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 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2009 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/reportoncongregaOOwood 
 
) 
 
REPOET 
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM, 
 
 INCLUDING A 
 
 MANUAL OF CHURCH DISCIPLINE, 
 
 TOGETHER WITH THE 
 
 CAMBRIDGE PLATFORM, 
 
 ADOPTED IN 1648, 
 
 THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, 
 
 ADOPTED IN 1680. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 BENJAMIN PERKINS & CO 
 
 1846. 
 
Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1846, 
 
 By B. Perkins & Co., 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 
 
TO THE 
 
 Congregational illinistn's anlr Cl)urcl)e0 
 IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Reverend and Beloved, 
 
 Our having been chosen as part of a Committee 
 of seven, and afterwards as a Sub-committee, wajs 
 the occasion of our writing what we here call a 
 Report, which in this manner we now address to 
 you. We have been aware, that we could not, in 
 any of the ordinary methods, make the Report to 
 more than a small proportion of ministers, and to 
 only a few of the great multitude of church mem- 
 bers. We have therefore concluded, with the 
 advice of many of our brethren, and we trust with 
 the approbation of all, to make use of the printing 
 press, for the purpose of presenting our Report to 
 the whole body of Congregational ministers and 
 churches in Massachusetts, and to those in other 
 States, so far as they may be disposed to receive it. 
 But in all this, we have acted with the full under- 
 standing, that we have no more authority or right 
 in the matter, than any other individuals. The 
 fact of our being a Committee, we regard as only the 
 
IV 
 
 occasion of our presenting the subject to the con- 
 sideration of our brethren. Other men might have 
 undertaken such a work, and have accomphshed 
 more than we have. But who would have been 
 hkely to do it, without some such movement as 
 has influenced us ? In this publication, it is our 
 wish to be regarded as mdividual 'niinisiers. All 
 the use we make of our appointment as a Com- 
 mittee, is, that we undertake the business without 
 embarrassment, and proceed in it without the con- 
 sciousness of any impropriety. 
 
 With fraternal love and confidence, we submit 
 the result of our humble efforts to your disposal. 
 
 In behalf of the Sub-committee, 
 
 LEONARD WOODS, Chairman. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Report on Congregationalism. 
 
 Preliminary Remarks, 9 
 
 General Principles, 19 
 
 Manual. 
 
 Principles of Church Government, .... 25 
 
 Nature of the Church, ....... 25 
 
 Church Memhers, 26 
 
 Form of the Visible Church, 26 
 
 Church Officers, 27 
 
 Election and Removal of Ministers, .... 29 
 
 Ordination of Ministers, 29 
 
 Power of the Church, 30 
 
 Maintenance of the Ministry, 31 
 
 Admission of Members, 32 
 
 Dismission of Members, ...... 33 
 
 Discipline, . . . . . . . . .33 
 
 Process of Discipline, 36 
 
 Witnesses, 37 
 
 Ecclesiastical Councils, 37 
 
 Conclusion, 42 
 
 Cambridge Platform. 
 
 Extracts from the Preface, 47 
 
 Of the form of church government: and that it is one, 
 
 immutable, and prescribed in the word, ... 49 
 Of the nature of the catholic church in general, and in 
 
 special of a particular visible church, ... 50 
 Of the matter of the visible church, both in respect of 
 
 quality and quantity, 52 
 
 Of the form of a visible church, and of church covenant, 54 
 Of the first subject of church power ; or, to whom church 
 
 power doth first belong, 56 
 
 Of the officers of the church, and especially of pastors 
 
 and teachers, ........ 57 
 
 Of ruling elders and deacons, 58 
 
 Of the election of church officers, ..... 60 
 Of oidinalion, and imposition of hands, . . . .62 
 
 Of the power of the church and its presbytery, . . 64 
 
 01 the maintenance ol church officers, .... 67 
 
VI 
 
 Of admission of members into the church, ... 68 
 Of church members, their removal from one church to 
 
 another, and of recommendation and dismission, . 72 
 
 Of excommunication, and other censures, ... 74 
 
 Of the communion of churches one with another, . . 77 
 
 Of synods, 81 
 
 Of the civil magistrate's power in matters ecclesiastical, 82 
 
 Confession of Faith. 
 
 Preface, 89 
 
 Of the Holy Scriptures, 93 
 
 Of God and of the Holy Trinity, 96 
 
 Of God's eternal Decree, 97 
 
 Of Creation, 98 
 
 Of Providence, 99 
 
 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and the punishment thereof, 100 
 
 Of God's Covenant with Man, 101 
 
 Of Christ, the Mediator, 102 
 
 Of Free-Will, 104 
 
 Of Effectual Calling, 104 
 
 Of Justification, 105 
 
 Of Adoplion, 107 
 
 Of Sanciification, 107 
 
 Of Saving Faith, 108 
 
 Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation, . . .109 
 
 Of Good Works, 110 
 
 Of the Perseverance of the Saints, . . . .Ill 
 
 Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation, . . .112 
 
 Of the Law of God, 113 
 
 Of the Gospel, and of the extent of the Grace thereof, . 115 
 
 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience, . . 116 
 Of Religious Worship, and of the Sabbath Day, . .117 
 
 Of Lawful Oaths and Vows, 119 
 
 Of the Civil Magistrate, 120 
 
 Of Marriage, 121 
 
 Of the Church, 122 
 
 Of the Communion of Saints, 123 
 
 Of the Sacraments, 123 
 
 Of Baplism, 124 
 
 Of the Lord's Supper, 125 
 
 Of the State of Man after Death, and of the Resurrec- 
 tion of (he Dead, 127 
 
 Of the Last Judgment, 127 
 
EEPOET 
 
 CONGREGATIONALISM 
 
REPORT ON CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 The particular object of the Committee, appointed in 
 Boston, May "29, 1844, on the subject of Congregation- 
 alism, was " to take into consideration what measures are 
 necessary for the re-affirmation and maintenance of the 
 principles and spirit of Congregafioncdism." * The sub- 
 committee sent a copy of their (jnfinished Report to each 
 of the district associations, for the purpose of obtaining 
 their brotherly assistance in revising and finishing the 
 Report. Such assistance has been afforded in the returns 
 which have been made to the committee from seventeen 
 associations. In preparing the final copy of their Report, 
 the committee have availed themselves of the many 
 valuable suggestions made to them by associations and by 
 individual ministers. And they indulge the hope that 
 they have been able so to re-construct and improve the 
 Report, that it will meet the views and wishes of their 
 brethren, as expressed in their communications to the 
 committee. Indeed there appears to us to be much more 
 ground to believe, than was previously supposed, that 
 Congregationalists in Massachusetts may come to a cordial 
 agreement in regard to all the important points of eccle- 
 siastical polity. If the measures which have been pursued 
 have brought to view some differences of opinion, they 
 have also shown how those differences may be disposed 
 
 * The Committee consisted of the Kev. Drs. Woods, Humphrey, Suell, 
 Shopard,Cooley and Slorrs, and Rev. Parsons Cooke At the first meeting 
 of the Conmiittee, all were present, except Drs. Shepard and Cooley. Rev. 
 Drs. Woods and Slorrs and Rev. Parsons Cooke were chosen as the Sub- 
 commiitee. 
 
10 
 
 of, and how far Congregationalists are already of the same 
 mind and judgment. And if a spirit of candor and a love 
 of union shall prevail among them in a suitable degree, 
 there is no reason to doubt, that they will come at length 
 to a substantial agreement on all questions of real mo- 
 ment. 
 
 In considering " what measures are necessary for the 
 re-affirmation and maintenance of the principles and spirit 
 of Congregationalism," we cannot overlook the impor- 
 tance of clearly apprehending what those principles are, 
 which are to be re-affirmed and maintained. And with 
 the means of information which we possess, this cannot 
 be a difficult task. The only Platform of church govern- 
 ment which has ever been adopted by the ministers and 
 churches of this Commonwealth, is the well known Cam- 
 bridge Platform. This must be regarded as the basis and 
 standard of Congregationalism. For although this Plat- 
 form has been much neglected ; and although certain 
 usages, not authorized by the Platform, have worked 
 themselves into our ecclesiastical affairs ; it is still true 
 that Congregationalists generally adhere to the essential 
 principles of the Platform. And no scheme of church 
 polity, which is essentially at variance with those princi- 
 ples, can meet the approbation of enlightened and judi- 
 cious Congregationalists. In our statement of ecclesias- 
 tical principles and rules, we have kept our eye upon that 
 ancient and excellent Platform, and have aimed to con- 
 form to its essential principles. 
 
 But although the principles of Congregationalism, as 
 held by our Puritan Fathers, are plainly set forth in the 
 Platform, which was adopted in 1648, they are not at 
 present sufficiently understood and maintained by our 
 churches generally. Is it not then high time to awake to 
 a serious consideration of the subject, and to inquire what 
 can be done to remove the evils which have com.e upon 
 us in consequence of our declining, in various respects, 
 from the ways of our Puritan Fathers. 
 
 We have turned our thoughts particularly to the follow- 
 ing things, as being important and necessary in order that 
 the essential principles of Congregationalism may be re- 
 affirmed and maintained by our churches. 
 
 1. First it is important and necessary that the funda- 
 
11 
 
 mental principles of Congregationalism, and the rules of 
 church government resulting from them, should be ivdl 
 defined and firmly established. The Congregational sys- 
 tem is contained in the Platform. But the Platform is an 
 ancient document ; and though it was the product of men 
 of powerful intellects, after much thouglu and experience, 
 and though the Puritan Fathers deemed it well suited to 
 the wants of the churches in their day; it evidently needs 
 revising, in order to fit it for general use at the present 
 time. It is agreed on all hands, that it contains some 
 principles which cannot now be adopted. It is clear too 
 that it has some obscurities which ought to be removed, 
 and some deficiencies which ought to be supplied. A 
 revised edition of the Platform, freed from all ambiguities, 
 and fully adapted to present use, or a manual of discipline 
 derived from it, would be of great use to ministers, 
 especially to young ministers, as a guide and help to them 
 in the discharge of their various duties. It is important 
 also for every Congregational church. For how can any 
 church, or its individual members, avoid mistakes and 
 irregularities in matters of discipline, unless they have a 
 system of principles and rules, which has been derived 
 from Scripture and experience, and which they can 
 regard as a safe directory in ecclesiastical proceedings ? 
 And how can the churches act harmoniously together, 
 and enjoy the benefits of Christian fellowship, unless they 
 have a Platform which clearly points out the duties they 
 owe to each other, and the manner in which those duties 
 are to be performed. 
 
 Our Puritan Fathers, whom we delight to honor, felt the 
 necessity of such principles and rules, and in the year 
 1648, embodied them in a Platform. And from time to 
 time they re-affirmed that Platform, as their Directory. 
 Now such a Directory is as necessary for us, as it was for 
 them. Indeed the necessity of it is the more urgent, in 
 proportion to the increased number and extent of our 
 churches and the prevalence of other systems. We do 
 indeed hold that Christ is our Lawgiver, and that no man 
 and no number of men can properly undertake to legislate 
 for the churches. But it is important for us to have a 
 clear understanding of the laws which Christ has given 
 us. And if, in any thing, he has left it to us to proceed 
 
12 
 
 according to our own judgment ; it is certainly important 
 that we should take pains to use our judgment right. 
 
 2. In order that ministers and churches may re-affirm 
 and maintain to any good purpose the principles and 
 spirit of Congregationalism, it is important, that they 
 should come to a jubstatitial agreement, and should in all 
 material points, adopt the same syste7n of ecclesiastical 
 principles and rules. Without this, how can they main- 
 tain a proper fellowship with one another ? If some 
 churches proceed in one way, and some in another, they 
 will not only lose the benefit of co-operation, but will be 
 likely to clash with each other ; and instead of affording 
 mutual aid and support, as they ought, they will often 
 occasion embarrassment and trouble to each other. 
 
 " Such looseness, neglect and disagreement," as now 
 exist among us, '* are neither seemly nor profitable ; nor 
 would they in other communities be tolerated. Every 
 human society, that is permanent in its nature and great 
 design, should, as far as practicable, be governed by defi- 
 nite, settled, and well known rules. And where com- 
 munities, like our churches, are associated, and members 
 of them are frequently transferred from one to another, 
 inconvenience, dissatisfaction and offence are likely to 
 result from the application of principles and rules, about 
 which there is ignorance, or in respect to which there 
 are different views and habits of feeling. Where whole- 
 some laws are definite and known, they are more apt to 
 be approved, and are more readily obeyed ; and when 
 broken, the offender is more easily made sensible of his 
 fault, and is therefore more likely to forsake it." * 
 
 There is, at present, among Congregationalists, a want 
 of entire harmony in sentiment and action respecting the 
 principles of ecclesiastical polity. And it is well said in 
 the valuable communication just quoted, that " a restora- 
 tion of such harmony cannot reasonably be expected, 
 except by a convention of pastors and other delegates 
 from the churches. Such a convention or synod, wisely 
 called, and not over-tasking itself with reforms, might 
 reasonably be expected to agree on principles and rules 
 
 * A quotation from the communication of Worcester Central Association 
 to the Committee. 
 
13 
 
 of discipline, that would receive a cordial welcome in the 
 bosom of the churches generally ; and if such a work 
 should be done, it would add not a little to their credit, 
 order, strength, comfort and usefulness."* 
 
 We have referred to the want of the necessary har- 
 mony among Congregationalisis. They do indeed pro- 
 fess, in some sort, to receive the Cambridge Platform as 
 their standard. But the Platform is, in several respects, 
 understood differently by different ministers and churches; 
 and none of them conform to all its provisions. Various 
 writers, particularly Upham, Mitchell, Punchard and 
 some others, have published books of great value, setting 
 forth what they understood to be the principles of Con- 
 gregationalism. In most cases, these writers agree, in 
 some they differ. But Congregation alists have not adopt- 
 ed the views of either. Is it not then important that we 
 should make it our object to come to an agreement as to 
 the principles and rules of church government ? If there 
 are passages in the Platform, which all regard as inadmis- 
 sible at the present day, let us say what those passages 
 are, and let the Platform be so revised and modified that 
 we can unitedly adopt it as our directory, and can govern 
 our ecclesiastical proceedings in accordance with it. It 
 would be found that a judicious revision of the Platform 
 and a convenient arrangement of the rules of our eccle- 
 siastical polity would as truly promote the order and 
 welfare of our churches, as the late revision and arrange- 
 ment of our civil laws has promoted the order and 
 prosperity of civil society. There is no more reason to 
 think that Congregational churches can have order and 
 prosperity without a system of definite and written rules 
 in which they agree, than that the different parts of the 
 Commonwealth can have order and prosperity without a 
 code of well defined civil laws, written and published for 
 common use. Is it not then the manifest duty of Con- 
 gregational ministers and churches to determine, delib- 
 
 * Such a convention as ihat above named, has been spoken of witli favor 
 by many Congre^^ationahsts, boili ministers and laymen. And it has been 
 oAen suggested that, with proper attention, the way niight be pre{):ued for 
 such a convention to meet in 1848, the second ceiitemiial from the time 
 when the Camhridse Platfnnn Wcis adopted. The idea of a convention or 
 synod of Congregational ministers and churches at that time, has struck the 
 minds of all, so far as we know, with peculiai- satisfacliou. 
 
