IN Church discipline or the affaires of the Church, it was the great expectation of the people of God, and the grant of Authority they rejoyced in, that there should be a due regard had to tender Consciences: Yet Episcopacy, Presbytery, &c. having, as they conceived, the sword of authority in their hand, made some Saints groan, and their cry hath come up into the eares of the Almighty, [Page 2] who hath said, Touch not mine annointed, and do my Pro­phets no harm: For, if ye touch them, ye touch the apple of mine eye. And having taken to himself his great power, and powring forth his Viols of wrath, most have blas­phemed and not repented, and in the confidence of their wayes, have not eyed, whether Moderation hath been found in them, and that Righteous Law, Quod tibi ne feceris, alteri ne facias, (the Perspective Glasse into all Lawes) hath been by them neglected. And hence come Warres, Fightings, Back-bitings, &c. and who knows how soon the cryers of Hosannah may cry, Crucifie, Cru­cifie?

And the ground of this hath been Zeal, (but not ac­cording to knowledge. Therefore it is necessary to con­sider Zeal, First, As it hath been contrary to God and his People. Secondly, As it may, and ought to be, eve­ry Christians practise.

Zeal then considered, as contrary to God and his People, will not need much labour to prove, as having been by most of the people of God granted, and by their practise, in opposition to the Lawes in force under Episcopacy, and Presbyterie, made manifest. For the slying of some to New England, to Holland, and to se­cret Coverts, to avoyd the High Commission, testifies clearly, the truth of their sufferings, rather than to con­form to the Act of Uniformity. And the keeping up of the same Lawes in the time of Presbyterie, shewes the same spirit active then.

But it may be Octjected, That those very Ministers, that cost many vast estates, to carry and maintaine them be­yond the Seas, do come and enjoy the fattest livings in the land now, and performe every thing those Ministers did a­gainst whom they cryed, Seperate, and be ye seperated, and therefore it will be necessary to enquire, whether there were a true ground to seperate, and whether those things, so zealously imposed, were against God and his People.

The Tracts are many and large against mixt Commu­nions, which to every understanding man (to whom [Page 3] these are intended) are so clear, that I shall forbear to to urge any more texts than, come out of her my people, and, what fellowship hath light with darknesse. And my opinion is, that whosoever shall command any thing in the worship and service of God, sits in the Temple of God as God, and if he does command Tables to Altars, making of Churches and Ministers thereto, jure divino, He is Antichrist in the height, and sits in the Temple of God, against God, an Enemy ready for destruction: And whosoever obeyeth such commands is to be separa­ted from, in it.

But it will be Objected, That there was never any thing imposed yet, but under colour of Scripture Authori­ty.

To which I Answer, Their works accordingly were burnt up and they suffered losse.

It will be Objected againe, That fear of flying to high may cause a flying to low, therefore if no course be taken by Authority in Settlement of Religion, the consequences appears already to be very dangerous.

To the which I Answer, That the most disputable points (most commonly insisted on for setling Church Government) about the visible Churches, the Ministe­ry, and Sacraments, will not be found any wayes con­ducing to the ends proposed. For the great advan­tage to the civilizing of People to extirpate all vicious­nesse, and to encrease knowledge in the Scriptures, hath been the Preaching of the World, or the Saints of God giving forth their apprehensions of the Scriptures, which are the Preachings of the Prophets and Apostles, and as they were sent, so by their writings do preach to the end of the world. And this present age hath been much puzled, labouring to find out, and set up men as their successours, which prosecuted, vi & armis, with their interests, hath caused the Judgements of God, who will vindicate his own way.

And therefore before I go to lay down that Order of Preaching or searching the Scriptures necessary for the [Page 4] Nation, I shall briefly set forth the true and false Mini­stery.

