their objections, or propound further questions, as they think fit, until they be satisfied, if it may be.-Ibid.

Art. ix. "If in the end, the said messengers be not satisfied, then they, or so many of them, as concerning whom they are not satisfied, either in point of knowledge or grace, are forbidden to enter into church-estate: and so remain still, as before, out of the pale of the church.-Ibid.

Art. x. "If at length, they be fully satisfied, and all doubts cleared, then the said persons proceed to enter into church-covenant; which, being written, one of them reads, and all of them subscribe it; and so they are become a true constituted visible church, as they say.-Ibid.

Art. xi. "Which being done, the said messengers of the other churches give them the right hand of fellowship, and own them for a sister church: and so, returning back, do make report to the churches that sent them, of all things done, and declare to them that they are to account of them as of a true church of Christ. Ibid.

Marg. note, on Art. x. "If so much time, and so many circumstances, be needful to join seven or eight together into one church; how much time would be requisite to join three thousand together? But our Brethren will acknowledge the apostles went a shorter way to work, Disc. of Cov. p. 29, 30. The reason whereof they tender, Because the church was not then subject to so many hypocrites; ' which is more than any man knows, when Christ saith, Many are called, few chosen.' Matt. xx. 16; many seek, but few find. Besides, this course is used, by our Brethren, not to ordinary Christians only, but to the most godly and approved. I believe, therefore, it was rather because the Holy Ghost had given them no such direction, nor was this manner of church-constitution then hatcht."

66

Now, what can W. R., or any man, object against the substance of things done in this relation: some mistakes only excepted, in the laying of it down? One would think the godliness of the persons, joining the plainness and sincerity of their dealing, from the beginning to the end; their care and endeavour to do all as becomes saints,' and to begin this holy and weighty business, as in the sight and presence of God, with fasting and prayer; at least, should stop men's mouths from speaking ill of them and their ways: yet W. R. fails in his dealing with them, in divers points, which I desire to advertise him of in the spirit of meekness... He speaks twice of the messengers of the magistrate,' Art. vi., viii... but there is no such thing done; the magistrates come themselves in person, if they can, or, if not, they send no deputies or inessengers: the churches, indeed, send messengers,-commonly their Elders, to lend them a word of counsel, if they need; being more experienced in those ways than, commonly, new beginners are; to join their prayers with theirs, and to give them the right hand of fellowship. .. In Art. viii.,.. and his marginals upon it, . . are many unwise and uncharitable passages laid unjustly to our charge; and all those without any proof at all but only H. W.; J. W.;' and who knows where to consult with them ?.. None may speak a word, but soberly and orderly; and not without leave desired and granted; not how much he will, nor 'what he please,' but things very weighty and necessary, and not of any failings to their disparagement: for if they be unsatisfied with any of them, in point of 'discipline,' or matters of fact, they are first to deal with them in private; seeing they know before, both the persons that are then to join, and the time and occasion of that day's meeting. And, I am confident, never a godly, sober man will write otherwise... Art. ix., is as wide as the rest for the 'messengers' never arrogated to themselves such power to this day... The most they do at any time, in this

case, is to desire leave to be faithful in interposing their counsel; and that only when they see very great cause; and withal, leave them to their Christian liberty.".. T. W. p. 33, 35.

The unusual length of our representation of the present dispute, has induced us to defer the remainder to the next chapter.

CHAP. LII.

RATHBAND AND WELDE, CONTINUed.

THIS chapter being but a continuation of the subject which occupied the chief portion of the chapter preceding, is entered upon without further preface.

Chap. VI. Art. i. "They hold that every such Company, as aforesaid, though never so small, consisting of private persons only, that is, such as are in no church-office, and, perhaps, all illiterate too, yet is [are] rightly and immediately intituled to all the privileges of the visible church of Christ, and invested with all ecclesiastical power from Christ, as the first and proper receptacle thereof; have the keys of the kingdom of heaven committed to them, and may now forthwith administer and partake of all church-ordinances,-except only sacraments,execute all church-censures; and, transact all their own businesses within themselves.-Ans. to 32 Q., p. 10, 41, 44, 48-50; Cott. Cat. p. 10; R. M. to W. R.; R. M. to E. B. p. 4; J. W. Ans. to 10 Quest.

See Rob. Justif. p. 106, 107, 112, 121, 122, 125—127, 138, 190, 113, 167, 184, 198, 331; Sion's Prerog. Royal, pref.; Barr. Discov. p. 39. Art. ii. "The particular sorts of which church businesses are these, Admission of more members into their society: Authoritative admonition of members offending: Binding; and excommunicating of such as, having offended, prove incorrigible: Loosing, and authoritative forgiving such as, upon admonition and excommunication, do repent; re-accepting them into the communion of the church again Making, that is, examining, electing, and with imposition of hands ordaining their pastors, and all other their officers: Unmaking, that is, degrading and deposing them again, when they see cause so to do: Preaching, that is, expounding and applying the Word; with all authority, to the several uses of their members: And, generally, whatsoever else may concern the edification and spiritual good of that society, save only, the administration of the seals. And all this, before they have any officers; or if they have any, yet without reference to them as officers at all. And when they have ministers, then they have sacraments too.-Ans. to 32 Q., p 10, 15, 41, 42, 44, 45, 48-50, 68; Cott. Cat. p. 10-12; Disc. of Cov. p. 23; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, 70, 76, 77; J. W. Ans. to 10 Quest.; R. M. to E. B. p. 4; R. M. to W. R; Apol. p. 24.

Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111."

"He reports,-to recite such things only as most need answer, and let the rest pass,-Arts. i. ii., That we hold' that Christ hath invested with all power any that are in church-fellowship, etc. If I did delight in retorting, I could say of these words as he, of Holland Ministers' Apology, they are a mere gull;' for almost so many words so many mistakes! The Narrator should have done well first to have proved all the churches and ministers in New England men out of their wits, and void of common sense; and then he might more easily have made the world believe they 'hold' and practise such a congeries of absurdities and impossibilities: for, else, many of them there being well known to

be learned, godly, and sober men, no wise men will believe him that they can 'hold' that 'illiterate' men can examine 'pastors' fitness ; depose them at pleasure; preach, expound, and apply the Word with all authority;' and that, without any 'reference' to their officers at all: and, which is most strange, that Christ himself hath 'invested' these 'illiterate' ones with all power' to do all these things!

"It is a received practice amongst us, that when any combine into a church, there is one, at least, of them endued with able parts of human and divine learning; that either hath been a minister in our native country, or is fit to be one amongst them; who usually and frequently preacheth to them after they are united. So that all of them are men not illiterate;' and W. R. himself knows this to be true, for the 'Answer to the Thirty-two Questions, p. 42,.. directly saith this, in so many words. That those illiterate' men do examine their ministers' abilities and that we 'hold' they ought: is another great mistake; for so we should put men upon a work beyond their reach, which were idle. Whereas the truth is, that, if the sufficiency of such men as they intend to call into office, be not well known to them, they use to call in the help and assistance of Elders in other churches, to survey their abilities, and to inform them therein; that thereby, as well as their own experience of them, and discerning of their gifts, they may be able to give in their suffrage for election when the time comes. For their 'unmaking' and 'deposing them again, when they see cause;' we hold and profess it a thing most injurious to Jesus Christ himself in heaven, and to his ministers on earth... We are so far from holding this, that we protest against such practices. And, to show how wary we are in this point,.. his quoted author speaks, Ans. to 32 Quest. p. 41, 'Our practice is, in removal of ministers, to have counsel and assistance from sister churches.' Whereas he saith also, that we 'hold' that men 'illiterate' should preach with all authority,'-which is a work and a task for the ablest ministers to perform,-.. we deny not, but in some cases some able, judicious, experienced Christians may humbly and soberly, when necessity requires,-as in the want of ministers, and being invited thereunto, dispense, now and then, a word of exhortation to their brethren this is far enough from 'preaching,' in an ordinary way, 'with all authority;' which are words of his own, put in without any ground. But, for him to add that we 'hold' they may thus preach when they 'have' officers, and that 'without' any 'reference' at all to them! is extremely contrary to our practice, and furthest from the truth... And this expression of his is contrary to his own Narration, in Art. viii. [infra.].. You will think, sure, his proofs are strong: . . true, he quotes many; and that I might see his bottom, I have surveyed all the printed authors in every page quoted; and I solemnly profess it! that none of these particulars rehearsed as he hath laid them down, much less in them all, will any of them bear him out; and I desire the reader to try whether I blame him justly or not, by perusing the books. But, that you may see how soberly and cautiously his quoted authors speak of churches using their liberty, I will write their own words: Ans. to 32 Q., p. 44, 'We conceive every church hath right from Christ, to transact all their church-business,' mark the cautions, if so they be able, and carry mat

ters justly and according to the rules of the Word.' How different are those words from his yet this is the very place he cites!.. Dare you, [W. R.], pray for a 'blessing' on your book, as in the last words of your preface you do; .. when it is so stuffed and bombasted with such fearful untruths and slanders?" T. W. p. 36—39.

Art. iii. "All which things they claim to themselves power to do, without any authoritative concurrence or assistance of any other churches or their officers; which they hold unlawful in others to offer and in themselves to accept or admit.-Ans. to 32 Q., p. 41; R. M. to E. B. p. 10.

Rob. Justif. p. 335, 339."

"Authority is either immediately from the person,-and that, some call coercive and forcing,—or from the rule,-and that, some call doctrinal; no less binding than the other.-The former, in transacting church-matters, we use not for want of Scripture grounds that Christ hath given any other churches, or their officers, power over us: the latter, upon all occasions we improve by calling in the assistance of other churches; and hold ourselves bound to follow their counsel as far as it is grounded on the Word." T. W. p. 39.

Art. iv. "Therefore they ordinarily convene together, before they have any officers, and hold public ecclesiastical meetings, and execute all ecclesiastical duties and offices,-sacraments only excepted,―by mere laymen, that neither are nor, perhaps, ever shall be officers in the church.

