Church of the living God, is such as in whom God lives, dwells, walks. Doth God live and dwell in dead persons, in such who onely make a profession of Religion? Will such persons be to truth {αβγδ}, firmamentum, as the Apostle before speaks, as the firmament is to the stars, who fall from Heaven themselves? and so, how can God have glory in the Church throughout all ages, Eph. 1.21.  
3. The matter of a visible Church should be persons truly Godly, how else can there be offered up in Gods House now, a pure offering? For unto the impure and unbelieving, all is so, and then how can the Churches of the Gentiles fulfil that prophesy, Mal. 1.11. For from the rising of the Sun, unto the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering, for my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of Hosts.— incense and a pure offering in every place, &c. Why, every mans offering is as he is, let his offering be what it will. Let a man make up his offering of never so much worth and cost, yet still tis in the account of God as the man is: If the man be impure, so is his offering. With this compare 1. Pet. 2.5. Ye also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore it is contained in the Scriptures, that I lay a suitable foundation to such a superstruction, meaning Christ. The stones must be living, to make a spiritual house, how else can the society be a holy Priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. This place doth confirm, that the foundation and superstruction is one, and that the Offering and the Offerer are one. To make the Offering spiritual, holy, acceptable to God, the person that doth offer must be thus. Now we know persons which only profess Religion, these are dead stones, nothing of spirituality in them, but mere formality, and so hypocritical, and so amongst the number of them which are most abominable.  
The matter of a visible Church should be such as are truly godly, how else shall the Jews be provoked, and this particular house be swallowed up in that general, and be made a Pillar in that to go no more out. Its said, that God will provoke his Ancient People by us Gentiles: and how will God provoke them? By the glory and Purity of his Worship, and Worshippers. See for this, Isa. 66.18, 19, 20, 21, 22. In the foregoing verses, the Prophet tells us of sore bloodshed: and this to cast out filth and rubbish out of the Christian World. The Lord will come with fire, and with his Chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebukes with flames of fire, for by fire and by his sword shall the Lord pled with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many, they which sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens, behind one three in the midst, eating swines flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse shall be consumed together, saith the Lord: For I know their works and their thoughts: After this rubbish is removed what then? why, It shal come that I will gather all Nations and tongues, and they shall come and see my glory, and I will set a sign among them;( i.) make protection for these: and what then? I will sand those which shall thus be defended, and escape, unto the Nations, where the jews are scattered, to Tarshish, P ul, and lord, to Tubal, Javan, which have not heard of my famed, neither have seen my glory, and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles; and these refined Gentiles thus scattered up and down declaring Gods glory, shall they onely gain by this glory the gentle World, where they come? No: They shall also bring all your Brethren( saith the Prophet) for an offering to the Lord, out of all Nations, upon Horses and in Chariots, &c. Whither shall they bring them? Why to my holy mountain of Jerusalem, saith the Lord. For as the New Heavens, and the New Earth, which I shall make shall remain before me; By which observe, that this New Heaven of the Gospel Churches is to remain, to be pure and to remain, as pure things last. And observe further, so shall the Jews which these pure Heavens shall provoke,— So shal your seed, and your name remain: And both joined together into one pure Church: For that red verse 23. And it shall come to pass, that from one new Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord, and they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me, for their worm shall not die, neither shal their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring to all flesh: Which last words, ah let men red, and with much dread lay to heart, which make light of these things we are upon: Mens Carcases will fall as formerly Israels did, for their froward walking, and the pure Church and people of God shall go forth and look upon these corrupted, and rotten Carcases, and give the Lord the glory of his Justice. Impurity of Worship, and Worshippers, provokes God, not the Jews: Tis that which stumbles them at this day, as I have heard from some of their own. God will hold up an exact glory to them, therefore is he exactly punishing the Christian world, to cast out every thing that offends: We have our private quarrels in our expeditions into Nations; Tis because they will not let us alone, saith one Nation to another, and the like; but God hath under all this, a design and quarrel by himself, which we are few of us ware of, and that is by the Sword, to cast out that which is without, to throw filthy things to their place, that he may have a pure people, an an exact glory to provoke his ancient People, which when brought in, such Churches as are thus pure, such New Heavens shall be joined to this new Heaven, and remain with this, as a Pillar in this great House, to go no more out, as is said of Philadelphia that pure Church; other Churches shall be destroyed by the hour of temptation, which there is spoken of. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world, to try them which dwell upon the earth: Behold I come suddenly, Rev. 3.10. Now when this hour of temptation shall be, see Dan. 12.1. to wit, immediately preceding the call of the Jews. And at that time shal Michael stand up, the great Prince which standeth for the children of thy people, and there shal be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a Nation, even to that same time,[ and at that time] thy people shal be delivered, every one that shal be found written in the Book. And at that time shal be the the deliverance, &c. By which words it doth plainly appear, that this hour of temptation will be immediately before the calling of the Jews, in which will be cut off all but the Philadelphian Church, ( i.) Typically, all but those who are pure, and so instrumental to provoke and bring in that beloved People. Now we know that the Jewish Church when they shall come in again, when New Jerusalem shall come down out of Heaven, they shall be all holy, every gate, and not onely the gates, but the streets of Pearl, and pure Gold, and hence the measuring Reed said to be pure Gold. For the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murtherers, and all liars, all that say they are Jews and are not, all shall be kept out of this house; Now as this house then shall be, so shall they be of the Gentiles, which shall be joined in with them, this is evident by Isa. 11.6.7. The villeinage shal dwell with the Lamb, the Leopard and the Kid, the Lion and the calf, all Jews and Gentiles, that shall be formed into this House, shall be all one; and the Lord shal be King over all the Earth: in that day shal there be one Lord, and his Name one, one people, one faith, one love, one conversation, all in heaven: This Church will not be a specled bide as they were for which cast off; No, although we Gentiles then joined to them; consequently, the allowed matter of a visible Church, now in the dayes of the Gospel, is Persons truly holy.  
Use. Take heed then of setting against a Church of such a complexion, and constitution. Wilt thou oppose a thing, because it is as it ought to be, this is a mere spirit of contradiction, which borders upon malice and blasphemy. The Learned Jews seeing a great aptness in many of their country men, to receive the Doctrine of Christ, and the Apostles, and they not able to disprove the things which were taught, yet would contradict, being filled with envy, Act. 13.44. A spirit of pure contradiction( I fear) now haunts many men, and not a Spirit of Superior light, and this temper shows men to be poisoned with Sauls spirit, and levend with envy and malice, and out of the heat of this strange fire, do little else but blaspheme the Tabernacle of God, and those which dwell in Heaven, which is no other but a spirit of Antichrist, where ever it is, as you may see Rev. 13.6. Hear what the Spirit of God speaks to this generation, Beware lest that come upon you which is spoken in the Prophets, be old ye despisers, wonder and perish, 〈…〉 will work a work in your dayes, ●… hich ye will in no wise believe, though it should be declared unto you, Act. 13, 41. If ye cannot wonder and believe the things which God saith and doth, you will wonder and perish: if the Words and works of God brought to your door, can produce no other fruit amongst you but desp●sing, you shall wonder and perish; the stoutest of you all shall do it. Compare with this, Ezra 6.12. And the God which caused his Name to dwell there, destroy all Kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter, and to destroy this House of God which is at Jeruasalem; I Darius have made a decree, let it be done with speed. If we conceive of Darius as a Heathen,( which I can hardly do, weighing circumstances in several Scriptures spoken of him) then I may say to the Heathen, to all men destitute of God, that one of your own nurseth you with a grievous curse; yea, even the greatest amongst you, and the least, Kings and People. If the Spirit of God come upon one of your own, and make him curse you, and prophesy evil and ruin unto you, from the highest to the lowest, which say, come, lets take the Houses of God in possession, lets alter and destroy Gods worship, people, and the like, will ye not believe? That God will do this, to wit, destroy Kings as well as People, the greatest as well as the least, which oppose and destroy his House and spiritual Temple and People, which now he hath: See further, Rev. 19.11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and he that sate upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flamme of fire, and on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written which no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with ● vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the word of God. And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean: And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, and he hath on his vesture, and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of Heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God, that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. With which compare Psal. 149.8.  
Ob. Why? but they gather Churches out of Churches, whom you pled for.  
Sol. Nay; tis but Churches out of a Church: gospel Churches out ●… f a legal national Church; and the ●… ne being abolished, there may be, yea, ●… here ought to be a departing from it, ●… nd a gathering out of it, into that order which God hath instituted. So we ●… ind Churches gathered out of that one Church of the Jews, Gal. 1.22. And was unknown by face unto the[ Churches] of Judea which were in Christ. And whether he means by being in Christ, merely according to profession, see 1. Thess. 2.14. For ye became followers of the[ Churches] which in Judea are in Christ, for ye have suffered like things of your country men, even as they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us, &c.  
Ob. Those men are full of heresies and dangerous opinions who lean this way. Many Monsters come out of your Independent Churches, therefore surely tis not of God; If it were a state congruous to the Word, surely it would not bring forth so many heresies, divisions, confusions.  