 2* ' 
 
14 
 
 erately and unitedly, what the principles of Congreg-ation- 
 alism are, and then publicly to re-affirm them, and in all 
 their ecclesiastical proceedings to carry them into prac- 
 tice ? But if it is judged best, as it may be, that the 
 Platform should remain as it is ; then it is thought that a 
 digest of rules, drawn from the Platform and from 
 approved usages, presented in the form of a Manual of 
 Discipline, would be of essential benefit to the churches. 
 The want of agreement in church polity has been very 
 disadvantageous to the cause of Congregationalism, and, 
 if suffered to remain, will doubtless be more and more 
 disadvantageous. 
 
 Particular churches have been sensible of the evil just 
 mentioned, and have framed a set of rules for themselves. 
 But the rules, adopted by a single church, however just 
 and proper they may be, cannot have the salutary influ- 
 ence which they would have, if they should be adopted 
 by other churches generally, and if the benefits of 
 co-operation and mutual support should be realized, 
 according to the provisions of our Platform, ch. 15. 
 
 The want of uniform and definite rules is manifest in 
 regard to the treatment of church members who are 
 chargeable with offences. Suppose an offender is excom- 
 municated. In present circumstances he has it in his 
 power to give great trouble to the church, and frequently 
 to evade the force of its most solemn acts. The church 
 claims, and that justly, the right to discipline its own 
 members. At the same time, any one who is under cen- 
 sure has, by common consent, the right of appeal to an 
 ecclesiastical council. Now this right of appeal, and the 
 inherent right of the church, may be so defined and 
 adjusted, as not to clash with one another. But at pre- 
 sent we have no effectual provision to sustain a church in 
 the exercise of its right, and to bring the discipline of an 
 offender to a final and peaceful issue. The church may, 
 at the request of one under censure, consent to a mutual 
 council, and that mutual council may approve the doings 
 of the church. But in present circumstances has not the 
 excommunicant a right to say, that the result of the 
 council is mere advice, and that he will not accept it 1 
 And what rule or usage is there to prevent his demanding 
 a second mutual council, and a third 1 And in case of a 
 
15 
 
 refusal on the part of the church, what can hinder him 
 from calling an ex parte council ? And it is well known 
 that even after a church has consented to one, or more 
 than one mutual council, an ex parte conncil may come 
 in, and, instead of sustaining the church in the exercise 
 of its rights, may nullify its most righteous acts ; and by 
 receiving an offender who is under the highest ecclesias- 
 tical censure, to their fellowship, may give countenance 
 to the commission of offences in other members, and 
 trample under foot the honor and authority of the church. 
 How important and how easy it is for the churches to 
 agree upon a rule, which shall shut the door against these 
 disorders, and shall effectually sustain every church in the 
 exercise of its rights, and at the same time provide a 
 remedy for the injustice of any of its acts towards its 
 members. Congregational churches pretend not to be 
 infallible ; and they are willing to grant to any member 
 who complains of injustice, the right of appeal to an 
 ecclesiastical council. All that seems necessary is, that 
 they should determine, by a united act, how the appeal 
 shall be made, and how the case of discipline shall be 
 terminated. Let it be settled by common agreement, 
 whether an excommunicated member, if he requests it, 
 shall be entitled to appeal to a mutual council ; and then 
 what shall be the influence of that council's result. If 
 the council sustains the act of the church, shall the 
 excommunicant be entitled to a second and third appeal, 
 or shall the act of the church, thus supported by a mutual 
 council, be regarded as final 1 On the contrary, if the 
 council disapproves the act of the church, and judges 
 that the member who makes complaint, has been injured, 
 and ought to be restored ; shall such a decision of the 
 council be final 1 Or shall it still lie with the church to 
 determine by its own act, how the case shall be treated ? 
 And shall this act of the church be final, leaving no room 
 for the exconmiunicated person to make any further 
 appeal ? Or, in such circumstances, shall he have the 
 right of a second appeal, and a third ? And if the 
 church say they have done enough, and will not consent 
 to any farther appeal, shall the excommunicant have a 
 right to an ex parte council, and shall it be deemed reg- 
 ular and proper for ministers and churches to form such 
 
16 
 
 a council ? The great thing wanted is, that the churches 
 should come to a definite agreement on this point, so that 
 they may support each other in the exercise of their 
 inherent right to discipline their own members, and may 
 scrupulously avoid whatever would in any way interfere 
 with that right. If this matter is left unsettled, what 
 prospect is there of efficient discipline and mutual har- 
 mony and love among the churches ? And how can the 
 fundamental principle of Congregationalism be maintain- 
 ed, if the power of discipline is wrested from the church, 
 and wielded by others who choose to act in concert with 
 an offender ? And who can think it right that any 
 church, in its endeavors to discharge its most difficult and 
 painful duties, should be hindered or discouraged by 
 those sister churches, who ought always to afford the most 
 friendly countenance and aid ? 
 
 Again. The want of uniform and definite rules is 
 manifest in regard to the discipline of ministers charge- 
 able ivith immoralitff or heresy. 
 
 A Christian minister, whose character and conduct are 
 so inseparably connected with the interests of Christ's 
 kingdom, should certainly be subject to the inspection of 
 his brethren, and, in some proper way, should be admon- 
 ished by them, and deposed from the ministry when the 
 case requires it ; and, when unjustly accused, should be 
 able to avail himself of their protection and support. It 
 would be a great evil for private members of the church 
 to be free from responsibility to their brethren. But if 
 ministers of the gospel should be thus free from responsi- 
 bility, the evil would be still greater. According to the 
 general practice at the present time, a church may com- 
 plain of their pastor for any oflence, and bring him for 
 trial before a mutual council. But they may neglect their 
 duty in this respect. And in that case, how shall the 
 offender be called to account ? Suppose him guilty of 
 gross immorality or heresy. And suppose that notwith- 
 standing this, he is still sustained by his church. His 
 brethren in the ministry, and in the neighboring churches, 
 may be grieved at his conduct. But what ecclesiastical 
 rule or usage is there, which would authorize them to 
 bring him before a council for trial, or in any way to deal 
 with him for his offence ? Take another case, — that of a 
 
17 
 
 regularly ordained minister, not connected as a pastor 
 with any church, though still active in the work of the 
 ministry ; and suppose him guilty of flagrant immorality. 
 Is it not a manifest defect in the present condition of 
 Congregationalists, that there is no way agreed upon 
 among them, in which such a minister can be subjected 
 to ecclesiastical discipline ? It is indeed true, that indi- 
 viduals may withdraw fellowship from him. But ought 
 they to do this without giving him a hearing ? Does not 
 truth and justice require, that he should have a fair trial ? 
 And is it not important to the interests of the churches, 
 that they should agree upon some definite method in 
 which such a trial may be instituted 1 
 
 There is also a manifest defect in our present eccle- 
 siastical state in regard to the fellotvship of the churches^ 
 and the manner in which they are to treat one another 
 when offences occur. 
 
 Congregational churches have always professed to hold 
 fellowship with each other. And the Platform (ch. 15.) 
 points out several ways in which that fellowship is to be 
 maintained. And in various respects it has actually been 
 maintained; and the benefits of such fellowship have been 
 experienced. But do we carry out fully into practice the 
 provisions of the Platform and the principles of the New 
 Testament in regard to the fellowship and the mutual 
 responsibility of the churches ? The Platform provides, 
 that if any public offence is found in a church, other 
 churches are to deal with it in the way of admonition, 
 and finally, if the case so requires, in the way of with- 
 drawing fellowship. Is it not important that the churches 
 should determine whether they will hold to this provision 
 of the Platform ? — and if they do, that they should agree 
 upon the method in which they will maintain this inspec- 
 tion over one another 1 
 
 It is also desirable and important that the Congre- 
 gational churches should be agreed in the adoption of a 
 Confession of Faith. This was a main point with 
 those who framed the Platform. In 1648, they unani- 
 mously adopted the following vote, namely ; *' The Synod, 
 having perused and considered with much gladness of 
 heart and thankfulness to God, the Confession of Faith 
 published of late by the Reverend Assembly in England, 
 
18 
 
 do judge it to be very holy, orthodox and judicious in all 
 matters of faith, and do therefore freely and fully consent 
 thereto, for the substance thereof" And they afterwards 
 expressed their approval of the same confession of faith 
 at different times and in various ways. If the ministers 
 and churches of Massachusetts are united, as we trust 
 they are, in receiving the great principles of religion 
 which are contained in the word of God, and which are 
 distinctly stated in the above named confession of faith ; 
 why should they not, for the honor of their religion, pub- 
 licly express their union 1 
 
 Again. It is important that Congregationalists should 
 be agreed in regard to the character of those ministers and 
 churches that shall be chosen to constitute mutual councils. 
 
 It is important also that they should settle the question, 
 whether a minister or a church, censured by a council, 
 shall have the right of appeal to another council ; and if 
 such a right is allowed, in what manner the second coun- 
 cil shall be constituted and the appeal be made ; and also 
 whether any appeal from the decision of the second coun- 
 cil shall be deemed proper. 
 
 The ex parte council that is deemed exceptionable in 
 principle and of bad tendency in practice, is one that is 
 called by a person who has been regularly tried for an 
 offence by the church to which he belongs, and cut off 
 from their fellowship. Now all occasion for such a coun- 
 cil may be effectually prevented by a definite provision, 
 agreed upon and adhered to by the churches, that an ex- 
 communicated person shall have the right of appeal to a 
 mutual council, and that the case shall be terminated by 
 the result of that council, or else by the act of the church 
 after receiving that result. 
 
19 
 
 After the foregoing remarks, we proceed to state what 
 in our opinion are the chief principles of church polity 
 which are contained or implied in the Cambridge Plat- 
 form, and in other well known writings of our Puritan 
 Fathers. And we would here say, what we wish may be 
 fully understood, that whatever statement we make, we 
 do it merely that it may be considered and acted upon by 
 those to whom it belongs, that is, the ministers and 
 churches of Massachusetts. They are to determine what 
 are the esseiTtial principles of Congregationalism which 
 they will affirm and maintain. And if the part which we, 
 as a committee, have been called to perform, may be the 
 means of turning their attention more particularly to what 
 the Scriptures reveal and what our fathers taught relative 
 to church government, and of inducing them to act 
 unitedly and efficiently on the subject ; the great object 
 of our efforts will be accomplished. 
 
 GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CONGREGATIONALISM. 
 
 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Supreme Lawgiver 
 and Ruler of the church. And no one has any rightful 
 power or authority in the church, except what the Lord 
 Jesus has given him in his word. Neither the church at 
 large, nor any branch of it, can properly be held under 
 obligation to submit or yield obedience to any ruler, civil 
 or ecclesiastical, except in conformity with the instructions 
 of the New Testament. 
 
 2. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
 our only infallible rule in regard to the general constitu- 
 tion and government of the church, as well as in regard 
 to all other subjects. By this rule we are to examine the 
 opinions and practices of uninspired men, ancient and 
 modern. So far as any writings of human origin coincide 
 with Scripture, or help us to understand its instructions, 
 they are to be gratefully received. But whoever and 
 whatever differs from the Bible, is to be rejected. In this 
 respect, we differ from all those, who regard the writings 
 
20 
 
 of the early Christian Fathers, the decisions of Councils or 
 the judgment of any uninspired men, as constituting, in 
 whole or in part, the rule of our faith, or as possessing 
 any ultimate authority over our conscience, either as to 
 the doctrines of religion, the worship of God, or the 
 government of his church. 
 
 3. Cambridge Platform, together with other writings 
 and public acts of our Puritan Fathers explanatory of the 
 Platform, is to be recognized as exhibiting the essential 
 principles of Congregationalists in regard to ecclesiastical 
 polity. 
 
 4. There is, according to the Scriptures, only one order 
 in the gospel ministry. Ministers may indeed differ from 
 each other as to knowledge, piety, and usefulness : and 
 some of them may be intrusted with business of preemi- 
 nent importance. But they are all equal in office. No 
 one is invested with authority over others ; and no one is 
 subjected to the control of others. 
 
 5. While the leading principles of Church Government 
 are clearly made known in the word of God, and are to be 
 received as the unalterable constitution of the church; 
 the business of applying these general principles to dif- 
 ferent cases, and framing by-laws for the regulation of 
 public worship and church discipline, belongs to the 
 churches, and is to be executed according to their sober 
 judgment and discretion, provided that they take care not 
 to violate or neglect anything settled by the word of God. 
 (See Platform, ch. 1.) 
 
 6. A congregation or society of Christians, bound to- 
 gether by solemn covenant, maintaining the great truths 
 of Christianity, and attending together to the public wor- 
 ship of God and the administration of gospel ordinances 
 by its regularly authorized officers, is a true and complete 
 church of Christ, and has power within itself to conduct 
 its own concerns ; and is under no subjection or responsi- 
 bility to any other church, except that which is mutual, 
 and which is enjoined by the word of God ; — (1 Peter, v. 
 5.) " Yea, all of you be subject one to anofhery 
 
 7. It belongs, of right, to the individual members of 
 every church to choose their own Pastor, to discipline 
 offenders, and to transact all other business appertaining 
 to them as a particular church. When regularly assem- 
 
21 
 
 bled, they are to deliberate and act, and by a majority of 
 votes to decide every question which properly comes be- 
 fore them. 
 
 8. Congregational churches, though they are " distinct, 
 and therefore may not be confounded one with another, 
 and equal, and therefore have no dominion one over 
 another,"* yet are not separate bodies, but sustain a 
 mutual relation, as servants of the same Lord, and 
 branches of the same spiritual kingdom, and are bound to 
 maintain Christian fellowship with each other, to watch 
 over each other in love and faithfulness, and to do all in 
 their power to protect each other's rights, to encourage 
 each other in the discharge of duty, and in all proper 
 ways to promote each other's peace and prosperity. 
 
 9. In order that the fellowship existing among the 
 churches may effectually accomplish its objects, it is im- 
 portant that the churches should agree upon a definite 
 plan of intercourse, and should determine in what manner 
 they are to watch over each other, in what respects they 
 are responsible to each other, and in what ways they are 
 to protect each other's rights, and promote each other's 
 welfare ; — and also what shall be the conditions of their 
 fellowship, and when, and how it shall be ended. 
 
 10. As the community of churches is interested in the 
 character and influence of gospel ministers ; every Con- 
 gregational minister, whether he is a pastor or not, is to 
 be considered as having a real and responsible connection 
 with Congregational churches and pastors. Accordingly, 
 either the members or the pastors of Congregational 
 churches, after properly dealing with him in private, may, 
 in a regular manner, prefer charges against him before an 
 ecclesiastical council, convened according to rule, for his 
 trial. 
 
 11. Any member of a church, who. feels himself ag- 
 grieved by any act of the church, shall have the right to 
 appeal to a mutual council. 
 
 12. Synods, duly assembled, and rightly proceeding 
 according to the Scriptures, are an ordinance of God. 
 And it belongeth unto synods and councils to determine 
 controversies of faith and cases of conscience ; to clear 
 
 * See Plalform cli. lo, and Upham's Uatio Disciplinse, pp. 37, 43, 174-6, 
 and iiU6. 
 
 3 
 
22 
 
 from the Scriptures directions for the worship of God and 
 the government of the church ; to bear testimony against 
 mal-administration and corruption in any particular 
 church, and to take proper measures for the reformation 
 thereof* (See Platform, ch. 15, Sec. 1 and 4.) 
 
 * Synods, or larger councils, here spoken of nearly in the words of the 
 Platform, are ecclesiastical bodies constituted of I'astors and Delegates of 
 churches in a State, or some large extent of country, and assembled for the 
 purpose of consulting the more general interests of the churches. 
 