The true Ministery seems to be held forth to me, in Ephes. 4. v. 11, 12. And he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors, some Teachers, for the joynting or grafting in of the Saints into the work, of the Ministery. And the Lord accordingly hath own­ed the Ministery in this Land, qua Saints, and disown­ed and punisht that which was set up Authoritatively, as an Idoll, or as one having a gold ring, and as it stopt the mouthes of other Saints, met in the fear of the Lord. And as the Observator upon Clement, Pauls fellow-la­bourer, the best piece of Antiquity in the world shewes, that in his time, when there was a visible Church, a vi­sible Ministery, &c. That even then, as he writes, omnes Sancli sunt Cleri; And the word Laicus had not to this day obtained a place in our Lexicons. It would certainly be dangerous to set up a Ministery of mans making. But as this is dangerous to assert, in these times wherein we hope better things, I am bold to adventure the danger, not knowing that I erre from the most Orthodox Wri­ters, Scriptures, or Councels.

As for Writers to the point of the visible Church, never any of note, or worth noting, answer Bellarmin, and the Papists, otherwise, than that it is not necessary the Church should be Visible: Willet in his Synopsis Papismi uses it, and so does Calvin, and all the chief Writers. Which seems to me a weak answer, and this day it is the first point, and onely one, a Jesuite insisteth on against us, and our unhandsome dealing therein wil­ing to keep our Hierarchy, hath sent thousands back to Rome.

For in truth if a visible Church (most commonly by lovers of Truth) adjudged theirs for the Channel, la­boured to be cut by divers, seems to have the impregna­ble Alps in the way. But if no visible Church, no visible Ministery, being as inseperable as the soul from a living man. And many of our late Orthodox Writers say ex­presly, [Page 5] that the Church was invisible, as Brightman, and divers others. And the Scriptures are evident for it; for upon the opening of the seventh Seale, the Sun was darkened, the Moon lost her light, and the Starres fell from heaven, which was doubtlesse the ceasing of the visible Church, foretold by our Saviour in the Evange­lists, to follow immediately after that Generation was past away.

And Scripture seemes to hold forth clearly the Church to be invisible, if the Covenant of God be that formale esse of a Church, which gives the being, then as the Covenant is spiritual so is the House; for the Covenant of Circumcision was visible, if that such did shew forth the death and resurrection of Christ, they were legall, and being shadowes must passe away, the Substance being come. For sayes the Apostle, The Law hath the shadow of good things to come: by which we know, what was legall and ceremonious, which Lawes and Ceremonies, the Apostle writing of them, as they were under divine institution, termes them, beggerly and weak: and if we did truly know and weigh the new Covenant, and the enjoyment thereof, we should be so farre from contesting about meats, and drinks, and dayes, and washings, that if there were di­vine institution upon them, yet to be valued no fur­ther than as to fulfill all righteousnesse, and not to be lookt upon as serving to purifie the Conscience, where­as the New Creature is All.

And if it appear then, that the Covenant is altoge­ther spirituall, doubtlesse the House is spirituall; one Holy Catholique Church, as the first, and all Councels, worthy the name, conclude. And doubtlesse the Coun­cels of England, making those new Distinctions of the Church of England, and Parish Churches, used the word as Heathens did, or as some of our late Councels, to be so jure humano, by which they were in a fair way to settle the Nation, but the violence of some spirits, if not self interests, that they might give law to them that [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] made them, by a Law would be jure divino, till divine Justice vindicated his own honour.

And if the Lords going through the red Sea, in de­stroying those enemies, be worthy our observation, and if so much can be said, as before, to shew the invi­sibility of Church and Ministry, for quatenus a Saint, he is invisible from a hypocrite.

I say then, if that Ministry of Saints under bondage, hath been so beneficial to the Nation, and the onely meanes of good, to the ends before proposed, let true Zeal propagate it to freedome.

Zeal then truly considered, to propagate the Go­spel to freedome, admits of a Quaere, Whether it should be Coercive or not Coercive.

To which if I should positively answer, I know my doom, the judgements of men standing on each side like Scilla and Charibdis. And because I intend to shew the unnecessariness of a Coercive power, I might well passe it by.

