lenged to set up a new government differing from the fundamental law of that kingdom? And, whether the first, is not a liberty to be stood upon, against the second, if it were vouchsafed to any kingdom ?-and that is the case here!—is humbly submitted. And the bounds of such assemblies elective, need no set or standing rule; because they arise from emergent occasions, in cases of controversy and offence: and the extent of them, and so the condition and nature of the things themselves, do hold forth their own rise; like as the bounds of particular congregations, to be of such as live so as conveniently to meet in one place, ariseth from the nature of the thing itself and the necessary requisites thereunto." a

"REASONS against the argument drawn from the analogy of Matt.

xviii.

The strength of the argument runs, That because there should be this remedy, that therefore there is such a remedy. It is granted, there is a remedy: which is, a going forth to other churches; which Acts xv. holds forth. But, that excommunication,'-which is the remedy held forth, Matt. xviii.,-of the offending church or churches, should be the 'remedy,' is not there held forth, as hath been shown. There is remedy of co-ordination, such as between two nations, and as between pares as churches are; proceeding in a way suitable to their condition but not this, of subordination,' that the greater number of churches should become standing courts, and have power to excommunicate the lesser; but, that all churches have a power to declare the offence, and withdraw communion from those churches. And in reason, how is it possible for a national church to excommunicate all the churches of a province ? and how ineffectual would that be! Or, for a General Council to excommunicate a nation? And if they cannot use this remedy,' to what end is this subordination of synods having this authority, pleaded for?

"i. And whereas it is said, That there must be the same remedy, that is, in a congregation, for an offending brother; or else, where the disease is strongest, the remedy is weakest. It is answered, first, that where the disease is strongest, there this which is called the strongest remedy cannot be applied; or with an apparent inefficaciousness. For, when the churches in a province err, or a national church; here the disease is strongest, and yet it would be in vain to interdict them communion among themselves, or deliver' them unto Satan; 1 Cor. v. 5. Yea, when it comes to the highest, namely, a National Assembly, wherein-if erring-the disease is greatest and strongest, there is not only no remedy,' but the highest and greatest power to do hurt upon all under them! as when the generality of the clergy were Arians. And if they err, the error is worse than of a Pope's erring, or a Bishop's; he is but one, and may be deposed. And in the greater bodies of the clergy, the greater part are and have been still the worse and more corrupt; as is apparent in this kingdom at present; in which, by virtue of the Presbyterial principles, all ministers must be taken in and if you will put them out, where will others be had in

a P. 128-130

their room? Convert men, we cannot ; and if not converted, ministers of all others are the worst, and greatest opposites to religion. And if a National Assembly be chosen by these, the greater number are like to be of the worst; and such as may alter all that you Now have done!

"And if it be said, That this will hold against great politic bodies as well, who may undo the commonwealth: the answer is, That the common and equal interest of all, and the common principles of preserving the rights and liberties of a state, and seeking the common good; is natural unto the generality of men: but the truths of the Gospel, and purity of religion and the power thereof; are contrary to the principles of all natural men. And in all ages, the most of the clergy have been aptest to corrupt the one and oppose the other. And in those ages, when such Councils began to be standing and in most credit, after the first three hundred years; then was it that the mystery of popery did work most powerfully, and those superstitions and corrupt opinions grew up which made way for that man of sin,' 2 Thes. ii. 3, and that body of popish doctrine that hath overspread the world. And if there should be no danger of corrupting the Truth, yet the churches, though Reformed, coming all out of popery and not being fully enlightened in all things, and the first notice of anything further in matters of theology usually falling into the hearts and spirits but of a few, we should have no further Truth taught, but oppressed, till a whole nation is [becomes] enlightened in it.

ii. The efficacy of all remedies doth depend, first, upon Christ's blessing on them; which, depends upon his Institution of them: and par ratio, for like reason,' will never set up an ordinance, unless Christ hath himself appointed it; and in the example, Acts xv., there is not this way of proceeding held forth. Secondly, it lies in suitableness to the condition of those that are to be dealt with. Now, when many churches deal with an erring church; the churches in a province, with many erring churches; or of a nation, with a province; they must be in reason dealt with suitably to the condition of churches and of a multitude. And surely, a brotherly way of admonition, etc. [2 Thess. iii. 15]; withdrawing communion, [verse 14]; is more suitable unto such. As in the civil government, if a province rebels, or a great multitude of subjects; should the state presently hang up all in that province ? although, unto particular persons rebelling, this is efficacious to suppress rebellion. Thirdly, Christ hath suited his remedies to all times, and unto all conditions; and, how national and provincial assemblies could be, during the first three hundred years, when yet churches were well governed, is submitted!

