CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
Cornell University Library 
 BX7730.B24 A5 1830 
 
 olin 
 
 3 1924 029 464 710 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tinis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029464710 
 
A TREATISE 
 
 OfM 
 
 FORMERLY CALLED 
 
 Jijy^RCHY OF THE R^JTTERS, 
 
 dec, 
 
 BEING A TWO-FOLD APOLOGY 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 CHURCH AND PEOPLE OF GOD, 
 
 CALLED, m DERISION, QUAKERS. 
 
 WHEREIN 
 
 Tbcy are vindicated from those that accuse them of disorder and ooilfu- 
 fiion on the one hand^ and &om such as coluiianiate them with tyranny 
 and imposition on the otb&tvf showingj that as the true and, pure prinr- 
 dples of the gospel are restored by their testimony ; so is also the au- 
 oient apostolic order of the Church of Christ re-established among them, 
 and settled upon its right basis a^ fdundation. 
 
 B Y ROBERT B ARCLAY, 
 
 PhiL ii., 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory ; buti^ low-, 
 linessof niind, let ead> esteem other better than themselves. • 
 
 Heb. xiii. 7, 'Remember them that have the rule over yoii, who have gpo- 
 ken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow. 
 
 PfflLADELPHIA: 
 
 PRINTED BY JOSEPH RAKESTBAW. 
 1830. 
 
THE CONTENTS. 
 
 SECT-i I. The Introduction and method of this 
 Treatise. 
 
 Sect. II. Concerniog the ground a.nd cause of 
 this controversy. 
 
 Sect. in. Whether there be any order or go- 
 vernment in. the Church of Christ. 
 
 Sect. IV. Of the order and govemmeint we 
 plead for. ' < ' 
 
 Sect. V. In what cases, and how far, this go- 
 vernment extends. 
 
 Sect. VI. How far this government extends in 
 inatters spiritual^, and purely conscien- 
 tious. 
 
 Sect. VII. Concerning the power of decision. 
 
 Sect. VIII. How this government altogether 
 differeth from the oppressing and persecut- 
 ing principality of the Church of Rome, 
 and other anti-christian assemblies. 
 
 The'CoNctuSiON.- ' 
 
A TREATISE 
 
 ON 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The Introduction and Method of this Treatise. 
 
 AFTER that the Lord God in his own ap- 
 pointed time had seen meet to put an end to the 
 dispensation of the law, which was dehvered to 
 the children of Israel, by the ministry of Moses; 
 through and by whom he did communicate unto 
 them in the wilderness froin Mount Sinai, divers 
 commandments, ordinances, appointments and 
 observations, according as they are testified in 
 the writings of the law; it pleased him tp send 
 his ovra Son the Lord Jesus Christ in the fulness 
 of time; who having perfectly fulfilled the law, 
 and the righteousness thereof, gave witness to the 
 dispensation of the gospel. And having appro- 
 ved himself, and the excellency of his doctrine, by 
 many great and wonderful sign§ and miracles, he 
 sealed it with his blood; and triumphing over 
 death (of which it was impossible for him to be 
 held) he cherished and encouraged his despised 
 witnesses, who had believed in him, in that he 
 appeared to them, after he was raised from the 
 dead; comforting them with the hope and assur- 
 ance qf the pouring forth of his Spirit, by which 
 
 1 
 
they were to be led and ordered in all things; in 
 and by which, he was to be with them to the end 
 of the world, not suffering the gates of hell to pre- 
 vail against them. By which Spirit come upon 
 them, they being filled, were emboMened to preach 
 the gospel without fear-i and, in a short time, 
 thousands were added to the chUrch; and the 
 multitude of them that believed were of one 
 heart, and of one soul; and great love and zeal 
 prevailed, and there was nothing lacking for a 
 season. 
 
 But all that were caught in the net did not 
 prove good and wholesome fish; some were again 
 to be cast into that ocean, from whence they were 
 drawn : of those maiiy that were called, all proved 
 not chosen vessels, fit for the master's use; and 
 of all that were brought into the great supper and 
 marriage of the king's son, there were that were 
 found without the weddi&g garment. — Some 
 made a show for a season, and afterwards fell 
 away ; there were that drew back; there were 
 that made shipwreck of faith, and of a good con- 
 science : there were not only such as did back- 
 slide themselves, but sought to draw others into 
 the same perdition with themselves, seeking to 
 overturn their faith also ; yea, there were that 
 brought in damnable heresies, even denying the 
 Lord that bought them. And also of those mem- 
 bers th^t became not wholly corrupt, (for some 
 were never again restored by repentance) there 
 were that were weak, an J sickly, and young ; 
 some were to be fed with milk, and not with 
 strdng meat; some were to be purged, when the 
 old leaven received any place ; and some to be cut 
 
off for a season, to be shut out, as it were, of the 
 camp for a time, until their leprosy was healed, 
 and then to be- received in again. 
 
 Moreover, as to outwards, there was the care 
 of the poor, of the widow, of the fatherless, of the 
 strangers, &c. Therefore the Lord Jesus Chrifet 
 who is the head of the body, the church; (for 
 the church is the l3ody of Christ, and the saints 
 are the several members of that body) knowing 
 in his infinite wisdom, what was needful for the 
 gbo^ ordering and msposing all things in their 
 ■proper place, and for preserving and keeping all 
 things in their right station, did, in the dispen- 
 sation and communication of his holy Spirit, 
 minister unto, every member, a measure of the 
 same Spirit, yet diverse according to operation, 
 for the edification of the hody ; some apostles, 
 some teachers, some pastors, some elders ; there 
 are old men, there are young men, there are bajbes. 
 For all are not apostles, neither are all elders, 
 neither are all babes ; yet are all members : and 
 as such, all have a sense and feeling of the life of 
 the body, which from the head, flows unto aU 
 the body, as the ointment of Aaron's beai:d unto 
 the skirts of his garment: and every member has 
 its place and- station in the body, so long- as it 
 keeps in the hfe of the body j and all have, need 
 one pranother; yet is no member to assume ano- 
 ther place in the body, than God has given it; 
 not yet to grudge or repine its fellow member's 
 place J but be content with its ovm ; for the un- 
 comely parts, are no less needful than the come- 
 ly; and the less honourable than the more* hon-. 
 ourable ; which the apostle Paul holds forth in 
 1 Cor. xii. from verse 13 to 30. - 
 
4 
 
 Now the ground of 9,11 schisms, divisions or 
 rents in the body is, when as any member as- 
 sumes another place than is allotted it; or being 
 gone , from the hfe and unity of tihe body, and 
 losing the sense of itj lets in the murmurer, the 
 eye that wa,tches for evil, and not in holy care over 
 its fellow members: and thep, instead of coming 
 down to judgment in itself, will stand up and 
 judge its fellow members, yea, thewhole body, or 
 thosle vsrhom God has set in a more honourable 
 and erriinent place in the body than itself. Such 
 suffer not the wofd of exhoBtatioU;. arid term the 
 reproofs of instruction, which js the way of life, 
 injposition and oppression, and are not aware 
 how far they are in the things they condemn 
 others for; while they spare not to reprove and 
 revile all their fellow members : yet if they be but 
 admonished themselves, they cry out as if their 
 great charter of gospel hberty were broken. 
 
 Now though such, and the spirit by which 
 they are acted, be sufficiently- seen and felt by 
 thousands, whose hearts God has so estabHshed 
 as they, are ont of danger of being entangled in 
 that snare, and, who have power and strength in 
 themselves to judge that spirit, even in its most 
 subtile appe9,rances; yfet there are, who cannot so 
 well withstand the subtilty, and seemirig sinceri- 
 ty some such pretend to, though ui rrieasure they 
 have a sight of thern ; and others, tjiat cannot so 
 rightly distinguish between 1;he precious and the 
 vile '; and some there are. that through weakness, 
 and want of true discerning, may be deceived, 
 and the simplicity in them betrayed for a season ; 
 as it is written, " with fair speeches 'and smooth 
 words they deceive the hearts of the simple." 
 
Therefore having, according to my measure, 
 received an opeaiiig in my understanding as to 
 these things, from the hght of the Lord, and ha- 
 ving been for some time under the weighty sense 
 of them, I "find at this instant a freedom to com- 
 mit them to writing, for the more universal bene- 
 fit and edification of the Church of Christ. 
 
 Now for the more plain and clear opening and 
 understanding of these things, it is fit to sum 
 up this treatise in these following general heads, 
 to be considered of: 
 
 First, From whence the ground and cause of 
 this controversy is, the rise and root of it? 
 
 Secondly, Whether there be now any order 
 and .government in the Church of Christ ? 
 
 Thirdly, What is the order and government 
 which we plead for? In what cases, and how 
 far it may extend? In whom tlie power decisive is, 
 and how it differeth ? And is wholly another 
 than the oppressing and persecuting principality 
 of the church of Rome, and; other anti-christian 
 assemblies. 
 
 SECTION n. 
 
 Concerning the ground arid cause of this Contro- 
 Hersy. _ - 
 
 When as the Lord God by his mighty power, 
 began to visit the nations with the dawning of 
 his heavenly day, (for thus I write unto those 
 that ha\je received and believed the truth) and 
 that he sent forth his instruments^ whom he had 
 fitted and prepared fo;- his work, having fashioned 
 1* 
 
6 
 
 them not according to the wisdom and will of 
 man, but to his own heavenly wisdom and coun- 
 sel, they went forth and preached the gospel in 
 the evidence and danonstration of the Spirit: not 
 in the enticing words of man's wisdom ; but in 
 appearajice as fools and mad, to those that judg- 
 ed according to man. But their words and testi- 
 mony pierceid through into the inner man. in the 
 heart, and reached to that of God in the con- 
 science; whereby as many as were simple-heart- 
 ed and waited for the redemption of their souls^ 
 received them as ihe messengers of the most high 
 God; and their^ words were unto them, not as 
 the words of m^n, but as the Wdrds of God ; for 
 in the receiving and embracing the testimcmy of 
 truth through them, they felt their souls easied, 
 and the 'acceptable day began to davm in and 
 upon them. 
 
 Now what evidencebrought these meffto make 
 their testimony to b6 received ? did they entice ? 
 did they flatter ? did they daub up? did they 
 preach liberty to the flesh or will q{ man ? nay ve- 
 rily, they used no such method : liieir Ti^ords were 
 as thunder-bolts, knocking down all that stood in 
 their way, and pouring dovra the judgmeht of 
 God upon the head. df the tlunsgressor every 
 where. Did they spare the zealous professor 
 more than the open prophane ? ' nay verily,, they 
 condemned equally the hypoerisy of the one, as 
 well as the profanity of the other ; yet wanted 
 they not regard to the tender, seed and plant of 
 God in either. Did they give way? did they 
 yield to the wisdom of man f toi the deceitftdness 
 qf the serpent, that would reason truth foi- them- 
 
selves, saying, I must stay until I be convinced of 
 this, and that, and the other thing ; I see not yet 
 this to be wrong, or the other thing to be my duty? 
 How did th^y knock down this manner of reason- 
 ing by the Spirit of God, which wrought migh- 
 tily in them, showing and holding forth, that thi,s 
 is the day of the Lord that is dawned; that all are 
 invited to come; that none ought to tarry behind: 
 that ^that which so pleadeth is the same spirit 
 which of old time said in iJiose that were invited, 
 I cannot come yet, I must first marry a wife r I 
 must go prove my yoke of oxen ; I must go visit 
 .my possessions; let me'first bury my dead father. 
 Did not the Lord through themtestify and declare 
 against these things? and is there not a cloiid of 
 witnesses, wh<) felt the enemy: thus reasoning to 
 keep us in the forms, fellowships, false worships, 
 and foolish fashions of this world? B'at we felt, 
 as we were obedient, all these things to be for 
 condemnation ; and that, as we obeyed the pure 
 manifestation of -the light of Jesus in our hearts, 
 there was no hesitation. We might dnd should 
 haVeparted with all those, things at the first; and 
 what occasioned such scruples, was but that 
 which drew back,^ through being unwilling to 
 give pureobedience*^to'thecross of Christ; for as- 
 many as gave obedjence and believed in the light, 
 found no occasion of stmitiWing; but such as be^ 
 lievednot were condemned already, because they 
 believed not in him that appeared. Now the bold- 
 ness, and courage, and efficacy of these messen- 
 gers testimony, wrought such astontishment, fear, 
 and amazement in the hearts of such a^ were in-"~' 
 genuous,that many began to be inwardly pricked. 
 
8 
 
 as in the days of old, and th^ foundations jof 
 many began to be shaken; and some that were 
 asleep were awakened, and many that were dead 
 and buried in1;he graves of sin,' and fonnajity and 
 superstition, and idolatry of all sorts, were alarm- 
 ed; and-niany were brought in from the hedges 
 and the high ways, and the truth was received by 
 ihousands with great cheerfulness, and a readi- 
 ness of mind : ajid the feet of those were beheld 
 to be beautiful upon the mountains, that brought 
 the glad tidings of these good things. And gteat 
 lowliness and simplicity of heart was upon such 
 that were^riewly convinced of the truth, and deep 
 humiliation of spirit and subjection to the power, 
 both in themselves, and in those who were over 
 them in the Lord, andfhad gathered them into 
 the truth. ~ 
 
 But as it was in the gatherings of old, so it also , 
 fell out in this day ; aU kept hot their first love : 
 as among those thousands, which Moses led out 
 of Egypt, and carried through the Red sea, who 
 had ^ng praises to God upon the banks of salva- 
 tion, many carcases fell inihe wilderness ; some 
 who murmured and longed to return again to the 
 flesh-pots of Egypt; and some for opposing and 
 contradicting the servant and servants of the 
 Lord, whom the Lord -had made use of to lead, 
 them out of bondage, in saying, ye take too much 
 upon you ; hath the Lord indeed only spoken by 
 Moses? hath he not spokea also by us? And 
 as among these multitudes which were gathered 
 by the a;posties, there were many who continued 
 not faithful to the end ; some returned back again 
 with the sow to the pudcUe after they were wash- 
 
ed ; some embriacfed the present world ; some 
 again separatiBd themselves, heing sensual, and 
 without the spiidt, despising dommions,and speak- 
 ing evil of dignities ; their motlths speaking^eat 
 swelling words, being puffed up, and not abiding 
 in these things, which they were taught of the 
 apostles; so it is to be lamented, that ,among these 
 many thousands, whom the apostles and evan- 
 gelist^ whom God raised up in this day (for the 
 gatheriijg of his seed and people out qf spiritual 
 Egypt and Babylon into bis pure light and life) 
 4td bi-ing forth and gather, there are that have fal- 
 len upon the right hand and the left. Some are 
 turned back agiain into Egypt, running into, the 
 same excess of lust and riot, from whence they 
 were once purified and redeemed : some coiild nBt 
 bear the reproach of the cross of Christ ; and were 
 by and anon offended in hirn : sonie could not 
 bear the tribulations, sufferings and persecutions, 
 which came for the truth's sake ; and the seed in 
 them was soon scorched with the heat of the day. 
 And some n®t abiding in subjection to the truth 
 in themselves; were not contented with thatplace 
 and station in the body,, which God had placed 
 them in; but became vainly puffed up in their 
 fleshly minds, intruding into those things which 
 they had nof seen : and would needs be innova- 
 tors, given to change, and introducing new doc- 
 trines and practices, not only differihg, but con- 
 trary to what was already delivered in the begin- 
 ning ; making parties, causing divisions and rents, 
 t;^unbling the weak, and denying, despising and 
 reviling the apostles aiid messengers of Christ, the 
 elders of the church,' who' loved not their lives 
 
10 
 
 unto death, but through much care, and, travel, 
 and watchingSj atid whippings, and bonds, and 
 beatings, in daily jeopardy, gathered us by the 
 mighty power- of God into the most precious 
 truth. Yet in all this there hath nothing befallen 
 us, but that which hath be&Q the ancient lot of 
 the Church of Christ in the primitive times. 
 
 Now he, that was careful for his. church and 
 people in old times, hath hot been Avanting to us 
 in our day ; but as he has again restored the truth 
 unto its primitive, integrity and simplicity, and as 
 he has delivered our understandings from these 
 false doctrines and principles, which prevailed in 
 the apostacy.; so he hath not gathered us lo be 
 " as sheep scattered without a shepherd," that 
 every one may run his own way, and evfery one 
 follow his own wiU, and so to be as a confused 
 mass or Chaos, without any order ; but he, even 
 tihe Lord, hath also gathered, and is gathering 
 us into the good order, discipline, and govern- 
 ment of his own Son, the ^Lord Jesus Christ : 
 therefore he hath laid care upon some beyond 
 others, who watch for the souls of their brethren, 
 as they that must give account. 
 
 There are then fathers that have begotten us 
 unto Ohrist Jesus through thie gospel, of whom 
 we 6ught to be followers, and to remember their 
 ways, which be in Christ. There are then fa- 
 thers and children, instructors and instructed, el- 
 ders and youngs men, yea, and babfes ; there are 
 that cannot cease, but must exhort, instruct, re- 
 prove, condemn, judge; or else for what end 
 gave Christ the gifts mentioned, Ephes. iv. 11. 
 13 ? And how are the saints perfected, and the 
 
11 
 
 body of Christ edified of those, who came undei* 
 the cognizance, and, as it were, the test of this 
 order and government ? I may chiefly sum tliem 
 up in three sorts (though there be divers other 
 httle subdivided species of them.) 
 
 The first is, Those that turn openly back to 
 the world again, through finding the way of truth 
 too narrow. These have not been capable to do 
 us any considerable hurt ; for being a salt, that 
 has lost its savour, they mostly prove a stink 
 among those to whom they go. And I never 
 knew any of them, that proved aiiy way steady 
 among those to whom they go. I find other pro- 
 fessors make but small boast of any proselytes 
 they got out from among us ; Ihear httle of their 
 proving champions for the principles of others 
 against us. And, iudeed, for the most part they 
 lose all rehgion with the truth : for Ihave heard 
 some of them say; That if ever they took on 
 them to be religious, they would come back again 
 to the Quakers, dzc. - 
 
 Secondly, Those, who through unwatchful- 
 ness, the secret corruption of their own hearts, 
 a,rid the mysterious or hidden temptations of the 
 enemy, have fallen into his snares ; and so have 
 come under the power of some temptation or 
 other, either of fleshly lustSj or of spiritual wick- 
 edness : who being seasonably warned by those 
 that keep their hahita,tionj and faithful overseers 
 in the church,, have been agaui restored by un- 
 feigned repentance; not kicking against the 
 pricks ; but have , rejoiced, that others watched 
 over them: for their good, and are become monu- 
 ments of God's mercy unto this day. 
 
12 
 
 Thirdly, Such, who being departed from their 
 first love and ancient zeal for the truth, become 
 cold and lukewarm; and yet are ashamed to 
 make open apostacy, and to turn back again, so 
 as to deny aU the principles of truths they ha;?ing 
 had already such evfdence of clearness upon their 
 imderstanding ; yet not keeping low in their own 
 habitations, but being puffed up, and giving way 
 to the restless imaginations of their exalted and 
 wandering minds^ fall out with, their brethren ; 
 cause divisions ; begin to find fault with every 
 thing, and to look at others more than at them- 
 selves; "with swelling words to talk of, and preach 
 up, a higher dispensation, while they are far from 
 hving up to the life and perfection of this present; 
 like unto such who said, We will not have this 
 man to rule over us: cry out of formahty and 
 apostacy, because' they are not followed in all 
 things ; and if they be reproved for their unruli- 
 ness, according to ihe good order of the Church 
 of Christ, then they cry out, Breach of liberty, 
 oppression, persecution ! we mill have none of your 
 order and government ; vJe are taught to follmp 
 the ligM^ in our consciences, and not the orders of 
 men. Well, of this hereafter; but this gave the 
 rise of this controversy: which leads me to that 
 which I proposed in th© second place. 
 
 SECTION ni. 
 