Sol. To this I answer first thus: All is not true that is said of congregational Churches, and of their friends; it hath been an old wile of the devil, to calumniate much, and something will stick; nay, by this we are cast out as a reproach unto the profane, and with them much sticks, as much as is said of us, sticks with them, and a great deal more they can tell how to add upon all occasions. Nay, I know, all is not true which is Printed of persons loving and honouring Churches, of such a constitution and complexion as I have mentioned. witness Mr. Edwards gangrene. Nay, witness Mr. Rutherfurds spiritual Antichrist, pag. 250, 251. &c. Where you shall find the Lord Gen. cronwell charged with public scandal and unsoundness in the Faith, because of a Letter which he wrote to the Parliament; which Letter I here give the Reader, as taken out of Mr. Rutherfurds Book, that all the world may red and judge what unsound doctrine is in it. Presbyterians, Independents, all have here( i.) in the Army, the same spirit of faith and prayer, the same presence and answer; they agree here, and know no names of difference: pity it is it should be otherwise any where. All that believe have the real unity, which is most glorious, because inward and spiritual in the body, and to the Head. For, being united in forms, commonly called uniformity, every Christian will for peace sake study, and do as far as conscience will permit. And from brethren in things of the mind, we look for no compulsion, but that of light and reason; in other things, God hath put the sword in the Parliaments hands, for the terror of evil-doers, and the praise of them that do well: If any pled exemption from it, he knows not the Gospel: If any would wring it out of your hands, or steal it from you, under what pretence soever, I hope they shall do it without effect: that God will maintain it in your hand, and direct you in the use thereof, is the prayer of,& e.  
What heresy is in this Letter, I know not: indeed according to that logic which David speaks of, Psal. 56.5. every day they wrest my words, all their thoughts are against me for evil. And which Solomon mentioneth,— Surely the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood, &c. All that Mr. Rutherfurd hath inferred, may be collected from the Text: As true, as kind, and as Christian is his construction of that Letter, as humble, holy and true is that assertion of his, concerning all Independents in England, viz. To my knowledge, there is not this day in England, any that is a mere Independent, which maintaineth nothing but independency, with most of these of New-England, and does not hold other unsound and corrupt tenets, &c. Rutherfurds spiritual Antichrist, page. 251. It makes me tremble to red this expression, when I remember from whom it comes: Surely there be many Independents in England, that this good man is a stranger to, and how he should then dare to speak so of them all as he does, is fearful, If Christians can allow themselves this kind of latitude, to gloss upon their Brethrens words and persons, I know not how any man shall so speak, writ, or live, as not to be printed and staged to all the World for an heretic. When I compare these Lines with those in M. Rutherfurds Epistle to the same Book, I tremble indeed, viz. If I lift up my hand, or bloody pen against the truly Godly, or have a pick at Holinesse, let mine arm fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.  
Secondly, I would answer thus; that there is difference between a cause and an occasion. That we walk in any fundamental Truth in the power of it, many take occasion from hence to scoff, break forth into much wickedness: What now? Is it not therefore the Truth which we follow, or must we leave following it, because many take occasion from hence, to run out into all evil. At light hath broken out in every age of the World, Satan hath this way( when he could no other way) laboured to darken it, by extracting poison out of honey and the honey comb. As in the beginning of its looking out of the bottomless pit of blindness, when some of the first Fathers began to lay again that great principle and fundamental of the Trinity, the devil to darken this, set a-foot Arrian heresy, which heretics were bloody enough; but when this would not do, the devil spread their tenant, that the whole Heavens were darkened( as it were) with these Locusts. After this, when some of the modern Fathers, laid that great fundamental point of Justification by Faith in Christ, to darken this, the devil conjured up your Anabaptist in Germany, a generation much like your Levellers and Ranters now, which denied Propriety, magistracy, all indeed which was good, and by this made great Insurrections and troubles, as History abundantly shows. Now in this period of time, God hath made another accession of light, respecting the roof and up-p●rt of the House, and now what stirs, dusts, mists fogs doth the devil exhale! Why, what now? Is all therefore darkness dross, because the devil thus maketh many abuse this season, and the helps and grace which is come unto them? I think things about which the devil doth make such ado, may rather be thought to have something in them, rather then from hence to conclude, they have nothing of God in them; because the devil doth not usually set against his own, doth not divide against the devil. When this new Heaven, as the Prophet calls it; when this new Order, respecting Gods House, was first set up at Jerusalem, what bloody stirs it made there. When first set up at Antioch, what work it made there— no small dissension, Act. 15.2. and yet the mind of God.  
Ob. But till Independence, no such sharp and bloody stirs and dissensions.  
Sol. Presbyterians began first to draw the sword, and their bitterness and baseness, hath heightened it to that to which otherwise in likely hood, it could not have come. The two latter Summers wars have been the sharpest, I know they w●ll say, that they have felt, and truly whether their froward spirit did not principally raise these storms, I leave themselves to judge; they converted so many Malignants into Presbyterians, & e contra, that if God had not been more gracious, then they ingenuous, they had undone themselves and others too.  
Ob. Simon Magus was a man in the gull of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity, yet upon his Profession of Faith in Christ, he was received into Church fellowship: Therefore mere profession is sufficient to this State, and no more to be looked after de jure, nisi ex abundanti.  
Sol. Surely twas not shows but substance which was looked at, and conceived indeed to be in this man, so far as man can judge ( i.) of a three by his fruit, for de ●ccultis non judicat Ecclesia. There were surely outward signs of Repentance in this man, and such as the Apostle Peter, who received him unto fellowship, was satisfied in, for what Peter required at the hands of those, Act. 238. Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the Name of Iesus Christ, for the Remission of sins, &c, He would and did follow the same Rule of Christ▪ which he had received, and delivered to others, and therefore required as m●ch at Simons hands, If he would not dispense with this rule, to one of those great number ( Repent and be baptized every one of you) surely you have no reason to think that P●●er durst exact less of this man, to be satisfied in him, especially hearing what a creature he had been, and ring-leader in evil.  
That Simon Magus did deceive the Apostle, just as D●mas did Paul,& give such outward appearance of real inward Grace, that the Apostle thought him to be suitable to the Rule of Church-triall before mentioned, is evident by what is said of him, as also by consent of the Learned, who writ of him as of Judas, one that carried himself so craftily, that he seemed a true and real Saint.— Tis said, that when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, {αβγδ}, in the Primitive, {αβγδ}, semper adsum, perdure assiduus sum. The word is attributed to the hunting of dogs, sa●th the critic, which will not cease following the game till they have got it, and such a dog no doubt did Simon seem, one that would have crumbs at least, or else he would not, he could not have answered the balance of the Sanctuary, the rule of trial, which the Apostles put to every one. It signifies to persevere with strength, but we will give ourselves continually to Prayer {αβγδ}. It signifies to attend upon a work undertaken, to stand to it, to be instant at it. For they ●●e Gods Ministers,[ attending continually] upon this very thing, Rom. 13.6. Thus no doubt was Simon, very diligent and full of care, and circumspection, to carry it so in all things, that he might carry it with all beholders, equally to the Apostles themselves, that he might still be as high in every ones opinion, even in the opinion of the Apostles themselves, as he was in the opinion of the blind and deluded multitude.  
To this agreeth the opinion of the Learned. Simon himself believed, &c. {αβγδ} ( i.) Professus est Fidem, &c. Meton. subjecti. Joan Piscat. Being convinced by evidence of Gods Power, made outward profession of his Faith, and Conversion. English Annotations.— Et adhaerebat ipsi Philipo& baptizatus perdurabat apud Philippum,& conspiciens signa& virtutes magnas edi, obstupefiebat: impii quoque,& reprobi interdum coguntur bonum Dei donum gustare, said& mox evomant. Jun. Tremel. Another writes of him thus: Vehementer stupefactus admirabatur, &c. Persimiles sunt Simoni Mago qui simulant se●credere nunc Evangelio, non aliam ob causam quam ut multitudine placeant,& famam& gloriam suam non amittant, aut ind quoque suum quaestum adaugeant, ex Ecclesiasticis divitiis. Chuon. Pel. Minist. Ecclesiae. Tigurinae. Vel beati Philippi verbis& virtute victus, veraciter Domino credidit: vel ut magis credibile est, credere se quoadusque Baptisma susciperet simulavit; ut quoniam laudis erat avidissimus, ita ut Christum se credi velvet, sicut Historiae narrant, artes ab eo quibus miracula facere●, edisceret, Bed. in Bibliam. Sac. vulgat. edit. All these Testimonies I add, for the Learneds sake, that they may see, and know, that Simon so carried the matter, that he seemed another guess man, then a mere Professor, or otherwise the Apostles had not received him: and when that his hypocrisy did appear, the Apostle rejected him as one not in Christ, and as one who had no share in real grace, and upon that ground rejected communion with such an hypocr●te, and branded him as he was, that all else might know what they had to do, namely, to follow that rule of the Apostle, 2. Tim. 3.5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. which place shows plainly, that 'twas the power, and not the Profession, and form that was looked at, and is to be looked at in the admission of members into the visible Church.  
Ob. The Apostle saith, that in a great house there are not onely vessels of Gold and of Silver, 
2 Tim. 2.20.  but also of wood, and of earth, and some to honour, and some to dishonour. By house he meaneth the visible Church: therefore che visible Church may consist of good and bad.  
Sol. That there may be bad men in a Church, hath not been denied in all this discourse. Because such is the art and craft of Hypocrites to delude the judgement of the best men: But he saith not that these vessels of earth and wood, are there allowedly, but they are there to dishonour; that is, being crept i● where they should not be, as judas speaks, they are to be cast out of the Church as dishonourable, as so indeed was Hymeneas, and Philetus, of whom the Apostle there speaks in the verses foregoing, of whom, and of one Alexander, 
2 Tim. 2.17, 18  see what he saith, 1 Tim. 1.20. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexan●er, whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme, who had put away faith and a good conscience, which shows, that when men put away that which they seemed to have, Faith coupled with a good Conscience, they are to be put away to their master, as vessels of dishonour, and appointed to wrath. Moreover by this great house, he first means the Church of the Ephesians, for whose sake Paul wrote to Timothy, being a watch-man there, and what they were according to the judgement of the Apostle which wrote to them, you have heard.  