23 
 
 In present circumstances, Congregationalism must be 
 expected to undergo a rigorous examination. We are 
 surrounded by various denominations, whose zeal to ad- 
 vance themselves will prompt them to search out whatever 
 is faulty or imperfect in our system. But the essential 
 principles of Congregationalism have no occasion to 
 shrink from scrutiny. Though in many respects we agree 
 with the other branches of Protestant Christendom ; in 
 some respects we differ from them. But we are not 
 aware of any reason why we should wish to avoid a care- 
 ful comparison between them and ourselves. We have 
 no fear that the most thorough sifting and weighing of 
 the essential principles of Congregationalism would be 
 otherwise than advantageous to that system. What seems 
 to be necessary is, that the genuine principles of our 
 denomination, together with the rules of discipline, should 
 be definitely stated, and arranged in proper order, and 
 that ministers and churches should unitedly adopt and 
 maintain them. This, with the divine blessing, is what 
 is wanted to give increasing prosperity to Congregational 
 churches, and to recommend their peculiar principles to 
 the approbation of intelligent and candid men. 
 
 It is in compliance with the wishes of many, that we 
 have taken pains to prepare the following draft of a 
 Manual of Church Discipline. We consider it as very 
 imperfect ; and our design in laying it before our breth- 
 ren is to call their attention to the subject, and to leave it 
 with them, by additions and other alterations, to complete 
 what we have begun. There has been a decided opinion 
 expressed by many associations, of the desirableness and 
 importance of such a manual. And in the present draft 
 we have made various modifications of the one before 
 submitted to our brethren, in conformity with their free 
 
24 
 
 suggestions ; so that they will find here none of the pas- 
 sages which were considered as particularly exceptionable 
 in the unfinished report. Our object has been to prepare 
 a Manual, which, when completed, will have a prospect 
 of being adopted by the united act of Congregationalists 
 in Massachusetts, and if it may be, beyond Massachusetts. 
 
A MANUAL 
 
 OF 
 
 CHURCH PRINCIPLES AND DISCIPLINE. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 1. The essential principles of church government are 
 found in the word of God, and are intended to be per- 
 petual. And it is not left in the power of man to alter 
 them. 
 
 2. Besides these essentials, there are necessary circum- 
 stantifils, as that of time, place, &-c,, which are left to be 
 ordered by the sober judgment of Christians ; though not 
 in such a way, as to allow men to thrust their own inven- 
 tions upon the church. They are to be guarded by gen- 
 eral limitations, in that they must be done decently and 
 in order, and to edification.' 
 
 lActs XV. 28 : Matt. xv. 9 : 1 Cor. xiv. 26, 40. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 NATURE OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 1. The church of Christ, taken in the large sense, 
 embraces all those that are effectually called, and renew- 
 ed in the spirit of their minds, all that have died in faith, 
 all real Christians now living, and all who shall hereafter 
 live upon earth. 
 
 2. The visible church embraces the whole number of 
 those, who maintain a profession of faith in connection 
 with the followers of Christ. 
 
 3* 
 
26 
 
 3. A single church consists of a company of visible 
 Christians/ united into one body by a covenant, for 
 maintaining the worship of God, the ordinances of 
 Christ's house, and mutual Christian fellowship. And it 
 is a distinctive feature of a Congregational church, that 
 its members both claim and exercise the right of disci- 
 plining offenders, and transacting all the business pertain- 
 ing to its own interests as a particular church. 
 » I Cor. i. 2. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CHURCH MEMBERS. 
 
 1. The members in full of a church are such, as are 
 called to be saints — such as make a credible profession of 
 faith and repentance, and live according to such a pro- 
 fession. 
 
 2. The number of persons in a church ought not 
 ordinarily to be more than can conveniently meet for 
 worship in one place. And in conformity with this prin- 
 ciple, Christ and his apostles appointed no ordinary 
 officers in the church, but those charged with the care of 
 particular congregations. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 FORM OF THE VISIBLE CHURCH. 
 
 1. Those who are qualified to be members of a church 
 do not constitute a church, before they are properly orga- 
 nized into a visible body. 
 
 2. The instrument by which individual believers are 
 constituted one body in a church, is a confession offaifh^ 
 in Christ and in the principles of his gospel, together with 
 
 *This confession of faith should be full and explicit enough to convey the 
 sum of the Christian doctrines, clearly distinguished from their opposites. 
 li a more explicit formulary of faith is now required, than was required in 
 the days of the apostles, ii is because so many methods of evasion have 
 been invented, that it now requires more words to give an intelligible and 
 sure expression of the same tiling, and because the temptations to a false 
 profession are increased. 
 
 A Christian profiession, according to the gospel, is a profession of faith, 
 or of one's belief in the truths of the gospel Heb x. "23 Jt is a profession 
 of obedience or sul)jection to the gospel 5 ii Cor ix. 13. It is a profession 
 of godliness; I "^I'im. ii. H). And it is a profession of the name of Christ j 
 and of his bearing to us all the relations and olhces which Ijis name imports. 
 
27 
 
 a covenant, wherein they mutually agree to give themselves 
 up to the Lord, and unitedly to observe his ordinances. 
 
 3. When a company of believers purpose to gather 
 into a church fellowship it is requisite for their safer pro- 
 ceeding and the maintaining the communion of churches, 
 that they signify their intent unto the neighbor churches, 
 walking according unto the order of the gospel, and desire 
 their presence, and help, and right hand of fellowship, 
 which they ought readily to give unto them when there is 
 no just cause to except against their proceedings. Camb. 
 Plat. XV. 3. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 CHURCH OFFICERS. 
 
 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is the supreme Head and 
 Ruler of the church, and no one has any lawful authority 
 in the church, except that which he has received from 
 Christ. 
 
 2. Though a church may exist without officers, yet 
 officers are necessary to its well being and its complete 
 action as a church. 
 
 3. The extraordinary officers, which Christ appointed 
 for the first planting of the church, ceased when their 
 work was done. So that the Scripture gives no directions 
 about the choice and duties of apostles, prophets and 
 evangelists, as it does about those of elders, or bishops. 
 Hence there is now but one order of ministers in the 
 church ; called in Scripture elders, or bishops. 
 
 4. The office of an Elder, or Bishop, embraces the 
 duties of a pastor of the flock, and of a ruler in the 
 church. 
 
 5. The duties of an elder or bishop, as n pastor, con- 
 sist in the preaching of the word, the administration of 
 divine ordinances, a superintendence, and, as far as may 
 be, a personal execution of the subordinate forms of 
 spiritual instruction, visiting the people, especially the 
 sick and the afflicted, and extending a general watch and 
 care over the concerns of the flock. 
 
 G. The duties of an elder or bishop, as a ruhr, are — 
 to preside in all the meetings of the church, and in all 
 the affairs of discipline ; in concurrence with the vote 
 of the brotherhood to admit and exclude members : 
 
28 
 
 to call meetings of the church when he judges proper, 
 or when he is requested so to do by any three members, 
 or by such a number as the church may have determined 
 upon by a previous rule ; to see that all matters of disci- 
 pline are presented in due form, and conducted in an 
 equitable manner, and to execute the sentence of the 
 church, whether of admonition or excommunication.* 
 
 7. In acts of discipline, the pastor exercises the au- 
 thority of a presiding officer and overseer, and, like a 
 judge in a court, is the official expounder of the law, the 
 guide of the modes of procedure, and the official executor 
 of the acts of the church. 
 
 8. No one can be regarded as a pastor, who is not reg- 
 ularly installed over a church ; but as an evangelist or 
 preacher he may occupy the pulpit by agreement with the 
 church and congregation ; and if an ordained minister, 
 he may administer the ordinances ; but as he sustains not 
 the relations, so neither can he assume the rights and 
 responsibilities nor exercise the authority of the pastoral 
 office. 
 
 9. The other officers of the church are Deacons ; whose 
 duty is to receive the gifts and keep and distribute the 
 charities of the church ; to have the general superintend- 
 ence of its temporal affairs ; and, under the direction of 
 the Pastor, to perform any other service, proper for lay- 
 men, which may assist or relieve the Pastor, or promote 
 the welfare of the church. 
 
 10. It is fit and proper, whenever deemed expedient, 
 that the church should appoint annually, or for a limited 
 time, a committee, to co-operate with the pastor and 
 deacons in superintending and promoting the interests of 
 the church. And it shall be the special duty of such 
 committee to institute processes of discipline for public 
 offences, if the same is not seasonably done by other 
 members. 
 
 * Mr. Cotton, in his " Keys," says—" In the liandling- of an oHcnce before 
 thft church, the eltJers have authority both jus dicere and sente/itiani ferre. 
 Wlicai the ofleiice appears truly scandalous, the eiders have power from 
 God, to inform the church, what the law, or rule, and will of Christ is, for 
 riie censure of such an otTence. And wlien tiie church discerns tiie same, 
 and hath no just exception ai^ainsl it, but conseiiteth thereto ; it is a furllier 
 act of tlie elder's power, to give sentence against tlie offender. " 
 
29 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 ELECTION AND REMOVAL OF MINISTERS. 
 
 1. A call to the ministry is either immediate, as was 
 that of the apostles ; or mediate through the church, as 
 is that of ordinary pastors. 
 
 2. Whereas it is required of us, to lay hands suddenly 
 on no man, and to see that those introduced into the 
 office be of good report ; it is important that before any 
 are ordained to the ministry, there should be a satisfac- 
 tory probation of their gifts and qualifications. 
 
 Licensure. 
 
 3. It belongs to pastors or bishops, in their associated 
 capacity, to examine young men as to their literary, theo- 
 logical and moral qualifications for the ministry, and to 
 give them a regular approbation or license as candidates 
 for the sacred office. 
 
 4. Persons to be ordained to the pastoral office, are 
 first to be called by the major vote of the church to which 
 they are to minister. And it is only by its own choice, 
 that a church can be made subject to the ministry of any 
 one, as its pastor. 
 
 5. And as it belongs to the church to elect their minis- 
 ter, so they may in a regular way, and for a sufficient 
 reason, procure his removal. 
 
 CHAPTER VH. 
 ORDINATION OF MINISTERS. 
 
 1. Ministers are to be chosen by the church, and to be 
 ordained by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 
 This ordination is a public consecration of a man to the 
 work of the ministry, an admission of him into the order 
 of elders or bishops, and a solemn putting of him into 
 his place and office, as pastor of the church, like the 
 installing of a magistrate. 
 
 2. It is riot according to sound ecclesiastical principles, 
 nor would it tend to promote the interests of religion, for 
 any men, except those who are destined to the missionary 
 ^.ervice, or those who are to hold special offices in colleges 
 
30 
 
 or theological seminaries, to be ordained at large, or, 
 without a particular pastoral charge. 
 
 3. When men are to be sent forth as Christian mis- 
 sionaries, the church with which they are connected, or 
 any other church at their request, or at the request of the 
 society that send them, may properly call a council of 
 neighboring churches ; and such council, being satisfied 
 that those, who offer themselves as candidates for the 
 missionary service, possess the requisite qualifications, 
 and that it is proper to send them forth, may ordain them 
 and set them apart to the missionary work, by the laying 
 on of hands and other appropriate services. See Acts 
 xiii. 1-3. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 POWER OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 1. A company of believers, united in a church by a 
 covenant, even before they have officers, have such pow- 
 ers, as are necessary to maintain their confederate exist- 
 ence, and to complete their organization by introducing 
 proper officers. 
 
 2. Where it can be conveniently done, it would tend 
 to order and edification, if in meetings of a church for 
 the choice of a minister, the pastor of a neighboring 
 church should be invited to preside. 
 
 3. A church is not a simple, unrestricted independen- 
 cy ; inasmuch as it is subject to the authority of its king 
 and sovereign, who has given laws which must regulate 
 and control the acts of the brotherhood ; and inasmuch 
 as Christ commits to his ministers certain offices and 
 duties, concurrent with the action of the church, but not 
 to be controlled by it. And furthermore, as there is a 
 community of interests among the churches, so that 
 irregular conduct in one is an injury to all, there should 
 be among them mutual checks, which shall modify the 
 action of each particular church. 
 
 4. It is the duty of all Congregational churches and 
 ministers to maintain a cordial and actual fellowship with 
 each other ; and particularly, in case any church shall, in 
 accordance with established rules, excommunicate a mem- 
 ber, or in case any regular Council shall depose a minis- 
 ter from bis office, it is the duty of all Congregational 
 
31 
 
 ministers and churches in their treatment of said excom- 
 municated member or deposed minister, to carry into 
 effect the sentence of said church or council. And in 
 general, it is obligatory upon all Congregational ministers 
 and churches to sustain and encourage each other in the 
 discharge of their respective duties, and to do what in 
 them lies, to give efficacy to each other's regular ecclesi- 
 astical acts. 
 
 5. It is one of the principles of Congregationalists, to 
 cultivate the spirit of Christian candor and charity, and 
 to maintain cordial fellowship and communion with 
 other denominations, who hold the essential truths of 
 revelation and give evidence that they belong to Christ's 
 spiritual kingdom, however different from them in regard 
 to the mode of church government, or the particular 
 manner of observing the ordinances of the gospel. 
 
 6. The church has, in itself, power to choose its own 
 officers ; to establish its own by-laws ; to admit and dismiss 
 members ; to admonish, and excommunicate ; to restore 
 penitents ; and to transact all other business, appertaining 
 to its own peculiar interests. 
 
 7. A pastor being by office both teacher and ruler, the 
 legitimate freedom of the church is not to be understood 
 as interfering with his authority, any more than freedom 
 in civil society interferes with the authority of its rulers.* 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 MAINTENANCE OF THE MINISTRY. 
 
 1. A sufficient maintenance is due to those who devote 
 themselves to the work of the ministry. And he 
 
 * Mr. Cotton in his '' Keys," thus illustrates the harmony between the 
 authorit}' of ministers, and the power and privilege of the brotherhood. 
 
 OhJectiGTi, " If elders have all this power to exercise all these acts of 
 rule, partly over the private members, and partly over the whole church 5 
 how shall they be called the servanls of tlie church." 
 
 Answer. '• The elders are to be both servanls and rulers of the church, 
 and both of them may stand well together. For their rule is not lordly, as 
 if they ruled of themselves, or for themselves; but stewardly and ministerial 
 ais ruling the church from (Christ, and also from their call ; and withal ruling 
 the church /or Christ, and for the church, even for their spiritual good. A 
 queen may call her servants, her inariners. to pilot and conrluct her over the 
 sea to such a haven; yet, they being called by her to such an office, she 
 must not rule them in steering their course, but must submit herself to be 
 ruled by them, till they have l)rought her to her desired haven. iSo is the 
 case beiwecu the church and her elders." 
 
32 
 
 that is taught should communicate in all good things to 
 those who teach. ^ 
 
 2. This maintenance is not a matter of gift or alms ; 
 but the people are clearly bound in duty to render it, as a 
 just debt, or as a matter of equity.^ 
 
 3. Not only members of churches, but all who are 
 taught, are in duty bound to contribute to the support of 
 the teacher; although it is more especially the duty of the 
 church to see that such support is provided.^ 
 
 4. If any member of the church refuses to contribute 
 his proportion, according to the rule adopted by the church, 
 for the support of the ministry, that refusal should be 
 counted a breach of his obligation, and a just ground for 
 complaint.* 
 
 1 1 Cor ix. 9-14 : Matt, x 9, 10: 1 Tim. v. 18 : Gal. vi. 6 : Gen. xlvii. 22. 
 
 2 Rom. XV. 27; 1 Cor. ix. 11-14: Num xviii. 21 : Dent. xii. 19. 
 
 3 Gal. vi. 6:Neh. xiii. 10-12 ; 2 Cor. viii. 13, 14: 2 Tbess. iii. 1. 
 
 4 1 Cor. xvj. 2 : 2 Cor. viii. 22 ; Mai. iii. 9. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 ADMISSION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 1. Before members are admitted to the church, satis- 
 factory evidence should be had, by examination and other 
 means, of their having been renewed in heart by the di- 
 vine Spirit. 
 