Art. v. "This church, being thus invested with all church-power, deriveth part thereof upon her officers, namely, so much as she cannot conveniently execute herself, and the rest she keeps still in her own hands, and executes accordingly.Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57; R. M. to W. R; R. M. to E. B. p. 4.

Barr. Discov. p. 223.

Art. vi. "The officers have no power in church-matters but what the chureh deriveth on them, and which she may revoke and resume unto herself if she conceive they do not use it well.-Ibid. And, therefore, she may call them to account for their actions, though they were even apostles themselves.-J. Cott. on 5 Vials, p. 10."

".. If great need require, they may admonish him [their officer]; and if no other means will possibly cure, they may at last, for incorrigible going on in manifest abuse of his place, excommunicate him; but in no wise, while he abides in office, to resume their power and enter upon his work. Observe him again, quoting his author.. who is not for him, but against him! Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 'No member, without breach of order, and presuming above his place, may do our ministerial acts of church-government; but the presbyters may only do them!' Which answer of ours doth also take off those marginals [against Arts. viii. ix.], . . and part of Art. vii. also, that speaks to the same effect." T. W. p. 39.

Art. vii. “The officers are all but the church's servants, in propriety of speech; and she is the mistress, the queen. In all things she hath the power of decreeing, and they with her, as others the meanest members of the society: but as ministers, so they are only as her mouth to speak and her hand to act what she decrees; doing all things for her, by her power and in her name.-Ibid.; Mr. N. to W. R.; R. M. to W. R.

Rob. Apol. p. 49.; Rob. Justif. p. 121, 122, 138, 166, 178, 180, 185, 303, 322."

"That all officers are the church's servants,' was no strange thing to a minister far better than any of us, 'Ourselves your servants [douλove] for Jesus' sake:' 2 Cor. iv. 5. But.. he will in this, as almost in all

his Articles, be still adding something of his own to blur the business: therefore he saith, we 'hold' officers but the church's servants;' which word 'but,' implies a vilifying of ministers and their place. Whereas we have learned 'to esteem them very highly, for their work's sake;' 1 Thess. v. 13: and also, that they are 'only' servants; nothing 'but' servants! whereas we know that they are governors also. He adds another expression of his own, 'in propriety of speech,' and makes a great stir in his margin on that; . . whereas it is his own addition, and not our speech. The officer may be said to be a ruler and a servant too, in divers respects, as Heb. xiii. 17, with 2 Cor. iv. 5; and Christ himself is both; and so is the greatest prince in the world a 'servant' to the commonweal. But his [W. R.'s] spirit is loth to acknowledge this; and [he] labours to evade it by such arguments as the Bishops made use of for their sole power in the church; but we know, to be servants of the church, is no other than to be for the church; and not the church for them [rulers], equally... In this case, the maxim of law holds good in divinity, that a king is singulis major, universis minor; so the church-officers are singulis majores, ecclesià minores!" T. W. p. 39, 40.

Art. viii. "The acts which they ascribe unto the officers are such as these, namely, To declare, unto their people, the mind of God in any matter; to advise, counsel, exhort, reprove, etc.: To moderate in church-meetings that order may be observed, by propounding of things to be debated; gathering of voices; pronouncing the sentence accordingly: To execute all the church's decrees, in admission of members, ordination of ministers, admonition, excommunication, etc.—Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57 ; Cott. Cat. p. 3, 10; Cott. on 5 Vials, p. 9, 10.

Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111, 114, 116, 121; Canne's Neces. of Sep. p. 135. Art. ix. "Every member of the society, that is of years, except women, hath equal power with other, even with the ministers themselves, as they conceive,— in propounding, debating, objecting, answering, and in judicially decreeing and giving sentence in all matters of the church, whether pertaining to faith or manners doctrine or practice whatsoever.-W. T. to P. H; Mr. W. Let. to a friend; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 44.

Bar. Refut. of Giff. p. 81; and in his Discov. p. 36, 38, 125, 223;
Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111, 121; Sion's Prerog. Roy. pref.

This body is all eye, and all tongue, no diversity of members, all governors, none to be governed: all teachers; contrary to the apostles' rule, 1 Cor. xii. 29. .. They complain in print, and otherwise, that ministers are slighted amongst them, yea, trampled upon by some: Cott. on Vial 2nd, p. 24; Mr. H. to S. A. They profess to condemn Morellian and popular government, but what can be more popular than this?.. At most they are but as the Speaker in the House of Parliament, or as a Moderator in a Synod; which rule not, but are rather ruled."

"The relator of a story,-especially when he pretends and promiseth to write nothing material but from his cited authors,-should be faithful, and not make bold grossly to vary from the matter, manner, words, scope, and all; much less to cite authors that speak against him! But if you read his author, Ans. to 32 Q., p. 44, the place cited even now, you will find that 'The church,' indeed, ‘hath a right, within herself, to transact her own matters;' but how? according to the rights of the Word.' Did the Word' ever give people liberty equal with the ministers? Doth it not professedly condemn such doing in the church? And yet this is the only printed author of our own that we can come at, brought to justify this absurd Article. Besides, all men know, that are seen in our ways, it is against our principles to have people propound,