My purpose was to have preached upon other parts of Church-Order, but God denying opportunity, I thought good to make this Appendix, which contains two Assertions.  

SECT. I.  

ASSERT. I.  
THat the Eldership which is within the particular Congregation, is not in most weighty things, to exert power, without the consent and approbation of the Church whereof they are. By things most weighty, I mean those things which are most essential to the state of a visible Church: as admission of Members, ordination of Officers, and excommunication of either.   

ASSERT. II.  
THat Presbyteries or Elderships, which are without the particular Congregation, exercising authoritative and coercive power over it, are an invention of man: By Presbyteries or Elderships without the Congregation; I mean, such an Eldership as is exerp't and picked out of several particular Churches, combinding and assuming to themselves superior and decisive power over those particular Churches: Such an Eldership, with such a power, is unwarranted by the Word.    

SECT. II.  
THat the Eldership of a particular Congregation, is not in most weighty things, to exert power, without the consent and approbation of the Church whereof they are, I prove by these Arguments:  
1. First, Because the power of the keys was not at first given to Peter, as an Apostle, or as an Elder, but as a Believer: for, upon the Confession of his faith, had he this trust bequeathed to him, mat. 16.16. Therefore to the Church of Believers, and believing with such a faith as flesh and blood cannot reveal, was the keys of power primarily given, and to the Elders in the second place, as exerted out of this first state, and as Officers and Servants of it. To this agreeth that of one of the Learned, Claves datae sunt Ecclesiae,& in actu primo,& Petro, ut in actu secundo. Gerson.   

SECT. III.  
2. SEcondly, because Elders are set over the Church, by the voluntary choice of the Church, whereof they are such Officers, who choose them to be their Ministers in the Lord, and may depose them again, if they prove unworthy of such a Station: therefore have they no absolute power over that Church, to which they are servants, but in the nature of guides to direct them in the ways of the Lord, and so long as they go right, to be honoured and followed; but if otherwise, to be admonished; and if impenitent, to be rejected, as they whose sins follow after to judgement. Now such judgement could not be exercised upon Elders; if such an exempted power be taken to themselves, without the Church, but might do what they please with the Church in which they are Servants, and the Church not be able, or at least not sufficiently able, to do any thing to them; which is to make them Lords over Gods heritage. 1 Pet 5.3. Petrus Apostolus rationem reddere Ecclesiae cogitur, nec dedignatus est, Act. 11.4. no ver at enim se non Ecclesiae Dominum, said ministrum. Ecclesia Christi Sponsa est, Petrus servus& minister solus. Omnia enim sunt Ecclesiae, Paulus, Apollo, Cephus, 1. Cor. 3.22, Paraclesis pag. 157.   

SECT. IV.  
3. THirdly, Because otherwise the Elders cannot but offend the little ones of the Church, yea the tender consciences of stronger brethren, forasmuch as persons may be taken in and cast out, and Officers set up and pulled down; concerning either of which, they can have no distinct knowledge, or at least, no sufficient ability to hinder, because decisive sentence lies altogether in the Eldership. Neither is this an offence taken, but given, forasmuch as in these great transactions, the benefit or hurt of every Member, is not onely equally, but greatly and mainly concerned. The transactions of other things, which are merely prudent●all, or not of general concernment, or not of so great general concernment, no doubt do properly and determinately belong to that power which the Church doth institute within themselves, as their eyes and hands, more conveniently, decently, and expeditiously to deal w●th. Now to give offence to Christs little ones, one of the least of his Family, is not onely forbidden but threatened w●th very heavy punishment, Mat. 18.6, 10. Which was spoken immediately to the Apostles, to the twelve, as you may see, if you compare this place with Mark 9.35, 36. And Jesus called the twelve, and said unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all; and he took a Child and set him in the midst of[ them] &c. That is the Apostles and Disciples.   

SECT. V.  
4. FOurthly, because the spirit of discerning, both respecting Persons and things, is not confined as a peculiar to the Presbytery, or Eldership of the Church, as if the whole body were but that one eye, or as if they alone were the head, bearing all the senses in them; But the same gift may be in a great measure in some of the members, and a greater gift when all are joined together in the Name of Christ, and his Presence with them, to discern and judge. Of a conjunct strength of Saints, what mighty things and glorious are spoken in the Scriptures; that they shall judge the world, much more able to judge their own affairs, in a far narrower compass: that they shall judge Angels, 1 Cor. 6.23. Moreover we know that the Scripture again saith, that variety of gifts are given to the Church, as Christ will,& when he will, at what door, and by what mean hand he will, for the good of the whole, and light comes in some times from a little cranny, and hole, when large windows are close shut up, and not one window leaf opened, all the while business of great weight are in debate; so that the greatest cannot say to the least, I have no need of thee. All this help to the good of the whole, would be made voided, if the managing of all things be committed wholly to the Presbytery, and the people left out, onely to see and judge implicitly, by their eyes and wills, who thus impropriate power.   

SECT. VI.  
5. FIfthly, because in these weighty things forementioned, of Censures, Ordinations, &c. The Scripture is express, that the whole Church should be jointly Authoritative about them, and not the Presbytery or Eldership of the Church alone. I will instance in each of these: As for censures, the command of Christ, is, that we tell the Church, Mat. 18.17. which word I judge doth mean the whole Church, and not the Presbytery or Eldership onely, unless I could find the Church thus used in Scripture, for the Presbytery onely. If it should be said, Church here, means the Jewish Synedrion, and so by proportion the Eldership of the Gospel Church. To this I answer first, that the Synedrion was instituted for civill affairs between man and man, to bear human burdens, the burdens of the people, Numb. 11.17. although even these Officers also, had an immediate unction of the spirit, by which they prophesied, v. 25. How far the latter gift was of use, and exercised by them, is hard to find out; but how the other gift was used, to wit, to bear the common burdens of the people, and to be servants to them, as afterwards Judges and Kings were, as the expression is, 1. King. 12.7.— If thou wilt be a servant to this people, &c. is manifest. And I should think, that this spirit of prophesy was a g●ft some way subservient to the particular station and office to which called out, seeing it is said, that it was that Spirit which God took off of Moses, and gave it to the 70. which when they had, as Moses was a Prophet by way of redundancie, from the spirit of his Place, and spake of Chr●st; so these, by way of redundancie, yet from the spirit of their Place, as such anointed civill officers, were also Prophets in some passages, and spake of Christ, but still the form of their Office abiding civill. 
Synagoga sunt conventus ●cclesia●●ici, ●ynedria conventus judicum. Scultet exercit. Evangel, lib. 2. cap. 11.  Now to make a proportion, from a civill Station, to an Ecclesiast●cal, is not regular.   