But if I put in a word, it may not be altogether un­necessary. I shall say then, that if the Magistrate may Coerce any civill assembling, why not this? why not a metting to read a Chapter? &c. under the same stamp of jure humano; and if upon any other account, as jure divino, to order any thing in Gods worship, my opinion is, he sits in the Temple of God as God, and if he Coerce, God will grind him to pouder.

But I shall proceed to shew the unnecessariness of a Coercive power, the Independent, and Anabaptist, and all Church-fellowships of the same nature need it not. The lost sheep onely stand in need; and what's their cry? When will the State settle Religion? we live like Heathen; and indeed their case is sad. And if the State would but appoint them a way for acquainting them with the Scriptures, and order a Discipline for ruling their lives and conversations, I am confident the fore named fellowships would not outshine them, and thereby the Divisions in the Land, upon the account [Page 7] of one more holy than his fellow taken away: and one­ly a holy emulation remain, as who should be most ho­ly in truth. It will be necessary then, to proceed par­ticularly in the appointment of a way for the acquaint­ing of the lost sheep of the Nation with the Scri­ptures.

The persons necessary to be imployed in such a work, are worthy our consideration.

First, If they be members of Congregations, it will break the Congregations.

Secondly, Such as are likely to extend the appoint­ments of Authority to a yoke, and heavily impose it, will overthrow the intended work.

Thirdly, If the lost sheep be prejudiced against such persons, the ends proposed will not be effected.

Fourthly, Conveniency of time and place suites not with Church-Members.

Fifthly, The emulation to holinesse is taken away betwixt them.

Sixthly, The enlargednesse of spirit to each others good, appeares not in them.

Seventhly, It may be much feared, that the precious opportunities in such meetings, will be devoured in vain janglings, and questions, about Church-form, neglect­ing the substance.

Eighthly, If the lost sheep shall not partake of the Sacraments, &c. with those sent unto them, it will cause breach of love, &c.

Ninthly, In settlement of Religion, Peace and agree­ment is chiefly to be sought, which cannot be betwixt persons so different.

Tenthly, If persons of enlarged spirits, as Mr. Sterry, Mr. William Sedgwick, Mr. Dell, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Sprigg, &c. be appointed a Committee into severall Counties, for putting in force the Order intended, as to time, place, persons, and the work to be done, quam facile est.

The time most sutable will be the first day of the week.

The place would be most convenient sutable to the persons.

The persons intended, are one, two, or more Parishes, as those Commissioners shall see fit, wherein will be be found some 4, 6, or 8. fit for Moderators, to preserve the meeting from confusion, being wise, holy in life, knowing in the Scriptures, that whatsoever is done may be for edification.

The Work intended, wherein the Nation would re­joyce, is the reading of the accustomed Psalmes and Chapters in the Old and New Testament; and I should argue, if my child loved History, as the Chronicles, so he read in the Bible, I should like it, and not doubt to be able to shew him something very profitable; and if he should inquire and search after the meaning, I should rejoyce in it, and think my self happy, and why not the meanest in the Nation have the same priviledge, though it were good civill policy to disown such children as live disorderly. And commending the word of exhor­tation and instruction to the Moderators, I shall (in­tending brevity all along) forbear a more exact form in the Method, conceiving such persons named more fit.

There remaines, in Order to a more excellent shining of the Nation, a Discipline, which was never practised but in the non-conformable Churches, which causes their shining, but drawn forth into Questions of Church Mi­nistery and Sacraments, by the Church of England. And the severity of that Discipline, for such questionable things, from their own mouthes, runs so in their Disci­ples mouthes, that it would make a man tremble, especi­ally if they are in authority, that it strikes like lightning. And under this Discipline, most commonly a Heritique judgeth a Saint a Heretique: And therefore all judging for matter of Opinion I forbear, conceiving as the Apo­stle, That if such a one comes in he will be judged of all, and, that Truth seeks no sword for its Protector.