 Whether there be now to be any order or. govern- 
 ment in the Church of Christ. > 
 
 In answer to this propositibo, I meddle not at 
 this time with those that deny any such thiiig as 
 
13 
 
 a .Church of Chri^ ; I have reserved their plea to 
 another place. Neither need I to be at much 
 pains to prove the affinna,tiye, „tO; wit, that there 
 ought to be ^government dn4 order in the Church 
 of Christ unto the generality of our opposers,' 
 both papists and protestants ; who readily con- 
 fess, and aclcnowledge it, and have heretofore 
 blamed^ us for ^want.,of it. Though now some of 
 them, and thatof the highest pretenders, are be-, 
 come so unreasonaWe, as to accuse us for the 
 use of it; improving it, so fer as they can, to 
 our disadvantage : for such is the blindness of 
 partial envy, that whereas the. supposed want of 
 it was once reckoned heretical, now the present 
 performance, of it is counted drjmiiial. 
 
 These, then, to whcan I come to, prove this 
 thing, are such, who having cast off the yoke of 
 the cross of phrist in themselves, refuse all subr 
 jection or goyernmenf:,, denying tha,t any such 
 thing ought to be, as disagreeing with the tepti-, 
 mony of truth ; or those, who not being so wU- 
 ful and obstinate in their minds, yet are fearful 
 or scrupulous in the matter in respect of the 
 dangerous consequences, they may apprehend, 
 such a thing may draw after it. 
 
 For the clearing then as well the mistakes of 
 the one, as answering the cavils of the other, I 
 judge tlie truth pf these followiiig assertions will 
 gnfficiently prove the matter j which I shall make 
 no great difficulty to evidence. 
 
 First, That Jesus Christ, the King and Head 
 of the QuB-eh, did appoint and ordain, that there 
 should be order and government in it. « 
 
 Secondly, That .uie apostles and, primitive 
 ■■2 
 
14 
 
 OiiristiaiiSy whea they were filled with the Holy 
 Ghost, and immediately led by the Spirit Jjf God, 
 did practise and commend it. 
 
 ThixdlyVThat the same-occasioii-and necessity 
 now occurring, which gave them opportunity to 
 exercise that authority, the Church, of jChrist 
 bath the same power now as ever, and is led by 
 the same spirit into the satne. practices. 
 - As to the first, I know there are some, that the 
 veiy name of a church, and the veiy wo^ds, order 
 attd government th^ are afraid of. Now this I 
 suppose -hath proceeded, because of the great 
 hypocrisy, deceit and oppression, that hath1)een~ 
 cloaked, with the pret^ce of these things ; but 
 why should the Trutb b6~iiegleGted, because hy- 
 pocrites have pretended to it? The right institu- 
 tion of these things^ which haye been appointed 
 and ordained of God, mugt not, nor ought not to 
 be demised, because eorrlipt men haves aMsedand 
 1 perverted ^^nV I knceas^t any thing that hath 
 been more abused and perverted in the whole 
 world, than thename of a Christian; shall we then 
 renounce that honourable title, because so niany 
 thousands <jf Avicked men, yea. Antichrists, have 
 falsely assumed it to themselves? The man of s;h 
 hath taken upbii him to sit in the t^ple of God, 
 as God; yet we nfiust not therefore deny, that God 
 is in this temple. If the synagogue of Satan as- 
 snined the naiiie of the Church of Christ, and hath, 
 tei:med her oppression and violence, the power 
 and authority thereof; therefore must not the 
 Church of Christ, and its authority,- be exercised, 
 where it truly is according to his mind ?_ This I 
 prefix tovram a;ll to beware of stumbling at things 
 
15 
 
 which are innocent in tiiemselves; and. that we 
 may labour to hold the steady, even path of truth, 
 without running into either of the extremes. For 
 that Jesus Christ did appoint order and govern- 
 ment to be in the Church, is very clear from his 
 plain wofdsVMatt. xviii. 15. Moreover, if thy 
 brother shall trespass against thee^ go tell him his 
 fault between thee and him alone} if he shall hear 
 thee, thou hast gained thy brother. Ver. 16. But 
 if he will not hear thee, then= take with thee one or 
 two more, that in themquth of two or three wit- 
 nesses, every word may be estaWished. Ver.~17. 
 And if he shalljieglect.to hear theih, tell it unto 
 the church : but if he neglect to hear the church, 
 let him be Unto thee as anheathed man a,nd a pub- 
 lican. Ver. 18., Verily, I say unto you, whiatso- 
 ever ye shall bind on earth, .shall be bound in hea- 
 ven; and whsLtsoever ye shallloose on earth, shall 
 be loosed in heaven. From which Scripture it 
 doth manifestly and evidently follow; first. That 
 Jesus Christ intended there; should fe^ certain dr- 
 der and ihethod in his chUKch, in the procedure 
 towards such as transgress. Secondly, That he 
 that.refiiseth.to hear two, is become more guilty 
 (as hardeijed) than in refusing to hear him that 
 first reproved alonej. Thirdly, That refusing to 
 bear the judgment of the chui'ch, or whqle assem- 
 bly, he doth thereby exclude himself, and shut out 
 himself from being a member '; and is justly judg- 
 ed by his brethren as an heathen and a publican. 
 And lastly, that the church, gathering^ or as- 
 sembly of God's people, has power to examine and 
 call to accoimt such, as appearing to be among 
 them, or owning the same faith with them, do 
 
16 
 
 ti'aHsgress ; and in case of their rieii^iHg to hear, 
 or repent, to exclude them from their^Howship ; 
 and that God hath a special' regard to the judg-. 
 ment and sense of his peopiethus oi^erly protjieed- 
 ihg, so as to hold such ^jound in heaven, whom 
 they bind on earth, and such loosed in heaven, 
 whomthey loose on earth. I am partly confident, 
 that no rational man will deny, but that these^ 
 naturally follow from! the above mentioned Scrip- 
 ture ; and if there shouM be any found so unrea- 
 sonable as to^ny it, I could prove it by neces- 
 sary and unevitable cojisequentresj which at pre- 
 sent, as taken it for granted, I forbear to do. W 
 it be reckoned so great a crime to offend one of 
 the little ones, that it were better for him, that so 
 doth^ that a miUstone were hanged about bis 
 neck, And he were drowned in the depth of the 
 sea ; without question, to offend and gainsay the; 
 whole flocki must be more criminal, and must 
 draw after it a far deeper judgment. 
 
 Now if there were no order nor government 
 in the church, what should become of those that 
 transgress ? how should they be again restored ? 
 would not this make all^proving, all iiistructing, 
 all caring for,and watchmg oyer one another, void 
 ahd null? why should Ghrasthave desired them to. 
 proceed after this method ?.why doth he place so 
 much weight upon th^ judgment of the church, as 
 to make the refusing of hearing it, to draw so deep 
 a censure after it; which he will not have to follow 
 the refi^siijg to hear one or two apart, though'the 
 matter be one and the same? and so, as to thesub- 
 stantial and intrinsic truth of the thing, there lies 
 the same obligation: upon the tjjaasgressoi: to hear 
 
17 
 
 that one, as well as all ; for that one adyiseth him 
 to that which is right and good, as well as the 
 whole ; and they do but homolgate or confirm that 
 whidi that one hath already asserted : yet Jesus 
 Christ, who is theauthor of order,.and not of qon- 
 fusidn, will not have a brother cut off, or reputed 
 a publican, for refilsing t<) hear one or two, but 
 for refusing to hear the church. -Aiid if it be ob- 
 jected, that the Church of Rome, and all other 
 false churches, make use of this Scripture,, and 
 cover their persecution, and cruelty, and oppres- 
 sion by it; vand thou sayiest no more, than they 
 say: I answer; I suppose no man will be so un- 
 reasonable a^ to affirm? that the Church of Rome 
 abusing this Scripture, will make it false in itself; 
 but how- we differ in our application of this Scrip- 
 ture, shall be spoken of hereafter. I am not now 
 claiming right to this power, as due to us (that is 
 reserved for another place;) but this, I ^ay, is 
 that which I now aver tq he maiijfe&t from the 
 Scripture testimony, and to be in itself an unques- 
 tionable truth, that Jesus Christ intended there 
 should be order 'and government in his church; 
 which is the thing at present in hand to be pro- 
 ved: which if it be so really true (as it cannot be 
 denied) then I hope it will also necessarily fpUow, 
 that such who really and truly are the church 
 of Christ, have a righttoexercis^ this order and 
 government. - " 
 
 Secondly, That the apostles and primitive 
 Christians did pracitise order and government, we 
 need but rpad the history of the ActiS, of which 
 I shall mention a (e^ pregnant and undeniable 
 testimonies; as we may observe in the very first 
 2* ' 
 
m 
 
 chiapter of the Acts, from verse 13, to the end; 
 where at the very first meethig the apostles and 
 brethren held together after the ascension of 
 Christ, they began orderly to appoint one to sup- 
 ply the place of Judas; it, may be thought this 
 was a" needless cerenaony ; yet we see how^ the 
 liordcoiihtenancedit. I hope none will say,' that 
 the apostles appointing of these two men, or him, 
 upcin whom the lot did not fall, contradicted their 
 inward -freedom, or imposed -upon it; but both 
 agreed very well together; the- one in the will 
 and movings of God in appointing, and the other 
 in the same, in submitting ,to their appointment. 
 
 Moreover, ^fter they had received the Holy 
 Ghost, you may read. Acts vi. so.; soon as there 
 was an opportunity, how thfey wisely gave order 
 concerning the distribution for the poor, and ap- 
 pointed some mqn for that purpose. So here was 
 order and government, according to the present 
 necessity of the case: and the Lord God was well 
 pleased with it, and the word of God mcreased, 
 and the nuHiberof the disciples multiplied in, Je- 
 rusalem greatly. Might they nothave said then,^ 
 as soBDie say now; We will ;give our charity to 
 whom we see cause; arid w^e will take no notice 
 of your appointinents and orders : whether would 
 God have approved of such, yea, or naiy? 
 
 Thirdly, When that tiie business of circum-' 
 cision fell in, whether it was fit or not to cir- 
 cumcise the Gentiles? We see, the apostles saw 
 not mefet, to suflfer every one to follow their own 
 iriinds arid wills : they did riot judge, as One con- 
 fusedly supposeth, Thatthis diffei-erieein an out- 
 "^ard exercise, iwould commend tb^ unity of the. 
 
19 
 
 true faith : nay they took another method. It is 
 said expressly, Acts xv. 6. And the apo&tles and 
 elders came together, to consider of this mat- 
 ter ; and after there ha,d been much disputing 
 about it, (;no doubt then -there were here, diversi- 
 ties of opiaions and :judgments) the apostles and 
 elders told their judgments, and came also to a po- 
 sitive conclusion. Sure «ome behoved to submit, 
 else they thould never have agreed. So those 
 that were the elders, gave a positive judgment; 
 and they were bold to say. That it pleased hot 
 only them but the Holy Ghost. By all which it 
 doth undeniably appear, that the apostles and 
 primitive saints, practised a holy order and go- 
 vernment among themselves : and I hope none 
 will be sa bold as to say, they did these things 
 without the leadings of- the Spirit of God, and 
 hi^ power and authority concurring, and gomg 
 along with them. " \ - 
 
 And that these things were not only singular 
 practices, but that they held it doctrinally; that 
 is to say, it was' doctrine' which they preached j 
 that there ought to be ord^r a,nd government in 
 the church, is manifest from the following testi- 
 moniesi T Cor. iv. 15, 16, 17. For though you 
 have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet 
 have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus, I 
 have begotten you through the gospel. Where- 
 fore, I beseech you^ be ye followers of me. For 
 this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who 
 is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord ; who 
 shall bring you into remembrance of my ways',^ 
 which be in Christ, as I teach every where in 
 every church. Here the apostle Paul is very ah- 
 
30^ 
 
 solute : First, In that he -desires them to be fol-. 
 lowers of him. Secondly, In that he sends a 
 teacher, yea, a iminister, and eminent bishop, or 
 overseer of the church,( for to put them in mind 
 of his ways, which be in Christ, as he taught in 
 every church. No doubt there were apostates, 
 and dissenting spirits in the church of Corinth, 
 that gave Paul occasion thus to write, as he tes- 
 tifies in the beginning of the chapter, how he 
 was judged by some of them; he shows, how 
 they were grown high; verse 8. Now ye are full, 
 now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings 
 without us, &c. Might not these dissenters of 
 the chilrch of Corinth, have-reasoned thus against 
 Paul ? Did not, .this Paul teach us, at first, to 
 mind the measure of grace in ourselves, and fol^ 
 low thkt; (f(5r no doubt that was Paul's doc- 
 trine) but now he begins'to lord it over us, and 
 tells us, we must be followers of him. Might 
 they.not have judgedthe beloved TuBothy to be 
 far Out of his place? Might they not have said, 
 it seems it is not God that moved thee, and sent 
 thee here -by his Spirit; but lordly Paul, that 
 seeks, dominion over our faith : It seems thoti 
 comest not here to preach Christ, and wishus to 
 be followers of him, and bf his grace in our 
 hearts; but to mind us to follow; Paul's ways, 
 and take notice, how lie teaches in every church : 
 We are not concerned with him, nor with his 
 messraiger, nor with any of your orders, and so 
 forth. Doth not this run very plausible ? I ques- 
 tion not but there was such a reasoning among 
 the apostate Corinthians : let such as are of the- 
 same kind among us examine seriously, and 
 
21 
 
 measure their spirits truly hereby. Yea, he goes 
 yet further iu the following chapter, verses 3, 4. 
 Verse 3. As absent in body, but present in spirit, 
 I have judged already, as though I were present, 
 concerning him that hath so done the deed. 
 Verse 4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 when; ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with 
 the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, ,&c. Would 
 not one think this to have been a very presump- 
 tuous word? And yet who dare offer to con- 
 demn it? From all which, I ^hall shortly observe, 
 that it seems it was judged no inconsistency nor 
 contradiction, to be followers of the grace in 
 themselves, to be persuaded in their own hearts, 
 and also to be followers of the apostle Paul, and 
 of his ways; because his ways and example was 
 no other than the spirit of God in themselves 
 would have Jted them to,jf^^ejihad been obe- 
 dient : therefore, heTound it needful to charge 
 them positively to follow him, without adding 
 this reason. 
 
 Next, the great argument the apostle uses to 
 persuade them hereunto, upon which he mainly 
 insists, because he had begotten them into the 
 truth; Ye have not many fethers; for in Christ 
 Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel : 
 wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. 
 So he makes that as the cduse ; which the same 
 apostle also in his expostulation With the Gala- 
 tiaiis, putting them iu mind how he preached the 
 gospel to them at first, and chap* iv. ver. 15, 
 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I 
 bea,r you record, if possible ye would have pluck- 
 ed out your own eyes, and given them unto xm* 
 
22 
 
 We see then, that the Lord, hath, end doth give 
 such, whom he hath furnished, and sent forth to 
 gather a people unto himself,, care and oversight 
 over that people ; yea and a certain authority in 
 the power over them to bring them back to their 
 duty, when they stray at anytime; and to appoint, 
 yea, and command such things as are needful for 
 peace, and order, and unity's sake: and that there 
 lies^an obligation upon such as are so gathered, 
 to reverence, honour, yea, and obey such as are 
 set over them in the Lord. For, saith the same 
 apostle, 2 Cor. iu 9. For to this end also did I 
 write, that I might know the proof of you, whe- 
 ther you be obedient in all things: and chap. vii. 
 ver. 13, 15. Yea, and exceedingly the more joy- 
 ed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was 
 refreshed by "you. all. Ver. 15. And his inward 
 affectionJs^moTe abundant towards you, whilst 
 lie^fememTjerethrtE&lJbeaMicerory^^ how 
 
 with fear and trembling ye received him. 
 
 Now this wiU not at all infer, as if they^had 
 been implicitly led of old: or that such, as having 
 the same authority to exercise it jxow, sought 
 dominion over their brethren's faith, or to force 
 them to do anything beyond, far less contrary to, 
 what the Lord leads us to by his Spirit: but we 
 know (as they did of old) that the enemy lies near 
 to betray under such pretences. And seeing, in 
 case of difference, the Lord hathj and doth, and 
 wiU reveal his will to his people, and hath» and 
 dpth r^ise up members of his body, to whom he 
 gives a discerning, and power, and authority to 
 instruct, reprove, yea, and command in some cad- 
 ges, thqge that are faithful and lo"f^ in their liaijidSj 
 
23 
 
 keeping their own places, and minding the Lofd, 
 and the interest and good of his truth in the ge* 
 neral over all, shut out the murmurer ; and tiie 
 Spirit of God leads them to hare uhity, and con- 
 cur with their brethren. But such as are heady 
 and high-minded, are inwardly vexed, that any 
 should lead or rule, but themselves : and so it is 
 the high thing in themselves, that makes them 
 quarrel with others for taking so much upon 
 them ; pretending a liberty, not sinking down in 
 the seed to be willing :to be of no reputation for 
 its sake. Such, rather than give up their own 
 wills, will study to make rents and divisions, not 
 sparing the flock; but prostrating the reputation 
 and honour of the, truth even to the world, mi- 
 nister to them an occasion of scorn and laugh- 
 ter, to the hardening them in their wickedness 
 and atheism. ^ 
 
 Besides these Scriptures mentioned, I shall set 
 down a few of many more that might be in- 
 stanced to the same purpose. 
 
 Ephes. V. 21. Submitting yourselves one to 
 anotiier in the fear of God. 
 
 Phil. ii. 3. Let nothing be done through strife 
 or vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each 
 esteem other better than themselves. 
 
 Verse 29. Receive him therefore in the Lord 
 with all gladness, and hold such in reputation. , 
 
 And iii. 17. Brethren, be followers together 
 of me; and mark them which walk so, as ye 
 have us for an ensample. 
 
 And iv. 9. Those things, which ye have both 
 learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, 
 do ; and the God of Peace shall be with you. 
 
24 
 
 Col. jii. 5. For though. I be absentia the flesh> 
 yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and be- 
 holding your order, and the steadfastriess of 
 your faith in Christ. 
 
 1 Thess. V. 12. And we beseech you breth- 
 ren, to know thein which labour among you^ and 
 are over you ia the Lord, and admonish you. ' 
 
 Verse 13. And to esteem them very highly.in 
 love, for their work's sake ; and be at peace 
 among yourselves. 
 
 Verse 14. Now we exhort you brethren, warn 
 them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, 
 support the weak, be patient toward all men. 
 
 ,2 Thess. ii. 15. Therefore, brethren, ptand 
 fast, and hold the traditions which you have been 
 taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 
 
 2 Cor. X. 8. For though I should boast some- 
 what more of our authority (which the Lord 
 hath given us for edification, and not for your 
 destruction) I should not be ashamed. 
 
 Now though the papists greatly abuse this 
 place, as if hereby they could justify that mass of 
 superstition, which they have heaped together ; 
 yet except we vdll deny the plain Scripture, 
 we must needs' believe, there lay an obligation 
 upon the TheSsalquians to observe and hold 
 these appointments," and no doubt, needful, 
 institutions, which by the apostles were recom- 
 mended urito "diem : and yet who will say, that 
 they ought, or were thereby commanded to do 
 any thing contrary to that which the Grace of 
 God in their hearts moved them to ? 
 
 2 Th6ss. iii. 4, And we have confidence in the 
 Lord touching you, that ye both do,; and will do 
 the things which we command you. 
 
25 
 
 Vet. 6. Now we command you, ''brethren, in 
 Ihe name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye with- 
 draw yourselves from every brother that walketh 
 disorderly, and not after the tradition which he 
 received of us,' , - 
 
 Wliat more positive than this? and yet the 
 apostle was not here an imposer. Andyet jurth- 
 er, verse 14/ And if any man obey not our word 
 by this epistle, note that mart, and have no com- 
 pany with him, that he may be ashamed. 
 
 Thus, Heb. xiii; 7. Remember them which 
 have the rule over you, who ha,ve spoken unto 
 you th^ word of God, whose faith follow; consi- 
 dering the end of their cogvesfsation. 
 
 Verse 17. Obey them that have the rule oyer 
 you, and submit yourselves? for they watqh for 
 your souls, as they tliat must give account: that 
 they may do it with joy,; and not with grief; for 
 that is unprofitable for you. 
 