SECT. VII.  
BUt I see no reason at all from the context, why it should be thought, that the Jewish Representive, of one kind or other, should be here meant; their conventus judicum, or their conventus Ecclesiastici; for, there is nothing foregoing or following, that gives any leaning language, this way: but, much to insinuate and signify, that he speaks of that Church, which should speedily take place, to wit, the order of the Gospel Church: for he speaks in the verse foregoing of little ones, which he explains to be true Believers, and converted ones, v. 6. and v. 3. And this is made the qualification of the visible members of the New Church, in the Chapter foregoing, Mat. 16.17. Then the very words of censure, in case the Church should be disobeyed, are the same with those he useth to Peter, when he gave the Keys to him upon his Fath,— Whatsoever ye bind on earth, &c. Mat. 18.18. And just thus saith he to Peter ch. 16.19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, &c. So that the one explains the other; that by Church, is not meant the Presbytery, or Eldership of one kind or other, but the Gospel Church, the Congregation of believers; these conjunctim have the Power to censure and cast out, according to that 1 Cor. 5.4. When you are gathered together, &c. to deliver such a one to Satan &c. And by the same joint power received in again, that as his punishment was by many, so his consolation and reception might be by many also; as tis 2. Cor. 2.16. that Satan might take no advantage; which is enough to show, how that admission of Members should be a joint Act of the Church, as well as excommunication of Members.  
The contrary to this understanding of these and such like places, serves either to maintain an Episcopal power over the Church, which is all one with the papal; or else an usurpation like unto it by the Presbytery, in managing all things without the people, which in effect comes all to one, that the people in all public censures, admissions, are but mere spectators of what is done, which is the very doctrine and exposition of the Jesuits of rheims upon that place fore-cited: See Rhem. Annot. on 1. Corinth. 5.4. with their marginal Notes; And so by a circular motion, we shall come from the papal to the episcopal, and from the episcopal to the presbyterial, and from the presbyterial to the papal power again, of depriving the people of God of their best Liberties, in matters so much concerning them, there being little odds under whom they have the same bondage, whether they be brought in bondage by one Prelate, or by many Presbyters; who as they take power to themselves without the Word, may justly have the same title, with other usurpers and Lords over the flock of Christ.   

SECT. VIII.  
1 Further instance may yet be given, In the Synod held at Jerusalem, where the Apostles themselves were present,& divers Elders with them the matters being of great consequence, as well for faith as practise; yet nothing was done in the beginning, carrying on, or ending of the same, but with interessing the Congregation and the Brethren, their names being to the Letters, they speaking in the Assembly, they having satisfaction by argument, and not over-born by authority, and these joining their assent, in sending back chosen Messengers from amongst them, as Judas and Silas, to other Churches; it were the Apostles, Elders, with the whole Church, that joined in it, as appears, Act. 15.22, 23. If at any time the Church might have been left out, it might have been at such a time as this, when the inspired Apostles were present, and in matters of this nature. And albeit the Apostles might have determined what should be held or done by their infallible apostolic power, yet would they not leave such an example to future Ages of such a way: that is, either for Peter as Primate, to introduce a Pope, or Presbyters as Primates, to introduce a superintendant, or Superintendents, a general coercive Assembly, or coercive Kirk-generall Commissioners, to supersede all power of the People, and particular Assemblies of Saints.   

SECT. IX.  
2. FUrther instance yet may be given, in the choice of certain Officers or Deacons to attend Tables, which is made by the Apostle an inferior office, and yet the Apostles would not proceed to this, by a private power of their own, but required the whole multitude of Believers, to make their own choice of such persons, and so qualified: which election they confirmed, and not nulled, or any way altered, Act. 6.3, 5. And this, saith Calvin, legitima ratio communibus suffragiis eligi, qui publicum aliquod in Ecclesia munus obituri sunt.   

SECT. X.  
3. A Further instance yet may be given in ordination of Elders, which was done {αβγδ}, communibus calculis, simul suffragiis electus est, Act. 1.26. By joint voice was mathias ordained to his Place, after the Lord had pointed out which of the two should be the Successor of Judas. One would have thought, that the Lords pointing out the man, had been enough to formalize the whole matter; and yet left this might prove a means, to jostle out the privilege of the whole Church, in matters of essential concernment; after the Lords designation which was proper to him, they jointly take this designation, and instate him amongst them, not by the suffrages of some, but by the suffrages of the whole Church, as appears by the preparing and drawing out of the whole to this particular work by the Apostle Peter, who stood up in the midst of the Disciples, the number being about a hundred and twenty, and speaks of this matter jointly to all, and tells them that twas meet, that some one that was well approved among them, and had gone in& out amongst them, might be chosen by them, and [ they] appoint two, &c. [ they] gave forth their lots, and so they numbered him, or ordained him which the lot fell upon. And this opens that, Act. 14.23. which also strengtheners what we have in hand: And when they had ordained them Elders in every Church {αβγδ} from {αβγδ} which signifies a hand, 
I am not ignorant that learned and worthy men judge, that here was no ordination, but ●nely an election, of which the Apostle did approve, but place tanti viri, I am of another opinion, prayer& fasting being joined, the necessary attendants of ordination.  and {αβγδ} attollo, to lift up, which sheweth what this ordination in the formality of it, was, that the Apostles in and with every Church of Be●ievers where they came, did make suffrage who should under-go this great Office of Eldership in such Churches, and so jointly with each Church, and not by a distinct exempted power above them, was this work done, according to the first pattern fore-mentioned in the Acts. For, to apply this onely to the Apostles, which in number were but two, Paul and Barnabas, were improper to the nature of the word which is here used: for two to lift up their hands; suffrage is not a thing to be managed by two, as fencing is not a thing capable to be done by one; suffrage doth suppose many, and these many, to be disti●guished which way they incline, or not incline, by some signal, visible to all lookers on. Now by these two first examples, are other Scriptures which speak of Ordination, as if they did attribute it to the Elders onely, to be interpnted, if other answers more proper to such places cannot be found out.   

SECT. XI.  
FInally, I might instance in lower matters, which would strengthen the Argument; for if in less things the Eldership may not act alone, surely not in greater. As in Letters recommendatory, they were not directed to the Eldership of such a Church, but to the whole Church, of which they were to be received. So Paul recommended Phebe to the Church of Corinth. So John wrote to the Church, concerning certain Brethren that were to be received by them, and Diotrephes the Elder, which stood upon his sole authority in this and such like things, and used the keys at his own pleasure, to keep out, and cast out as he would, is branded with this mark, not to be of God, but of Satan, the father of all evil, for this very thing, and one that had not indeed seen God, 3. Ep. Jo. 11.   

SECT. XII.  
TAke common testimony to this truth: In the first times this was so well known, and so frequent in practise, to take in the joint suffrage of the Congregation, in all matters of greatest weight: That Bishop Whitgift himself, one that wanted not wit, nor learning, nor any other helps, and setting all his strength to maintain these contrary to what we are upon, yet is constrained to confess, that in the Apostles times, the state of the Church was democratical, or Popular; the people or multitude having a hand almost in every thing, Whitgifts defence p. 182. Which word almost, doth well svit the thing I am upon, and indeed speaks, that he saw much light in this matter, though he could not receive it in love; for indeed, as I have said, in all weighty matters, all the body did bear their joint voice to the transaction thereof, as hath been before proved. And whal else meaneth that Canon, that was made in the council at Laodicea, 330. years after Christ, that the people after that, should have no hand in the choice of their Officers, unless formerly it was. So Caranza Epitome, page. 59. By which common testimony, it appeareth, that when Metropolitans, and Bishops, and Superintendents sprung up, that then the Liberties of the People were by degrees taken from them, one with this device, and tother with that invention, which before they had, which should make the children of these, more willing to repent of, and restore again, then yet, ah alas! words, works, blows, bloods of body and soul will make them: how low, O Lord, shall we be, ere we lay to heart whom we have so long robbed and spoiled, and whose dwelling-place we have so great a time polluted and laid waste!   

SECT. XIII. Against these grounds, are these Objections following.  
Ob. THe Apostle Paul makes mention of a Presbytery or Eldership, by the imposition of whose hands, and by no other conjunct or previous thing, Timothy was ordained; therefore the presbytery wholly without the Church, may exert power authoritative in most weighty things, and order and govern the Church alone: See 1. Tim. 4.14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.  
Sol. The Presbytery here cannot be meant of an ordinary Eldership, which hath its ordination from men, because it is beyond the power of ordinary officers, to give being to extraordinary; now such was Timothy, to wit, an Evangelist. And therefore comes not under our Dispute, but is to be ranked with extraordinary apostolical Acts, and ordinations, unto extraordinary offices, which are ceased. Of which nature see, Acts 13.2.3.   

SECT. XIV.  
Ob. WE red that Timothy and Titus did ordain, and are exhorted in an ordinary way to go to work, and by an ordinary spirit; to wit, not to lay hands suddenly on any man, nor to be partial, but to weigh fit qualifications in every one, that they were blameless, the husband of one wife, not accused of riot, not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to filthy lucre, &c. 1 Tim. 5.22. Tit. 1.5. And this ordination they acted alone, therefore the Eldership of a Church, may do most weighty things in the Church without the joint consent of the Church.  
Sol. One of these places answer another, and opens another: for it is said to Titus, that he should ordain Elders in every City, as Paul had appointed him, Tit. 1.5. Now it cannot be thought in reason, that the Apostle would appoint him to ordain, otherwise then he himself did ordain; but he himself ordained by the suffrage of the people, and established them by the help of their fasting and prayer, Act. 14.23. And this is all which is left upon record, for direction in this matter, as yet we can find, and therefore this appointment Timothy and Titus must and did follow, and then the truth is still abiding, which I have laid down: That Elders cannot in weighty things of the Church, move determinately, without the Church. If extraordinary officers durst not so do, ordinary officers surely have less reason so to adventure to practise over their people.   