 2. After examination, and before admission to the 
 church, the candidate should stand propounded for a rea- 
 sonable time, to give all the members an opportunity to 
 bring objections, if they have any, to his admission. 
 
 3. Members of churches changing the place of their 
 residence, ought to join a church in their new location as 
 soon as the providence of God may permit ; and, unless 
 for special reasons, it shall not be deemed proper for such 
 persons to remain disconnected from the church over one 
 year. 
 
 4. As the fellowship of Congregational churches implies 
 that they shall ordinarily acknowledge the validity of each 
 other's regular acts, it is proper that any church should 
 ordinarily receive into fellowship members of other 
 churches on the ground of the customary dismission and 
 recommendation, and after opportunity to form an ac- 
 quaintance with them, provided they assent to the church's 
 
33 
 
 Confession of Faith and Covenant. But if doubt exist in 
 regard to their (lualifications, it is the duty of the church 
 to suspend action on the subject, till by examination, or 
 in other ways, they obtain satisfaction. 
 
 5. It shall be the duty of a church to extend a faithful 
 watch and care over its non-resident members. And if 
 any church is acquainted with delinquencies in members 
 of other churches, seasonable information of such delin- 
 quencies should be given to those churches. 
 
 (3. The better to maintain the order of the churches 
 and the watch and care due to their members, it shall be 
 the duty of any church admitting to fellowship a member 
 on recommendation from another church, to give imme- 
 diate information of such admission to the latter. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 DISMISSION OF MEMBERS. 
 
 1. Church members may not dissolve their relation to 
 the church to which they belong, without just and weighty 
 reasons. In case of difference of judgment between them 
 and the church, recourse shall be had to a regular eccle- 
 siastical council. 
 
 2. It is manifestly unlawful and sinful to separate from 
 a church, through a contempt for the pastor or brethren, 
 or an unwillingness to bear a just proportion of the burden 
 of supporting the ordinances, or through a desire of 
 greater liberties than are allowed by the church and the 
 word of God, or through a spirit of contention and schism, 
 or because evils exist in the church which demand meek- 
 ness and forbearance that they may be healed, 
 
 2 Tim. iv. 10: Rom. xvi. 17: Jude 19: Gal. vi. 1,2: Eph. iv. 2, 3: 
 Col. iii. 13: Prov. vi. 16 : 1 Cor. i. 10. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 DISCIPLINE. 
 
 1. The object of discipline is, the benefit of offending 
 members, the removal of scandals, and the purity and 
 edification of the church. 
 
 2. As far as the offender is concerned, the first object 
 
 4 
 
34 
 
 of discipline should be, to restore him to a proper spirit. 
 The end of discipline is secured, as soon as he gives a 
 suitable manifestation of such a spirit ; and hence all the 
 steps taken with him, should be characterized by meek- 
 ness and love. But if all the efforts made for this pur- 
 pose fail, he should be excommunicated. 
 
 3. In the act of excommunication, it is proper for the 
 church particularly to set forth the offence or offences, of 
 which the person accused has. been found guilty, and to 
 declare, that, on account of such offence or offences, the 
 church, in obedience to the command of Christ, exclude 
 him from their fellowship, commending him to the mercy 
 of God, and praying that he may be brought to repent- 
 ance. 
 
 4. Any thing in the principles or practice of a church 
 member, which is plainly contrary to the word of God, — 
 any thing which is a serious injury to his example, and to 
 the spiritual edification of others, is a just ground for 
 discipline. But nothing should be treated as a disciplina- 
 ble offence, which is not a manifest violation of some 
 moral precept found in the Scriptures. 
 
 5. It is the duty of individual members of the church, 
 kindly to deal with their brethren in relation to many 
 minor faults of character which cannot properly be 
 brought before the church. 
 
 6. None may withdraw from the communion of the 
 church, on the ground of private prejudice or objection 
 against any brother or sister ; though all are bound, in 
 every proper way, to seek the removal of such prejudice 
 or objection. 
 
 7. Offences are either private or public. Private offen- 
 ces are those committed against an individual, or those 
 which are known only to a few, and which are of such a 
 nature, that satisfaction rendered to the individuals offend- 
 ed, or privy to the offence, would heal the scandal occa- 
 sioned by it, and leave no occasion for the action of the 
 church. 
 
 8. In the case of a private offence, no complaint should 
 be made to the church, till the means prescribed. Matt, 
 xviii., for reclaiming the offender, shall have been pursued 
 in vain. And the spirit of the same direction of Christ 
 
35 
 
 should, as far as practicable, be observed in regard to 
 offences which are more or less public* 
 
 9. In case of a gross public offence, or one which has 
 been made public by a course of discipline, the evidence 
 of repentance should be exhibited publicly, at least before 
 the whole church, as no private confession or satisfaction 
 can henl the wound occasioned by it. 
 
 10. However gross an offence may be, it is not to be 
 made a subject of discipline before the church, unless it 
 can be proved by suitable evidence. 
 
 1 1 . When any person is charged with an offence, by 
 general rumor, in order to justify the action of the 
 church, the rumor must specify some particular sin or 
 sins ; it must be widely spread, and generally credited ; 
 not transient, but of some continuance; and must be 
 accompanied with strong evidence of its truth. 
 
 1'2. It may sometimes come to pass, that a church 
 member, not otherwise scandalous, may wholly withdraw 
 himself from the communion of the church to which he 
 belongs. In which case, when all due means for reclaim- 
 ing him prove insufficient, he having thereby cut himself 
 off from that church's communion, the church mat/ justly 
 withdraw fellowshifj from him, and esteem and declare 
 itself discharged of any further watch and care over him. 
 
 13. Any member of the church, who is charged with 
 immoral conduct, shall be regarded as innocent till he is 
 proved to be guilty. And if any one charges a church 
 member with immorality, but is not able to support the 
 charge by any proper and satisfactory evidence, he shall 
 be deemed guilty of false accusation, and shall answer to 
 the church for his offence ; the church taking care to 
 judge of the degree of the offence from all the circum- 
 stances of the case. 
 
 14. When a church member is under trial, or when 
 the church are in doubt concerning one who has been an 
 offender, and are waiting for evidence to satisfy them what 
 course they ought to pursue towards him ; they may, for 
 
 * Tlie Cambridge Plallbrm says, ch. 14, ^ 3. " If the oftence be more 
 public at first, and of a more heinous and criminal nature, to wit, such as 
 is condemned by the light of nature •, then the church, without such gradual 
 proceedings, is to cast out the oflendor from their holy commuuion for the 
 mortifying of his sius and tlie healing of his soul." 
 
36 
 
 the time, properly suspend him from special ordinances, 
 not as their final act, but as a step towards it. For ex- 
 ample : a member has often offended, and on the profes- 
 sion of repentance has often been restored. He offends 
 again, and professes to repent. But the church are in 
 doubt as to his sincerity, and think they ought to wait for 
 a fuller exhibition of his character, that they may know 
 whether they should restore him, or excommunicate him. 
 During this season of trial, they may properly suspend 
 him. 
 
 CHAPTER Xlll. 
 
 PROCESS OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 1. An offence may be brought before a church, either 
 by the complaint of individual members, or by common 
 fame. 
 
 2. In order that a church may enter upon the consid- 
 eration of an offence, it is indispensable, that the charges 
 should be regularly presented, and the accused have a 
 copy of each charge, and be cited to appear, at least a 
 fortnight before the time of the meeting. 
 
 3. In exhibiting the charges, the times, places and cir- 
 cumstances should as far as practicable be stated, that the 
 accused may be better able to meet them. 
 
 4. If the accused refuse to obey the first citation, he 
 shall be cited a second time ; and if he still refuse, the 
 church may proceed to examine and issue the case, with- 
 out his presence. 
 
 5. The trial of a member should be fair and impartial; 
 and the witnesses should be examined in presence of the 
 accused : and he should be permitted to ask any questions 
 tending to his own exculpation. 
 
 6. The judgment shall be regularly recorded, and a 
 copy allowed to the accused. If the charges against him 
 are sustained, and he refuses to confess his guilt, and to 
 manifest a spirit satisfactory to the church, they shall then 
 proceed to admonish, or excommunicate him, as the 
 degree of criminality may require. 
 
 7. In case of a remarkably gross and shocking offence, 
 which is manifest to all, and not denied by the accused, 
 and when the character of the church would suffer by 
 
37 
 
 delay of sentence ; a more summary process may be 
 used. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 WITNESSES. 
 
 1. The competence of any person to be a witness, and 
 the weight of his testimony, must be left to the deliberate 
 judgment of the church. 
 
 2. Either of the parties has a right to challenge wit- 
 nesses for a sufficient cause ; and the church should can- 
 didly consider and decide upon any exceptions taken. 
 
 3. The testimony of more than one witness is always 
 necessary, to establish a charge against an elder or 
 bishop. (1 Tim. v. 18.) And this rule should hold good 
 in the case of private members, when the previous char- 
 acter of the accused is ground of presumption that his 
 denial of the charge is as credible, as the witness's affirm- 
 ation of it. Yet if several credible witnesses bear testi- 
 mony to other similar acts, belonging to the same general 
 charge, the crime may be considered as proved. 
 
 4. No witness, who is afterwards to be examined, shall, 
 without the consent of both parties, be present during the 
 examination of another witness, on the same case. 
 
 5. The church may allow oaths to be administered to 
 the witness when in their judgment there are special and 
 satisfactory reasons for it. 
 
 6. In examining witnesses and receiving testimony, the 
 church shall conform, as far as circumstances will permit, 
 to the established principles aud rules respecting evidence, 
 which are observed in courts of law and equity. 
 
 7. A member of a church, refusing to appear as a wit- 
 ness when called for by the church, or refusing to testify 
 when present, should be censured for contumacy. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCILS. 
 
 ]. The pnrty or parties wishing for an ecclesiastical 
 council, shall choose the members who are to compose it 
 from orthodox Congregational churches, with which they 
 are in fellowship ; and in the letter missive addressed to 
 each of the churches invited, they shall make a definite 
 4» 
 
38 
 
 and full statement of the subject or subjects to be acted 
 upon by the council. 
 
 2. The members of the council, when assembled, 
 shall elect a moderator and a scribe or clerk. The 
 duty of the moderator shall be to preside during the 
 deliberations and transactions of the Council, and to pre- 
 serve order, according to the common rules of ecclesiasti- 
 cal bodies, or according to the particular rules adopted 
 by the Council. The duty of the scribe or clerk shall be 
 to write the minutes of the transactions. There shall 
 also be chosen a Register^ whose duty it shall be to 
 transcribe the records and minutes of the Council into a 
 book, — which book shall be kept by him, or by the 
 Register who may be chosen to succeed him. 
 
 3. The business which properly belongs to Ecclesiasti- 
 cal Councils is, to ordain and dismiss ministers of the 
 gospel, to organize churches, and to act upon all matters 
 of difficulty regularly brought before them. 
 
 4. To make any act of an Ecclesiastical Council valid, 
 it must have a majority of the members present in its 
 favor. 
 
 5. If it is found that a mutual council, when assembled, 
 does not contain a majority of the churches invited, such 
 council cannot properly act on the case submitted to 
 them, unless the parties consent. 
 
 6. An Ecclesiastical Council, called to ordain or in- 
 stall a minister, shall examine the candidate for ordina- 
 tion or installation, in regard to his general qualifications 
 for the office, and particularly in regard to his doctrinal 
 belief and his evidence of personal piety ; after which 
 they shall determine by vote, whether they will proceed 
 to set him apart to the work to which the church has 
 invited him. 
 
 7. Every proposal for the dismission of a minister, 
 whether on his part, or on the part of the church, shall 
 be brought before an ecclesiastical Council, regularly 
 convened for the purpose, who after a careful hearing of 
 the case, shall decide on the question of his dismission. 
 
 8. If any minister or church member shall have cause 
 of complaint against any minister of the gospel belonging 
 to the Congregational order, and if after faithful Christian 
 efforts in private he shall not obtain satisfaction ; he shall 
 
39 
 
 bring his complaint regularly before an Ecclesiastical 
 Council, mutually chosen ; which Council shall go into a 
 thorough examination of the charges brought against the 
 minister, and shall decide whether he shall be pronounced 
 innocent, or shall be admonished, or deposed. 
 
 9. The decision of the Council called for the trial of 
 a minister shall be final, and shall be submitted to by all 
 concerned, unless the minister or the party making the 
 complaint against him shall, within four weeks, request a 
 review by the same council, or shall appeal to another 
 mutual council. If the appeal is made to another council, 
 the appellate council shall be constituted in the usual 
 manner. And the decision of this second council, or of 
 the council that shall review the case, shall always be final, 
 admitting of no further appeal, and shall be sustained and 
 carried into effect by all other ministers and churches. 
 
 10. If the body of a church shall be guilty of heresy, 
 disorderly conduct, or gross neglect of gospel precepts, it 
 shall be the right and the duty of any minister or church 
 acquainted with the offence, to make known to the offend- 
 ino- church what is the ground of dissatisfViction, and shall 
 labor in the spirit of love, for the removal of the offence. 
 But if the offending church shall refuse to hearken to 
 admonition and shall persist in the evil complained of, 
 then the minister or church that has faithfully admonished 
 them, may propose to bring the matter before an ecclesi- 
 astical council mutually chosen. And if the offending 
 church shall refuse to join in such a council, the other 
 party, whether a minister or church, may bring the mat- 
 ter before a regular council chosen by said minister or 
 church. And if the offending church, having been sea- 
 sonably cited to appear before such council for trial, shall 
 refuse to appear, or shall refuse to put away the evil 
 complained of, the council may declare the sentence of 
 non-communion ; and other ministers and churches shall 
 join in sustaining and executing the sentence. 
 
 II. If any member of a church who has fallen under 
 censure shall think himself injured, he shall have the 
 right of appeal to a mutual council. And such council 
 shall either approve and confirm the act of the church, or 
 shall disapprove and reverse it ; and this decision shall 
 be final, if the parties previously agreed to this. If not, 
 
40 
 
 then the result of the council shall be mere advice, and 
 the church, having the full right of disciplining its own 
 members, shall decide on the case ; and this decision of 
 the church shall be final, admitting of no further appeal ; 
 and no other churches shall do any thing to interfere with 
 it. 
 
 12. A citation to a party complained of or appealed 
 from, and also to witnesses, shall be made at least two 
 weeks before the time appointed for the trial of the case 
 by a council. 
 
 13. Any church member under censure shall give 
 notice to the church of his intention to appeal, within 
 one month after he was put under censure, and shall 
 prosecute his appeal before a council within six months, 
 or not at all. 
 
 14. If any person, whether minister or private Chris- 
 tian, who has been complained of to a regular council, 
 and has had regular notification to appear before them, 
 shall refuse or neglect to do so, he shall be judged guilty 
 of scandalous contempt, and treated as such an offence 
 requires. 
 
 15. If any pastor, who does not belong to any associa- 
 tion, is apprehended to be guilty of an offence, it shall be 
 the right and duty of any minister or private Christian 
 acquainted with the case, to deal with him in private 
 according to the spirit of the direction in Matt, xviii. 
 And if the cause of offence be not removed, the case 
 may be presented to the church of which he is a pastor, 
 which church shall be considered as bound in duty to 
 bring the matter for trial before a regular council. And 
 if that church shall neglect to do so, they may be dealt 
 with as a delinquent church. And in this case, it may 
 be proposed to them and their pastor to bring the charge 
 against them and against their pastor before a mutual 
 council. If this is refused, the whole case may be 
 brought before an ecclesiastical council, chosen by the 
 complainant, which council shall judge what ought to be 
 done. 
 