 Jude yiii. Likewise also these filthy dreamers 
 defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evd 
 of dignities. ~ 
 
 I might at length enlarge, if needftil, upojti 
 these passages j any of which is sufficient to prove 
 the. matter irrhand;^but that what is said may 
 satisfy such as are not wilfully bhnd and obsti- 
 nate. For there can he nothing ipore plain from 
 ^ese testimonies, than- thai the anqient apostles 
 and primitive Christians practised order and go- 
 vernment in the church; that some did appoint 
 and ordain. certain things; condenmand approve 
 certain practices, a& well as doctrines, by the Spi- 
 rit of God: that there lay an obligation in point 
 of duty upon others to obey and submit: that 
 
 3 
 
26' 
 
 this was no encroachment nor .inai^sition upon 
 their, (Christian liberty; nor any ways contradic- 
 tory to their being inwardly and immediately led 
 by the Spirit of God in "their hearts: and lastly. 
 That such as are in the- true 'feeling and sense, 
 will find it their places to obey, and be one with 
 the Church of Christ in suchlike cases: and that 
 it is such as have lost, their sense and feeling of 
 me hfe of the body, that disseut, and are disobe- 
 dient, ujjder the false pretence of liberty. So that 
 thus it is sufficiently prdyed what I undertook in 
 this pkce. ;^-, 
 
 . Thirdly,'. I judge there will need no great ar- 
 guments to prove the people of G^d may, and do 
 well to exercise the like governinent upon the 
 very like occasion. For even reason may teach 
 us, that what proved good and wholesome cures 
 to the (distemper of the church in former ages, will 
 not now (the very like distempers falling in) prove 
 hurtful and poisona.ble j especially, it we have the 
 testimony of the same Spirit in bur hearts: not 
 only allowing us, biit commaniding us, so to do. 
 It is manifest (though we are sorry for it) tha,t 
 ■ the same occasions now fall in ; we find that there 
 are that, have eg^ten and drunken with us at the 
 table of the Lord, and have been sharers of the 
 same spiritual joy and consolation, that after- 
 wards fall awaj. We find, to our great grief, 
 that some walk disorderly; and sonie ar,e puffeC 
 up, and striveto sow division, labouring to stum- 
 ble the weak, and to cause offences in the Church 
 of Christ. What then is more suitable, and 
 more Christian, than to follow the foot-steps of 
 the flock, and to labour and travel for the good 
 
2i 
 
 of the church, and for the removing all that is 
 hurtful; even as the holy apostles, who walked 
 w^ith Jesus, did before us? If there be such that 
 walk disorderly now, must not they be adtno- 
 nishqd, rebuked and: withdrawn from, as well as 
 of old? Oris such to be the condition of the 
 church in these latter times, that all iniquity must 
 go unreproved ? Must it be heresy, or oppres- 
 sion, to watch over one another, in love? To 
 take care for. the poor? To see that there be no 
 corrupt, no defiled members of the body, and 
 carefully and Christianly- deal with them, for re- 
 storing them, if possible ; and for withdrawing 
 from them, if incurable? I am persuaded, that 
 there are none that look upon the commands of 
 Christ, and his apostles, the practice and expe- 
 rience of the primitive church and saints, as a 
 sufficient precedent to authorize a practice now, 
 that will deny the, lawfulness Or iisefulness here- 
 of, but must needs acknowledge the necessity of 
 it. But if it be objected, (as some have done) 
 do not your deny, that the scripture is the ade- 
 quate rule of faith and manners; and that the 
 conunands or practices of thescriptm-e are not a 
 sufficient warrant'for ybii iotv to do any thing, 
 without ybu be again' authorized,^ and led into it 
 by the Same spirit? And upon that score, do you 
 not forbear some things both practised and com- 
 manded by the pr|imitive church and saints ? 
 
 Well, I hope Ihave not any thing weakened 
 this objection, but presented' it in- its full vigour 
 and strength:: Tb which I shall clearly and dis- 
 tinctly answer thus : 
 
 First, Seasons and times do not alter the ria- 
 
ture and substance of" things in themselves j 
 ttiiough it may cause things to alter, as to the 
 usefulness, or not usefulness of them. 
 
 Secondly, Things commanded and practised at 
 certain iimes and seasons fall of themselves, 
 when as the. cause and ground, for which they 
 were commanded, is removed;- as there is no need 
 how for the decision about circumcision, seeing 
 there are none contend for it: neither as tq the 
 orders concerning things Offered -to idols, seeing 
 there is now no such, occasion: Yet who will 
 say, that the command enjoined in the same 
 place, Act&itY.20'. To abstain from fornication, 
 is now made void; seeing there' is daily need for 
 its standing in force, because it yet remains as 
 a temptation man is incident to? we confess, in- 
 deed, we are Etgainst such as from the bare let- 
 ter of the scripture (though if it were seasonable 
 now to debate it, we find but few to deal with, 
 whose practices are so exactly squared) .sejsk to 
 uphold ciistqms, forms or shadows, when, the 
 use, for which they were appointed, is removed, 
 or the substance itself kiiovm and witnessed; a& 
 we have sufficiently elsewhere answered our opr^ 
 posers in the case ctf .water^baptism, arid bread 
 and; wine, &c. So that tlie abjection, as to that, 
 doth not hold; and the difference is very wide, 
 in respect of such things: the very nature and 
 substance of which can never be dispensed with 
 by the people of God, so long- as they are in this 
 vvorld; yea, without which they could not be 
 his people." For the doctrines^ and fundamental 
 principles of the Christian faith, we own and be- 
 lieve originally and principally, because they are 
 
29 
 
 die truths of God; whereunto the Spirit of Godi 
 in our hearts hath constrained our uriderstand- 
 ingat^o obey*and submit. In the second place, 
 we are greatly confirmed, strengthened and com- 
 forted in the joint testimony .of Our brethren, the 
 apostles and disciples of Christ, who by the re- 
 velation of the same Spirit in the days of old be- 
 lieved, and have left upon record the same truths ; 
 so we having the same spirit of faith, according 
 as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I 
 spoken; we also believe, and therefore we speak. 
 And we deny not but some, that from the letter 
 have had the notion of these things, have thereby 
 in the mercy of God received occasion to have 
 them revealai in the Kfe: for we freely adinow- 
 ledg^ (though often caliimniated to the contrary) 
 that whatsoever things were written aforetime, 
 were written for our learning ; that we through 
 patience and comfort of the scriptures may have 
 hope. So then,! hope, if the Spirit of God lead 
 me now unto tha| which is good, profitable, yea, 
 and absolutely needful^ in order to the keeping 
 my cpnscienciBdear and void of offence towards 
 God and man, none will be so unreasonable as to 
 say, I ought not to do it, because it is according 
 to the scriptures. Nor do I think it will savour 
 ill among any serious, soUd Christians, for me to 
 be the more confirmed and persuaded that I am 
 led to this thing by the Spirit, that I find it in 
 myself good and usefiil; and that upon the like 
 occasions Christ comrfianded it, and the apostles 
 and primitive Christians practised and recom- 
 mepded it. V :. 
 
 ' Now, seeing it is so that we can boldly say, 
 3* 
 
30 
 
 with a good conscience iti the sight of God, 
 that the same Spirit, ivhieh leads us to believe 
 the doctrines: and principles of the truths and to 
 hold and maintain them again, after tjbe ap'bsta- 
 cy, in their primitive and ancient purity, as they 
 were delivered by the apostles of Christ- in the 
 Holy Scriptures; I say, that the same Spirit doth 
 now le^dus into the like holy order and govern- 
 ment to be exercised among us, as it was among 
 then), being now the like occasion and opportu- 
 nity ministered to lis; therefore, wha,t can g^ny 
 Christianly or rationally object again^ it? For 
 that there is a real cause for it, the thirig itself 
 speaketh; and that it was the, practice of the 
 saints and church of old, is undeniable: what 
 kind of ground then can any such opposers haVie, 
 (being Such, as scrupling at this, do, notwith- 
 standing, acknowledge our principle) thiat this' 
 wfere done by imposition or imitation, more than 
 the belief of the doctrines and principles? Seeing 
 as it is needful to use all '^diligfHc^g to convince 
 and persuade people of the truth, and bring them 
 to the belief of it, (which yet we cannot do, but 
 as truth move& and draws in their hearts,) it i& 
 also no less needful, when a people is gatho-ed, 
 to keep and preserve them in unity and lofe, as 
 becomes the Church of Christ; and to be careful, 
 as saith the apostle, That all things be done de- 
 cently, a;nd in order; and that all theit is Avrong 
 be removed according to the method of the gos- 
 pel; and thie good cherisheti and encouraged. 
 So that we conclude, and that upon very good 
 grounds, That there ought now, as well as here- 
 tofore, to be order and government in the Church 
 of Christ, 
 
31 
 
 That which now cometh to be examined in 
 the third place is, < ; 
 
 First, What is the order and government we 
 plead for? _ . 
 
 Secondly, In what cases, and how far it may 
 extend? And in whom the power decisive is? 
 
 Thirdly, How it differeth, and is wholly ano- 
 ther than the oppressive and persecuting priiici- 
 paUty of the church of ROme, and other anti- 
 christian assemblies? 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 Of the order and governnienf iphich toe plead JoT' 
 
 It will be needful then, before I proceed to 
 describe the order and government of the church, 
 to consider- what is or m,ay be properly under- 
 stood by the church : "for some (as I touched be- 
 fore) seem to be offended, or at least afraid of the 
 very word; because the power of the church, the 
 order of the church, the jui^gment of the church, 
 and such lite pretences, Wtve been the great 
 weapons wherewith antichrist and the apostate 
 Chri^tjans have been these n^any geileratio*!^ 
 persecuting the woman, and wah-ing against the 
 man-child. And, indeed, great djspiites have 
 been among the leaEirned Rabbies,^ in theaposta^y 
 concerning this church, what it is, or what may 
 be so acccijunted; which I find not my place at 
 present to dive much in, but shall only give the 
 true sense of it, according to truth, and the scrip- 
 tures pkin testimony. 
 
32 
 
 The word church in itself, and as used in the 
 scriptures, is no other but a gathering, company, 
 or assembly of certain people, called of gathered 
 together: for so the Greek word signifies, (which 
 is that the translators render church) which woM 
 is derived from the verb Evoco, I call - out of, 
 from the root Voco, I call, " Now though the En- 
 ghsh word church be only taken-in such a sense, 
 as people are gathered together upon a religious 
 account; yet the Greek word, that is so render- 
 ed, is taken in general for every gathering, or 
 meeting togetier of people: and therefore where 
 it is said, . The town clerk of the Ephesians dis- 
 missed -the tumult, that was gathered there to- 
 getherj the same Greek wOrd is used, Acts xix. 
 ,41. he dismissed the assembly, (or the church.) 
 A church, then, in the scripture-phras6, is no 
 other 4hah a meeting ^r gathering 0f certain peo- 
 ple, which, (if it be taken in a religious sense, 
 as most ccpaamonly it is) are gatibered together 
 in the belief of the same principles, dqctrines 
 and points of faith, whereby as a body they be- 
 come distinguished Ji:om others, -and have a cer- 
 tain gelation antiony themselves; aiid a conjunct 
 interest to the maintaining and, propagating these 
 principles they judge to be right: And therefore 
 have a certain care and oversight over one .ano- 
 ther, to prevent and remove aU occasions that 
 may tend to br6ak this their conjunct interest, 
 hinder the propagatiori of it, or bring infamy, 
 contempts, or contumely upon it; or give such as 
 on the other hand are, or may be banded togeth- 
 er to undo them, just occasion against them, to 
 decry and defame them. 
 
33 
 
 Now the way to distinguish that church, ga- 
 thering, or assembly of people, whereof Christ 
 truly is the head, from such as falsely pretend 
 thereto, is by considering the principles and 
 grounds upon which they are gathered together^ 
 9ie nature of that hierarchy and order they have 
 among themselves, the way and method they 
 take to uphold it, and the bottom upon which it 
 standeth; which will greatly contribute to clear 
 all mistakes. ; 
 
 Forasmuch as sanctification and hohness is the 
 great andchief end amOrtg-true Christians, which 
 moves them to gather together; therefore the 
 apostle Paul defines the Church in his salutation 
 to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the church 
 of God which is at.Corinth, ^em that ajre sancti- 
 fied in Christ Jesus, called to be saints. So the 
 church is suclvas are sanctified in Christ Jesus, 
 called to be saints. 
 
 The power and authority, order and govern- 
 ment we speak of, is suehy as a church, meeting, 
 gathering or assembly claims towards those that 
 have, or do declare themselves members, who 
 tiwn, believe and profess the same doctrines and 
 principles of Faith wjth us, and go under the 
 same distinction and denomination; whose es- 
 capes, faults and errors may by our adversaries 
 justly be imputed to us^ if not.sqasonably and 
 Christiaiily reproved, reclain^ed or condemned. 
 For Tve are not so foolish, as to concern ourselves 
 with those who are not of us; far less, who stand 
 in opposition to us, so as to reprove, instruct, Or 
 reclaim them as feUow-menibers or brethren : Yet, 
 with a respect to jemove the general reproach 
 
34 
 
 froiri the Christian name, with a tender-regard to 
 the gopd of their immortal souls, for the zeal we 
 owe t6 God's glory, and for the -exaltation and 
 prjflpagation of his everlasting troth andgospei in 
 the earth, We have not been, wanting, with the 
 hazard of our lives, tb'seek the scattered bne&j 
 hqlding forth the living and sure foundation, and 
 inviting and persuading all to obey the gospel of 
 Christ, and to take notice of his. reproofs, as he 
 makes himself mahiffest ui and by his light in their 
 heartSi So our care and travel is, and hath been 
 towards those that arfe without^ that we may 
 brilig them into the fellowship of the saints in 
 light; and towards those that are brought in, 
 that they might not be led out again, oi;' drawn 
 aside, either to the left-hand, or the right, by the 
 workings and temptations of the enemy. 
 
 These things beipg thus cleared and opened, 
 we do positively affirm, that we being a people 
 gathered' together by the power of God (which 
 mbst, if not all of those, that arisirig among our- 
 selves do oppose us herein, have acknowledged) 
 intothe belief of certain principles and doctrines, 
 aud also certain practices and performances, by 
 v»fhich we are come to bte separated and distin- 
 guished' frorh others, so as to meet apart, and al- 
 so to suffer deeply for pUr joint testimony; there 
 are and must of necessity be, a,s in the gathering, 
 of us, so in the preserving of us while gathered, 
 diversities of gifts and operations for the edifying 
 of the whole body. Hence, saith the apostle, 
 1 Tim. V. 17. Let the eldters, that rule well, be 
 counted worthy of double honour, especially they 
 who labour ih the word and doetrine; and this we 
 
35 
 
 suppose neither to be popish nor antichriistian, 
 let our Opposers say it as oft as they can, with- 
 out reckoning liie apostles such. 
 
 Secondly, Forasmuch as aU are not called in 
 the same station; some rich, some poor, some 
 servants, some masters, some married, someun^. 
 married, some widows, and some orphans, and 
 so forth; it is not only convenient, but abspliitely 
 needful, that there be certain meetings at certain 
 places and times, as may best ^uit the conveni- 
 enpies of such^ ,who may be most particularly 
 concerned intheni; where both those that are to 
 take care may assemble, and those when may need 
 this care, may conie and make known their ne- 
 cessities, and receive help, whether by counsel or 
 supply, according to their' respective needs. This 
 doth not at all contradict the principle of being 
 led inwardly and immediately by the Spirit; else 
 how came the apostle in that day of tlie powerful 
 pouring forth of the Spirit of God, to set apart 
 men for this purpose? Sure, this was iiot to lead 
 them from their inward guide; yea, on the con- 
 trary, it is expressly said^ Acts vi. 3. Look ye out 
 among you seven men of honest report, full of the 
 Holy Ghost, and wisdom, whom we niay appoint 
 -over this business. Sure they vf^re not to i^nd^r- 
 take a business, being full of the Hdiy Ghost, 
 which might import a contradiction to their being 
 led by it: so we see it is both fit and suitable to 
 thje apostle's doctrine, tp have meetings about 
 business. Now if any should ;be so whimsiqal 
 or conceited, as to scruple their being at set pla- 
 ces and times, though these= be nothing relative 
 to the essential parts,; but only circumstances re- 
 
36 > 
 
 lafing to the conveniency of our persons, (which 
 we must haver^ard to, so long as we are doth* 
 ed with flesh aiidhlbod: and such notionists, as 
 are against this godly care, work far tnore in their 
 vain imaginations, than they reduce to practice; 
 being like iinto such of whom the apostle James 
 testified, who content thjemselves, with saying to 
 the naked, be clothed; and- to the hungry, be fed; 
 while they offiar not, in the least, to minister to 
 them those things which are needful for clothing 
 and feeding of them.) Yet shall we not scru- 
 ple to make it appear, that it is'noLwithoutyery 
 good ground that we bdth appoint places and 
 times. And first, as to the place, I say as before, 
 it i's with "our bodies we must meet, as well as 
 with our spirits; and so, of necessity, we must 
 convey our bodies unto one place, that we may 
 speak and aCt in those things We "meet for: And 
 that must be in some ^certain place, where all 
 must know where to find it; having herein a re- 
 gard to the conveniencies and occasions of such' 
 as meet. Were it fit, that those of the church of 
 Gorinth should go do their business at; Antioch, 
 or the Church of Jerusalem at Rome? Nay, 
 surely, God hath not given us our reason to no 
 purpose; but that we should make use of it for 
 his glory^ and the good of our bx^thren, yet al- 
 ways in subjection to his power arid spirit. And 
 therefore; we have respect to these thmgs in the 
 appointing of our meetings, and do it not without 
 a regard to the Lord, but in a sense of his fear- 
 And so.the like as to times, which is no contra- 
 dicting of the inward leadingL of the Spirit. Else 
 how came the -apostle to appoint a time to the 
 
37 
 
 Corinthians in their contributions, desiring them^' 
 1, Cor. xvi. 2. To lay by them in store upon the 
 first day of the week; yea, saith he not, that he 
 gave the same order to the church of Galatia. I 
 know not how any in reason can quarrel about' 
 set times for outward business, it being done in 
 a subjection to God's ,will, as all things ought to 
 be; or ^Ise how can such as so do, but quarrel 
 with the apostle for this impositioi;i (at that rate) 
 upon the churches of Corinth and Galatia?. We 
 appoint no set times-for the performance of the 
 worship of God, so as to appoint men to preach 
 and pray at such and such set times; though we 
 appoint times to meet together in the name of the 
 Loird, that we may , feel his presence, and he 
 may move in and tlri^ough whom he pleaseth, 
 without limitation. Which preictiee of meeting 
 together we are greatly encouraged to by the 
 promise of Chrfst, and our own blessed experi- 
 ence; and also, we are severely prohibited to lay 
 it aside by the holy apostle; and also, on the 
 other hand, bj the sad experience of siich as by 
 negUgence or prejudice forsake the assemblies of 
 God's people; upon many of which is already 
 fulfilled, and Upon others daily fulfilling, the judg- 
 ments threatened upon such transgressors : read 
 Heb.x. from verse 23 to the end; where that 
 duty is so seriously exhorted to, and the contempt 
 of it reckoned a wilful sin, ahnost (if not altoge- 
 ther) unpardonable; yea,, a treading under foot- 
 the Son of God, and a doing despite to the Spi- 
 rit of Grace;, which is fulfilled in our day, and 
 proves the lamentable frviits of such as have so 
 Jbackslidden among us. And therefore having 
 
 4 
 
38 
 
 so much go6d and real ground Jor what we dd 
 herein, together with the approbation and encou- 
 ragenieht of Christ and his apostles, both by com- 
 mand' and piractice, we can (as that both the 
 Alpha and Omega, the foundation and cap-stone' 
 required) faithfully affirm in good conscience, 
 that God hath led us by his Spirit, both to appoint 
 places and times, where wp may see the faces one' 
 of another ; and to take care one for another, pro- 
 voking one another to love and good works. And 
 our faith and confidence herein cannot be stag- 
 gered by a mere denial in our opposers, which no 
 .niaii of conscience and reason will say it ought ; 
 seeing the thing itself hath such -a solid and real 
 cause and fbiindation, so good and suitable a 
 pattern and example, and that it is constantly 
 confirmed to, us, both by the testimony of God's 
 Spirit in our hearts, and by the good fruits and 
 effects; which we daily reap thfereby, as a seal and 
 confirmation that God is well pleased therewith, 
 and approveth us in it. 
 
 Having thus far proceeded to show 'that there" 
 ought to be order and government aniong the 
 people of God, and that that which we plead for 
 is, that there naay- be certain meetings set apart 
 for that end ; it is next to be considered, in whiat 
 cases, and how far it may extend. ' 
 
 SECTION V. . ' 
 
 In what Cases, and how far this Government ex- 
 tends. And first, as to outwards and temporals. 
 