SECT. XV.  
Ob. IF the Eldership in a particular Congregation cannot determinately act in the Church, without the consent of the Church, then Church government is a democraty, all are Elders, and Officers, and Pastors, and Teachers, and Rulers alike, and then what need differing names, and stations, when these as to distinct power, signify nothing?  
Sol. The power of the Church may be considered, as essential, or organical: things of Church essence, I call those weighty particulars forementioned, to take in, and cast out, the reason being alike in both: Ye judge them which are within, cast out therefore from among you, the incestuous person, 1 Cor. 5.12. The incestuous person was not onely among the Elders but the people, and they are bidden to cast him out, as well as the other; to exert office, or degrade from office; this I call an essenciall or fundamental power, because it is that in which the being of the Church consists, and is a right, not in one individual, but in many individuals, as united in one Brotherhood, fellowship, or society, as a concrete body: and of this fundamental power I have all along spoken, and this belongs equally to all. But then there is an organical power, which is, Potestas officii particularis, which is that by which every one keeps his place and rank, one as an eye, another as an hand, another as a foot; some as leaders, others as followers, &c. Some to judge, others to declare, act, and exercise that judgement in the name of the rest, because God is the God of Order; and because we know that it is confusion for all to speak at once, Pray at once: This latter, to wit, an organical power, is proper to each officer, and not to the whole. The power of judging of Members to be admitted, is common to the whole Church, Elders and Fraternity; The manner of managing this, and exerting this judgement to the knowledge and desire of him that assays to join himself to the Church, is peculiar to office, so may it be said of the rest: The former is a power lying formally in many conjoined, and not in any one: The latter is a power derived from many, and lying formally in one, and not in many, and for those particular resultive works forementioned; and so is their power distinctly useful and significative, and not useless and nothing from the whole.   

SECT. XVI.  
Ob. BUt is not this confusion, for all to have a hand in these great things?  
Sol. No: The Church being considered as an organical body, the power of acting may be fundamentally and intrinsically in the whole, and yet each Organ move orderly in his distinct place, and way: As for instance, In the natural body of man, the sensitive faculties are all in the soul originally; and the soul itself, is in the whole body fundamentally, tota in toto, &c. So that the senses are radically, and potentially in all the soul, and the soul radically and potentially in all the body, and yet these senses act onely by such powers of the body as are fit to act by; as seing by the eye, and hearing by the ear, &c. And so the soul acts all its works, by such organs as are proper to each work; the hand to work, and the feet to go.   

SECT. XVII.  
Ob. THe Elders of the Church are called Overseers, Stewards, Shepherds, Fathers, all which in their anology, hold forth a peculiar and sole power to do things. Fathers govern alone, so Overseers, &c.  
Sol. Minuta's in Parables must not be fastened on, but principalia what is their main scope, Elders are called Rulers, Heb. 13.7. {αβγδ}, Leaders, guides, as the Note in the margin shows; which intends principally, to direct according to such Rules of the word, wherein they should be better skilled then the Congregation generally are, and not absolute power over the flock: To expound this unto absolute power, is to make the Apostle oppose himself, who affirms of himself and others, that as Lords they did not use dominion over the faith of any, 2 Cor. 1.24. Peter likewise, 1 Pet. 5.3. but shewed themselves examples of the flock.  
They are called Overseers, {αβγδ}, such as should use diligent inspection, watchfulness, Heed-taking to the Flock, that none go astray, none perish for want of Counsel, Reproof, Consolation, &c. But doth not intend by these terms, Lord Bishops, or Lording Presbyters, Lordly Over-lookers. Vi& saevitiâ Dominantes in Ecclesia. Elders are so Rulers, and so Over-seers, and so Shepherds, that they are also Fathers; and so Fathers, as also Brethren; and so Brethren, as a Brother-hood, linked in bonds of mutual and equal power fundamental, together; which no Organical power doth destroy, and pluck up; but teach men rather more exemplarily to fulfil; as we see in Christ, by washing his Disciples feet, although he was the great Bishop of our Souls, and sole Ruler indeed, and Law-giver.   

SECT. XVIII. I come now to the second Assertion.  
THat Presbyteries, or Elderships, which are without the particular Congregations, exercising authoritative, and coercive power over it, are an invention of man. By Presbyteries or Elderships without the Congregation, I mean such an Eldership, as is chosen out of several particular Congregations, assuming to themselves superior and decisive power over them: Such an Eldership with such a power, is a device of mans wisdom: which I prove by these arguments.   

SECT. XIX.  
FIrst, because they are without foundation in the Word: Secondly, because they oppose the Word. Thirdly, because it destroys the end, for which Church-power and jurisdiction is. Fourthly, because the particular Church, is complete without it, and Christ doth not use to appoint needless things, though we oft times do, being dark and diffident creatures: I will plainly and briefly speak to all these, and shut up this discourse, and commend it to the blessing of God, in the hand of every Reader that it shall come to.   

SECT. XX.  
FIrst, a coercive Eldership out of each particular Church, is a device of man, because tis without foundation in the Word. That I may clear this, two things are to be done; First, to show what the nature of these foreign Elderships is; and then, upon what foundations in the Scripture they are built, and try whether rightly and ingeniously mortised in such places, and by this twill appear whether foreign and sojourning Elderships have warrant by the Word, or not. For the first, I find among our brethren themselves, That Elders and Brethren, sent and empowered from their several Congregations respectively, to transact and conclude such and such ecclesiastical Affairs, within such a limited bound, ex suâ potestate, i● a foreign Presbytery; higher, and higher then that, and higher then the highest of either the former; this doth not diversi ficare speciem, they have all one common nature, and therefore to make one of them fall, will pull down all the rest.   

SECT. XXI.  
NOw this being the nature of the thing to be proved; our next work will be, to inquire the Scriptures this is builded upon, which I find to be these following, Act. 1.15.23, &c. The eleven Apostles here meet together, and these as a supreme body over all others, convene the Church at Jerusalem, dictate what and how to be done, in that case of loss upon the Church, which shows that there is a foreign authoritative Eldership over particular Churches.   

SECT. XXII.  
Sol. TO this, something is to be answered in general: that the station of the apostles was extraordinary, it being the formality of their Office, to take care of all the Churches, 2. Cor. 11.28.— that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the Churches: Being therefore by their Place, Elders in all Churches, might and did interpose their powers in several particular Churches, where they came, and expressed their judgement by counsel and vote, as occasion required: and therefore what they did modo extraordinario, is not competent to be exemplary: extraordinary practices, are not fit matters to make up ordinary presidents, as certain, and standing, and indubitable copies for posterity to writ after: we must take only what is ordin●ry, when we would make ordinary patterns to regulate our proceedings by.   

SECT. XXIII.  
SEcondly, I would answer thus: Peter in this matter fore-mentioned, leads the action, opens the cause of their coming together, and the mind of God, and how the action should be ordered: the whole Assembly by mutual consent, present two to choice, and commend the determination of the business to God, by prayer, and so cast lots; and what in all this, that shows such an Eldership as is before-mentioned, and as now rules in presbyterial Churches? True it is, that the eleven Apostles were here together, because they were commanded by Christ to abide in Jerusalem, until they were endowed with the Spirit from above. But there was nothing here done, but any one of them might have done it. And as for the concurring Elders of other Churches, they could not have this, being the first and onely Gospel-Church extant. Tis true, this whole Church concurred and accepted him upon whom the lot fell: but here was no joint voices and suffrages of Pastors, and Elders, and chosen Brethren of many Congregations, which is the thing to be proved, to give foreign Eldership footing in this place; that they should be a combination of appropriate Elders to several particular Churches, which these were not, but general Officers.   

SECT. XXIV.  
ANother Scripture cited for the authority of a foreign Eldership is, Act. 4.35. For as many as were possessors of lands, &c. sold them, and brought the price, and laid it down at the Apostles feet, &c. This the Apostles of themselves disposed, &c.   