"iii. And, lastly; If the analogy of this 18th of Matthew be argued; then, first, let the analogy be kept: and then, when a church hath offended other churches, they are not to bring them to a set court of judicature at first; for Christ's rule is otherwise, in dealing with an offended brother; electively, to take two or three other churches, to admonish them,-which is more suited to that way forementioned, Acts xv. As for the proceedings against a brother, in a congregation;

there is not a set appointed number, of two or three standing persons to be the admonishers of all persons offending ere it comes to the church; nor have they power to excommunicate. And thus, by this proportion, instead of these set and standing provincial assemblies to whom causes are next brought, and these armed with power of excommunication; there should only be two or three or more neighbour churches to admonish the offending church; and not a standing court to bring it unto. And then, secondly, let it be shown where a standing 'synod of elders is called The Church! And how, then, can the analogy hold, when it holds not in the name; Tell the Church? The 'like reason' holds not, unless these Particular Congregations have the power of excommunication; for otherwise, if these greater assemblies' power be argued from the analogy of the lesser, and the same remedy excommunication, and the Particular Congregations have not that allowed them; then, by the principles of this analogy, it is nowhere to be found: but as the Congregational Churches have power only to admonish and suspend from sacraments, so the greater assemblies should have no more also. And though the Church Universal is called a Church, and 'one body' to Christ; yet as materially considered, and not as a politic body, in respect to government; which was never yet asserted by THIS ASSEMBLY."

Subscribed, as before, p. 494.

"REASONS against the Proposition touching Ordination: namely, "It is very requisite, That no single congregation that can conveniently associate, do assume to itself all and sole power in Ordination.'

"We offer these Reasons: i. Where there is a sufficient presbytery, 'all and sole power in Ordination' may be assumed, though association may be had: but there may be a sufficient presbytery in a particular congregation.

"The Major hath two parts; first, That a sufficient presbytery may 'assume all and sole power in ordination:' secondly, That it may do so, though it may associate.' The former is proved, 1 Tim. iv. 14, By the laying on of the hands of the presbytery,' as is voted by the Assembly; which is the only Scripture brought for Ordination by ordinary elders. The second part, appears, 1, Because association doth neither add to nor diminish the power of a presbytery: it is by way of accumulation, not privation; as is acknowledged by the Reformed Churches. 2, If association be so necessarily required, where it may be had; then, neither a classical, provincial, nor national presbytery, can assume all and sole power in ordination,' if there be any other classical, provincial, or national presbytery, with whom they may associate and that there is, or may be, always some, is necessarily to be supposed in these times of the Gospel; if any association, ought to be.

"The Minor, That there may be a sufficient presbytery, in a particular congregation; is proved, 1, By the Second Proposition touching

P. 130-133.

Church Government, sent up to the Honourable Houses of Parliament, namely, 'A presbytery consists of ministers of the Word, and such other public officers as are agreeable to, and warranted by the Word of God, to be church-governors to join with the ministers in the government of the church: all which, may be, in a particular congregation. 2, Wherein consists, The sufficiency of a presbytery? The number of how many elders, is not set or bounded by Institution: suppose two or three; and if more be requisite, in a particular congregation there may be four or five and a presbytery over many congregations, is acknowledged to be sufficient though it consist of no more. If they have this power as a sufficient presbytery, why not the other also? Have they their power only as having relation to many congregations? Is that, the essential requisite to their sufficiency? Here are elders and as many elders, having relation to a church; and the argument used by the Reverend Assembly, to prove a presbytery over many congregations, is, That elders are mentioned in relation to one church!

"ii. That which two apostles, being joined together, might do in a particular congregation; that, ordinary elders may do in a particular congregation but Paul and Barnabas ordained elders in particular congregations, though they might associate. Therefore, etc.