 I shall begin with that, which gave the first 
 rise for this prder among the apostlesi and I do 
 
39 
 
 verily believe, might .have been among the first 
 occasions that gave the hke among us j, and that. 
 is,- The care of the pjoor ; of widows and orphans. 
 Love and compassion are the great, yea^ and the 
 «hiefest jnarks of Christianity. Hereby shall it 
 be Icnown, saith Christ, that ye are my disciples, 
 if ye love one another. And James the apostle 
 places religion herein in the first place: Pure 
 rehgion, saith he, aijd undefiled before God and 
 the Father is, to visit the fatherless and widows 
 in their affliction^,, &c. For this then, as one 
 main end, do we meet together, that enquiry may 
 be made, if there be any poor of the hoiisehpld of 
 faith that need, that they may be supplied; that 
 the w"idpws may be taken care of; tiiat the or- 
 phans a,nd fatherless may be bred up and educa- 
 ted' -Who will.be so unchristian, as to reprove 
 this good ordet and government, and tp say it is 
 needless?' But if any will thus object, May not 
 the Spirit lead every one of you tp give to them 
 that need? What needs meeting about it, and 
 such formalities? ... 
 
 ^ I answer, TheSpirit of God leads us so tpdo; 
 what can they say to the contrary? Nor is this 
 a practice anyways inconsistent with being in- 
 wardly and immediately led by the Spirit; for 
 the Spirit of God doth now, as well as in the 
 days of old, lead his people into those things 
 which are orderjy, and of a good report; for he 
 is the God of order, and not pf confusion: And 
 therefore the holy apostles judged it no incon- 
 sistency with; their being led by the spirit, to ap- 
 point men full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom, 
 over the business of tte poor. Now if to be fiill 
 
40 
 
 of the Holy Ghost be a quahficationjieedful for 
 this employment; surely the nature of their em- 
 ployment was not to render this so needful a 
 quaUfication useless and ineffectual, as if they 
 were not to be led by it. 
 
 Moreover we :-see, though they were at that 
 time g,ll filled with the Spirit, yet there wa:s " 
 something wanting before this good order was 
 established. There ^as a murmuring that some 
 widows were neglected ia the daily ministration; 
 and we must notsiippose the apostles went about 
 to remedy this evil that 'was creeping into- the 
 Chutch, ■^ithout the counsel ®f God by his Spi- 
 rit, or that this remedy they ^ere led to, was 
 stepping into apostacy; neither can it' be so said 
 of us, we proceeiding upon the Eke occasion. 
 
 If then it be thus needfularid suitable to the 
 gospel, to reheve the necessities of the poor, that 
 as there was no beggar to be aKtdrig Israel of old, 
 so far less now; must there not -be meetings to 
 appoint contribiitidns, in ordfer to the performmg 
 these things? Which is no other, but the giving 
 of a general intiniation what theneeds are, that 
 every one, as God moves their hearts, and hath 
 prospered them, (without imposition, force, or 
 limitation) may give towards these ueedftil uses. 
 In which case these murmurers at- our' good or- 
 der in such mattefs may well think strange at 
 the apostle: How jpressingly ! how earnestly doth 
 he reiterate his desires and provocations, so to 
 speak, in this respect to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 
 \xvi. 2. and the eighth and ninth chapters of the 
 second epistle throughout ! - 
 
 Now,^ though he testifies to them elsewhere, 
 
41 
 
 That they are the temples of, the Holy Ghost, and 
 that the Spirit of God dwells m them; yet ceaseth 
 he not to entreat and exhort, yea, and to give 
 them certain orders; in this matter. 
 
 Besides all these reasons, which are sufficient 
 to convince any unprejudicate man, the secret 
 approbation of God's Spirit accompanying us in 
 this thing, together with the fruits and effects of 
 it; which hundreds can witness to, whose needs 
 have been supplied, and themselves, helped 
 through divers difficulties; and the testimonies 
 of some already, and of many more orphans and 
 fatherless children, who have found no want, 
 neither of father nor mother, or other relations, 
 through the tender love and care of God's people, 
 in putting them to, trades and employments, and 
 giving them all needful education: which will 
 make it appear, ere this age, pass away, to those 
 that have an>'eye to see, that these are not the 
 mere doings and orders of men; butjhe work of 
 him who is appearing in ten thousands of his 
 isaints, to establish not only truth, but mercy and 
 righteousness in the earth. > ' 
 
 And for that end therefore^ in the second place, 
 this order reacheth the making up and composing 
 of differences- as to outward things, which may 
 fall out betwixt friend, and friend; for such things 
 may fall out through the intricacies of divers af- 
 fairs, where neither hath any positive intention to 
 injure and -defraud, his neighbour, as in many 
 cases miglit be instanced. Or if through the 
 workings and temptations of him, whose work is 
 to beset the fa,ithful, and people of the Lord, and 
 
 to eiigenderj (so far as he can) strife and division 
 
 ■4* 
 
42 
 
 ainong them, any should so step aside, as to offer 
 . to wrong or prejudice his neighbour; we do 
 boldly aver, as a people gathered together by the 
 Lord, unto the same faithj arid distinguished from 
 all others by our j^oint-testimony aiid sufferings, 
 that we have power and authority to decide and 
 remove these things- among ourselves, without 
 going to othpr&tb seek redress. And this in it- 
 self hath so much reason, that I cannbt tell if any, 
 that are not wholly prejiidicate or obstinate, can 
 blame it. For if we be of one mind concerning 
 faith and religion, and that it be pur joint interest 
 to bring all others unto the same truth with us, 
 as supposing them to be wrong, what confidence 
 can we have to think of reclaiming them, if the 
 truth we profess have not such efficacy as to re- 
 concile us amdng' ourselves in the matters of this 
 world : if w6 be forced to go oirt to others for 
 equity and justice, because we cannot, find it 
 among ourselves, hOw can we expect t6 invite 
 them to come among :us, when such virtues, as 
 which still accompany the truth, are necessarily 
 supposed to be Wa,ntirig? Should we affirm other- 
 Avise, it' were to destroy the truth and faith' we 
 have been, and are, in the Lord's hand, building 
 up: and indeed the spirit and practice of such as 
 oppose us herein, hath no less tendency. 
 . Moreover, besides the enforcing and intrinsic 
 reason of this thingj we have the concurrence, 
 approbation and comfort of the apostle's testiino- 
 ny, 1 Cor. vi. Darje any of you, having a matter 
 against another, go to law before the unjust, and 
 not before the -saints? If it be objected, Do you 
 reckon all urijiist that are not of you? Think ye 
 all other people void of justice? 
 
43 
 
 I answer, though the apostle useth this ex- 
 pression, I am persuaded he did not reckon all 
 others unjust, that had not received then the 
 Christian faith. There w'ere, no doubt, moral 
 and just men among the heathen; and therefore 
 the same Paul commends the nobility of Festus. 
 He there reckonsthem unjust in- respect of the 
 saints, or comparatively with them, as suth as 
 are not come to the just principle of God in them- 
 selves, to obey it and follow it: and therefore 
 though he accounts thetn, whoi are least esteemed 
 in the church, capable to decide such matters: 
 yet he supposeth it safer tosubinit to their judg^ 
 ment in such cases, , though it were by taking 
 -wrong, or sufFeririg wrong, than to go before 
 others tp the greater reproach of the truth. We 
 hope, though many bccasibns of the kind have 
 fallen iii among us, since w6 have been a people, 
 lione have had just occasion to decline oiir jiidg- 
 ment. And though soine should suppose them- 
 selves to be wronged; yet if they should bring 
 their matter before others, we might say, as the 
 apostle saith in the fore-mentioned chapter, 
 ver. 7. This were thereby a fault in them, and 
 would evidence a greatfer care of some outward 
 concern^ than of the honour and intej-est of truth; 
 and therefore such as have a tender regard that 
 way, would rather suffer what, to their apprehen- 
 sions, may seem wrong. For in matters wherein 
 two parties are oppositein the case of Meum and 
 Tuura, it is somewhat hard to please both; ex- 
 cept were the power of truthj and the righteous 
 judgment thereof reaching to that of God in the 
 conscience, hath brought to a true acknowledg- 
 
44 
 
 ment him that: hath been mistaken, or in tha 
 wrong; which hath frequently fallen out among 
 us, to the often refreshing and confirming our 
 souls in thecertain behef, that Christ was^ fulfil- 
 ling, his promises among us, In restoring judges, 
 as at the first, and counsellors, as in the begin-, 
 ning.- , ;^ - 
 
 ^ Now, suppose aiiy should be^ so pettish, or hu- 
 morous, as not to agree in such matters to the 
 judgiherit of his brethren, and to go befof^.the 
 -uubelieyers (for though I reckon them pot such 
 unbelievers as the heathen of old, because they 
 profess a faith in God and Christ; yet I may 
 safely say, they are unbelievers as to these prin- 
 ciples and doctrines, which we know are the 
 truth of God; and in that sense must be xm\>e- 
 lievers as to him, that so appealeth to them from 
 his brethren.) I say, such as so do, first commit 
 a certain hurt, and evil, in staining the honour 
 and reputation of the truth they profess, which 
 ought to be dearer to us than our lives. Arid 
 even in that outwaM matter, for which they thus 
 do, they run a hazard, not knowing whether 
 things shall carry, as they expect : if they lose, 
 they have a double prejudice; if they gain, it is 
 at too dear rate, ^veu with the hurt of truth's 
 reputatioji, which their outward advantage can- , 
 not make up. If then it be imlavirful to do evil, 
 that good may come of it, even a spiritual good^ 
 far less is it lawfijl to fiq. a positive evil, of so 
 deep a dye as to bring an evil report upon the 
 good- land, and give the uncircumcised an occa- 
 sion to rejoice: put of the uncertain hop4 of an 
 outward g9,in, it is far better to suflfer loss, as the, 
 
45 
 
 apostle very well argues in the place above-men- 
 tioned. . ; 
 
 Indeed, if there be an/ such, who have been, 
 or. appear to be ofus, as supposfe. There is not a 
 wise man among us all, nor an honest man, that 
 is able to judge betwixt his brethren; we shall 
 not covet to meddle in their matter, being per^ 
 suaded, that either they, or their cause isnought. 
 Though (praises to God) among all tho^e that 
 have gone from, us,, either upon one accoimt or 
 other, I never heard that any were so minded to- 
 wards us; but the most part of them having let 
 in the offence of some things, or persons, have 
 had this unanimous testimony concerning us, 
 that generally we are an honest and upright- 
 hearted people. 
 
 But whatever sense our eneiHes, or apostates 
 have of lis, who look asquint on the face of truth, 
 and can see nothing aright in th6se they love not, 
 or are prejudicate against: this we can say, in the 
 last place ( besides thereasons aifd Scripture above 
 declared) that the good fruits, and effects which 
 daily abound to the' household of faith, in this, as 
 weir as the other parts of the government the 
 Lord is .establishing among uSj doth more and^ 
 more commend it unto us; and'confirraeth our 
 hearts in the certainbelief of that, which we can 
 confidently testify in good Conscience, that God 
 hath led us hereunto by his Spirit; and we see the 
 hand of the Lord herein, which in due tiine w;iU 
 yet'more appear ; thatv as through pur faithful tes- 
 timony in thehand of the Lord, thiat antichristian 
 and apostatised generation, the ndtidnal ministry, 
 hath received a deadly blow by our discovering 
 
46 
 
 and witnessing against their forced maintainance, 
 and tythes, against which we have testified by 
 ni4ny cruel sufferings of all kinds, (as our chron- 
 icles shall make known to generations to come) 
 so that their kingdom, in the hearts of thousands, 
 begins to totter ajjd lose its strength, and shall 
 assuredly fall to the grQtznd, through truth's pre- 
 vailing in the earth; so on! the other han,d dp we 
 by coming to righteousness, and innocencyi, 
 weaken the strength of their kingdom, who judge 
 for rewards (as well as such as preach, for hire) 
 and by not ministering occasion to those, who 
 have heaped up riches, ,^nd: lived in excess, lust 
 and riot, by feeding;and preying upon the iniqui- 
 ties and contentions, of the people. For as truth 
 and righte9usn6ss prevails in the earth, by our 
 faithful witnessii^ and keeping to it, .the nations 
 shall come to be eased and disbijrdeiied of that 
 deceitful tribe of lawyers (as well as pi-iests) who, 
 by their many tricks and endless intricacies, have 
 rendered justice, to their method, burdtensome to 
 honest men, and seek not so much to put an, end, 
 as to foment controversies and contentions, that 
 they themselves md,y be still fed and upheld, and 
 their trade kept up. Whereas by truth's propa- 
 gation, as many of these controversies will die by 
 mens' comingto be less contentious;, so when any 
 difference ariseth, the ;saints giving judgment 
 without gift or reward, or running into the tricks 
 and endless labyrinths of the lawyers, will soon 
 compose them. And this is that we are persuaded 
 the Lord is bringing aboutin our day, though many 
 do not,, and many will not see it; because it is in- 
 deed in a way different and contrary to men's wis- 
 
47 
 
 dom, who are now despising Christ in his inward 
 appearance, because of the meanness of it, as the 
 Jews of old did him in his outward: yet notwith- 
 standing there werd some then that did witness, 
 and could not be silent, but must testify that He 
 was come; even so now are there thousands that 
 can set to their sea.1, that he hath now again thp 
 second time appeared, and is appearing in ten 
 thousands of his saints; in and among whom (as 
 a first fruits of many more that shall be gathered) 
 he is restoring the golden age, and bringing them 
 into the holy order and; government of his own 
 son, who is ruling, and to rule in the midst of 
 them, setting forth the'Coynsellors.as at the be- 
 ginning, and judges as at first; and establishing 
 truth, mercy, righteousness and judgment again 
 in the earth: Amen, hallelujah! 
 
 Thirdly, These meetings take care in the case 
 of marriages, that ^11 things be clear; and that 
 there miay be nothing done in that procedure, 
 which afterWEirds may prove to the. prejudice of 
 truth, or of the parties concerned; which being 
 an outward thing (that is acknowledged in it- 
 self to be laWfhl) of the greatest importance a 
 man or woman can perform in this world; a,nd 
 from the sudd^, imwary, or disorderly proce- 
 dure whereof, very great snares and reproaches 
 may be cast both upon the parties, and the 
 profession owned by them; therefore it doth 
 very fitly, among other things, when it occurs, 
 come to be considered 'of by the people of God, 
 when met, to take care to preserve all things 
 right ahd savoury in the household of. Faith. 
 We do beheve, our adversaries, that watch 
 
48- 
 
 for evil" against us, would be gkd how pro- 
 miscuously or' disorderly we proceeded in this 
 weighty matter, that so they might the. more 
 bbldly accuse us, as P|vertflrners of all human and 
 Christian order: but God hath not left us without 
 his counsel and wisdom in this thing; noii wiH 
 he, that any should receite just occasion against 
 us his. people: and therefor^ in this weighty con- • 
 cern, we, who can do nothing against the tnjth,. 
 bjit all for, and with regard to the truth, have 
 divers testimonies for the Lord. And, , ; , 
 
 First, That w;e cannot marry with those that 
 walk-not in, and obey not the truth,. as ^eing of 
 another judgment or fellowship; or pretending to 
 it, walk not suitably a.n4. answerable thereto.- 
 
 Secondly, Nor can we go to the hireling priests, 
 to uphold. their false and usa|:p'ed authority; who 
 take upon them to marry people without any 
 conMnand or precedent for it from the law of God. 
 
 Lastly, .Nor can we suffer any such kind of 
 marriages to pass among us, which, either as to 
 the degress' of consanguinity, or otherwise, in 
 itself is unlawful, or from whiqh there may be 
 any just reiflection cast upon our way. 
 , As tt) the first two, they being matter of prin- 
 ciple received a,nd beheved, it is not my work 
 here to debate them; only since they are received 
 and owned as such (for which we can, and have 
 given our sufficient reasons elsewhere, as for our 
 other principles) we ought to care how any by walk- 
 ing otherwise, bring reproach upon us; yet not 
 to pass them wholly by, as to the first. Besides 
 the testimony of-the Spirit of God m our hearts 
 (which is the original ground pf our faith in aU 
 
49 
 
 things) we have the testimony of the apostle Paul, 
 2 Cor. vi. 14. Be ye not unequally yoked togeth- 
 er, &c. Now if any should think it were much 
 from this .Scripture to plead it absolutely unlaw- 
 ful, in any case, to join in marriage with any 
 (however otherwise, sober) because of their not 
 being one with us in all things, 1 shall speak my 
 judgment. To me it appears so ; and to many 
 more who have obtained mercy; and we think we 
 have the Spirit of God; But whetlier it be lawful 
 or riot, I can^ay positively. It is not expedient, 
 neither doth it edify, and (as that which is of 
 dangerous consequence) doth give justly offence 
 to the Church of Christ: and therefore no true, 
 tender heart will prefer his private love to the 
 good and interest of the whole body. 
 
 As for the second, In that we deny the- priests 
 their assumed authority and power to marry, it is 
 that which in no Wise we' can recede from, nor 
 can we ovm any in the doing of it; it being a part 
 of our testimony, against the usurpations of that 
 generation, who never yet, that I ever heard of, 
 could produce any Scripture proof or example 
 for it. And seeing none can pretend conscience 
 in the matter (for they themselves tonfesS that it 
 is no pari of the essence of marriage) if any, pre- 
 tending to be among us, should through fear, 
 interest, or prejudice to, the truth, come under, 
 and bow to, that image, have we not reason to 
 deny such ^slavish and ignoble spirits, as mind 
 not truth and its testimony? 
 
 Lastly, Seeing if any walking with us, or going 
 under the samie name, should hastily or disorder- 
 ly go together, either being within the degree^' of 
 
 5 
 
50 
 
 GOftsanguinity', which the law of God^ forbids, or 
 that either party should have been fftraierly under 
 any tie or obMgation to others, or any other vast 
 disproportion, which might bring a just reflection 
 upon us from our opposers; can any blame, us 
 for taking care to prevent these evils j-byappoiat- 
 ing that such, as so design, make known their 
 intentions to these churches or assemblies, where 
 they are most Miown, that if any know just cause 
 of hindrance^ it may bg, mentioned, and:a timous 
 let put to the hurt, either t^ stopping it, jf they 
 can be brought to condescend; or by refusing to 
 be witnesses and concurrers with them in it, if 
 they will not? For we take not upon us to hinder 
 any to, marry, otherwise than by advice, or dis- 
 conceming ourselves; neither do we judge, that 
 such as do marry contrary to our mind, that 
 therefore their, marriage is null and void in itself, 
 or may be dissolved afterwards ; nay, &,11 our med- 
 dhng is in a holy care for the truth. For if the 
 thing be right, all that we do is to be witnes- 
 ses; and if otherwise, that vi^e may say for our 
 vindication to such as may upbraid us therewith, 
 that we advised otherwise, and- did- no ways con- 
 cur in the matter; that so they may bear their , 
 own burden, and, the truth and people of God be 
 cleared. ' 
 
 Now I am confident that our way herein is so 
 answerable to reason and Christianity, that none 
 will blame us therefor; except athersuchy whose 
 irregular and impatient lustfc cannot suffer a se- 
 rious and Christian examination, an4 an advised 
 and moderate procedure; or such, who watching 
 for evil against us, are soTry we should proceed 
 
51 
 
 so orderly, and would rather we should suffer all 
 manner of irr-egularities and abominations, that 
 they might have the more to say against us. But 
 the solid and real reasons we have for our way 
 herein, will sufficiently plead for us in the hearts 
 of all sober men; and moreover, the testimony of 
 God^s Spirit in our hearts doth abundantly con- 
 firm us^both against the folly of the one, and the 
 envy of the other. 
 