 16. If a Congregational minister not belonging to any 
 association, and not connected as pastor with any church, 
 shall be known to be guilty of heresy or immorality ; any 
 brother in the ministry acquainted with the offence, may, 
 
41 
 
 after dealing with him privately and obtaining no satisfac- 
 tion, propose to submit the matter for trial to an ecclesi- 
 astical council, mutually chosen ; and if he shall refuse, 
 the brother who has been aggrieved and has dealt with 
 him in private, may proceed to bring his complaint before 
 a regular council chosen by himself from Congregational 
 churches. If in any case the oifending minister, having 
 been duly notified, shall refuse to appear before said 
 council ; the council are authorized to act on the case, 
 and may pass sentence upon the offender for scandalous 
 contempt, and for any offence of which they find him 
 guilty, and may, in their own behalf, and in behalf of 
 Congregational churches, withdraw fellowship from him. 
 
 It is held as a settled principle, that every Congrega- 
 tional minister, is really under the watch and care of the 
 Congregational denomination, and that no one can evade 
 this inspection by neglecting to unite himself with an as- 
 sociation, or by refusing to acknowledge that he is, under 
 God, responsible to his brethren, and liable to be called 
 to account by them for heresy or immorality. 
 
 17. Every candidate for the ministry shall, during the 
 time of his being a candidate, be under the watch and 
 care of the association that gave him his license to preach, 
 and liable to be dealt with by them for any heresy or mis- 
 demeanor. 
 
 18. No person shall appear as advocate for another 
 before any ecclesiastical council, who is not a pastor or a 
 member of a Congregational church. The council itself 
 when it shall judge it expedient, may designate one of its 
 own members, or a member or pastor of another church, 
 to examine witnesses, and in other ways to afford necessa- 
 ry aid to one or both parties during a trial. 
 
 19. When it is desired by either of the parties calling 
 a mutual council, the council may admit oaths to be 
 administered to the witnesses. 
 
 20. If, in any case in which a mutual council is pro- 
 posed, according to the foregoing articles, the party to 
 whom the proposal is made shall refuse such council, it 
 shall be deemed an irregularity, and the party proposing 
 it, shall have the right to choose a council himself for the 
 trial of the case, — it being his duty to take special care 
 to select a council free from prejudice and partiality. 
 
42 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 We are aware that there are many cases which occur 
 in relation to ecclesiastical concerns, for which no pro- 
 vision is made in the imperfect manual which we have 
 prepared. We repeat it therefore, that what we have 
 done is not intended as a complete manual to be adopted 
 by the churches. We intend only to set out the business, 
 leaving it to be carried forward and finished by those to 
 whom it belongs, and in the way which they shall judge 
 expedient. And if by our instrumentality the churches 
 and ministers of our order may be induced to enter on a 
 serious consideration of the principles of Congregational- 
 ism, and to do what is necessary to carry those principles 
 into effect, and thus to promote the peace and prosperity 
 of our denomination; our labor, which we undertook by 
 the request of our brethren, will not be in vain. It has 
 not entered into our thoughts, that Congregational minis- 
 ters, by choosing us as a committee, delegated any power 
 or right to us, except that of doing what we could to 
 serve the cause of Congregationalism. And we repeat it, 
 that we do not consider what we now publish as having 
 any more authority than the publication of any other 
 individual. It belongs to the churches with their pastors 
 to act in the case, and their acts will be valid. 
 
 It has appeared to us in every point of view expedient, 
 that the whole of the Platform and Confession of Faith, 
 adopted by the Puritan Fathers, should be annexed to the 
 preceding publication, so that ministers and churches 
 may see in one view what Congregationalism was, and 
 what we hope it will, for substance, continue to be. The 
 Synod of 164s approved and consented to the West- 
 minster Confession of Faith, except what relates to 
 church government. The Synod which met, 1680, 
 
43 
 
 adopted the Savoy Confession, which is almost entirely 
 the same as the Westminster Confession. And this is 
 the Confession of Faith, which has, from that time to 
 the present, been published with the Platform. Only a 
 few extracts from the preface to the Platform, published 
 in 1G48, are here inserted. The whole preface is long, 
 and relates chiefly to the proper adjustment of questions 
 and difficulties which arcse between Congregational and 
 Presbyterial churches. But the short preface to the Con- 
 fession of Faith, adopted by the Synod of 1680, is here 
 given entire. 
 
 And now, dear brethren, let us keep in mind, that in 
 all we do or attempt to do in regard to the various sub- 
 jects presented in the foregoing report, we act under the 
 eye of Him who is the Redeemer and Head of the 
 church, and that it is our sacred duty to seek his honor 
 and to do his will. And let us cherish that spirit of love, 
 which seeketh not her own, which is not easily provoked, 
 and thinketh no evil ; which beareth all things, believeth 
 all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. And in 
 this spirit let us unitedly labor and pray for the peace 
 and prosperity of Christ's kingdom. And may grace and 
 mercy and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus 
 Christ be ever with you. 
 
 In behalf of the Committee, 
 
 LEONARD WOODS. 
 Jan. 1, 1846. 
 
THE 
 
 CAMBRIDGE PLATFOEM 
 
 OF 
 
 CHURCH DISCIPLINE, 
 
 GATHERED OUT OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND AGREED UPON BY 
 
 THE ELDERS AND MESSENGERS OF THE CHURCHES 
 ASSEMBLED IN SYNOD, 
 
 1648. 
 
EXTRACTS FROM THE PREFACE. 
 
 The more we discern the unkind, and unbrotlierly, and un- 
 christian contentions of our godly brethren and countrymen in 
 matters of church government, the more earnestly do we desire 
 to see them join together in one common faith, and ourselves 
 with them. For this end, having perused the public Confession 
 of Faith, agreed upon by the reverend assembly of divines 
 at Westminster, and finding the sum and substance thereof, in 
 matters of doctrine, to express not their own judgments only, 
 but ours also ; and being likewise called upon by our godly 
 magistrates, to draw up a public confession of that faith which 
 is constantly taught, and generally professed amongst us ; we 
 thought good to present unto them, and with them to our 
 churches, and with them to all the churches of Christ abroad, 
 our professed and hearty assent and attestation to the whole 
 Confession of Faith (for substance of doctrine) which the rev- 
 erend assembly presented to the religious and honorable par- 
 liament of England : excepting only some sections which con- 
 cern points of controversy in church discipline ; touching which 
 we refer ourselves to the draft of church discipline in the 
 ensuing treatise. 
 
 The truth of what we here declare may appear by the unani- 
 mous vote of the Synod of the Elders and Messengers of our 
 churches, assembled at Cambridge, the last of the sixth month, 
 1G48, which jointly passed in these words : This synod having 
 perused and considered, with much gladness of heart, and 
 thankfulness to God, the Confession of Faith, published of late 
 by the reverend assembly in England, do judge it to be very 
 
48 
 
 holy, orthodox, and judicious in all matters of faith ; and do 
 therefore freely and fully consent thereunto, for the substance 
 thereof. Only in those things which have respect to church 
 government and discipline, we refer ourselves to the Platform 
 of Church Discipline, agreed upon by this present assembly ; 
 and do therefore think it meet, that this Confession of Faith 
 should be commended to the churches of Christ amongst us, 
 and to the honored court, as worthy of their due consideration 
 and acceptance. 
 
 The Lord Jesus commune with all our hearts in secret, and 
 he who is the king of his church, let him be pleased to exercise 
 his kingly power in our spirits, that so his kingdom may come 
 into our churches in purity and peace. Amen. 
 
PLATFORM 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Of the form of church government ; and that it is one, immutable, and 
 prescribed in the word. 
 
 1. Ecclesiastical polity, or church government or 
 discipline, is nothing else but that form and order that is 
 to be observed in the church of Christ upon earth, both 
 for the constitution of it, and all the administrations that 
 therein are to be performed. 
 
 Ezek. xHii. II. Col. ii. 5. 1 Tim. iii. 15. 
 
 2. Church government is considered in a double re- 
 spect, either in regard of the parts of government them- 
 selves, or necessary circumstances thereof. The parts of 
 government are prescribed in the word, because the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the king and lawgiver of his church, is no 
 less faithful in the house of God than was Moses, who 
 from the Lord delivered a form and pattern of government 
 to the children of Israel in the Old Testament : and the 
 holy Scriptures are now also so perfect, as they are able 
 to make the man of God perfect, and thoroughly furnished 
 unto every good work; and therefore doubtless to the well 
 ordering of the house of God. 
 
 Heb. iii. 5, 6. Exod. xxv. 40. 2 Tim. iii. 16. 
 
 3. The parts of church government are all of them 
 exactly described in the word of God, being parts or 
 means of instituted worship, according to the second 
 commandment, and therefore to continue one and the 
 same unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, as a 
 kingdom that cannot be shaken, until he shall deliver it 
 
 5* 
 
50 
 
 up unto God, even the Father. So that it is not left 
 in the power of men, officers, churches, or any state in 
 the world to add, or diminish, or alter any thing in the 
 least measure therein. 
 
 1 Tim. iii. 15. 1 Chron. xv. 13. Ex. xx. 4. 1 Tim. vi. 1.3, 16. Heb. xii. 
 27, 28. 1 Cor. xv. 24. Deut. xii. 3t. Ezek. xliii. 8. 1 Kings, xii. 31-33. 
 
 4. The necessary circumstances, as time and place, 
 &/C., belonging unto order and decency, are not so left 
 unto men, as that under pretence of them they may thrust 
 their own inventions upon the churches, being circum- 
 scribed in the word with many general limitations, where 
 they are determined in respect of the matter, to be neither 
 worship itself, nor circumstances separable from worship. 
 In respect of their end, they must be done unto edifica- 
 tion. In respect of the manner, decently and in order, 
 according to the nature of the things themselves, and civil 
 and church custom. Doth not even nature itself teach 
 yoQ ? Yea, they are in some sort determined particularly, 
 namely, that they be done in such a manner, as, all cir- 
 cumstances considered, is most expedient for edification : 
 so, as if there be no error of man concerning their deter- 
 mination, the determining of them is to be accounted as 
 if it were divine. 
 
 2 Kings, xii Ex xx. 19. Isa. xxviti. 13. Col. i. 22, 23. Acts, xv. 28. 
 Matt XV. 9. 1 Cor. xi. 23, and viii. 34. 1 Cor. xiv. 2G, and xiv. 40, and xi. 
 14, 16, and xiv. 12, 19. Acts, xv. 28. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Of the nature of the catholic church in general, and in special of a particular 
 visible church. 
 
 1. The catholic church is the whole company of those 
 that are elected, redeemed, and in time effectually called 
 from the state of sin and death, unto a state of grace and 
 salvation in Jesus Christ. 
 
 Eph. i. 22, 23, and v. 25, 26, 30. Heb. xii. 23. 
 
 2. This church is either triumphant, or militant. 
 Triumphant, the number of them who are glorified in 
 
51 
 
 heaven: militant, the number of them who are conflicting 
 with their enemies upon earth. 
 
 Rom. viii. 17. 2 Tim. ii. 12, and iv. 8. Eph. vi. 12, 13. 
 
 3. This militant church is to be considered as invisible, 
 and visible. Invisible, in respect of their relation wherein 
 they stand to Christ, as a body unto the head, being 
 united unto him by the Spirit of God, and faith in their 
 hearts. Visible, in respect of the profession of their faith, 
 in their persons, and in particular churches. And so 
 there may be acknowledged an universal visible church. 
 
 2 Tim. ii. 19. Rev. ii. 17. 1 Cor. vi. 17. Eph. iii. 17. Rom. i. 8. 1 
 Thess. i. 8. Isa. ii. 2. 1 Tim. vi. 12. 
 
 4. The members of the militant visible church, con- 
 sidered either as not yet in church-order, or as walking 
 according to the church-order of the gospel. In order, 
 and so besides the spiritual union and communion com- 
 mon to all believers, they enjoy moreover an union and 
 communion ecclesiastical-political. So we deny an uni- 
 versal visible church. 
 
 Acts, xix. 1. Col. ii. 5. MaU. xviii. 17. 1 Cor. v. 12. 
 
 5. The state of the members of the militant visible 
 church walking in order, was either before the law, eco- 
 nomical, that is in families; or under the law, national; 
 or since the coming of Christ, only congregational : (The 
 term independent we approve not.) Therefore neither 
 national, provincial nor classical. 
 
 Gen. xviii. 19. Exod. xix. 6. 
 
 6. A Congregational church is by the institution of 
 Christ a part of the militant visible church, consisting of 
 a company of saints by calling, united into one body by 
 a holy covenant, for the public worship of God, and the 
 mutual edification one of another, in the fellowship of the 
 Lord Jesus. 
 
 1 Cor. xiv. 23, o6, and i. 2, and xii. 27. Exod. xix. 5, 6. Deut. xxix. 1, 
 and 9 to lo. Acts, ii. 42. 1 Cor. xiv. 2G. 
 
52 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Of the matter of the visible church, both in respect of quality and quantity. 
 
 1. The matter of a visible church are saints by calling. 
 
 1 Cor. i. 2. Eph. i. 1. 
 
 2. By saints, we understand, 1. Such as have not only 
 attained the knowledge of the principles of religion, and 
 are free from gross and open scandals, but also do to- 
 gether with the profession of their faith and repentance, 
 walk in blameless obedience to the word, so as that in 
 charitable discretion they may be accounted saints by 
 calling, though perhaps some or more of them be unsound, 
 and hypocrites inwardly, because the members of such 
 particular churches are commonly by the Holy Ghost 
 called saints and faithful brethren in Christ ; and sundry 
 churches have been reproved for receiving, and suffering 
 such persons to continue in fellowship amongst them, as 
 have been offensive and scandalous ; the name of God 
 also by this means is blasphemed, and the holy things of 
 God defiled and profaned, the hearts of the godly grieved, 
 and the wicked themselves hardened, and helped forward 
 to damnation. The example of such doth endanger the 
 sanctity of others : a little leaven leaveneth the whole 
 lump. 2. The children of such, who are also holy. 
 
 Heb. vi. 1. 1 Cor. i. 5. Rom. xv. 14. Ps. 1. 16, 17. Acts, viii. 37. Matt, 
 iii. G. Rom vi. 17. 1 Cor. i. 2. Phil. i. 2. Col. i. 2. Eph. i. 1. 1 Cor. v. 12, 
 13. Rev. ii. 14, 15, 20. Ezek. xliv. 1, [), and xxiii. 38, 39. Num. xix. 20. 
 Ha^. ii. 13, 14. 1 Cor. xi. 27, 29. Psal. xxxvii. 21. 1 Cor. v. 6. 1 Cor. 
 vii. 14. 
 
 3. The members of churches, though orderly constitu- 
 ted, may in time degenerate, and grow corrupt and 
 scandalous, which though they ought not to be tolerated 
 in the church, yet their continuance therein, through the 
 defect of the execution of discipline and just censures, 
 doth not immediately dissolve the being of the church, as 
 appears in the church of Israel, and the churches of 
 Galatia and Corinth, Pergamus and Thyatira. 
 
 Jer. ii. 21. 1 Cor. v. 12. Jer. u. 4. Gal. v. 4. 2 Cor. xii. 21. Rev. ii. 14, 
 15, and xxi. 21. 
 