SECT. XXV.  
Ans. HOw this place wil● maintain a foreign coercive Eldership, I do not yet understand. For the Apostles though they had a capacity over many Churches, yet then there were not many when this was done; and this capacity was as they were Apostles, not as they were ordinary Elders: and in this matter did an extraordinary thing, because the officers fit for this work, were not yet ordained. But in all this, where are joint voices and suffrages of Officers, Elders and Brethren of divers particular Churches, commissioned to this work, which makes up this foreign Presbytery we speak of? The like may be said to Act. 6.3, 4, 5. about the choosing of Deacons and their ordination: the Apostles as extraordinary persons laid hands on these, but what appears from hence of such an Eldership, excerped and commissioned from several Churches, as now Presbyterians assert and use, is yet to find. This may likewise answer that Act. 20.28. who are there shewed not to be Elders of many Churches which Paul sent for, but the Elders of the Church, v. 17. to wit, of one Church, of the Church of Ephesus, and charging them to attend to the flock, not flocks, v. 28. Here is no joint voice of various commissioned Elders, &c.   

SECT. XXVI.  
TWo places most of weight are, Acts 15.28. It seemed good to the holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden then these necessary things, that ye abstain from meat offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication, from which if ye keep yourselves, ye do well.   

SECT. XXVII.  
Sol. HEre is an Eldership of several Churches( indeed) met; but as touching the coercion of their power, as such an excerped Eldership enforcing their results upon other Churches; this is the other thing to be brought in, to make up the business we dispute against, and therefore this is that we must here inquire into. And that we may be clear and full in answer to this place, this must first be premised; That, though it be true, that the Apostles as such, were extraordinary Officers, yet that in this act and meeting, they did not thus move; my reason is this, because in the power of extraordinary assistance, and under the spirit of infallible help, Officers do not, nor need not, join ordinary Churches and Officers( as here was) in their consultations and inquiries: officers and brethren, here disputed, inquired, each man had allowed liberty, to propound his doubts, urged the Scriptures, Act. 15.7, 8, to 18. So that what was practised and issued here, was imitable, and left as a sampler to all succeeding Generations, how to seek out the truth in difficult matters.   

SECT. XXVIII.  
FRom hence therefore this may be collected, that the sentence, burden, or decree which was issued from this meeting, was not therefore Scripture or canonical and binding, because they decreed it, as it still was, when the Apostles moved by the proper spirit of their apostolical station, according to that 2 Pet. 1.21. Holy men of God, spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. But what they decreed, was by debate found out, to be express in the Scripture, or undeniably deducted from thence, and so by one of these ways was found to be Scripture, and was therefore decreed and enjoined by them upon others, as the industry of these worthies in those decrees, gave their own evidence. And thus do worthy men judge, is that phrase to be understood. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, v. 28. By the Holy Ghost then must be either understood, the immediate Revelation of the Spirit, parallel to that of 2 Pet. 1.21. and this the Text admits not; for there was no extraordinary Revelation, that can in reason be attributed, or conceived to belong to the ordinary multitude. Or else it must be the Holy Ghost, as speaking in the Word, which latter is most manifest to be the meaning, because things resulted by them, follow by infallible inference from the Scriptures as the Will of the Lord, and other by express Text, as that of fornication. That in indifferent things, whilst other scruple them, we should t●ke heed of offending them; and in that which is expressly wicked, that under such a notion and bond, we should shun them: so that what they produced by debate and by this power was materially binding, forasmuch as what they produced, was for the Matter of it no other, but the Will of God, but not formally, ( i.) as the result of such a collegiat coercive Eldership.   

SECT. XXIX.  
Ob. HAd then this Synod no Authoritative power at all? To what end then is this ordinance?   

SECT. XXX.  
Sol. A foreign Eldership rightly constituted, hath peculiar Authority, ( i.) a power of preheminent and prevailing counsel, though not a power of jurisdiction, to constrain their results, to be practised; or to censure Ecclesiastically, in case persons who have the result of things produced by them, do not follow them. They have as an Ordinance of God, a power of preheminent and prevailing counsel: That is, what result in difficult matters this body makes, ought to be preferred and prevail more upon our hearts, then what interpretation other single persons, and ordinary helps, ordinarily afford.   

SECT. XXXI.  
THat this sojourning Eldership, did onely exercise a power of counsel, and not a power of jurisdiction, appears by these circumstances. First, these decrees are said to bind those to whom they are sent; And 'tis evident, they were sent to all the Churches of the Gentiles, Act. 21.25. As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded, that they observe no such thing, save onely that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood and from strangled,& from fornication. Now these had no commiss. nor else of that kind delegated to that Synod, and therefore what they did there, could not bind them by way of any authoritative jurisdiction: where then is no delegation of messenger, by mutual consent, there is no right of jurisdiction. Now not binding by jurisdiction, it must needs be, that they did bind these Gentiles by way of such preheminent counsel,& as such things which in themselves were clearly held out to be Gods mind and will: that here they did acquiesce, and did not further meddle with any juridical process upon them, appears by those pacifick words, which would they were written not with ink and pen, but with the Spirit of the Lord upon all Prerbyters hearts, who are so turbulent in these times— From which if you keep yourselves, ye shal do well. Fare ye well.   

SECT- XXXII.  
2. SEcondly, that this sojourning Eldership did exercise onely a power of counsel, is evident by this further circumstance of reason; the controversy being onely between the Parties which met in the same counsel; For tis said that they which were for Circumcision so hotly, came down from Judea, and it may be were some that did apostatise, and fall to serve the times, to judaize as Peter did at this same Church of Antioch, Gal. 2.11. But Peter when he was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed, &c. But it is evident that one side in the counsel was a party, to wit, them of Antioch; Now for this Church, which was a party, and contested against their opposites in a fair way, to be judge in their own cause, and to be juridical upon their antagonists by their own power, cannot equitably nor constionably be imagined.   

SECT. XXXIII.  
ANother place of much account to this purpose, and frequently urged by our Brethren is, 1 Tim. 4.14. Neglect not the gift which is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery. Here seems to be two things, a sojourning Eldership, or a collegiat Church, which did ordain Timothy, and so a sole power and an exempted authority from the people, by which this great act was done, both which indeed, if they did clearly appear from this place, much of our Brethrens work were done in a little compass. But as to this place, I have spoken before something in handl●ng the first Assertion. Here I may repeat and add a little. This Eldership or Presbytery here mentioned could not be an ordinary Eldership, such as consisted of ordinary Pastors& Teachers, and brethren commissioned from several particular Churches: My ground I have before given, because an ordinary Eldership cannot institute an extraordinary officer, as Timothy was, to wit an Evangelist; and then not being an ordinary Eldership, but an Eldership onely of extraordinary officers, not precisely from such and such particular Churches, but such as were equally of all, as of any one, 'twill not amount to the nature of a pattern and binding president to build upon.   

SECT. XXXIV.  
HAving thus pursued the first medium, I come now to the next. That a coercive Eldership, out of the particular Congregation, is a device of man, for it opposes the Word. For the Scriptures give in their Testimony, nor one or two, though these were enough, but in plenty, that what power of ruling jurisdiction, potestate judicii, donationis, or the like, an Eldership hath, it hath it in the same extent it hath its pastoral power, and no further; Yea, that an officers pastoral power, exceeds in extent his ruling power, rather then his ruling power exceeds his pastoral power in latitude. To extend a Pastors power of ordinary ruling, beyond the extent of his ordinary teaching, is against the order which Christ hath set, and so against the Scripture, and so consequently a sojourning ruling Eldership, doth oppose the Word: That the extent of Church Officers power to rule is no further then the extent of his place, to feed, instruct, and diffuse knowledge and Doctrine, appears by these Scriptures. Act. 20.28. Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock ●ver which the Holy Ghost hath made you over-seers, to feed the flock of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. There were many officers belonging to this Church of Ephesus, some( no doubt) of one kind, some of another, but 'tis manifest here, they were but one flock: And the limit of these is observable, and how, and by what squared, to over-see, and {αβγδ} where they did feed; he joins these two together, and commensurates one by the other; where men standingly and fixedly feed, and have that limited Call and work upon them, there they are to over-see, use inspection, power, rule, as need requires.   

SECT. XXXV.  
TO this agreeth 1 Pet. 5.2. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an[ Elder] feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, &c. 1 Pet. 5.2. Two things I would note here, that the Apostles, were also Elders, were likewise as extraordinary Officers; and so had the capacity of ordinary Elders,& could manage such a capacity, aswell as the other, as they did in that counsel at Jerusalem. Secondly, that feeding, hath limitation— Feed the flock of God which is among you, {αβγδ} that is, that flock particularly to which any of them had particu●●r relation; Peter here writing to the Churches in several nations, the charge is to the particular officers belonging to these particular Churches: like to that Col. 1.17. Who is for you a faithful minister, &c. That is, your proper Pastor. Now each Officer were to feed their respective flocks, this was the limit of their charge, and this made to commensurate their ruling power, therefore adds— taking the oversight thereof,& c. {αβγδ} &c. The flock that was to them particularly limited for each to feed, this and none else was their charge, to rule and order. To this also agreeth Heb. 13.7. Remember them which have the rule over you, and have spoken to you the word of God, for they watch for your souls, &c. so that the power of ruling goes no further then the bound of duty to feed: where we are chosen and fixed to feed, to speak the word of God, there are we to rule and exert juridical p●wer, the use of the keys in each part thereof.   