 Fourthly, There being nothing more needful, 
 than to preserve men and women in righteous- 
 ness, after they are brought into it; and also 
 nothing more certain,ihan that the great enemy 
 of man's soul seeks daily how he may draw 
 back again, and catch tho^e who have in some 
 measure escaped his snares, and known deliver- 
 ance from them; theriefore do^we^ako-meet-tO' 
 gether, that we may receive an opportunity to 
 understand, if any have fallen under his temptar 
 tionsythat we may restore them again, if possible ; 
 or otherwise separate them from us. Surely, if 
 . we did not so, we might be justly blamed as such, 
 anxGngwhom^ it were lawful to cominit any evil 
 unreprpved; indeed this were to be guilty of that 
 libertinism which some have falsely accused us 
 of, and which hath been our care all along, as 
 became the people of God, to avoid;' therefore, 
 we have sought always to keep the-house clean, 
 by faithfully reproving and removing, according 
 to the nature of the offence, and the scandal fol- 
 lowing thereupon; private things privately, and 
 public things publicly. We desire not to propa- 
 gate hurt, and defile people^s minds, with telling 
 theni such things ag tend not to edify; yet do we 
 
52 
 
 not sb cover over, or smooth over any wick- 
 edness, as not to deal roundly with the persons 
 guilty, and causing them to take away jthe scan- 
 dal in their acknowledgment before all, to whose 
 knowledge it hath come : yet judge we not our- 
 selves obliged to tell thg,t in Galh, or publish that 
 in t^ie streets of Askelon, which make, the 
 daughters of' the uncircumcised rejoice; or 
 strengthen Atheists and Ranters in' their obdu- 
 rateness, who feed more. upon the failings of tbe 
 saintk, than to imitate their true repentance. And 
 therefore where we find an unfeigning returniog 
 to the Lord, we desire not to remember that 
 which the Lord hath forgotten, nor yet to throw 
 bffeaces, in the way of the weak, that they may 
 stumble upon thetn. 
 
 And~i^erefbrei^^nclude,-diat our care as tq' 
 these things also is most needful, and a part of 
 that order and government, which the church of 
 Christ never was, nor can be without; as cloth 
 abundantly appear by divers scriptures hereto- 
 fore mentioned^. > 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 Smc 'far this government doth extend in matters 
 spiritual and purely conscientious' 
 
 Thus far I have considered the order and go- 
 vernment of the church, as; it "respects outward 
 things; and its authority in condemning or re- 
 moving such things, which in themselves are 
 evil, as being those, which none will readily jils-^ 
 
53 
 
 tify: the necessity of which tilings is such, that 
 few but will acknowledge the care and order in 
 these cases to be commendable and expedient. 
 
 Now I come to consider the things of another 
 Icind, which either verily are, or are supposed to 
 be matters of conscience, or at least, wherein 
 people may lay claim to cowsciewce, in the acting 
 or forbearing of them. In which the great ques- 
 tion is, How far in such cases the; church lOay 
 give positive orders or rules? HOw far her au- 
 thority reacheth, or may be supposed to be bind- 
 ing, and ought to be suteoitted to? For the bet- 
 ter clearing and examination of which, it will be 
 fit to consider. 
 
 First, Whether the Church of Christ hath 
 power in any cases that are matters of conscience, 
 to give a positive sentence, . arid decision, which 
 may he obligatory upon belifevers? ,^ 
 
 Secondly, If so, in what cases and respects she 
 may so do? * 
 
 Thirdly, Wherein consists the. freedom and 
 liberty of conscience, which may be exercised 
 by the members of the true church diversely, 
 witirout judging one another? 
 
 And lastly. In whom the power decisive is, in 
 case of controversy, or contention in such mat- 
 ters?-^ Which will also lead us to observe the 
 vast difference betwixt us and the papists, and 
 others in this particular. 
 
 As to the first. Whether the Church of Christ 
 hath power in any cases, that are matters of con- 
 science, to give a positive sentence and decision, 
 which maybe obligatory upon believers. 
 
 I answer afRrinatitely, she hath; and shall 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 prove it from divers instances, both from scrip- 
 tm-e and reason. For first, all princqdes and ar- 
 ticles of faith, which are held doctrinally, are, in 
 respect to those that believe them, matters of 
 conscience. We know the papists do, out of 
 conscience (such as are zealous among them) 
 adore, worship and pray to Angels^ Saints and 
 Images, yea, and to the Eucharist, as judging it 
 to be really Christ Jesus; and so do others place 
 conscience in things that are absolutely wrong : 
 now I say, we, being gathered together into the 
 beUef "of certain principles and doctrines, without 
 any constraint or worldly respect, but by the- 
 mere force of truth upon our understandings, and 
 its power and influence upon our hearts j these 
 principles and doctrines, and the practices neces- 
 sarily depending upon them are, as it w:ere, the 
 terms that have drawn us together, and the* 
 bmd,J^ which we became centred into one body 
 and Mlowship, and distinguished from others- 
 Now if any one, or more, so engaged with us, 
 should arise to teach any other doctrine or doc- 
 trines, contrary to these which were the ground 
 of our being one; whd can deny, , but the body 
 hath power in such a case to declare^ This is not 
 according to the truth we profess; and therefore 
 we pronounce such and such doctrines to be 
 wrong, with which we cannot have unity, nor 
 
 * Yet this is not so tile bond, but that we have. also a more in- 
 ward and invisible, to wit,- the life of rig'htedusness, whereby we 
 also have unity with the upright seed in all, even in those, whose 
 understandings are not yet so enlightened. ' Rut lo those who are 
 once enlightene.d, this is as an outward bond ; and if they suffer 
 themselves to be darkened through disobedience, which as it does, 
 in the outward bond, so it doth in the inward. 
 
55 
 
 yet any more spiritual fellowship with those that 
 hold them? , And so cut themselves off from be- 
 ing members, by dissolving the very bond by 
 which they were linked to the body. Now this 
 cannot be accounted tyranny and oppression, no 
 more than in a civil society, if one of the society 
 shall contradict one or more of the fundamental 
 articles, upon which the society was contracted, 
 it cannot be reckoned a breach.or iniquity in the 
 whole society to declare, that such contradictors 
 have done wrong; and forfeited their right in that 
 r society; in case, by the original constitution,' the 
 nature oS the contradiction implies such a fojrfei- 
 tui-e, as usually it is; and will no doubt hold in 
 religious; matters. As if a body he gathered into 
 one fdlowship, by the beKef of certain principles, 
 he that comes to believe otherwise, naturally scat- 
 tereth himself; for that the cause, that gathered 
 him, is taken away: and so those that abide con- 
 stant in declaring the thing to be so as it is, and 
 in looking upon him, and witnessing of him to 
 others (if need be) to be such, as he has made him- 
 self, do him no injury. I shall make the suppo- 
 sition in the general, and let every people make 
 the application to themselves, abstactingfrora us; 
 and then let conscience and reason in every impar- 
 tial !reader declare, whether or not it doth not 
 hold? Suppose a people really gathered unto the 
 belief of -the true and certain principles of the 
 gospel, if any of these people shall arise and con- 
 tradict any of those fundamental truths, whether 
 has not such as stand, good right to cast such an 
 one out from among them^ and to pronounce, 
 positively, This is contrary to the truth we piro- 
 
56 
 
 fes&^and own; and therefore ought to be rejected, 
 and^not received, nor yiet he that assert^ il as one 
 of us? And is not this obligatory upon all the 
 members, seping all are concerned in thehke care 
 as to themselves, to hold the right and shut out 
 the wrong? I cannot tellj if any man of reason 
 canweU deny this: however, I shall prove it next 
 from the testimony of thq scripture. 
 
 Gah i. 8. But though we, or an angel from 
 heaven, preach any other gospel unto, you, than 
 tliaj* which we have preached unto you, let him be 
 accursed. As we said befol'e, so say I now a- 
 gain, if any man pr^aeh any other g'ospel Unto you 
 than that ye have received, let hini be accursed. 
 I Tim. i. 19, 20. Holding faith and a good con- 
 science, which spmeliaving put away, concerning 
 faith, ha V e made shipwreck. Of whom is Hyine- 
 naeus and Alexander, whom I have ddlitered im- 
 to. Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. 
 
 2 John X. If there come any unto you, and 
 bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your 
 house, -neither bid him rejoice. .(For so the 
 Greek hath it.) ' ^ 
 
 These Scriptures are so clear and plain in 
 themselves, as to this purpose,, that they need no 
 great exposition to the unbiassed and unpreju- 
 dicate reader. Tor seeing it is so, that in the true 
 church there may men arise, and speak perverse 
 things, contrary to the doctrine and gospel alrea- 
 dy received; what is to be the place of those that 
 hold the pur6 and ancient truth? must they look 
 upon these> perverse men still as their brethren^ 
 must they cherish them as fellow members, or 
 must they judg^, condemn and deny them? We 
 
5*7 
 
 must not think the apostle wanted charity, who 
 will have them accurged; and that gave Hyme- 
 nsBUS and Alexander ovet to Satan, after that they 
 had departed from the true faith, that they might 
 learn not to blaspheme. In short, if we must (as 
 our opposets herein acfenbwledge) preserve and 
 keep those that are come to own the truth, by 
 the same means they were gathered and brought 
 into it, #e must not cease to be plain with them, 
 and tell them, when 'they are wrong; and by 
 sound doctrine both exhort and convince gain- 
 sayers. If the apostles of Christ of old, and the 
 preachers of the everlasting gospel in this day, 
 had told all people, however wrong they found 
 them in their faith and principles. Our charity 
 and love is such, we' dare not judge you, nor se- 
 parate fro m you; jnit let Us alllive in love toge- 
 ther, and every one enjoy Tiis own opimonT-^HJ 
 all will, be well: how should the natipns have 
 been; or what way can they be brought to truth 
 and righteousness? would not the devil love this 
 doctrine well, by which, darkness and ignorance, 
 error and confusion might stiU, continue in the 
 earth uUreproved and uncondemned; if it was 
 needful then for the apostles of Christ in the days 
 of old to reprove, without sparing to tell the high- 
 priests arid great professors among- the Jews, that 
 they were stubborn and stiff-necked, and always 
 resisted the Holy Ghost^ without being guilty of 
 imposition and oppression, or want of true love 
 and charity; and also for those messengers the 
 Lord raised up in this day, to reprove and-cry out 
 against the hireling firiestsf and to tell the wbrld 
 openly, both professors a,nd profane, that they 
 
58- 
 
 were^in darkness and ignorance, out of the truth, 
 st&m^&rs and aliens from the commonwealth of 
 Israel; if God has -gathered a peofSle,. by this 
 means-, into therbelief of one and the saiile truth, 
 must not they, if they turn and depart from it, 
 be admonished, reproved and condemned (yea, 
 rather than those that are not yet come to the 
 truth,) because, they crucify afresh unto them- 
 selves the Lord of glory, and put hirn to open 
 shame? It seems the apostle judgied' it , very 
 needful they shotiid be so dealt with. Tit. i. 10. 
 when he says. There are many unruly and vain 
 talkers and deceivers, especially they of the cir- 
 cumcision, whose moufM mifsf be stopped, &c. 
 Were such a principle to be received or believed, 
 that in the Church of Christ no man shoiild be 
 separated from, no man coiidenggdQr ex9lu(|§d 
 therMiovrehlp^airdTBCmmiinion of the body, fb^ 
 his judgment or opinion in matters of faith, tfien 
 what blasphemies so horrid, what heresies so 
 damnable, what doctrines of devils, but might 
 harbour itself in the Church' of Christ? What 
 need then of^ound doctrine, if no doctrine make 
 unsound? What need of convincing and exhort^ 
 irig gainsayefs, if to gamsay be no crime? Where 
 should the unity of the faith be? Were not this 
 an inlet to all manner of abomination; and to 
 make void the whole tendency of Christ, and his 
 apostles' doctrine; and Tender the gospel of noiie 
 effect; and. give a liberty ta the unconstant and 
 giddy will of man to innovate^ alter and overturn 
 it at his pleasure? So that from' all that is above 
 mentioned, we do safely conclude, that where a, 
 people are gathered together into the belief of the 
 
59 
 
 principles and doctrines of the gospel of Christ, 
 if any of that people shall go from thgir princi- 
 ples, and assert things false and contrary to what 
 they have already received; such as stand and 
 abide firm in the faith, have power, by the Spirit 
 of God, afteir they have used Christian endeavours 
 to corivince and reclaim them, upon tlieir obsti- 
 nacy, to separate from such, and to exclude them 
 irom their spiritual fellowship and communion: 
 For otherwise, if this be denied, farewell to all 
 Christianity, or to the maintaining of any sound 
 doctrine in the Church of Christ. 
 
 But, secondly, taking it for granted, that tjie 
 Church of Christ, or assembly of believers, may, 
 in some cases, that are, m,atter of conscience, 
 pronounce a positive sentence and judgment with- 
 out hazard of imposition dpon the members, it 
 cotnes to be enquired ; In what cases, and how 
 far, this power reacheth ? 
 
 I answer, First, As that which is- most clear 
 and undeniable, in the fundamental principles and 
 . doctrines of faith, in case any should offer to 
 teach otherwise, as is above declared and proved. 
 But some may perhaps acknowledge, that indeed 
 if aiiy should contradict the known and owned 
 principles of truth, and teach otherwise, it were 
 fit to cast out and exclude such; but what judgest 
 thou as to lesser matters, as in principles of less 
 consequence, or in outward ceremonies or ges- 
 tures, whether it he fit to press uniformity in these 
 things ? For answer to this, it is fit to consider. 
 
 First, The nature of the things themselves- 
 
 Secondly, The spirit and ground they proceed 
 from. 
 
60 
 
 Aiid thirdly, 'J'he consequence apd tendency 
 of them. _ 
 
 _ Etut before I proceed upon these, I affirm, „and 
 that according to truth, that as the cJiureh and 
 assembly of God's people may, and hath power 
 to dfe^idfe by the Spirit of God in matters funda- 
 mental and weighty, (without which holiecision 
 nor decree in whateyefinattets' is available) so 
 the same church and assembly also, in other mat- 
 ters of less moment, as to themselyes (yet being 
 needful and expedient with a respect to the cir- 
 cumstcince of time, ji&e and <)ther things that 
 may fall in) may and hath power by the game 
 sjririt, and not, otherwise, being acted, inqv^ and 
 a,ssisted, arid led by it thereto, to 'pronounce a 
 positive judgment: which, nO doubt, \fili be 
 foijnd obligatory upOh all such who have a sense 
 and feeling of the mind of the Spirit j though re- 
 jected by such as are not watchful, and so are out 
 Qf the feeling and uiiity of the hfe. And this is, 
 that which aone that own immedia,te revelation, 
 or a being inwardly led by the Spirit, to be; now 
 a. thing expected or dispensed to the saints, can, 
 without contradicting their own principle, deny; 
 far less such with whom I have to do in this mat- 
 ter, who ielaiiigi|j,g this privilege to particulars ; 
 saying, That they being moved to do such and 
 4such things; though contipry to the mind and 
 s6nse of tb^ brethren, are, not tO-, be jlj,dged for 
 it; adding. Why may it not be so, that God hath 
 mqved thein to it ? Now if this be a suffipient 
 reason for tlienj to suppose as to one or two, I 
 may vpithout absurdity suppose it as well to the 
 Trhole body. And therefore as, to the first, to wit. 
 
61 
 
 The nature of the things themselv6g. _ If it be 
 such a thing, the doing or not doing whereof, that 
 is, either any act^'or the forbepirance of any, may 
 bring a real reproach or ground of accusation a- 
 gainst the truth professed and bwnedj. and in and 
 through which there may a visible schism and 
 dissention arise in the church, by which truth's 
 enemies may be gratified, and itself brought into 
 disesteem; then it is fitforsuchj whose care is to 
 keep all right, to take inspection in the matter, to 
 meet together in the fear of God, to wait for his 
 counsel and to speak forth his mind, according 
 as he shall manifest himself in and among them- 
 And this was the practice of the primitive church 
 in the matter of circumcision. For here lay the 
 debate: some thought it not needful to_circum- 
 cise the Gentiles; others thought it a thing not 
 to be dispensed with: and no doubt of these (for 
 we must remember they were not the rebellious 
 Jews, but such as had already believed in Christ) 
 there were that did it out of conscience, as judg- 
 ing circumcision to be still obligatory. For they 
 said thus, except ye be circumcised after the 
 manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Now 
 what course took the church of Antioch in these 
 cases? Acts xv. 2. They deterniined that Paul 
 ,.and Barnabas and certain other of them should 
 go unto Jerusaleni, unto the apostles and elders, 
 about this question. We must not suppose they 
 wanted the Spirit of God at -i^ntioch to have de- 
 cided the matter, neither that these apostles iie- 
 glected or went from their inward guide in un- 
 dertaking this journey; yet we see, they judged 
 it meet in this matter to have the advice and con^s 
 
 6 
 
62 
 
 currence of the apostles and elders that were at 
 Jerusalemj that they might be all of one mind in 
 the matter. For there is no greater property of 
 the Church of Christ, than pure unity in the 
 Spirit J that is, a consenting and oneness in judg- 
 ment and practices in tijatters of faith and worship 
 (which yet admits of different measures, growths 
 and motions, but never contrary and contradicto- 
 ry ones ; and in these diversities of operg-tions, yet 
 still, by -the same-spirit,, the true Uberty is exer- 
 cised, as shall be declared hereafter :) therefore 
 prayeth Christ, That they all may be one, as he 
 and the Father is one. To which purpose also let 
 these following Scriptures be examined: 
 
 Rom. xii. 16. Be of the sanie mind one to- 
 wards another. . 
 
 1 Cor. i. 10. Now I beseech you brethren, 
 by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye aU 
 speak the game thing, and thattherebe no divisions 
 among you; but that ye be perfectly joined toge- 
 ther in the same mind and in the same judgment. 
 -Ephes. V. 21. Submitting yourselves one to 
 another in the fear ofGrod. 
 
 Phih ii. 2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be Uke- 
 minded, having the same love, being of one ac- 
 cord, of one mind. 
 
 And yet more remarkable is that of the apostle 
 Paul to the PhiUppians, chap. iii. verse 15, Let 
 us thereforev as many as be perfect, be thus 
 minded; and Jf in any thing ye. be otherwise 
 minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. , 
 
 16. Nevertheless, wherieto we have already 
 attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us 
 mind the same tyng; 
 
ea 
 
 17. Brethren, be followers together of me, and 
 mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an 
 example. _ , 
 
 So here, thdugh the apostle grants forbearance 
 in things whereio they have not yet attained; yet 
 he concludes they must walk so, as they have 
 him for an example, and so consequently not 
 contrary, or otherwise. And therefore we con- 
 clude, thait whereas any in the Church of God 
 pretending conscience or revelation, shall arise to 
 teach and jpractise (however insignificant or small 
 in themselves) whether principles or practices, 
 yet if they be contrary to such as are alrea:dy 
 received as true, and confirmed by God's Spirit 
 in the hearts of the saints, and that the introduc- 
 ing of these things tend to bring reproach upon 
 the truth, as such as are not edifying in them- 
 selves, and so stumble the weak; those who have 
 a true and right discerning, may, in and by the 
 power of God authorizing them (and no other- 
 wise) condemn and judge such things: and they 
 so doing it, it will be obhgatory upon all the mem- 
 bers that have a true sense, because they will 
 feel it to be so, and therefore submit to it. And 
 thus far as to the nature of the things themselves. 
 
 Secondly, As to the spirit and ground they 
 proceed from. Whatsoever innovation, differ- 
 ence, or divers appearance, whether in doctrine 
 or practice, proceedeth not from the pure moving 
 of the Spirit of God, or is not done out of pure 
 tenderness of conscience, but either from that, 
 which being puft up, affecteth singularity, and 
 there-through would be observed, commended 
 and exalted; or from that, which is the malignity 
 
64 
 
 of some humours and natuml tempers, which 
 will be contradicting without cause, and secretly 
 begetting of divisions, animosities and emulations, 
 by which the unity and unfeigned love of, the 
 brethren is tesseiied or rent; I'Say, all things pro- 
 ceeding from this root and spirit, however httle 
 they'may be- supposed ta be of themselves, are 
 to be guarded against, withstood slnd denied, as 
 hurtful to the tm& church's peace, and a hin- 
 drance to the prosperity of truth. 
 
 ■ if 'it be said, How know ye that these things 
 proceed from that ground?' 
 