53 
 
 4. The matter of the church in respect of its quantity, 
 ought not to be of greater number than may ordinarily 
 meet together conveniently in one place ; nor ordinarily 
 fewer, than may conveniently carry on church-work. 
 Hence when the holy Scripture makes mention of the 
 saints combined into a church-estate, in a town or city 
 where was but one congregation, it usually calleth those 
 saints The Church, in the singular number; as, The 
 church of the Thessalonians, The church of Smyrna, 
 Philadelphia, and the like ; but when it speaketh of the 
 saints in a nation or province, wherein there were sundry 
 congregations, it frequently and usually calleth them by 
 the name of Chuj^chcs, in the plural number, as the 
 churches of Asia, Galatia, Macedonia, and the like ; 
 which is further confirmed by what is written of sundry 
 of those churches in particular, how they were assembled 
 and met together, the whole church in one place, as the 
 church at Jerusalem, the church at Antioch, the church 
 at Corinth, and Cenchrea, though it were more near to 
 Corinth, it being the port thereof, and answerable to a 
 village, yet being a distinct congregation from Corinth, it 
 had a church of its own, as well as Corinth had. 
 
 1 Cor. xiv. 21. Matt, xviii. 17. Rom. xvi 1. 1 Thess. i. 1. Rev. ii. 8, and 
 iii. 7. 1 Cor. xvi. I, 19. Gal. i. 2. 2 Cor. viii. 1. 1 Thess. ii. 14. Acts, ii. 
 46, and v. 12, and vi. 2, and xiv. 27, and xv. 38. 1 Cor. v. 4, and xiv. 23. 
 Rom. xvi. 1. 
 
 5. Nor can it with reason be thought but that every 
 church appointed and ordained by Christ, had a ministry 
 ordained and appointed for the same ; and yet plain it is, 
 that there were no ordinary officers appointed by Christ 
 for any other than congregational churches ; elders being 
 appointed to feed, not all flocks, but that particular flock 
 of God over which the Holy Ghost had made them over- 
 seers, and that flock they must attend, even the whole 
 flock ; and one congregation being as much as any ordi- 
 nary elders can attend, therefore there is no greater church 
 than a congregation, which may ordinarily meet in one 
 place. 
 
 Acts, XX. 28. 
 
64 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of the form of a visible church, and of church covenant, 
 
 1. Saints by calling must have a visible political union 
 amongst themselves, or else they are not yet a particular 
 church, as those similitudes hold forth, which the Scrip- 
 ture makes use of to show the nature of particular 
 churches, as a body, a building, or house, hands, eyes, 
 feet, and other members must be united, or else (remaining 
 separate) are not a body. Stones, timber, though squared, 
 hewn and polished, are not a house, until they are com- 
 pacted and united ; so saints or believers, in judgment of 
 charity, are not a church, unless orderly knit together. 
 
 1 Cor. xii. 27. 1 Tim. iii. 15. Eph. ii. 22. 1 Cor. xii. 13, 16, 17. 
 
 2. Particular churches cannot be distinguished one 
 from another, but by their forms: Ephesus is not Smyrna, 
 nor Pergamus, Thyatira, but each one a distinct society 
 of itself, having officers of their own, which had not the 
 charge of others ; virtues of their own, for which others 
 are not praised ; corruptions of their own, for which 
 others are not blamed. 
 
 Rev. i. 
 
 3. This form is the visible covenant, agreement, or 
 consent, whereby they give up themselves unto the Lord, 
 to the observing of the ordinances of Christ together in 
 the same society, which is usually called the church 
 covenant : For we see not otherwise how members can 
 have church-power one over another mutually. The 
 comparing of each particular church unto a city, and unto 
 a spouse, seemeth to conclude not only a form, but that 
 that form is by way of covenant. The covenant, as it 
 was that which made the family of Abraham, and children 
 of Israel, to be a church and people unto God, so it is 
 that which now makes the several societies of Gentile- 
 believers to be churches in these days. 
 
 Exod xix. 5, 8. Deut.xxix. 12, 13. Zech. xi. 14-, and ix. 11. Eph. ii. 19. 
 2 Cor. xi. 2. (Jen. xvii. 7. Deul. xxix. 12, 13. Eph. ii. 12, lU. 
 
 4. This voluntary agreement, consent, or covenant, 
 (for all these are here taken for the same,) although the 
 
B5 
 
 more express and plain it is, the more fully it puts us in 
 mind of our mutual duty, and stirreth us up to it, and 
 leaveth less room for the questioning of the truth of the 
 church-estate of a company of professors, and the truth of 
 membership of particular persons ; yet we conceive the 
 substance of it is kept, where there is a real agreement 
 and consent of a company of faithful persons to meet 
 constantly together in one congregation, for the public 
 worship of God, and their mutual edification ; which real 
 agreement and consent they do express by their constant 
 practice in coming together for the public worship of 
 God, and by their religious subjection unto the ordinances 
 of God there ; the rather if we do consider how Scripture- 
 covenants have been entered into not only expressly by 
 word of mouth, but by sacrifice, by hand writing and seal, 
 and also sometimes by silent consent, without any writing 
 or expression of words at all. 
 
 Exod. xix 5, and xx. 8, and xxiv. 3, 17. Josh. xxiv. 18-24.. Psalm 1. 5. 
 Neh. ix. 38, and x. 1. Gen. xvii. Deut. xxix. 
 
 5. This form being by mutual covenant, it followeth, it 
 is not faith in the heart, nor the profession of that faith, 
 nor cohabitation, nor baptism. 1. Not faith in the heart, 
 because that is invisible. 2. Not a bare profession, be- 
 cause that declareth them no more to be members of one 
 church than of another. 3. Not cohabitation : atheists or 
 infidels may dwell together with believers. 4. Not bap- 
 tism, because it presupposeth a church-estate, as circum- 
 cision in the Old Testament, which gave no being unto the 
 church, the church being before it, and in the wilderness 
 without it. Seals presuppose a covenant already in being. 
 One person is a complete subject of baptism, but one 
 person is incapable of being a church. 
 
 6. All believers ought, as God giveth them opportunity 
 thereunto, to endeavor to join themselves unto a particular 
 church, and that in respect of the honor of Jesus Christ, 
 in his example and institution, by the professed acknowl- 
 edgment of, and subjection unto the order and ordinances 
 of the gospel ; as also in respect of their good of commu- 
 nion, founded upon their visible union, and contained in 
 the promises of Christ's special presence in the church ; 
 w^hence they have fellowship with him, and in him one 
 with another ; also, for the keeping of them in the way of 
 
56 
 
 God's commandments, and recovering of them in case of 
 wandering, (which all Christ's sheep are subject to in this 
 life,) being unable to return of themselves ; together with 
 the benefit of their mutual edification, and of their pos- 
 terity, that they may not be cut off from the privileges of 
 the covenant. Otherwise, if a believer offends, he remains 
 destitute of the remedy provided in that behalf And 
 should all believers neglect this duty of joining to all 
 particular congregations, it might follow thereupon, that 
 Christ should have no visible political churches upon 
 earth. 
 
 Acts, ii. 47, and ix. 26. Matt. iii. 13, 14, 15, and xxviii. 19,20. Psalm 
 cxxxiii. 2, 3, and Ixxxvii. 7. Matt, xviii. 20 1 John, i. 3. Ps. cxix. 176. 
 1 Peter, ii. 25. Eph. iv. 16. John, xxii. 24, 25. Matt, xviii. 15, IG, 17. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of the first subject of church power ; or, to whom church power doth first 
 belong. 
 
 The first subject of church power is either supreme or 
 subordinate and ministerial ; the supreme, by way of gift 
 from the Father, is the Lord Jesus Christ : The ministe- 
 rial is either extraordinary as the apostles, prophets and 
 evangelists ; or ordinary, as every particular Congrega- 
 tional church. 
 
 Mat. xviii. 18. Rev. iii. 7. Isa. ix. 6. John xx. 21, 23. 1 Cor. xiv. 32. 
 Til. i. 5. 1 Cor. v. 12. 
 
 2. Ordinary church power, is either the power of 
 office, that is, such as is proper to the eldership, or power 
 of privilege, such as belongs unto the brotherhood. The 
 latter, is in the brethren formally, and immediately from 
 Christ, that is, so as it may be acted or exercised imme- 
 diately by themselves ; the former is not in them formally 
 or immediately, and therefore cannot be acted or exer- 
 cised immediately by them, but is said to be in them, in 
 that they design the persons unto office, who only are to 
 act, or to exercise this power. 
 
 Rom. xii. 4, 8. Acts i. 23, and vi. 3, 4, and xiv. 23. 1 Cor. x. 29, 30. 
 
57 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the officers of the church, and especially of pastors and teachers. 
 
 1. A CHURCH being a company of people combined to- 
 gether by covenant for the worship of God, it ap})eareth 
 thereby, that there may be the essence and being of a 
 church without any officers, seeing there is both tlie form 
 and matter of a church ; which is implied when it is 
 said, the apostles ordained elders in every church. 
 
 Acts, xiv. 23. 
 
 2. Nevertheless, though officers be not absolutely 
 
 necessary to the simple being of churches, when they be 
 
 called, yet ordinarily to their calling they are, and to 
 
 their well being; and therefore the Lord Jesus, cut of his 
 
 tender compassion, hath appointed and ordained officers, 
 
 which he would not have done, if they had not been 
 
 useful and needful for the church ; yea, being ascended 
 
 into heaven, he received gifts for men, and gave gifts to 
 
 men, whereof officers for the church are justly accounted 
 
 no small parts, they being to continue to the end of the 
 
 world, and for the perfecting of all the saints. 
 
 Honi. X. 17. Jer. iii. 15. I Cor. xii. 28. Eph. iv. 11. Psalm Ixviii. 18. 
 Eph. iv. 8, 11. andiv. 12, 13. 
 
 3. These officers were either extraordinary or ordinary: 
 extraordinary, as apostles, prophets, evangelists; ordinary, 
 as elders and deacons. The apostles, prophets, and 
 evangelists as they were called extraordinarily by Christ, 
 so their office ended with themselves ; whence it is that 
 Paul directing Timothy how to carry along church- 
 administrations, giveth no direction about the choice or 
 course of apostles, prophets, or evangelists, but only of 
 elders and deacons ; and when Paul was to take his last 
 leave of the church of Ephesus, he conuTiitted the care 
 of feeding the church to no other, but unto the elders of 
 that church. The like charge doth Peter commit to the 
 elders. 
 
 1 Cor. xii t?>. Eph. iv. 11. Acts, viii. 6, IG. 19, and xi. 28. Rom. xi. 
 13. 1 Cor. iv. 9. 1 Tim. iii. 1, 2, 8 to 13. Tit. i, 5. Acts, xx. 17, 2J. 1 
 Pet. V. 1,2,3. 
 
58 
 
 4. Of elders, who are also in scripture called bishops, 
 some attend chiefly to the ministry of the word, as the 
 pastors and teachers ; others attend especially unto rule, 
 who are therefore called ruling elders. 
 
 iTim. ii. 3. Phil. i. 1. Acts, xx. 17, 28. 1 Tim. v. 7. 
 
 5. The office of pastor and teacher, appears to be dis- 
 tinct. The pastor's special work is, to attend to exhorta- 
 tion, and therein to administer a word of wisdom ; the 
 teacher is to attend to doctrine, and therein to administer 
 a word of knowledge ; and either of them to administer 
 the seals of that covenant, unto the dispensation whereof 
 they are alike called ; as also to execute the censures, 
 being but a kind of application of the word : The preach- 
 ing of which, together with the application thereof, they 
 are alike charged withal. 
 
 Epli. iv. 11. Rom. xii. 7, 8. 1 Cor. xii. 8. 2Tim. iv. 1,2. Titus, i. 9. 
 
 6. And forasmuch as both pastors and teachers are 
 given by Christ for the perfecting of the saints, and edify- 
 ino- of his body ; which saints and body of Christ is his 
 church : therefore we account pastors and teachers to 
 be both of them church officers, and not the pastor for 
 the church, and the teacher only for the schools : Though 
 this we gladly acknowledge, that schools are both lawful, 
 profitable and necessary for the training up of such in 
 good literature or learning, as may afterwards be called 
 forth unto office of pastor or teacher in the church. 
 
 Eph. iv. 11, 12. audi. 22, 23. 1 Sam. x. 12, 19, 20. 2 Kings, ii. 3, 15. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of ruling elders and deacons. 
 
 I. The ruling elder's office is distinct from the office of 
 pastor and teacher. The ruling elders are not so called, 
 to exclude the pastors and teachers from ruling, because 
 rulino and governing is common to these with the other; 
 whereas attending to teach and preach the word is 
 peculiar unto the former. 
 
 Kom. xii. 7, 8, 9. 1 Tim. v. 17. 1 Cor. xii. 28, Heb.xiii. 17. ITim. 
 V. 17. 
 
59 
 
 2. The ruling elder's work is to join with the pastor 
 and teacher in those acts of spiritual rule which are dis- 
 tinct from the ministry of the word and sacraments com- 
 mitted to them. Of which sort these be as followeth : 
 1, To open and shut the doors of God's house, by the 
 admission of members approved by the church ; by 
 ordination of officers chosen by the church ; and by 
 excommunication of notorious and obstinate offenders 
 renounced by the church ; and by restoring of penitents 
 forgiven by the church. 2. To call the church together 
 when there is occasion, and seasonably to dismiss them 
 again. 3. To prepare matters in private, that in public 
 they may be carried to an end with less trouble, and more 
 speedy dispatch. 4. To moderate the carriage of all 
 matters in the church assembled; as, to propound matters 
 to the church, to order the season of speech and silence, 
 and to pronounce sentence according to the mind of 
 Christ, with the consent of the church. 5. To be guides 
 and leaders to the church, in all matters whatsoever per- 
 taining to church-administrations and actions. 6. To 
 see that none in the church live inordinately, out of rank 
 and place, without a calling, or idly in their calling. 
 7. To prevent and heal such offences in life or in doc- 
 trine, as might corrupt the church. 8. To feed the flock 
 of God with a word of admonition. 9. And as they 
 shall be sent for, to visit and to pray over their sick 
 brethren. 10. And at other times as opportunity shall 
 serve thereunto. 
 
 1 Tim. V. 17. 2 Chron. xxiii. 19. Rev. xxi. 12. 1 Tim. iv. 14. Mat. 
 xviii. 17. 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8. Acts. ii. 6, and xxi. 18, 22, 23. and vi. 2, 3, and 
 xiii. 15. 2 Cor. viii. 19. Heb. xiii. 7, 17. 2 Thes.s. ii. 10,' 11, 12. Acts, xx. 
 28, 32. 1 Thess. v. 12. James, v. 14. Acts, xx. 20. 
 
 3. The office of a deacon is instituted in the church by 
 the Lord Jesus ; sometimes they are called helps. The 
 scripture telleth us how they should be qualified, " Grave, 
 not double tongued, not given to much wine, not given to 
 filthy lucre." They must first be proved, and then use 
 the office of a deacon, being found blameless. The 
 office and work of the deacon, is to receive the offerings of 
 the church, gifts given to the church, and to keep the 
 treasury of the church, and therewith to serve the tables 
 which the church is to provide for ; as the Lord's table, 
 
60 
 
 the table of the ministers, and of such as are in necessity, 
 to whom they are to distribute in simplicity. 
 
 Acts, vi. 3,G. Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 28. 1 Tim. iii. 8, 9. 
 Acts, iv. .35, and vi. 2, 3. Rom. xii. 8. 
 
 4. The office therefore being limited unto the care of 
 the temporal good things of the church, it extends not unto 
 the attendance upon, and administration of the spiritual 
 things thereof, as the word and sacraments, or the like. 
 