SECT. XXXVI.  
Ob. IT may be said, Elders may preach in this Church, and that; in many particular Churches: therefore they may according to this you have said, rule over many particular Churches.   

SECT. XXXVII.  
Sol. TIs not occasional preaching, which one Church by consent and desire may admit to another, that the Scriptures fore-mentioned, mean and make the bound of rule; but where mens fixed call and work properly lies; to what flock I am called to preach and feed; this bounds, and commensurates, and proportions my power, as an Officer to rule, and to go beyond this, is to go beyond the word, to go against this, is to oppose the word. And the spirit of God, fore-seeing such cavils would be made; therefore else-where warily saith, Know them that labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 1. Thess. 5.12. {αβγδ} praesidentes, proeuntes, going before, as Military Commanders are commissioned over such, and are to go before them, and discipline them. So that tis not bare labouring in the Word in a place, which notes an Elder; but being over them, fixed and commissioned to such a station over them, and then where this is pitched and bounded, this bounds his work of conduct and discipline: for those he is over in the use of one Key, those he is over in the use of another: this bundle of keys is not divided, though distinguished: they who are over to instruct, these are over to second this instruction, and none else; and these, no where else over, but under to wit, at the feet of all the Churches of Christ, in love to serve them. Remember them that labour among you, and are over you, that is, in word and doctrine, 1. Tim. 1.17. So he expounds it. The Elders which rule well, which labour in word and doctrine. In these places, fixed preaching, and fixed ruling go together; and to part these, to rule where we are not fixed and called to preach, is to divide the bunch of keys which Christ hath joined and tied together, which how well C●rist will take that, or how well men will use that, several hundred of years in blood and tyranny, hath shewed us.   

SECT. XXXVIII.  
3. THirdly, a sojourning coercive Eldership, is surely a device of man,& no instituted ordinance of God, because it eludes that end, to which it would seem to pretend, which kind of medium's God doth not make, unless we should charge him with ignorance and folly, which were blasphemy to do: What instruments and ordinances he makes and consecrates to any end, they are adequate and exquisite to produce it. That which foreign Elderships pretend to( in their several ranks of subordination and preordination, one lower or higher then another) is, an effectual remedy of offence, that nothing may be undone, or ill done, as to the relief of any ones complaint, or as to the appointing of any one his right, or any society their right, &c. But now these sojourning Elderships, whilst thus pretending and giving out to the World, do like the Lapwing, draw off Travellers from their Nest, and from their young: my meaning is, from looking into their nakedness: it takes off people from looking after that which indeed fits, and upon Scripture-grounds may warrant means unto such ends. To say, that we have so many Learned men in our Synods, and general Assemblies, and Church-Commissions, which are more able to search into things, and to judge of things, then a private Eldership of a Congregation is, to hold out mans wisdom to people, and an arm of flesh, which much takes poor people, yea, and much prevails upon flesh and blood, with others of greater parts, and so indeed is a gaudy Snare. Let Ministers, Doctors, Lords, who will, be in a sojourning Eldership, men of never so much learning, yet the Eldership of the Congregation, is like in reason, to be more learned in the business of their particular Members which offend, then strangers, because they are eye witnesses of persons and things, and have by i●timate conversation, advantage to judge of men, and matters concerning them, more then others who ●re altogether strangers, and have nothing but at second hand.   

SECT. XXXIX.  
BUt secondly, tis good to inquire wisely into this matter, as Solom. saith, What is an institution of God, unto such an end; If the power at home in the particular Congregation, be the institution of God for its own affairs, this shall discern better, and judge better, and heal better, then all the Learned assemblies in the World, which people little look after, whilst this great noise is made, with men of so great parts and worth, which sojourning Presbyteries assemble withal. Thirdly, in the nature of the thing, tis a course which cast those which subject to it, upon a multiplication of appeals, and references forth and back; from the Session to the Synod, from the Synod to the general Assembly; and when the poor Traveller is there, he is turned over to the Commission of the Kirk, and when come there, turned back again, may be, to the General Assembly; and whether this looks like Scripture ordinance, or like the thing it pretends to, an effectual removal of burden and offence, whilst it thus worryes poor people up and down, let Christians judge: This is nequid detrimenti capiant capita Ecclesiae: the truth is, this whole frame and series, looks more like to entangle and perplex poor creatures, then effectually to extricat and issue their distress, and it may be the cries of this and such like, is come up into the ears of the Lord, and ah alas, that good men should yet be deaf!   

SECT. XL.  
FInally, because the particular Church is complete without them: for God would not appoint useless things. Every particular Congregation rightly constituted and completed hath sufficiency within itself, to exercise all the ordinances of Christ; to ordain, to excommunicate, without foreign Elderships of what degree soever. It is granted by our Bretheren, that such a Church hath this sufficiency in the exercising of some ordinances, as to preach, to dispense the Sacrament▪ without seeking the consent or help of the Classes: nor were the Church to neglect these, if the Classes should forbid her to do these. Now from themselves we argue, that if this Church thus constituted, have a power to the greater, surely to the lesser. The apostle knew no dispensation of so choice an excellency as Preaching, which he prefers before any other; I was sent to preach the Gospel, not to baptize; that was the chief part of his erra●d if Ordination or Excommunication had been of so great eminency above all other, surely he would have mentioned some one of them.   

SECT. XLI.  
BUt beside this, thus it might be further said, that the Keys are not divided. The Keys are all given to Peter, as personating the Church of Believers in the Gospel, that Kingdom which Christ said he would build: And I will give unto[ thee] the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever[ thou] shalt bind on earth &c. Mat. 16.19. Surely this particular here used, is not in vain, but to set forth that every Gospel-Church, every particular Congregation of Believers, united as a visible organical body, for Gods worship, have ability& power given to it, as to such a great end; they have not a lame Commission, part of the keys at their girdle, and strangers and foreigners carrying the other part. And for the Key of Excommunication, which is so much denied to the particular Congregation, the Church of Corinth is blamed by the Apostle, that they did not this of themselves without him, and his urging of them, much more without a collegiate Church-sentence sent them.   

SECT. XLII.  
Ob. AGain, this may be added, if it be said, they be fit to preach and administer Seals, but not to ordain or excommunicate, because the particular Churches cannot make up a sufficient Eldership.   

SECT. XLIII.  
Sol. IT Would be asked here, what makes up a sufficient Eldership? Our brethren say, A presbytery consists of Pastors and Teachers, and such other officers as the Word mentions, to be help● in government: now, all these may be in a particular Congregation. Though the kind be mentioned in Scripture, yet the number how many of this kind, is not mentioned and limited by the Word. If two or three, or if four or five Elders, or more be needful, to make up an Eldership sufficient, a particular congregation may have and yield so many upon any occasion: and a foreign presbytery, an Eldership over many Congregations, is acknowledged by our Brethren to be sufficient, though it consists of no more: now if they be a sufficient presbytery, and have the complete power of such a State, why not the like kind of officers, and the like quantity for number, in the other? Have the Eldership that is over many Churches, the sufficiency of their State from hence, that they are over many Congregations? In the particular Congregation, there are such kind of Elders, and so many Elders, and all having relation to one Church: And the argument used on the other hand, is the same: that it must be an Eldership, which though ●t consists of many Congregations, yet makes up but one Church.   

SECT. XLIV.  
SEcondly, it may be thus said, If one particular Congregation so constituted, as is before mentioned, be not sufficient to exercise the full power of the keys, without a foreign Eldership, then the first Church, to wit, that of Jerusalem, was lame in its power, t●ll others were erected; and Antioch lame in its power, because but one Church in association with it, and answerably they made lame work. And other Congregations which were scattered up and down in Pontus, Capadocia, &c. which in all likelihood by distance of place, and by violence of Heathens, were in an utter incapacity to any standing, extrinsical Elderships and associations, looking every hour for the fiery trial, as they did, that all these were lame, and could not supply the mortality of their public Ministers and Officers, and so consequently must needs sink, from a defect intrinsical, and in their make and constitution, being not able without a foreign power, to relieve themselves in the mainest things. And to say, that in extraordinary cases, unordinary things may be done, is little to the satisfaction of a tender heart, especially in divine things, who is apt to believe, that God hath so shaped his public Ordinances, which are enjoined, to be used in all places, that places shall not be a standing let, to put his people continually to run beside the instituted ordinary and express rule.   

SECT. XLV.  
THirdly, it is confessed by our Brethren, that the Judicatures of Classes and Congregations, do not differ formally or specifically. Then if they differ but only in extension, then the intrinsical power of the Elders of the Congregation, is the same with the Elder of Classes: and then there is no specifical act that the one puts forth, but the other can put forth too, as occasion shall require, for degree doth not vary the kind; therefore they can ordain or excommunicate, as well as the collegiate Church, and so is the congregational Church complete, if the classical Church be.   