 For answer, I make not here any application,, 
 as to particular persons or things; but if it be 
 granted, (as it cannot be denied,) that there may 
 arise persons in the true church,' that may do 
 such things from such a spirit, though pretend- 
 ing conscience and tenderness; then it niustalso 
 be acknowledged, that such, to "whom God hath 
 given a true' discerning by his Spirit, may and 
 ought to judge such practices, and the spirit they 
 come from^ and have no unity with them; which 
 if it be owned in the general, proves the case, to 
 wit, That some pretending conscience in things 
 seeming indifferent, liut yet itproceedkig in them 
 from a spirit of singularity, emulation, or strife, 
 those that have received q, discerning thereof 
 from the Lord,^ may and- ought to judge the 
 transgressors, without being accounted imposers, 
 oppressors of conscience, or inforcers of unifor- 
 nrityj contrary to the the mind of Christ; against 
 which the apostle also guarded the churches of 
 old. 
 
 Phil, ii; 3. 4* Let nbthing be done through 
 
65 
 
 strife, or vain gloryrbut in lowliness of mind let 
 each esteem other better than themsd'oesi 
 , liOok not evei-y man on his own things; but 
 every man also on the things of others. 
 
 -Now, if it be ka evU to do any thing out of 
 strife; then such things that are seen so to be 
 done, are they not to be avoided and forsaken? 
 So that we are confident, our. judgment herein 
 caimotbe denied, or reputed erroneous; except 
 it be said, That ncme will or can arise in the 
 Church of Christ, pretending such things from 
 such a spirit; whidil know not any that will, it 
 being contrary to the express prophecies of the 
 scripture, and the experience of the church in 
 all ages, as-may appear from Mat. xxiv. 24, Acts 
 XV. 24. 1 Tim. iv. 1. 2 Tim- iii. S.Markxiii. 21. 
 22. 2 Pet. ii. 19. Or on the other hand, that 
 those that abide faithful, ^nd have a discerning of 
 those evils ought to be silent, and never ought to 
 reprove and gain-stand them, nor yet warn and 
 guard Qthers against them; and that it is a part 
 of thecommendable unity of the church of Christ, 
 to suffer aU such things without taking notice of 
 them- I know none will say so; but if there be 
 any sa foolish as to afiirni it, let them consider 
 these scriptures. Gal. ii. 4. 1 Tim', i. 20. 2 
 Tim. ii. 24, 25. Tit. i. 9, 10, 11. 
 
 Now if none 6f these hold true; but, on the 
 contrary, such evils have been, and may be 
 found to creep in among the people of God, and 
 that such as seethem, may and ought to reprove 
 them; then necessarily the doing so, is neither 
 imposition, force nor oppression. 
 
 As to the third, concerning the consequence 
 6* 
 
66 
 
 and tendency of them, it is mostly incladed in 
 the two former: for -whatsoever, tendeth not to 
 edification^ hut, on the contrary, to destruction, 
 and to beget discord among brethren, is to' be 
 avoided: according to'that of the apostle, Rom; 
 xvi. 17.^Now I beseech you brethren, mark them 
 which cause divisions and offences, contrary to 
 the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid 
 them.; 
 
 And. since there is no greater mark of the peo- 
 ple of God, than to beat peace among) them- 
 selves; whatsoever tendtethtb break that bond of 
 love and peace, must be testified agaihsfc Let it 
 be observed, I speak alVays of the: Church of 
 Christ indeed, and deal with such as are of ano- 
 ther mind; not as reckoning only false chiirches 
 not to have - this powar, but denying it even to 
 the true Chiirch of Christy as judging it not fit 
 for her so to aict, ks in relation to her members. 
 For though Christ: be the Prince of Peace, and 
 doth most of all commend love and unity to his 
 disciples; yet I also know he came not to send 
 peace, but a sword, that is, in dividing man from 
 thje lusts and sins he hath been united to. And 
 also it is the work of his disciples and messen- 
 ger§, to break the bands and unity of the wicked, 
 wherein they are banded against God, arid his 
 truth, and the confederacy of such as stand in im- 
 righteousness, by inviting and bringing as many 
 as will obey, urito righteousness; -whereby they 
 become disunited and separated from their com- 
 panions, with whom they were centred, arid at 
 peace, in the contrary and cursed nature. And 
 indeed, blessed are they that afe sent forth of 
 
67 
 
 the Lord to scatter here, that they may gather in- 
 to the unity of the hfe: and they are blessed that, 
 in this respect, even for righteousness sake, are 
 scattered and separated from their brethren; that 
 they may come to know the brotherhood and fel- 
 lowshipv which is in the Ught; from which none 
 ought to scatter, nor to be scattered, but be more 
 and more gathered thereunto. And this, leads 
 me to what I proposed; in the third place, under 
 this head^ of the true churches power in matters 
 spiritual, or purely conscientious; which may be 
 thus objected: 
 
 If thou plead so much for an oneness in the 
 smallest matters, wherein eonsisteth the freedom 
 and hberty of the conscience, which rtiay he ex- 
 ercised by the merobers of the true church di- 
 versely, without judging one another? . 
 
 In a!nswer to this proposition^ I affirm, first in 
 general; thai whatsoever things maybe suppos- 
 ed to proceed from the same spirit, though di- 
 verse, in its appearaiKie,' tending to the same end 
 of edification,, and whicTi in the tendency, of it, 
 layeth not a real ground for division j or dissen- 
 tion of spirit, fellowj'meniibers ought not only to 
 bear one another, but strengthen one another in 
 them. - 
 
 - Now the respects v^h^ein this may be, I can 
 describe noi better than the. apostle Paul doth 
 principally ia two places, which therefore will be 
 fit to consider at length for the. opening of this 
 matter; this being one -of the weightiest points 
 pertaining to this subject. Because, as on the 
 one hand due forbearance ought to be exercised 
 in its right place; so on the, other, the many.de- 
 
68 
 
 vices and false pretences of tlie enemy creeping 
 in here, ought to be guarded aginst. 
 
 The first is, '1 ^or. xii. from verse 4, to 31. 
 thus: 
 
 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the 
 Same Spirii. .. 
 
 5. And there are differences of iadmiiiistrations, 
 but the same Lord. . . 
 
 6. And there are diversities of operationsy but 
 it is the same God which worketh all in all. 
 
 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given 
 to every man to profit withal. 
 
 8. For; to one is given by the Spirit the word 
 of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge hy" 
 the same Spirit. ^ 
 
 "9. To another faith by the same Spirit, to>ano- 
 ther the gifts of healing by the same Spirit. , 
 
 10. To another the working of miracles, to 
 another, prophecy, to another discerning of' spi- 
 rits, to another divers kinds of tongues, -to ano- 
 ther the interpretation of tongues. - 
 
 11. But all these worketh that one and the 
 self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally, 
 as he will. 
 
 ;. 12.. For as the body is one, and hath many 
 niembers, and all the members of that one body 
 being inaay, are one body, so also is Christ. 
 
 1^ For by one Spirit are we all baptised into 
 one body,,, whether we be Jews or Gentiles^ 
 whether we be bond or jfree ; and have been all 
 made to drink into one Spirit. 
 
 14. For the body is not one member, but many. 
 
 15. If the foot shall say, because I amnotthe 
 hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not 
 of the body? 
 
69; 
 
 ' 16. And if the ear shaH say, because I am not 
 the eye, I am not of the body j is it therefore not 
 of the body? ~ \, ,-. 
 
 17. If the whole body were an ieye^ wheye^were 
 the hearing? If the whole were heading, where 
 were the smelling ? • ' 
 
 18. But now hath God set tjle members every 
 one of them in the body, as it hath pleaded him. 
 
 19. And if they were all one member, where 
 were thfe body? - 
 
 20. But now are they many members, yet but 
 one body. 
 
 21. And the eye cannot say unto the^^hand, I 
 have no need of thee; nor again, the head to the 
 feet, I have no need of you ? 
 
 22. Nay, much more those members of the 
 body, which seem to be more feeble, are i^eces- 
 saiy. , : . 
 
 23. And those: members of the body, which 
 we think to be les^ honourable, upon these we be^ 
 stow more abundant honour, and our uncomely 
 parts have! more abundant comeliness. . 
 
 24. For our comely parts have no need, but 
 God hath tenfpered the body together, having 
 given more abundant honour to that pajrt which 
 lacked. 
 
 25. That there shotild be no schism in the bo- 
 dy; but. that the members should have the sa,me 
 care one of another. , -^ 
 
 26. And whether one member suffer, all the 
 members suffer with it; or one member :be ho- 
 noured, all the members rejoice with it. 
 
 27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and mem- 
 bers in particular. ' ^ 
 
70 
 
 28. And Gk)d hath sdt some in the church, first 
 a^stles, secondarily prophets, thirdly ijeachers, 
 after that miracles, then gifts of healing^ helps, 
 goverhmehfe, diversities of tongues.. 
 
 29. Are all apostles ?,t Are all prophets? Are 
 all teacjiers? Are all workers of miracles? 
 
 30. Have all th^giftfe of healing? Do all speak 
 with tongues? DoaU interpret? 
 
 Which I would- not have set down at large, 
 but that there be some so careless, j[especiaUy in 
 matters they like not) that they wilr scarce be at 
 the pains seriously to read over a citation only 
 named; and that also this being presented before 
 the reader, in the current of the discourse, jwill 
 fix the natiire of my apphcation the more in his 
 understanding. For the apostle shows here the 
 variety of the operations df tlte divers mem- 
 bers of the body of C3lrist, working to one and 
 the same end; as the divers members of a man's 
 body towanis the maintaining and upholding of 
 the whole. 
 
 Now these are notplaced in contrary workings, 
 for -sb they w6uld; destroy one another^ and so 
 tiie apostle in the ordering of thenf in three seve- 
 ral kinds, prove's this. First, diversities of gifts, 
 Secondly, differences of administrations* Third- 
 ly, diversities of operations : and that ■Which is 
 the bond that keeps the oneness^ here he also 
 mentions, to wit, /The same Spirit, the same 
 Lord, the same God; the apostle names nothing 
 of contrariety or opposition. But lest any should 
 be so critical, as to bring in here the school-dis- 
 tinction of contrarium oppositum, andcontradio 
 toriiun, I shall not deny, but contrariety? or oppo- 
 
71 
 
 sitiorijin the sense it is sometimes taken, may 
 be found in the body without schism: as the 
 comely parts ftiay be said to be opposite or con- 
 trary to the uncomely, or the l^ft-hand contrary 
 to the right, or the foot opposite to the head, as 
 the uppermost part to the undertnost; or the do- 
 ing a thing is contrary tothe forbearing of it; but 
 as for that wMch is acknowledged to be propo- 
 sitions, or termini contradictorii, that is, coiitra- 
 dietoty propositions, which are ia theniselves irre- 
 concileabie, whereof one must he. ptill wrong, and 
 that still destroy one another, and work contrary 
 effects, they are not at all admitted, ndr supposed 
 to be in the body of Christ; as I shall give in 
 one instance, verse 8. To one is given by the 
 Spirit the word pf wisdom, to another the word 
 of knowledge, by the same Spirit. First, here are 
 two different gifts, but not contrary. Secondly, 
 There may sometliing lil?e contrariety, in the 
 sense aforementioned, be here supposed; as, 
 sonie may want this gift of wisdom and know- 
 ledge, and so to have is contrary to want, (though 
 as to these two, none. may be absolutely- said to 
 want them; yet all have them not in the same de- 
 gree,, as a special gift ;• though; as to some gifts 
 there may be an absolute want, as that of mira- 
 cles, and interpretation of tongues.) But should 
 I suppose such a contrariety,, or mcwe properly a 
 coutradiction, as to wisdom, tp_ oppose folly, and 
 to knowledge, utter ignorance; this were an op- 
 position not to be adiuitted of in the body, be- 
 cause it weare false to suppose^_|hat to proceed 
 from_,the same spirit. Andsueh contrarieties or 
 diversities, as cannot justly be supposed tp pro- 
 
72 
 
 ceed from the same Spirit of God, which is the 
 bond that hiiks together, cannot be mutually en- 
 tertained in the body; so the differences find di- 
 versities, which: the apostle, admits of, while lie 
 speaks largely; in this matter, are. That none 
 ought to be offended at his brother, that he haith 
 not the same work and offifie in the body that,lie 
 hath; but that evjery one keep in his own place, 
 as God hath appointed thepa; tliat neither them 
 that are set in a higher place, despise them that 
 are set in a lower; nor therii that are set in a low- 
 er, grudge and repine at such as are set higher; 
 but all work in their proper place, towards the 
 edification of the whole. And tha,t the apostle 
 intends tliis, is manifest, where he draws to a; con- 
 clusion, verse 27, Now ye are the body of Christ, 
 and members in particular, and God hath set 
 some in the church, first apostles, secondly pro- 
 phets, &c. and then he subsumes. Are all apos- 
 tles, &C. ■ "".-'"•', ,..-'-■ 
 
 Which the same Paul again .confirms, Ej>hes. 
 iv. 8, 11, to the 17th, which was the second place 
 I intended; ,and shall only mention, for brevity's 
 sake, leaving the reader to consider of it at his 
 leisure. - , 
 
 This is also held forth by the beloved disciple 
 Johti in his three-fold distinction, 1 John ii. 12, 
 13, Of fathers, young men and little children: 
 and by Peter, 1 Petl v. 1, 5. in thatof elders and 
 younger. The true liberty then in. the Church of 
 Christ i^ .exercised when as one judgeth not ano- 
 ther in these different places; but live in lo.ve 
 together, all minding the unity 9,nd general gwd 
 of the body, and to work theio: own work in meir 
 
73 
 
 own place. vAJgoth^ forbearance of tibe saints 
 is exercised, when as they judge not one another 
 for being found in the different appearance, 
 either of doing or forbearing ; which may be pe- 
 cuhar to tlieir several places and stations in the 
 body: for that tliere is, and may be diversities of 
 works there, is excellently well expressed by the 
 apostles, viz. '- ' 
 
 Rom. xii. 3. For I say through the grace gi- 
 ven unto me, to every jnan that is among you, 
 not to think of himself more highly than he 
 ought to think ; but to think soberly according 
 as God hath dealt to every man- the measure of 
 faith. ^ 
 
 Verse 4. For as we have many members in 
 one body, and all members have not the same 
 office r , ; 
 
 Verse 5. So we being many, are one body in 
 Christ, and every one menwers one of another. 
 
 Verse 6. Having Ihen gifts differing, accord- 
 ing to the grace that is given us, whether prophe- 
 cy, let us prdpfaesy according to. the proportion 
 of faith: ^ - 
 
 Verse 7. Or ministry, let us wait on our min- 
 istring; or he that teacheth, on teaching: 
 
 Verse 8. Or he that exhorteth, on exhorta- 
 tion: he that giveth, let liim doit with simpli- 
 city j he that ruleth^ with diligence; he tJtat 
 sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. ; x 
 
 If any then should quarrel with ;Jiis 'brother, 
 for exercismg that which belongeth to the office 
 of the body Christ hath called him to, and 
 would force him to exercise the _same office he 
 doth, though he be not called to it; here is a 
 
 ■ 7 
 
74 
 
 breach of Christian liberty, and an imposing up- 
 on it. 
 
 Now all schisms and jars fall out intWs two- 
 fold respect : either when any person or persons 
 assume another, or an higher place in the body, 
 than God wiU have them to be in, ani so exer- 
 cise an office, or go ahbut to perforin that, which 
 they ought not to do ; or when, as any.truly ex- 
 ercising in their place, which God hath given 
 them, others>rise up and judge them, and would 
 draw them from itj/hoth of 'which cases have 
 been, and may .'be supposed to fall out in the' 
 Church of Christ. As 1 Cor. IV. 3^-4. vdiere 
 some judged Paul wrongQusly ; 3 John'9. where 
 one exalting himself above his place, judged 
 whom he ought not. We see theil,' what diver- 
 sities be most usually in the ChWch of God, 
 Consisting in the di^ence of the gift proceeding 
 from, the same' Spim ; and in the divers places, 
 that the seyeral members have in the same body 
 for the edification of it; and every one being 
 here in his owii station, his standing therein is 
 his. strength and perfection ; and to be in another, 
 though higher and more eminent, l^ould but 
 weaken and hurt him: and so in this there ought to 
 b& a mutual forbearance, that there inaiy neitH^ 
 be a coveting nor aspiring, on the one hand, nor yet 
 a despising ol- condemning on the other. But 
 besides jhe,forbea;rance of this njature, which is 
 mofet ordinary and universal (and for the exer- 
 cise whereof there is, and will still be a need, so 
 long as there is any gathering or Church of Christ 
 upon the earith) there is a certain liberty and for- 
 bearanee also, that is more particular, and has a 
 
75 
 
 relation to the circumstance of times and, places, 
 which will not hold universally; whereof we 
 have the example of the primitive church, tes- 
 tified by the scriptures in two or three parti- 
 culars. The , first was, In suffering circum- 
 cision to the Jews for a time, and not only so, 
 but also divers others of the legal and ceremo- 
 nial purifications and custom?, as may appear, 
 Acts xxi. ver. 21, 22, 23, 24,. &c. The second 
 was. In the observation of certain day§, Rom. xiv. 
 5. And the third. In the abstaining from meats, 
 1 Cor. viii. throughout: here the apostle persuades 
 to, and recommends a forbearance, because of 
 the weakness of some; for he says hot any 
 where, nor can it be found jn all the scriptures 
 of the gospel, that these things- such weak ones 
 were exercised in, were, things indispensably 
 necessary, or that it had been better for them, 
 they had not been under such scruples, provid- 
 ing' it had been from a principle of true clear- 
 ness and so of faith. 
 
 Next again, these acts of forbearance were 
 done in a cpndescajsion to the weakness of such, 
 upon whom the ancient (and truly deserved in 
 its season) veneration of the law had such a deep 
 impression, that they could not .yet dispense with 
 all its ceremonies and cuBtoms,: and to such the 
 apostle holds forth a t'wo-foM forbearance. 
 
 First, A- certain compliance by such believers, 
 as were fathered out from the Jews ; though 
 they saw , over these things, jei- it was Ht- they 
 should cbndescend somewhat > to their country- 
 men and brethren, who were weak. 
 
 Secondly, The like forbearance in the Gen- 
 
76 
 
 tiles, not to judge them in these things ; but we 
 see, that it was not allowed for such weak ones 
 to propagate these scruples, or draw others into 
 them ; and that when as any of the Churches of 
 the Gentiles, who wanted this occasion, would 
 have hem Exercising this liberty, or pleading for 
 it, the apostle doth down-rightly condemn it, as 
 I shall make appear fn all the three" instances 
 above-mentioned. 
 
 First, In that of circujncisioni Gal, v. 2, 4- 
 
 Behold I Paul say unto you, that if ye be cir- 
 cumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing ; Christ 
 is become of none e^ct unto you : whosoever of 
 you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from 
 grace. 
 
 Can there be any thing ihofe positive ? Might 
 not some here have prqtendfed .tenderness of con- 
 science, and have said j Though the decree of 
 the apostle^ do dispense with circumcision in me; 
 yet if I find a scruple in myself, and a desire' to 
 it out of tenderness, "why should it bean evil in 
 me to do it, more than in the Jews that believe ? 
 We see, there ip no room lefl here for such rea- 
 soning. _ , 
 
 Secondly, As to observations. Gal. iv. 9, 10, 
 11, Might not they have answered. What if we re- 
 gard a day to the Lord, must we not then ? are 
 not these thy own words ? We see that did not 
 hold here, because in them it was a ireturning to 
 the beggarly elements. 
 
 Thirdly, As to meats, 1 Tim. iv. 3. Here we 
 see that is accounted a doctrine of devils ; which 
 in anoflier respect was Christian forbearance. 
 And therefore now, and that in the general res- 
 
77 
 
 pect, he gives this reason, verse 4. For every 
 creature of God is good, and nothing to be re- 
 fiised, if it be redeived with thanksgiving of them 
 that beUeve and know the truth. So we see, that 
 in these particular things there is great need of 
 wariness in the Church of Christ; for that some- 
 times forbearance under a pretence of liberty may 
 be more Jiurtful than down-right judgiilg.- I sup- 
 pose, if any should arise and preterd conscience, 
 and claim a hberty for circuincision and the puri- 
 fications of the law, whetlier all Christians would 
 not with one voice condemn it? and so as to days 
 and meats, how do the generality of Protestants 
 judge it? Though I deny not but there may, and 
 ought to be a mutual, forbearance in the Church 
 of Christ in certain such cases, which may fall; in? 
 and a liberty there is in the Lord, which breaks 
 not the peace of the true church; but iti such 
 matters (as I observed, at large before) both the 
 aature or the things, the spirit- they come from, 
 aiid the Occasion from whence, and their conse- 
 quence and tendency is to he caj-efuUy observed. 
 