"The consequence appears thus, If the argument brought by the Rev. Assembly do hold, namely, That when the apostles met together for ordination; or for ordering the affairs of the church of Jerusalem; they met as ordinary elders;'-which they have voted :-then, surely, when Paul and Barnabas met to ordain elders in particular congregations, it is to be averred they met for that act as ordinary elders.'

"The Minor hath two parts, first, Paul and Barnabas ordained elders in particular congregations: secondly, That they might associate. First; That these were particular congregations, wherein they ordained elders, appears, Because it is not supposable that the cities, much less the regions round about, where the apostles preached and erected churches-as appears by Acts xiii. 49, compared with xiv. 6, 21-23,-were grown to many congregations before the apostles appointed elders to them: for the apostles, who were to preach in all places, would not stay so long in one place; and it was their course when they were there, ikavòi, as at Derbe, xiv. 21, to set elders to them. Again; this was the first ordination of elders to those places; and therefore, must needs be to particular congregations; for the classis, is made up of the elders of many congregations. Lastly; they ordained elders Kar' ÉKKλnoíav and avroic, verse 23; and at their ordaining, they fasted and prayed, commending them to the grace of God: which fasting and praying, being according to the principles of us both-to be in particular congregations; it followeth, that the churches' to which those elders were appointed, were particular congregations.

"For the second [part], That they might associate: it appears, Because there were churches in the regions round about, and yet the apostles mention not, association, which they would have done if that had been the way; for when they did things with ordinary elders, it

is thus recorded, "The apostles and elders:' but they commend them to the grace of God, as Paul did the church of Ephesus, Acts xx. 32; as leaving sufficient means to perpetuate succession, and to ordain other elders if any should die, as also to build them up to eternal life." a

Subscribed, as before, p. 494.

CHAP. LX.

LAUD'S EXECUTION.-BURTON'S " GRAND IMPOSTOR."

It is recorded in our pages, that the "two-handed engine" was made to perform its office on the first victim of a Triumvirate, whose extreme fate, as it does at this distance of time, so may ever continue to excite the best feelings of humanity. The second, is described, by no hostile hand, in terms not inapplicable to any one of the three:

"Mark'd out by dangerous parts, he meets the shock."c

Concerning this one of whom we are now treating, we know not over which to lament the more, his injudicious friends or his unrelenting enemies, they who dignify him under the style of "SAINT

a P. 190-192.-We cannot withhold the extraordinary proem to the "Answer" of the Presbyterians on this Proposition, which had been introduced into the Assembly the first in order, but was the last disposed of: "Among all the Propositions which the Assembly presented to the Honourable Houses of Parliament concerning Ordination, our Brethren have singled out this one, to which they enter their Dissent; as if this alone were opposite to their opinions touching this matter. Which, whether it be so, or that there was not some other reason of their insisting on this rather than on any of the rest, themselves best know. We remember that in a Proposition not altogether unlike to this, some others of the Assembly differed somewhat in the debate from the major part and we have observed our Brethren ready enough to take notice and make use of any such differencealthough sometimes but in point of method; as, whether of two propositions, this or that should be first debated;-and to talk of a Third Party in the Assembly. We observe likewise, that the arguments here brought against this Proposition, are not properly arguments of their own [!], nor pressed by themselves in the Assembly, nor such as are most suitable to their own opinions; [!] but arguments used by others in that debate. And whether that difference were not some reason why our Brethren chose rather to insist upon this Proposition in their Dissent than on some other, themselves are best able to determine. We expected from our Brethren -in a search for Truth, not a contest for Victory-arguments to prove That every single congregation,' &c. . . We must observe also of these borrowed arguments [!] brought by our Brethren against this Proposition, that neither of them concludes against the Proposition in debate." P. 185 [195]. The proceedings of the Erastians, as the "Third Party" in the Assembly, are stated and remarked upon by Neal, in the 6th chapter of the third volume of his History of the Puritans. b See back, p. 137.

"The Vanity of Human Wishes," by Sam. Johnson, LL. D. And see his opinion of Laud, in the Lives of Cheynel and Blake.