 1 Cor. vii. 17. 
 
 5. The ordinance of the apostle, and practice of the 
 church, commends the Lord's day as a fit time for the 
 contributions of the saints. 
 
 1 Cor. xvi. 1,2,3. 
 
 6. The instituting of all these officers in the church, is 
 the work of God himself, of the Lord Jesus Christ, of the 
 Holy Ghost : and therefore such officers as he hath not 
 appointed are altogether unlawful either to be placed in 
 the church, or to be retained therein, and are to be looked 
 at as human creatures, mere inventions and appoint- 
 ments of man, to the great dishonor of Christ Jesus, the 
 Lord of his house, the king of his church, whether popes, 
 patriarchs, cardinals, arch-bishops, lord-bishops, arch- 
 deacons, officials, commissaries, and the like. These 
 and the rest of that hierarchy and retinue, not being 
 plants of the Lord's planting, shall all be certainly rooted 
 out and cast forth. 
 
 1 Cor. xii. 28. Eph. iv. 8, II. Acts, xx 28. Mat. xv. 13. 
 
 7. The Lord hath appointed ancient widows, where 
 they may be had, to minister in the church, in giving 
 attendance to the sick, and to give succour unto them, 
 and others in the like necessities. 
 
 1 Tim. V. 9, 10. 
 
 CHAPTER Vni. 
 
 Of the election of church olHcers. 
 
 I. No man may take the honor of a church officer 
 unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron, 
 Heb. V. 4. 
 
61 
 
 2. Calling unto office is either immediate, by Christ 
 himself, such was the call of the apostles and prophets ; 
 this manner of calling ended with them as hath been 
 said : or mediate, by the church. 
 
 Gal. i. 1. Acts, xiv. 23, and vi. 3. 
 
 3. It is meet that before any be ordained or chosen 
 officers, they should first be tried and proved ; because 
 hands are not suddenly to be laid upon any, and both 
 elders and deacons must be of honest and good report. 
 
 1 Tim. V. 22, and vii. 10. Acts, xvi. 2, and vi. 3. 
 
 4. The things in respect of which they are to be tried, 
 are those gifts and virtues which the scripture requireth 
 in men that are to be elected into such places, viz. that 
 elders must be blameless, sober, apt to teach, and endued 
 with such other qualifications as are laid down, 1 Tim. iii. 
 2. Tit. i. 6 to 9. Deacons to be fitted as is directed, 
 Acts, vi. 3. 1 Tim. iii. 8 to 11. 
 
 5. Officers are to be called by such churches where- 
 unto they are to minister. Of such moment is the 
 preservation of this power, that the churches exercised it 
 in the presence of the apostles. 
 
 Acts, xiv. 23, and i. 23, and vi. 3, 4, 5. 
 
 6. A church being free, cannot become subject to any, 
 but by a free election ; yet when such a people do choose 
 any to be over them in the Lord, then do they become 
 subject, and most willingly submit to their ministry in the 
 Lord, whom they have so chosen. 
 
 , Gal. V. 13. Heb xiii. 17. 
 
 7. And if the church have power to choose their 
 officers and ministers, then in case of manifest unworthi- 
 ness and delinquency, they have power also to depose 
 them : for to open and shut, to choose and refuse, to 
 constitute in office and remove from office, are acts 
 belonging to the same power. 
 
 Rom. xvi. 17. 
 
 8. We judge it much conducing to the well being and 
 communion of churches, that where it may conveniently 
 be done, neighbour churches be advised withal, and their 
 
 6* 
 
62 
 
 help made use of in the trial of church officers, in 
 order to their choice. 
 
 Cant. viii. 8, 9. 
 
 9. The choice of such church officers belongeth not to 
 the civil magistrates, as such, or diocesan bishops, or 
 patrons ; for of these, or any such like, the Scripture 
 is wholly silent, as having any power therein. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of ordination, and imposition of hands. 
 
 1. Church officers are not only to be chosen by the 
 church, but also to be ordained by imposition of hands 
 and prayer; with which, at the ordination of elders, fasting 
 also is to be joined. 
 
 Acts, xiii. 3, and xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 22. 
 
 2. This ordination we account nothing else, but the 
 solemn putting of a man into his place and office in the 
 church, whereunto he had right before by election ; being 
 like the installing of a magistrate in the commonwealth. 
 Ordination therefore is not to go before, but to follow 
 election. The essence and substance of the outward 
 calling of an ordinary officer in the church, doth not con- 
 sist in his ordination, but in his voluntary and free 
 election by the church, and in his accepting of that elec- 
 tion ; whereupon is founded that relation between pastor 
 and flock, between such a minister and such a people. 
 Ordination doth not constitute an officer, nor give him the 
 essentials of his office. The apostles were elders without 
 imposition of hands by men ; Paul and Barnabas were 
 officers before that imposition of hands, Acts, xiii, 3. 
 The posterity of Levi were priests and Levites, before 
 hands were laid on them by the children of Israel. 
 
 Numb. viii. 10. Acts, vi 5, 6, and xiii. 2, 3, and xiv. 23. 
 
 3. In such churches where there are elders, imposition 
 of hands in ordination is to be performed by those elders. 
 
 1 Tim. iv. 14. Acts, xiii. 3. 1 Tim. v. 22. 
 
63 
 
 4. In such churches wliere there are no elders, imposi- 
 tion of hands may be performed by some of the bretiiren 
 orderly chosen by the church thereunto. For if the peo- 
 ple may elect officers, which is the greater, and wherein 
 the substance of the office consists, they may much more 
 (occasion and need so requiring) impose hands in ordina- 
 tion, which is less, and but the accomplishment of the 
 other. 
 
 Numb. viii. 10. 
 
 5. Nevertheless, in such churches where there are no 
 elders, and the church so desire, we see not why imposi- 
 tion of hands may not be performed by the elders of other 
 churches. Ordinary officers laid hands upon the officers 
 of many churches : the presbytery at Ephesus laid hands 
 upon Timothy, an evangelist ; the presbytery at Antioch 
 laid hands upon Paid and Barnabas. 
 
 1 Tim. iv. 14. Acts, xiii. 3. 
 
 6. Church officers are officers to one church, even that 
 particular church over which the Holy Ghost hath made 
 them overseers. Insomuch as elders are commanded to 
 feed, not all flocks, but that flock which is conunitted to 
 their faith and trust, and dependeth upon them. Nor 
 can constant residence at one congregation be necessary 
 for a minister, no, nor yet lawful, if he be not a minister 
 to one congregation only, but to the church universal ; 
 because he may not attend one part only of the church 
 whereto he is a minister, but he is called to attend unto all 
 the flock. 
 
 1 Pet. V. 2. Acts, XX. 28. 
 
 7. He that is clearly loosed from his office-relation 
 unto that church whereof he was a minister, cannot be 
 looked at as an officer, nor perform anv act of office in 
 any other church, unless he be again orderly called unto 
 office ; which when it shall be, we know nothing to hin- 
 der, but imposition of hands also in his ordination ought to 
 be used towards him again. For so Paul the apostle re- 
 ceived imposition of hands twice at least from Ananias. 
 
 Acts, ix. 17, and xiii. 3. 
 
64 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of the power of the church and its presbytery. 
 
 1. Supreme and lordly power over all the churches 
 upon earth doth only belong unto Jesus Christ, who is 
 king of the church, and the head thereof. He hath the 
 government upon his shoulders, and hath all power given 
 to him, both in heaven and earth. 
 
 Psahn ii; 6. Eph. i. 21, 22. Isa. ix. 6. Matt, xxviii. 18. 
 
 2. A company of professed believers ecclesiastically 
 confederate, as they are a church before they have 
 officers, and without them ; so even in that estate, sub- 
 ordinate charch-power under Christ, delegated to them by 
 him, doth belong to them, in such a manner as is before 
 expressed, chap. v. sect. 2, and as flowing from the very 
 nature and essence of a church : it being natural to all 
 bodies, and so unto a church body, to be furnished with 
 sufficient power for its own preservation and subsistence. 
 
 Acts, i. "23, and xiv. 23, and vi. 3, 4. Matt, xviii. 17. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 
 
 3. This government of the church is a mixt govern- 
 ment, and so hath been acknowledged long before the 
 term of independency was heard of. In respect of 
 Christ, the head and King of the church, and the sove- 
 reign power residing in him, and exercised by him, it is 
 a monarchy ; in respect of the body or brotherhood of the 
 church, and power from Christ granted unto them, it 
 resembles a democracy ; in respect of the presbytery, 
 and power committed unto them, it is an aristocracy. 
 
 Kev iii. 7. 1 Cor. v. 12. 1 Tim. v, 17. 
 
 4. The sovereign power which is peculiar unto Christ, 
 is exercised, 1. In calling the church out of the world 
 into holy fellowship with himself 2. In instituting the 
 ordinances of his worship, and appointing his ministers 
 and officers for the dispensing of them. 3. In giving 
 laws for the ordering of all our ways, and the ways of 
 his house. 4. In giving power and life to all his institu- 
 tions, and to his people by them. 5. In protecting and 
 
65 
 
 delivering liis church against and from all the enemies of 
 their peace. 
 
 Gal i. 4. Rev. v. 8, 9. Matt xxviii. 20. Eph. iv. 8, 1 1. James, iv. 12. 
 Isa. xxxiii. 22. 1 Tim iii. 15. 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. Isa. xxxii. 2. Luke, i. 71. 
 
 5. The power granted by Christ unto the body of the 
 church and brotherhood, is a prerogative or privilege 
 which the church doth exercise, 1. In choosing their 
 own othcers, whether elders or deacons. 2. In admission 
 of their own members; and therefore there is great reason 
 they should have power to remove any from their fellow- 
 ship again. Hence in case of offence, any brother hath 
 power to convince and admonish an offending brother; 
 and in case of not hearing him, to take one or two more 
 to set on the admonition ; and in case of not hearing 
 them, to proceed to tell the church ; and as his offence 
 may require, the whole church hath power to proceed to 
 the public censure of him, whether by admonition or ex- 
 communication ; and upon his repentance, to restore him 
 again unto his former communion. 
 
 Acts, vi. 3, 5, and xiv. 23, and ix. 2G. Malt, xviii. 15, IG, 17. Tit. iii. 10. 
 Col. iv. 17. 2 Cor. ii. 1, 8. 
 
 6. In case an elder offend incorrigibly, the matter so 
 requiring, as the church had power to call him to office, 
 so they have power according to order (the council of 
 other churches, where it may be had, directing thereto) to 
 remove him from his office ; and being now but a mem- 
 ber, in case he add contumacy to his sin, the church that 
 had power to receive him into their fellowship, hath also 
 the same power to cast him out, that they have concern- 
 ing any other member. 
 
 Col. iv. 17, Rom. xvi. 17. JMalt. xviii. 17. 
 
 7. Church government or rule, is placed by Christ in 
 the officers of the church, who are therefore called rulers, 
 while they rule with God ; yet in case of maladministra- 
 tion, they are subject to the power of the church, as hath 
 been said before. The Holy Ghost frequently, yea 
 always, where it mentioneth church rule, and church 
 government, ascribeth it to elders ; whereas the work and 
 duty of the people is expressed in the phrase of obeying 
 their elders, and submitting themselves unto them in the 
 Lord. So as it is manifest, that an organic or complete 
 
66 
 
 church is a body politic, consisting of some that are 
 governors, and some that are governed in the Lord. 
 
 1 Tim. V. 17. Heb. xiii. 17. 1 Thess, v. 12. Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 
 28,29. Hcb.xiii.7, 17. 
 
 8. The power which Christ hath committed to the elders, 
 is to feed and rule the church of God, and accordingly to 
 call the church together upon any weighty occasion ; 
 when the members so called, without just cause, may not 
 refuse to come ; nor when they are come, depart before 
 they are dismissed ; nor speak in the church before they 
 have leave from the elders ; nor continue so doing when 
 they require silence ; nor may they oppose nor contra- 
 dict the judgment or sentence of the elders, without 
 sufficient and weighty cause, because such practices are 
 manifestly contrary unto order and government, and inlets 
 of disturbance, and tend to confusion. 
 
 Acts, XX. 28, and vi. 2. INumb. xvi. 12. Ezek. xlvi. 10. Acts, xiii. 15. 
 Hos. iv. 4. 
 
 9. It belongs also unto the elders to examine any 
 officers or members, before they be received of the 
 church; to receive the accusations brought to the church, 
 and to prepare them for the church's hearing. In hand- 
 ling of offences and other matters before the church, they 
 have power to declare and publish the council and will of 
 God touching the same, and to pronounce sentence with 
 consent of the church. Lastly, they have power, when 
 they dismiss the people, to bless them in the name of the 
 Lord. 
 
 Rev. ii. 2. 1 Tim. v. 19. Acts, xxi. 18, 22, 23. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. Num. vi. 
 23 to 26. 
 
 10. This power of government in the elders, doth not 
 any wise prejudice the power of privilege in the brother- 
 hood ; as neither the power of privilege in the brethren, 
 doth prejudice the power of government in the elders, but 
 they may sweetly agree together ; as we may see in the 
 example of the apostles, furnished with the greatest 
 church power, who took in the concurrence and consent 
 of the brethren in church administrations. Also that 
 scripture, 2 Cor. ii. 9, and x. 6, do declare, That what 
 the churches were to act and do in these matters, they 
 were to do in a way of obedience, and that not only to 
 
er 
 
 the direction of the apostles, but also of their ordinary 
 elders. 
 
 Acts, xiv. 15, 23, and vi. 2. 1 Cor. v. 4. 2 Cor. ii 6, 7. Heb. xiii. 17. 
 
 11. From the premises, namely, That the ordinary 
 power of government belonging only to the elders, power 
 of privilege remaineth with the brotherhood, (as power of 
 judgment in matters of censure, and power of liberty in 
 matters of liberty ; ) it followeth, that in an organic 
 church, and right administration, all church acts proceed 
 after the manner of a mixt administration, so as no 
 church act can be consummated or perfected without the 
 consent of both. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Of the maintenance of church officers. 
 
 1. The apostle concludes, that necessary and suffi- 
 cient maintenance is due unto the ministers of the word, 
 from the law of nature and nations, from the law of 
 Moses, the equity thereof, as also the rule of common 
 reason. Moreover, the scripture doth not only call elders 
 laborers, and workmen, but also speaking of them, doth 
 say, that the laborer is worthy of his hire ; and requires 
 that he which is taught in the word, should communicate 
 to him in all good things; and mentions it as an ordi- 
 nance of the Lord, that they which preach the gospel, 
 should live of the gospel ; and forbiddeth the muzzling 
 of the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. 
 
 ICor. ix 14, 15. JMalt. ix. 38, and x. 10. I Tim. v. 18. Gal. vi. 6. 
 1 Cor. ix. 9, 14. 
 
 2. The scriptures alledged, requiring this maintenance 
 as a bounden duty and due debt, and not as a matter of 
 alms and free gift, therefore people are not at liberty to do 
 or not to do, what and when they please in this matter, 
 no more than in any other commanded duty, and ordi- 
 nance of the Lord ; but ought of duty to minister of their 
 carnal things, to them that labor amongst them in the word 
 and doctrine, as well as they ought to pay any other 
 
68 
 
 workmen their wages, and to discharge and satisfy their 
 other debts, or to submit themselves to observe any other 
 ordinance of the Lord. 
 
 Rom. XV 27. 1 Cor, ix. 21. 
 
 3. The apostle (Gal. vi. 6.) enjoining that he which is 
 tauo-ht conununicate to him that teacheth in all good 
 things, doth not leave it arbitrary, what or how much a 
 man shall give, or in what proportion, but even the latter, 
 as well as the former, is prescribed and appointed by the 
 Lord. 
 