 SECTION vn. ' ) 
 
 (Concerning the Pow6r of tlecision. 
 
 Seeing then it may fajl but in the Church of 
 Christ,, that both some may assume another place 
 in the body than they ought, and othiers may 
 lay claim to a liberty and pretend conscience in 
 things they ought not, and that without question 
 the wrong is not to be toleraited, but to be testi- 
 
78 
 
 fied against, however specious its appearance may 
 be; and that it must and ought to be judged: the 
 question will arise, Who is the proper judge or 
 judges, in whojn resideth the power of deciding 
 this Controversy? And this is that which I un- 
 dertook in the &ext place to treat of, as being the 
 specific difference and distinguishing property of 
 the Church of Christ from all other antichristian 
 assemblies and churches of man's building and 
 framing. 
 
 To give 'a short, and yet clear and" plain an- 
 swer to this proposition: The only proper judge 
 of controversies in the church, is the Spirit of 
 God, and the power i)f deciding solely lies in it; 
 as having the only imerring, infallible and certain 
 judgment belonging to' it; which infallibility is 
 not necessarily annexed to any persons, person 
 or places whatsoever, by virtue of lariy office, 
 place or station any one may have or have had in 
 the body of Christ. That is to say, that any have 
 ground to reason thus: Because lam or have 
 been such an eminent member^ therefore my 
 judgment is infalhble; or, beCause we are the 
 greatest number; or, that we live in such a noted 
 or famous place, or the like: thpugh some of 
 these reasons may, and ought to have their true 
 height in cases of jcontradictory assertions (as 
 shall hereafter be observed) yet not so, as upon 
 which either mainly, or only the infaUible judg- 
 ment is to be placed; but upon the Spirit, as that 
 which is the fitm unmoveabfe f0unda,tion. 
 
 And now, if I should go on no further, I have 
 iaid enough to vindicate us from imposition, and 
 "from the tyi'anny, whether of Popei^, Prelacy or 
 
79 
 
 Presbytery, or apy such like we have been, or 
 may be branded with, as shall after appear, 
 ' But to proceed : herein hes the difference be- 
 twixt the dispensation of the law and the gospel 
 or new-covenant ; for that of old all answers were 
 to be received from the priests in the tabernacle. 
 For he that appeared betwixt the cherubiuis there, 
 spake forth his naind to the pec^le ; and there 
 were also families of the prophets, to whom they 
 resorted for the answer of the Lord (though 
 sometimes, as a signification of the further glory 
 that was to be revealed; it pleasedGod to reveal 
 his mind to some, even to them who were nei- 
 ther prophets nor prophets' sons) but imder the 
 gospel, we are allto be taught of God, that is, 
 none are excluded from this privH^e by not be- 
 ing of the tribe of Levi,= or of tlie children of the 
 prophets : though this privilege is as truly exer- 
 cised in some, by assenting and obeying to what 
 God commands and reveals through others (they 
 feeling unity with it in the life) asby such, who 
 by the revelation and command of God's Spirit 
 hold forth his willto his People in certain par- 
 ticulars, which the same Spirit leads and com- 
 mands them to obey. So that we say, and that 
 with a very good ground, that it is no way in- 
 consistent with this sound anS unerring principle 
 to affir^ti, that the judgment of a certain person 
 or persons in certain cases is infallible, or for a 
 certain person or persons to give a positive judg- 
 ment, and pronounce it as obligatory upon others, 
 -because the foundation and ground thereof is, not 
 -because they are infallible, but because in these 
 things, and at that time they were led l^ the iof 
 
80 
 
 fallible Spirit. And therefore it will not shelter 
 any in this respect to pretend, I am not bound to 
 obey; the dictates of fallible man i is not this. Po- 
 pery, 1 not being persuaded in myself? Because 
 it is not to be disobedient to^ them, but to the 
 jiidgmentof truth through them at such a time; 
 and one or more their not being persuaded, may 
 as probably proceed from their being hardeued» 
 and being put of their place, and in an incapacity 
 to hear the requirings, as that the thing is not re- 
 quired of them^ which none can'deny ; but it may 
 as well bq supposed, as the contrary' But for 
 the further clearing of this matter, before I con- 
 clude, I shall not doubt both to affirm and prove 
 thege. following propositions. , , 
 
 First, That there never will, nor can be wa^ntr 
 ing, in ease of controversy, the Spirit of God,, to 
 give judgment thrpugh sonje or other in 4he 
 Church of Christ," so long as any assembly can 
 properly, or in any tolerable supposition be so 
 termed. f > ^ , 
 
 "Secondly, That God hath ordinarily, in thei 
 comrpuriicating of his will under his gospel, em- 
 ployed such whom he |iad ittiade use of in gath- 
 ering of his Church, and in feeding and, watching 
 QVer them; though riot esxcludiiis others. 
 
 Thirdly, That their de facto, or effectual meet- 
 ing t^ogetheir, and giving a positive judgment in 
 8uch cases, willnot import tyranny .and usurpa- 
 tion, di;,an, inconsistency with the uniV'ersal prir 
 vilege that all Christians have to be led by the 
 Spirit ; neither will the pretences of any contra- 
 dicting them, or refusing to sublnit upon the ac- 
 count they see it not, or so, excuse them froin 
 being really guilty of disobeying God* 
 
81 
 
 ' For the first, to those that beheve the scrip- 
 ture, there will needno other prpbatipn than that 
 of Matt, xxviii. 20. And lo, I am with you alway, 
 even unto the end of the world. And verse 18. 
 And the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 
 
 Now if the Church of Christ were so destitute 
 of tlie Spirit of God, that in case of difference 
 there were not any found that, by the infallible 
 Spirit, could give a certain judgment ; would not 
 then the, gates of hell prevail against it? For 
 where striife and division is, and no effectual way 
 to put an end to it, there not only the gates, but 
 the courts and inner chambers of darkness pre- 
 vail • for where envy and strife is, there is confu- 
 sion, and every evil work. 
 
 But that ther^ may be here no ground of mis- 
 take or supposition, that we were annexing infal- 
 libility to certaiff persbns, or limiting the church 
 to such ; I understand not by the church, every 
 particular g&thering or assembly, circumscribed to 
 any particular country or city : for I will not refuses 
 but divers of them. Both apart and together, if 
 not established in God's power, may err. Nor ^ 
 yet do I lay the absolute stress upon a general ' 
 assembly of persons, as such, picked and chosen 
 out of every one of those particular churches; as 
 if what the generality or plurality of those con- 
 clude upon, were necessarily to be supposed to 
 be the infallible judgment of truth: though to 
 siich an assenibly of persons truly stated (as they 
 ought) in God's power, he hath heretofore re- 
 vealed his will in such cases ; and yet may as the 
 most probable way (which shall be spoken of 
 hereafter :) yet such, as a mere assembly^ is not 
 
82 
 
 conclusive, nor yet do I understand by the 
 Church, every gathering or assembly of people, 
 who may hold sound and true principles, or have 
 a form of truth; -for some may lose the life a.jid 
 power of Godliness, who, notwithstanding, may 
 retain the form or notions of things, but yet are 
 to be tufnedi away from, because in so far (as I 
 6bsefv;ed before) as sanctification, to wit, those 
 that are sanctified , in Christ Jesus, make the 
 Church, and give' the right definitioil to it: 
 where "tha:t is wholly wanting, the Church of 
 Christ ceaseth to be ; and there remains nothing 
 but a shadow without substance. Such assenf- 
 blies then are hke the dead body, when the soul 
 is departed, which is no more fit to ^be conversed 
 with ; Isecause it corrupts, and proves noisomfe to 
 the living. But by the Church of Christ, I un- 
 derstand all those that truly and really have re- 
 ceived and hold the truth, as' it is in Jesus, and 
 are in measure sanctiged, or sanctifying in and by 
 the power aiid v'irtuc thereof working in their in- 
 ward parts'; and this may be made up of divers 
 distinct gatherings or churches in -several coun- 
 tries ,or nations : I say, so long as these, or any 
 of them retain that, which justly entitles them 
 the Church or Churches of Christ (which they 
 may be truly called), though there may faU out 
 some differences^ divisions br schisms among 
 them; as we may see there was no small dissen- 
 tionih the Church of Antiocb, and jft it ceased 
 not to bp a chitrch. Acts xv. 2. and 1 Cor. i. ll. 
 
 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my 
 brethren,' that there are contentions among you ; 
 and yet, verse 2. he entitles thenj the Church of 
 
83 
 
 Gbd^ them that are sanctified in Christ Jeetisi 
 BO long,:! say, as they truly retain this title of the 
 Church of Christ, as being really such, there will 
 never be wanting the certain judgment of truth. 
 For which, besides the positive promise of Christ 
 before-mentioned (which is not without blasphe- 
 my -to be' called in question, or doubted of) 
 I shall add these reasons. That seeing the Church 
 of Christ is his body, of which he i's the head, it 
 were to make Christ negligent of his body, who 
 stiles himself the, good Shepherd, apd. hath said, 
 He will never leave nor forsak'^ his^ own; or else 
 (which is worse) it will infer a possibility of error, 
 or mistake in Christ, in whom ^S the head, are 
 the eyes of the body, by wTiich it is to be ruled in 
 all thihg&i Next, we never find in all the script 
 tufe since the gospel, that ever this was wanting ; 
 but that God still gave infallible judgment by his 
 Spirit in some of the respects above-mentioned, 
 If the transactions and controversies of the after 
 centuries be alledged, I wiU^ boldly affirm and 
 prove, . That there was never a true judgment 
 wanting, so long as the nature and essence of the 
 true Church was retained: if any will needs af- 
 firin otherwise, let them show jhe wherd, arid I 
 shall answer it. Though t-deny not (that after 
 the mystery of iniquity did begin to work, or had 
 so wrought, first by intermixing, and afterwards 
 by altogether forsaking the nature of truth, re- 
 taining only the bare naime of the chdrch) but 
 that there might be some scattered ones, here 
 arid there one in a nation, and now and then one 
 in an age^ who by the power and virttae of the 
 Spirit of life working in them, might be truly 
 
84 
 
 sanctified; yet these Avere but as witnesses in 
 sackcloth, no way sufficient to give these assem- 
 bhes, in which they were engrossed, the appella- 
 tion of the Church of Christ, Coming no more 
 under obser!vation by the generality, nor having, 
 as to thenij any more influence than some little or 
 scarcely discernible spai*ks of fire in many great 
 heaps and mountains of ashes^^ And thus much 
 to prove, that where there is any gathering or as- 
 afejiibly, which truly ai^d properly may be called 
 the Church of Christ, the infallible judgment will 
 never be wanting in matters of controversy. 
 
 Secondly, That ordinarily God, hath, in the 
 communicating of his wiH under his gospel, em- 
 ployed such whom he had made use (tfin gather- 
 ing .of hk Church,': and in , feeding and :?^atching 
 over them, though hot excluding others. For, 
 as in a natural body (to which the ^Church of 
 Christ is compared) the more substantial and 
 powerful members do work most efiectualiy; 
 and their help is most necessary to supply any 
 idefect or trouble in the body: so also, if there 
 be diversities of gifts iii the Church (as is above 
 proved) and some have a greater measure, and 
 some a lesser,; those that have the greater, are 
 more capable to do good, and to help, the. body 
 in: its need, than others that are weaker and less 
 powerful. Since there are strong and weak, babes 
 and young men, who have overcome the evil one, 
 and in; whom the word of God abideth, such are 
 more able, when the enemy besets, to resist (ha- 
 ving already overcome) than others who are but 
 yet wrestling, and not conquerors. Now, every 
 wntrpversy and dissention in the Church comes 
 
■ 85 
 
 -from the besetments of the enemy; yet if any. of 
 these strong or young- men, or powerful mein- 
 bers, go frOm their station^ it is not deixied hut 
 that they are as weak as any; audit is pre-suppos- 
 ing their faithfulness in thej^^rplace that I thus af- 
 firm, and no otherwise. Nor yet do I limit Jhe 
 Lord to this methOii : For in him are all the trea- 
 sures bolii of our wisdom, and strength; and the 
 weakest in his hand areas strong as the stro^g- 
 
 . est, who may now, as well as heretofore^ kill a 
 Goliah by the hand of little David; yet we gee 
 the Lord doth ordinarily make use of the strong 
 to support the weak: ajid ihdeedj when such as 
 may be termed weak ip,r6 so madeuse of, it alters 
 the nature of their place, and 'constitutes them in 
 a higher and more eminent degree. For ttiough 
 it was httle David; it was dso he that was to be 
 king of Israel. Though the apostles were mean 
 meri among the Jews, yet they were such as 
 were to be the, apostles of the Lord of (Slory; in- 
 struments to, gather the, lost sheep of the house of 
 Israel, and. to proclaim- the acceptable day of the 
 Lord. And though Paul was oiice accounted 
 the least of all the saints, a child born out of due 
 time; yet was he him who was to be the' greatest 
 apostle of the Gentiles. ^;^ 
 
 Now then, let us qonsider whom the Lord 
 made use of in the affaicsof the primitive church, 
 and through whom, he gave forth his infallit^le 
 judgment. Did he not ^begin first by Peter? 
 He was the first that spake in the, first meeting 
 they had. Acts i. and who first stopd up after 
 the pouring forith of the Spirit; and who first ap- 
 pesared before the council of the Jews, and spake 
 
 8 
 
86 
 
 in beljalf of the gospel pf. Christ: though I am 
 far from calling him (as some do), the prince of 
 the apostles; yet I may safely say, he was one of 
 the inost" ancient and, eminent, and to ^pm 
 Christ, in a manner somewhat morethahordiiia- 
 ry,- had recPmmiended the feeding of his flock. 
 We see also he was. first made lige of in preach- 
 ing to the Gentiles, and what weight his and 
 James's words had ift.the contest ahmt circum- 
 cision tow&,rds the bringing the matter to a con- 
 clusion,^ Acts XT. Yet thpkt we may see infalli- 
 bility was iiot. inseparably annexed to himv he 
 was found blameabie ia a certain matter, Gal. ii. 
 11. notwithstanding his sentence was positively 
 receiyed,in many particulavs'. 
 
 So also the apostle Paul argues froih his ga- 
 thering of the churches of Corinth and Galatia, 
 that they ought tp be followers of him, and po- 
 sitivfelyconcTiideS in divers things: and upon this 
 supposition, exhorts ihe chprches (both he and 
 Peter) in many passages heretofore mentioned 
 (which I will hot, to avoid repetition',, again re- 
 hearse) to obey the elders that watch for them; to 
 hold such m reputation and to submit themselves 
 tothem that have addicted thi^gfelves to the 
 niinistry of thg saints, 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 16. 
 - Also, we see hpw the Lord makes use of John 
 his beloved disciple, to inform and rejprpve the 
 ^even churches of Asia:; andno dot:(bt John (the 
 rpat, by. the usual eompixtatioh, bemg atthat time 
 all removed) was then the mostnoted and famous 
 elder alive: ajad indeed I mind not where, under 
 the gospel, .Christ hath used any other- method ; 
 but that he alWays, in revealing his will, hath 
 
87 
 
 made use of such as he himself had before apr 
 poihted elders and officers in his church; though 
 it be far from us to limit the Lord, so as to ex- 
 clude any from this p'riyilegej'nor yet, on the 
 other hand, will the possibility hereof be a suffi- 
 cient warrant to allow every obscure member tp 
 stand up and offer to rule, judge and condemn 
 the whole body;.jior yet is it without cause that 
 such an one's message is jealousied and called in 
 question, unless it have very great evidence and 
 be^bottbmed upon, some very weighty and soUd 
 cause and foundation. And God, doth so furnish 
 those whom he raises up, in a singular manner, 
 of which (as I said) I mind ho instance in the 
 New Testament: and in the Old we. see, though 
 it was strange that little David Should"opposehim' 
 self to thjB great Gpliah, yet he had, before- that, 
 killed both the hon and the bear, which was no 
 less improbable; and which of all is most observ- 
 able, was, before that time, by the .appointment 
 of God arid the ha,nd of the prophet, arioin ted 
 king of Israel. Compare the 16th and ITth chap- 
 ters of. the first of Samuel. " 
 
 Now as to the third. That any particular per- 
 sons,, de facto, or effecfually grving-QUt apositive 
 judgment, is. ho encroaching nor imposing -upon 
 their brethren's conscience, is necessarily includ- 
 ed in what is said before; uponwhicli,€orfuf&Qr 
 probation, there will only need- this shctft reflec- 
 tion: that for any member or ineinba:s, in obedi- 
 ence to the Lord," to give forth a positive judg-^ 
 njent in the Church of Christ, is their proper 
 place and. office, they being called to it; and so 
 for them- to exercise that place in the body, 
 
88 . ,., 
 
 which the Head moves tliem to, is hot to usurp 
 authority over their' fellow meinbers. As, on the 
 other hand^ to submit and obey (it being the place 
 of some so to do) is not a-renouncing abeing led by 
 the Spirit, seeing the Spirit leads them so to do: 
 and not to obey, in base the judgment be accord- 
 ing to truth, and the Spirit lead to it, is, no' doubt, 
 botli offensive and sinful. And that all tliis may 
 be supposed in a Church of Christ" without ab- 
 surdity, and so establish the above-mentioned 
 propositions, will appear by a short review of the 
 forper passages. ' • .. 
 
 If that Peter and Jataes,' their giving a posi- 
 tive judgment in tiie case of difference in divers 
 particulars,, did not infer, them to be imposiers, so 
 neither will any so doing now, being led to it by 
 the same authority: every one may eS^sily make 
 the application. And, Oii the the contrary, if for 
 any tojiave stoqd up and resisted their judg- 
 ment, pretending an unclearness, or m, and. 
 thereby held up the difference after their sen- 
 tencie, breaking the peace and unity of the< 
 Church (things being concluded with an It seem- 
 ed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us) I say, if 
 such would have given just catise of offence, -and 
 have been cut off, as despisers of dignities of old,' 
 wilt not the like .case, now oceiirring, hold the 
 same conclusion? Nciw, whether those proposi- 
 tions do not hold, upon thfe principles before laid 
 down and proved, I leave to every judicious and 
 impartialreader to judge. 
 
 Moreover, we see how positive the apostle 
 Paul is ib. many 'particula:rstbroughqut all his 
 epistles, irisomuch as he saith, 2 Thess. lilt. v. 
 
89 
 
 14. If any man obey not Qur word by thi^ epis- 
 tle, not* that man, and have no company with 
 him, that he may be. ashamed. . And in many 
 more places, before mentioned, where he com- 
 mands them both to obey him, and.severaLptbers, 
 who were appointed,- (no doubt by the Spirit. of 
 God) to be rulers among them; and yet', who 
 wiU say, that either the apostle did more than he 
 ought in cominanding; x>r they less than they 
 were obliged to,, in submitting? And yet neither 
 were toldo any thing pontrary, or niore than the 
 Spirit of God in themselves led them to, .or, al- 
 lowed "them in, "And if the Church of God bear 
 any parity or proportion now in these days with 
 what it. did of old, (as I know no reasoii why it 
 should not) the same things may now be suppos- 
 ed to take effect that did then^^iid also be law- 
 fully done upon , the like occasion, proceeding 
 from the same Spirit, and established upon- the 
 same basis and foundation. And thus much, as 
 to that part, to show in whom the power of dpci- 
 siqn«is: which being seriously- and impartially 
 considered, is sufficient to clear us from the ty- 
 ranny, either of popery or twiy other of, that na- 
 ture, with- those that are not either wilfully blind, 
 or very ignorant of' popish principles, as 'th(B.« ju- 
 dicious reader may observe. But seeing to; ma- 
 nifest that difference was one of those: things pro- 
 posed to be considered of, I shall now come to 
 say something of it in its proper place. 
 