SECT. XLVI.  
FInally, if the particular Church had not been compl●at to do its own work, without a forra●n Elde●ship, the Apostles would have mentioned some thing of this foreign combinding of Elderships, to ordain, and have counseled the lame, to lend each other a leg; and when this might be had, surely the Church of Christ durst not neglect the use of it; and yet we find not the one, and we do find the other: Churches in several Regions, yet not making any such Regiments one over another. The Apostle Paul when he took his leave of the Church of Ephesus, commends it not to foreign associate Elders, but both Elders and people as one flock, to the grace of God, Act. 20.32. as leaving it sufficiently endowed, to perpetuate succession in all good, to ordain other Officers if any should die, and so build them up to eternal life.   

SECT. XLVII. Some Objections against the things before handled.  
Ob. YOu seem to be for Separation, from a presbyterial Church: we find no example of separation, but in case of Idolatry.   

SECT. XLVIII.  
Sol. IDolatry hath had several shapes according as the light hath broken out in every Age, in several degrees: The Idolatry of the Heathen in darker times; as Dagon that fish and flesh God. The Idolatry of Christians, as a supreme Bishop, over all Churches: and then a supreme Bishop, or Arch Bishop over the Churches in such a Nation: and then because this found out as papal too such a combination of B●shops, over the Churches in such a Nation: So that that command which is given 2. Cor. 6.17. come out from o●e kind of Idolatry, is Gods command to come out from all: or else that rule binds onely, to separate from Heathenish Idolatry. What is not warranted by the Word, is an Idol, let present times, and abused affections, call it what they will: and though God be merciful to our simplicity, whilst we are ignorant and mis-call things, yet when things are revealed, tis dangerous to call them, and maintain them, as we please.   

SECT. XLIX.  
Ob. BUt we have had many converted, under the Presbyterian Government, doth not this seal it to be of God?   

SECT. L.  
Sol. SO there was under episcopal Government, yet Presbyterians gave witness to that, not to be of God. God blessed the preaching of his Word then by simplo hearts, which is his ordinance, and so he hath under Presbyterians; but this must speak in suâ latitudine, as a seal of itself, as an ordinance, but not of all mingled with it.   

SECT. LI.  
Ob. BUt many godly being in the Presbyterian way, is it not more proper to purge, then to pull down all; to make use of the root, and not up with root and branch.   

SECT. LII.  
Sol. TWas just so objected by the godly in England, when Presbyterians would have down our episcopal Church. In England many of the godly, yea several Parliament men, were for purging, and circunctsing, but by no means could they hear of plucking up root and branch, but the controversy of the Lord meant, the axe to the root, and so I humbly judge, doth the same controversy now mean, which is so wonderfully brought about to presbytery, which makes me in all simplicity of heart to give my dear brethren of that judgement, a plain and faithful warning.   

SECT. LIII.  
SEcondly, this I would answer: purging doth suppose an encouraging foundation to work upon. If a person be dead or hopeless of life, 
They return, but not to the most High, Hos. 7 6. So I doubt, will this kind of returning be, by purging.  we do not talk of a purge. Where the form of Government, or the matter of Government is right, some thing of purging may do the work. As if all be Saints indeed, as far as man can judge, why then though they joumble and disorder some acts of jurisdiction, some purging of Discipline will do it. Or if the form be right, that there be such a particular company of Saints combined and united, to walk in all the ways of God together, and to d●spense public ordinances for the building up of one another; and this Church through remissednes let in some that are nought or several fall into foul sins; why, yet by remembering how they received, and by repenting, they may by excommunication, and other ordinances purge themselves: But when matter& form are both corrupt and nought: for form knit by situation, and by foreign forensicall Elderships, and associations: for matter, three parts of four nought, profane, Atheists, of Elders and people both; how can such a state and constitution, which hath not undè wherewithal, purge itself? The bad will cast out the good, sooner then they will condescend to cast out themselves, when the power is in their own hand, as that it must stil necessary be, whilst the mayor part by far, in all ranks, is the worst: So that Church State is in this case, quiter dead; 'tis not a man but a carcase; not a Church, but a nest of unclean birds, a den of thieves: Therefore to depart from the dead is proper; But to talk of purging the dead, where there is not a foundation to give physic its warmth and operation, is discourse full of weakness, if not of unwillingness to see and censure our own shane: this may seem rigid, but indeed I think, God calls, loudly now to his servants to be plain, and to trust the honour of their candour and ingenuity, with him.   

SECT. LIV.  
BUt will not my protest serve the turn? If things be corrupt in the Church, and I protest against them, may not I go on with that Church? As for instance: If they take in corrupt Members; and admit corrupt and impenitent communicants; and I protest against these, may not I go on and partake with these, and yet be innocent, and enjoy as much of Gods Presence in the ordinances, as if all were holy and good? For what doth others wickedness in abuse of ordinances, prejudice those ordinances to me?   

SECT. LV.  
Sol. IF protesting were onely words▪ then such a thing would do. But to say the precious should not mingle with the vile, and yet the man doth thus daily& continually, is not to protest but to mock, and dissemble; because here is not a pure passiveness in this man, as to the going on of that thing which he protests against. Again, in practical things, tis not so much a mans word as his practise, which gives the dislike. If a man of an idolatrous Church, should stand up& protest against the mass, and yet still go to mass, I doubt how well this would please God, or deliver him from guilt. Naaman implicitly protests against the idolatry he had practised, that he would worship no God, but the God of Israel: and did he continue to bow down? Yes, saith some, but he begs Pardon for it, as fearing how 'twould hold. But most apt in our last English Annot. The word being rendered in the time past: Pardon that I bowed myself in the house of Rimmon: Protesting is a piece of revenge, which is the vehemence of Repentance, and the clearing of ones self, which how this will accord with halting and halving, is worthy of deep thoughts of heart: Can two walk together except they be agreed. And our Brethren, when they protest against an Assembly, do not submit to it.   

SECT. LVI.  
Ob. BUt d●th not baptism give the form of a tr●e Church: And you say. If the form and foundation be right, it may be capable to purge itself right: Now we are all baptized.   

SECT. LVII.  
Sol. THat baptism doth not give the form of Church M●mbership, is manifest by these Arguments: First, because there may be a Church, and so consequently members of a Church before baptism: Ministers are before baptism, and a Church is before Ministers, for out of it are they made, and have their keys, as hath been shewed; That Ministers are before baptism is evident, or else baptism may be administered by such who are not Officers, by a●y of the Members, and then what need O●ficers: A●d then a Church essentially, is a Church complete organically, and yet no officer or organ in it. Secondly, the Church was visible when there was no Seal, neither Circumcision, nor baptism, and then how could these constitute a Church? Besides how much this gratifies the judgement and practise of Anabaptists, any one may see, who constitute Church Members by baptism, and how much Presbyterians are against Anabaptists, a●l their writings show, and how much they lay to our charge for ushering in, and countenancing this tenant.  
Ob. BUt since this opinion prevailed, we see a vast toleration of all strange and damnable doctrines.  
Sol. We are willing to be a terror to evil works, and as unwilling to be a terror to good. We are not so well skilled in d●vine things', as to tell what every thing is in the bud; we a●e pat●ent more then some would have us, till the bud blossom and bear, and when we see the fruit nought, upon all occasions, we give our witness against it, by dispute, discountenance, and otherwise as we understand the Word to warrant us. If Tares and Wheat must grow together in the World, till the end thereof, the Civill Magistrate had need to be wary, how he useth his Sword for a Weedhook, in maculis mentis, spots of the mind, lest presbytery get a by-blow amongst the rest. Some mens weapon● to fight in these quarrels, are to us as Sauls armor was to David, too big and too heavy, we cannot tell how to wield them; and because we take a little ston and a sling, when others would have us t●ke a halter and a across, do we then give a vast toleration? Not by night nor by power Civ●l, out by God● Spirit in his Word and other Ordinances we fi●ht ●n these q arrels, which weapon, though ●ot so terrible to look upon, as the temporal Sword, y●t are mighty through God to cast dow● strong imaginations of vain men: Order yet is but making to in Church a●d State, and therefore things are yet but disorderly in this Nation: Warres make laws mute.   

SECT. LVIII.  
FInally Christians, take this answer to all that may be further objected. To be enquiring is honourable, but to be ever learning and ne●er practising is dangerous: 'twas ● heavy curse that Jeremiah wished upon himself, that his mothers womb might have been always great with him, Jer. 20.17. Tis a heavy curse indeed upon that poor soul, concerning whom it may be said, the womb of Truth is always great with him, always in pangs and throws with him, but cannot bring forth.    
FINIS.