 8* 
 
90 
 SECTION vin. 
 
 Hoip this govet^riment altogether diff'eretJi frcym 
 the oppressing^ andper^eeatir^^ princip&lity of 
 the Church (f Rome, and other anti-Christian, 
 
 assemblies. " " ' ,, , 
 
 WHATEVER way we understand the Popish, 
 principles in this matter, whether of those that are 
 most devoted to the See of Rome, as the/ king of 
 Spain's dominions' apd the princes of Italy; the 
 Jesuit^ and generality of all those called religious 
 orders, who hold that Papa in cathedra non potest 
 errape, licet absque concilio; that is, that the 
 pope in his chair cannot err, though without a 
 council; or of those, that are less devoted who 
 plead liiis iufaHibiHty in the pope arid council, 
 lawfully convened, who yet,. by the more zealoiis, 
 are reckoned petty, schisinatics; I say, whatever 
 way we take tliem, all those that do profess them- 
 selves members of the Romish church, and are 
 so far such as to understand their own principles, 
 do tinquestjionably acknowledge, 
 
 First, That no general council can be lawfully 
 called without the bishop of Rome, as Christ's 
 vicar and Peter's successor, call it. 
 
 Secondly, That either he himself or some for 
 him, as his lega;tes,-must be there present and 
 always preside. 
 
 Thirdty, That the members having vote are 
 made up ofbishops or presbyters or commission^ 
 ers from the several orders, being of the clergy. 
 
 Fourthly, That what is concluded on by plu- 
 rtdity of votes ^nd agreed to by the pope and his 
 
91 
 
 legates, must necesSariiy be supposed to be the 
 jadgment of the infallible S^pirit. ^ 
 
 Fifthly,. That alLthe members of the church 
 are bound implicitly to. receive and believe it, be- 
 cause it proceeds from n council to be accounted 
 lawful in the respects above mentioned, without 
 regard to the intrinsic or real truths of the things 
 prescribed, or bringing them in any respect to 
 the test or examination of the %jirit of God in 
 themselves, or the scripture's testitoony, or their 
 agreement or disagreement with truths,' formerly 
 believed and received ; i^r so much as to prqve 
 or try them, by way of doubt, they reckon a 
 breach of the first comm^-tid; asj on the other 
 hand, a matter of merit; Implicitly to receive and 
 believe them, hoAVever inconsistent wijh the tes- 
 timony of the Spirit in one's own heart, .scrip- 
 ture, truth and reason. 
 
 Sixthly, That no* man, as a member of the 
 Church' of Christ, in that simple, capacity, un- 
 less a clergyman, or the ambassadbr of some 
 king, &;c. can be ' admitted to sifr, vote, or give 
 his judgmeilt. 
 
 Seventhly, That it is in no respect to be sup- 
 posed, that any members, especially laicks^ 
 whether in a particular city, country Or nation, 
 may meet eonicerning any things relating" to the 
 failii and worship, #, the Church, and give, by 
 the Spirit of fojd a,ny judgment; but that , all 
 such meetings are to b& accounted schismatical 
 and imlawful. And, ^ 
 
 Lastly,. TJiat the promise of infallibility, and 
 the gates of hell not prevailing^ is necessarily an- 
 nexed to the pope and council,' called and autho- 
 rized in the manner above expressed. 
 
92 
 
 -. . Now, if to deiiy e\^ery one of these proposi-; 
 ^;ions, wherein all understandiij^ men know the 
 errors and^buses of the Romish churph consist, 
 be to be pbpigh; then indeed may we be.suppps'* 
 ed to be one with the papists in this matter, but 
 not otherwise: so that the Very mentioning of 
 these things is sufficient, to show the difference 
 betwixt us and them. But ifany will needs plead 
 our agreement, with thfemthus^ , _ 
 
 ^ The papists affirm an infallibihty- of judgment 
 in the Church of , Christ, and so do you; there- 
 fore you are one with paj»ists. 
 
 I answer, that proves no more our oneness, ip 
 this matter, than if it should, be said, the papiists 
 plead that God ought to be worshipped, and so 
 do you; therefore ye agrees notwithstanding of 
 the vast differences as to tliatj which, is not only 
 known betwixt us and themi, bnt betwixt them 
 and all protestants, .whoagree more with tiiem in 
 the matter of worship than we do. 
 
 Next again, infallibility in the church (accord- 
 ing as we holdr it, and I have above defined it) 
 no man upon our supposition, or hypothesis, can 
 deny it. For since we first assert, as a princi- 
 ple, that no gathering, no church, nor assembly 
 of people,, howea^er true their, principles, or ex- 
 act their form be, are to be accounted the 
 Church of Christ, except th# infallible. Spirit lead 
 and guide; what can be the hazard to say, that 
 in such a. Church there is still an infallible judg- 
 ment? Indeed this is so far from popery, that it 
 reaves in a^ proposition quite contriadictory to 
 them. The Romanists say^ That the infallible 
 Spirit always accompanies the outward visible 
 
93 
 
 professors, and is aniiexed to the eternal succes- 
 sioti of bishops and pastors, though ever so vi- 
 cious as to their hves: yea, Ihough perfect* a-i 
 theists and infidels in their private judgments, 
 yet if outwardly professing the catholic faith, and 
 subjeiction to thechurch, they must be partakers 
 of the infallible Spirit. We say the quite con- 
 trary: That wh^re there is either viciousness of 
 persons, or unsoundness of jndgment in" the par- 
 ticular meinbers, these cannot, ■ by virtue of any 
 outward call or succession they have, or any pro- 
 fession they make, or authority they may pre- 
 tend to, so much as claim an interest in any part 
 of the Church of Christy or the infaUible Spirit-. 
 
 So then, if we admit none to be members of 
 tjie Church but- such a^ are ~ led and, guided by ^ 
 the Spirit, it will, be no popery, in the second, 
 place, to affirm", that where there is a company of 
 people so gathered, who are not any longer to re- 
 tain justljr the nattie of the Church of Christ than 
 they are fed and guidedf by his Spirit, or a church - 
 so quaUfied and designed j there is stjU an infalli- 
 ble judgment. So that this" infallibility is not 
 annexM to the" pea-soris,' to the succession, tq the: 
 bare visible profession (though true, which the 
 church of Rome is denied- to be) or to any socie- 
 ty, bepa,use of its profession) but singly, and 
 ^oine to the trtie, realandoffectualworkof^anc- 
 tification and regeneration,'' tiie new creature 
 brought forth in the;h6art: and this is 4he Spi- 
 ritual man, which the' ap>ostle.saith, judgeth all 
 
 • For some popes haTe.beei\knovra to deny, or at least tod'oubt 
 the truth of the scriptures as to the histpiy of Christ, and to call 
 in question the immortality of the eoi)l>^ttnd the resurrection. 
 
94 
 
 things, 1 Cor. ii. 15.- To affirm there: is an in- 
 faUibihty here, cannot well be condemned by any; 
 or whoso doth, must needa say, the Spirit of Glod 
 is. fallible r'for we place the infallibility, in the Spi- 
 rit, and id the power, not m the persons. And 
 so these are the degrees'we ascend by: "because^ 
 "such and such men are led by the- Spirit of 
 "God, and are obedient to. -the' grace, in their 
 "hearts, therefore are they membei^s and officers 
 "in the Church of Christ. And because' they 
 "are membftre* of. the Church of Christ in the 
 "respect before declared, therefore' there is* an 
 "infallible judgment among them." We do not 
 say,' Because such men profess the christian faith, 
 and hdve received an outward ordination, and so 
 are by a lawful succession formally established 
 'officers in the church, when they meet together 
 (according to certain rules'above declared) there 
 is ah infallibility annexed to theij conclusions, 
 and they cannot but decide what- is right; or ra- 
 ther, what they decide must needs be supposed 
 to be right. Who • seeth not here a vast dispro- 
 portion;?- . - -u-- 
 
 Now we differ herein .fuiidamentaily; that is, 
 as.to the very basis, and foundation upon which 
 we build; and that not only from the church of 
 Rome, but also from the generality ofprotestants 
 in this matter. ' :_ AH protestants do acloiowledge 
 a •general council ta be useful, yea necessary, m 
 th^ casfe of division or debate; let us consider 
 thfe basis upon which they proceed^ and the stress 
 they. lay upon it. 
 
 First, AH jointly, both the prelatical , and, pres- 
 byterial, will have this gyjiod or couijcil to con- 
 
95 
 
 sist of a convocation of the clergy, chosen and 
 sehtfrom the particular congregations, with some 
 few laick elders, called together by the civil ma- 
 gistrate, in case he be one in judgment; with 
 themi, • ^ ■ ^ ; 
 
 They decide by plurality of votes. And though 
 they assume not an absolute infallibility, iii that 
 they reckon it possible for thern to err," yet do 
 they reckon their decisions abligatory upon their 
 Supposed consonafrcyto the scripture; a;nd how- 
 ever do affirm that the civil magistr&,te hath piow- 
 er to constrain all to submit and obey; or else to 
 punish them either by death, banishment, impri- 
 sonment, confiscation of goods, or some other 
 C6rporeal pain; even thought such be persuadfed, 
 and offer to make appear, thaf "the decisidns^ they 
 refuse,- are contrary to the scriptures. ' .; 
 
 • And'lastly, (among the papists.) None, enough 
 otherwise confessed to be a member of the church, 
 both knowing and sober, except conuriissionate 
 in some of the respects above declared, can be 
 admitted to sit, tote, and give his- judgment. 
 
 Any that will be at the pains to ajDply. this to 
 the fouhdation I befor^ laid of the infallibility of 
 judgment, in that vre may account only to be tru- 
 ly; Ccillted the Chui;ch of Christ, wiU easily see 
 the great difference betwixt us, which I shall sum 
 up in these particulars: ; 
 
 First, Do we exclude any ^member of the 
 Church of Christ, that may be triily accounted 
 so,, from teUing his judgment? 
 
 Secondly, Do we say a man ought to be perse- 
 cuted in his outwards for his dissent in spirituals? 
 
 Thirdly, Do we plead that decision is to pass 
 eOBclusive, because of the plurality of votes? 
 
96 
 
 And much more, which the reader may ob- 
 serve from what is already mentioned; which, 
 that it Biaiy beall more ob\dc)us at one view, will 
 appear somewhat cleeirly by this foUpwing figure j 
 lyhich will give the. reader an oppol-tunity to re- 
 collect what lay heretofore AitDire scattered. 
 
 •I. The Romanists saf, 
 
 1. That there is an Sn- 
 fallibility in the Cliorch; 
 which infallibility is, 
 when the pope, calls a 
 general eouneif of bish- 
 ops, &e. that whatsoiBver 
 they conclude and agree 
 ■ upon must- needs be tfie 
 
 irrfalliblejudgment of the 
 Spirit of God, because of 
 the pi'omise of Christ, 
 That he would not suf- 
 fer the. gates of hell 
 to prevail against his 
 Church. 
 
 2. And that the pope 
 and council, made up of 
 certain of the clergy, ha- 
 ving one outward STleceS' 
 sion, and keiiig lawfully 
 ordained, according to 
 the canons, are that 
 church, to which tliat pro- 
 mise is mad.e, however 
 wicked or depraved they 
 be; yet this infallible 
 judgment follows them, 
 as being necessarily an- 
 nexed to tlieir office j in' 
 which the authority still 
 
 II. The generality qfpro- 
 . ' testants. say, 
 
 .1, That though all sy- 
 nods- and councils may 
 err; yet such assemblies 
 are needful for the edifi- 
 cation ^of the Church. 
 T^hat such do consist of 
 a convocation of the cler- 
 gy, with some few laicks 
 particularly chosen. That 
 all others, except those 
 so elected, have not any 
 right to vote of give 
 judgment. 
 
 - 2. That such an as- 
 sembty so constitute, may 
 ministerially determine 
 controversies of faith, 
 cages of conscjerice, mat- 
 ters of worship, and au- 
 thoritatively determine 
 the same. The deeisjpn 
 is to be by plurality of 
 votes, without any neces- 
 sary respect to the in- 
 ward holiness or regene- 
 ration of the^pefsons; if 
 so be they.be outwardly 
 called, ordained and in- 
 vested in such a place 
 
97 
 
 Btands in its full strength 
 and vigour. 
 
 3. So .tliat thcrci lies 
 an obligation ' upon the 
 whole, borfy of the church 
 to obey- their decrees : 
 and such as' do not, arc 
 not only certainly damn- 
 ed for their disobedience, 
 but tliat it is.the duty of 
 the civil iriagistrat^ .to 
 puifish sucli , by .death, 
 banisliment or imprison- 
 ment, &c. in' case they re- 
 fuse. 
 
 and capacity, as gives 
 them an .authority to be 
 members of such an as- 
 sembly. 
 
 3. What they thus de- 
 cide (as they judge ac- 
 cording to tlie scripture) 
 ought to be received 
 with reverence, and sub- 
 mitted to: and those that 
 do not, to be punished Ky 
 the civil magistrate by 
 (l^ath, banishment, or im- 
 prisonment, though they 
 ilcelare, and be ready to 
 evidence, that it ifi be- 
 cause they are not agree- 
 able to the scripture they 
 cfuse such decrees. 
 
 m. The Quakers sdy, 
 
 1 . That whereas none truly .ough|t, . nor can be 
 accounted the Church of Christ, but such as are 
 in.9.:ineasure sanctified, or s^actii^in^v by the 
 Grace of God, and led by his Spirit; nor yet any 
 made officers in the Qmrch but by 'tl;ie Grace of 
 God, and inward revelation of his Spirit (not by 
 outward .ordination or succession) from 'which 
 none is to be excluded, if so called, whether 
 married or a tradesman, or a. servant. 
 .. 2.. If so be in such a Chjirch there.should arise 
 any difference; there will be an mfaliible judg- 
 ment from the Spirit of God, which may be in 
 a generkl assembly; yet not limited to it,, a? ex- 
 cliiding others: and may prove the judgment of- 
 the plurality, yet not to he decided thereby, as, 
 if the infaUibility were placed there, excluding 
 •'9 
 
98 
 
 the fewer.' In which, meeting or assembly upon 
 suth an account, there is ho lifnitatioh to be of 
 persons particularly chosen; but thdt all that in 
 a true sense may be reckoned of the Church, as 
 being sobeir and weighty, may be present^ and 
 give their judgment. ,> 
 
 ,3. An4 that, the infaUible judgment of truth, 
 (which Cannot be wanting in suph a church) 
 whether it be given through one or more, ought 
 to be,- submitted to, not because such persons 
 give it, but because Jthe Spirit leads so to do; 
 which every one, coming to -in _ themselves, will 
 willingfy and naturally ass^t" to. Aiid if any, 
 through disobedience or uncleameSs, do not all 
 that the Church ought to do, she is to deny 
 them her spiritual fello\vship,^h case the nature 
 of their disobedience be of tlia,t ccwasequence as 
 may deserve such a censure;'* but by -no means, 
 for matter of conscience, to molest, trouble, or 
 persecute any in their outwards. 
 
 Who will lie at, the pains to compare these 
 three seriously together, J am hopeful will need 
 lio further aigumeiit to prove the difference!. 
 But if any will further object, what if it fall out, 
 de facto, that the teachers, elders, or plurality, do 
 decide (and from thence will say) tliis is like the 
 Church of Rome, and other false Churdies?-It 
 will be hard to prove that to be an infallible mark 
 of a wrong judgment, as we hjaTe not said it is of 
 a right. And indeed to conclude it were so, 
 would necessarily condrann the Church in the 
 apostles days, where we see the teachers and el- 
 ders, aiid so far as we can observe, the greater 
 number did agree to the decision, Acts i. 15* 
 
99 
 
 For if the thing bq right, and according to truth, 
 it is so much the better that the elders and great- 
 er number do agree to it ; And if wrong, their af- 
 firming it will not make it right: and truly a ga;- " 
 thering, jvhere the" elders and greater number are 
 always, or most frequently wrong, and the 
 younger and lesser number right, is sUch, as we 
 cannot supp<3se- the, true Churdh of Christ to be. 
 And if any will plead, that there is now no infal- 
 lible judgnient to be expected ;from- the Spirit of 
 God in ^e Church, it, no doubt, will lea-ve the 
 dissenters a^ much in the mist, and at as great a 
 loss, as those they dissent from; both being no 
 better than bhnd men, hitting at random, which 
 will turn Christianity into scepticism. And 
 though we may acknowledge, that this uncer- 
 tainty prevails in the generality of those called 
 Churches; yet we do firmly beUeve (for the rea- 
 sons above declared, and many more that might 
 be given) tliat the true Church Of Christ has a 
 more soKd, stable foundation; and being never 
 separated from Christ, her head, walks in a more 
 certain, steady, and unerring path. 
 
100 
 
 THE CONCLUSION. 
 
 The substance then of what is asserted and 
 proved in this treatise, resolves in these following 
 particMars. ' , 
 
 First, That inihe Church of Christ,' whSen it 
 Consists of a visiMe people (for I speak not here 
 of the Church ii;i the dark night of apostacy, that 
 consisted not of' any society visibly united) ga- 
 thered into the belief of certain principles, and 
 united in the joint performance of the worship of 
 Qod, as meeting together, praying, preaching, 
 &c. there is, and stU] must he, a certain order 
 and government. 
 
 Secondly, That this government, as to the' 
 outward form of it, consists of certain meetings" 
 appointed principally for that end; yet not so as 
 to exclude acts of worship, if the Spirit move 
 thereunto. ^ 
 
 Thirdly, The object of this government is 
 twd-fold, outwards and inwards. Th'e outwards 
 relate mainly to the care of 'the pboy, of widows 
 and fatherless; where may be alSo' included mar- 
 riages, and the removing of all scandals in things 
 undeniably wrong. The inwards respect an 
 apostacy, either in principles or practices that 
 have a prejtence of conscience, and that either in- 
 defnying some trilths already . received and Jje- 
 lieved, or asserting new doctrines ithat, ought not 
 to be received. Which again (to sub-divide) 
 may either be in things fundamental, and of great 
 moment; or in things of less weight in Aem- 
 aelves, yet proceeding from a wrong spirit, and 
 
101 
 
 which in the natul-al and certain consequence of 
 them, tend to make schisms, divisions, animosi- 
 ties, and in sum, to break that bond of love and 
 imity that is so needful to be upheld- and esta- 
 , blished in the Church of Christ, And here come 
 also under this consideration all emulations, 
 strifes, backbitings, and evil surmisings. , 
 
 Fourthly, That in the true, Church of Christy 
 (according to the definition above given of it) 
 there will, in such cases of differences andxon- 
 troversies, still be an infallil^e jijdgment from the 
 Spirit of God, either in one or other, few or 
 more. : 
 
 Fifthly, That this infallible judgment is only, 
 and uhaltei'ably, annexed and seated in the Spi- 
 rit and power of God; not to any particular per- 
 son or persona, meeting or assembly, -by virtue 
 of any settled ordination, office, .place or station, 
 that such may have, or have had in the Church; 
 no man, men, nor meeting standing, or being in- 
 vested in any authority in the Church of Christ, 
 upon other terms than so long as he or they abide 
 in the living sense and unity of the life in their 
 own particulars; which whosoever, one or more, 
 inwardly departs from ipso facto, loses all authori- 
 ty, office, or certain discerning, he or they formerly 
 have had, though retaining the true principles 
 and sound, form, and (may be) not fallen into any 
 gross practices, as may declare them generally 
 to be thus withered and decayed. 
 
 Sixthly, That Jesus Christ, under the gospel, 
 hath ordinarily revealed his wHl in such cases 
 through the elders and ministers of the Church, 
 or a general meeting;- whose testimony is neither 
 
102" 
 
 to be despised or rejected, without good cause. 
 Neither is their taking upon them really to de- 
 cide, any just ground to charge them with impo- 
 sition, or to quarrel with their judgment; unless 
 it can beprqvedj ^t they are decayed, and have 
 lost their discerning, as above. 
 
 Seventhly^ That to submit and obey in such 
 cases, is no detracting frpmthe common privi- 
 lege of Christians, to be inwardly led by the Spi- 
 rit, seeing the Spirit has led some beretofore so 
 to do, and yet may. And that every pretence of 
 unclearness is hot a sufficient excuse for diso- 
 bedience, seeing that may proceed from obsti- 
 nacy, or a mind prepossessed with prejudice: 
 Yet say I not any ought to do it before they be 
 clears and who are eve^ way right, will not 
 want clearness in what they oughtto dp. 
 
 And, lastly, That these principles are no ways 
 tainted with imposition or contrary to true liber- 
 ty of conscience: and that they fundamentally 
 differ froip the usurpation both of popery, prela- 
 cy, and presbytery, or any other of that nature. 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY, 
 
 FINIS.