 1 Cor. xvi. 2. 
 
 4. Not only members of churches, but all that are 
 taucrht in the word, are to contribute unto him that teach- 
 eth, in all good things. In case that congregations are 
 defective in their contributions, the deacons are to call 
 upon them to do their duty; if their call sufficeth not, the 
 church by her power is to require it of their members ; 
 and where church power, through the corruption of men, 
 doth not, or cannot attain the end, the magistrate is to 
 see the ministry be duly provided for, as appears from the 
 commended example of Nehemiah. The magistrates are 
 nursing-fathers, and nursing-mothers, and stand charged 
 with the custody of both tables ; because it is better to 
 prevent a scandal that it may not come, and easier also, 
 than to remove it when it is given. It is most suitable to 
 rule, that by the church's care each man should know his 
 proportion according to rule, what he should do, before 
 he do it, that so his judgment and heart may be satisfied 
 in what he doth, and just offence prevented in what is 
 done. 
 
 Gal. vi. 6. Acts, vi. 3, 4. Neh. xiii. 11 . Isa. xllx. 23. 2 Cor. viii. 13, 14. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Of admission of mcml^ers into the church. 
 
 1. The doors of the churches of Christ upon earth, do 
 not by God's appointment stand so wide open, that all 
 
69 
 
 sorts of people, good or bad, may freely enter therein at 
 their pleasure ; but such as are admitted thereto as mem- 
 bers, ought to be examined and tried first, whether they ,^ 
 be fit and meet to be received into church-society, or not. 
 The eunuch of Ethiopia, before his admission, wag 
 examined by Philip, whether he did believe on Jesus 
 Christ with all his heart. The angel of the church at 
 Ephesus is commended for trying such as said they were 
 apostles, and were not. There is like reason for trying of 
 them that profess themselves to be believers. The officers 
 are charged with the keeping of the doors of the church, 
 and therefore are in a special manner to make trial of the 
 fitness of such who enter. Twelve angels are set at the 
 gates of the temple, lest such as were ceremonially un- 
 clean should enter thereinto. 
 
 2 Chron. xxiii. 19. MaU. xiii. i?5, and xxii. 12. Acts, viii. 37. Rev. ii. 2, 
 Acts, ix. 26. Rev. xxi. J 2. 
 
 2. The things which are requisite to be found in all 
 church members, are reijentance from sin, and faith in 
 Jesus Christ ; and therefore these are the things whereof 
 men are to be examined at their admission into the 
 church, and which then they must profess and hold forth 
 in such sort, as may satisfy rational charity that the 
 things are there indeed. John Baptist admitted men to 
 baptism, confessing and bewailing their sins; and of 
 others it is said, that they came, and confessed and 
 showed their deeds. 
 
 Acts, ii. 38 to 42, and viii. 37. IMatt. iii.6. Acts, xix. 18. 
 
 3. The weakest measure of faith is to be accepted in 
 those that desire to be admitted into the church, because 
 weak Christians, if sincere, have the substance of that 
 faith, repentance and holiness which is required in church 
 members ; and such have most need of the ordinances 
 for their confirmation and growth in grace. The Lord 
 Jesus would not quench the smoking flax, nor break the 
 bruised reed, but gather the tender lambs in his arms and 
 carry them gently in his bosom. Such charity and ten- 
 derness is to be used, as the weakest Christian, if sincere, 
 may not be excluded nor discouraged. Severity of ex- 
 amination is to be avoided. 
 
 Rom. xiv. 1. Malt. xii. 20. Isa. xl. 11. 
 7 
 
70 
 
 4. In case any through excessive fear, or other infir- 
 mity, be unable to make their personal relation of their 
 
 ^ spiritual estate in public, it is sufficient that the elders, 
 having received private satisfaction, make relation thereof 
 in public before the church, they testifying their assents 
 thereunto ; this being the way that tendeth most to edifi- 
 cation. Rut where persons are of greater abilities, there 
 it is most expedient that they make their relations and 
 confessions personally with their own mouth, as David 
 professeth of himself. 
 
 Psalm Jxvi. 16. 
 
 5. A personal and public confession, and declaring of 
 God's manner of working upon the soul, is both lawful, 
 expedient and useful, in sundry respects, and upon sundry 
 grounds. Those three thousand. Acts ii. 37, 41, before 
 they were admitted by the apostles, did manifest that 
 they were pricked in their hearts at Peter's sermon, 
 together with earnest desire to be delivered from their 
 sins, which now wounded their consciences, and their 
 ready receiving of the word of promise and exhortation. 
 We are to be ready to render a reason of the hope that is 
 in us, to every one that asketh us ; therefore we must be 
 able and ready upon any occasion to declare and show 
 our repentance for sin, faith unfeigned, and effectual call- 
 ing, because these are the reasons of a well grounded 
 hope. I have not hidden thy righteousness from the 
 great congregation, 
 
 1 Pet. iii. 15. Heb. xi. 1. Eph. i. 18. Psalm xl. 10. 
 
 6. This profession of faith and repentance, as it must 
 be made by such at their admission, that were never in 
 church-society before ; so nothing hindereth but the same 
 way also be performed by such as have formerly been 
 members of some other church, and the church to which 
 they now join themselves as members may lawfully 
 require the same. Those three thousand. Acts ii., which 
 made their confession, were members of the church of 
 the Jews before, so were they that were baptized by John. 
 Churches may err in their admission, and persons regular- 
 ly admitted may fall into offence. Otherwise, if churches 
 might obtrude their members, or if church members 
 might obtrude themselves upon other churches without 
 
71 
 
 due trial, the matter so requiring, both the liberty of 
 churches would hereby be infringed in that they might 
 not examine those, concerning whose fitness for com- 
 munion they were unsatisfied ; and besides the infringing 
 of their liberty, the churches themselves would unavoid- 
 ably be corrupted, and the ordinances defiled, whilst they 
 might not refuse, but must receive the unworthy ; which 
 is contrary unto the scripture, teaching that all churches 
 are sisters, and therefore equal. 
 
 J>JaU iii. 5, 6. Gal ii. 4. 1 Tim. v. 24. Cant. viii. 8. 
 
 7. The like trial is to be required from such members 
 of the church as were born in the same, or received their 
 membership and were baptized in their infancy or minor- 
 ity, by virtue of the covenant of their parents, when 
 being grown up unto years of discretion, they shall desire 
 to be made partakers of the Lord's supper ; unto which, 
 because holy things must not be given unto the unworthy, 
 therefore it is requisite, that these as well as others 
 should come to their trial and examination, and manifest 
 their faith and repentance by an open profession thereof, 
 before they are received to the Lord's supper, and other- 
 wise not to be admitted thereunto. Yet these church 
 members that were so born, or received in their child- 
 hood, before they are capable of being made partakers of 
 full communion, have many privileges which others, not 
 church members, have not : they are in covenant with 
 God, have the seal thereof upon them, viz. baptism ; and 
 so if not regenerated, yet are in a more hopeful way of 
 attaining regenerating grace, and all the spiritual bless- 
 ings both of the covenant and seal : they are also under 
 church-watch, and consequently subject to the reprehen- 
 sions, admonitions, and censures thereof, for their healing 
 and amendment, as need shall require. 
 
 3Iatt. vii. 6. 1 Cor. xi. 27. 
 
72 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Of church members, their removal from one church to another, and of 
 recommendation and dismissix>n. 
 
 1. Church members may not remove or depart from 
 the church, and so one from another as they please, nor 
 without just and weighty cause, but ought to live and 
 dwell together ; forasmuch as they are commanded, not to 
 forsake the assemblino- of themselves together. Such 
 departure tends to the dissolution and ruin of the body, 
 as the pulling of stones and pieces of timber from the 
 building, and of members from the natural body, tend to 
 the destruction of the whole. 
 
 Heb. X. 25. 
 
 2. It is therefore the duty of church members, in such 
 times and places where counsel may be had, to consult 
 with the church whereof they are members about their 
 removal, that accordingly they having their approbation, 
 may be encouraged, or otherwise desist. They who are 
 joined with consent, should not depart without consent, 
 except forced thereunto. 
 
 Prov.xi 16. 
 
 3. If a member's departure be manifestly unsafe and 
 sinful, the church may not consent thereunto ; for in so 
 doing, they should not act in faith, and should partake 
 with him in his sin. If the case be doubtful, and the 
 person not to be persuaded, it seemeth best to leave the 
 matter unto God, and not forcibly to detain him. 
 
 Rom. xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 22. Ads, xxi. 14. 
 
 4. Just reasons for a member's removal of himself 
 from the church, are, 1. If a man cannot continue with- 
 out partaking in sin. 2. In case of personal persecution; 
 so Paul departed from the disciples at Damascus. Also 
 in case of general persecution, when all are scattered. 
 3. In case of real, and not only pretended want of com- 
 petent subsistence, a door being opened for better supply 
 in another place, together with the means of spiritual 
 
73 
 
 edification. In these, or like cases, a member may law- 
 fully remove, and the church cannot lawfully detain him. 
 
 Eph. V. 1 1. Acts, ix. 25, 29, 20, and viii. 1. iNeh. xiii. 20. 
 
 5. To separate from a church, either out of contempt 
 of their holy fellowship, or out of covetousness, or for 
 greater enlargements, with just grief to the church ; or 
 out of schism, or want of love, and out of a spirit of con- 
 tention in respect of some unkindness, or some evil only 
 conceived, or indeed in the church, which might and 
 should be tolerated and healed with a spirit of meekness, 
 and of which evil the church is not yet convinced (though 
 perhaps himself be) nor admonished : for these or like 
 reasons to withdraw from public communion, in word, 
 or seals, or censures, is unlawful and sinful. 
 
 2 Tim iv. 10. Rom. xvi. 17. Jude, 19. Eph. iv. 2, 3. Col. iii. 13. 
 Gal. vi. 1,2. 
 
 G. Such members as have orderly removed their habi- 
 tation, ought to join themselves unto the church in order 
 where they do inhabit, if it may be ; otherwise they can 
 neither perform the duties nor receive the privileges of 
 members. Such an example tolerated in some, is apt to 
 corrupt others, which if many should follow, would 
 threaten the dissolution and confusion of churches, con- 
 trary to the scripture. 
 
 Isa Ivi. 8. Acts, ix. 26. 1 Cor. xiv. 33. 
 
 7. Order requires, that a member thus removing, have 
 letters testimonial, and of dismission from the church 
 whereof he yet is, unto the church whereunto he desireth 
 to be joined, lest the church should be deluded ; that the 
 church may receive him in faith, and not be corrupted by 
 receiving deceivers, and false brethren. Until the person 
 dismissed be received into another church, he ceaseth not 
 by his letters of dismission to be a member of the church 
 whereof he was. The church cannot make a member no 
 member, but by excommunication. 
 
 Acts, xviii. 27. 
 
 8. If a member be called to remove only for a time, 
 where a church is, letters of recommendation are re- 
 quisite, and sufficient for communion with that church, 
 in the ordinances, and in their watch ; as Phoibe, a servant 
 
 7* 
 
74 
 
 of the church at Cenchrea, had letters written for her to 
 the church at Rome, that she might be received as be- 
 cometh saints. 
 
 Horn. xvi. 1,2. 2 Cor. iii. I. 
 
 9. Such letters of recommendation and dismission, 
 were written for Apollos ; for Marcus to the Colossians ; 
 for Phoebe to the Romans ; for sundry others to other 
 churches. And the apostle telleth us, that some persons, 
 not sufficiently known otherwise, have special need of 
 such letters, though he for his part had no need thereof. 
 The use of them is to be a benefit and help to the party 
 for whom they are written, and for the furthering of his 
 receiving amongst the saints in the place whereto he 
 goeth, and the due satisfaction of them in their receiving 
 of him. 
 
 Acts, xviii. 27. Col. iv. 10. Rom. xvi. 1. 2 Cor. iii. 1. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Of excommunication, and other censures. 
 
 1. The censures of the church are appointed by Christ 
 for the preventing, removing, and healing of offences in 
 the church ; for the reclaiming and gaining of offending 
 brethren, for the deterring of others from the like offences; 
 for purging out the leaven which may infect the whole 
 lump ; for vindicating the honor of Christ, and of his 
 church, and the holy profession of the gospel ; and for 
 preventing of the wrath of God, that may justly fall upon 
 the church, if they should suffer his covenant, and the 
 seals thereof, to be profaned by notorious and obstinate 
 offenders. 
 
 1 Tim. V. 10. Dcut. xvii. 12, 13. Jude, v. 29. Deut. xiii. 11. 1 Cor. 
 V. 6. Kom. ii. 21. Kev. ii. 14, 15, 16, 20. 
 
 2. If an offence be private, one brother offending 
 another, the offender is to go and acknowledge his re- 
 pentance for it unto his offended brother, who is then to 
 forgive him ; but if the offender neglect or refuse to do it, 
 
75 
 
 the brother offended is to go, and convince and admonish 
 him of it, between themselves privately : if thereupon the 
 offender be brought to repent of his offence, the ad- 
 monisher hath won his brother ; but if the offender hear 
 not his brother, the brother offended is to take with him 
 one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three wit- 
 nesses every word may be established — whether the word 
 of admonition, if the offender receive it ; or the word of 
 complaint, if he refuse it: for if he refuse it, the offended 
 brother is by the mouth of the elders to tell the church ; 
 and if he hear the church, and declare the same by 
 penitent confession, he is recovered and gained : and if 
 the church discern him to be willing to hear, yet not fully 
 convinced of his offence, as in case of heresy, they are to 
 dispense to him a public admonition ; which declaring 
 the offender to lie under the public offence of the church, 
 doth thereby withhold or suspend him from the holy 
 fellowship of the Lord's supper, till his offence be removed 
 by penitent confession. If he still continue obstinate, 
 they are to cast him out by excommunication. 
 
 Mat. V. 23, 24. Luke, xvii. 3, 4. Mat. xviii. 15-17. Tit. iii. 10, Mat. 
 xviii. 17. 
 
 3. But if the offence be more public at first, and of a 
 more heinous and criminal nature, to wit, such as are 
 condemned by the light of nature; then the church, with- 
 out such gradual proceeding, is to cast out the offender 
 from their holy communion, for the further mortifying of 
 his sin, and the healing of his soul in the day of the Lord 
 Jesus. 
 
 1 Cor. V. 4, 5, 11. 
 
 4. In dealing with an offender, great care is to be 
 taken that we be neither over strict or rigorous, nor too 
 indulgent or remiss : our proceeding herein ought to be 
 with a spirit of meekness, considering ourselves, lest we 
 also be tempted ; and that the best of us have need of 
 much forgiveness from the Lord. Yet the winning and 
 healing of the offender's soul, being the end of these 
 endeavors, we must not daub with untempered mortar, 
 nor heal the wounds of our brethren slightly. On some 
 have compassion, others save with fear. 
 
 Gal. vi. 1. Mat. xviii. 34, 35. Ezek. xiii. 10. 
 
76 
 
 the offender remains excommunicate, the 
 church is to refrain from all member-like communion 
 with hin) in spiritual things, and also from all familiar 
 communion with him in civil things, further than the 
 necessity of natural, or domestical, or civil relations do 
 require ; and are therefore to forbear to eat and drink 
 with him, that he may be ashamed. 
 
 Mat. xviii. 17. 1 Cor. v. 11. 2 Thess. iii. G, 14. 
 
 6. Excommunication being a spiritual punishment, it 
 doth not prejudice the excommunicate in, nor deprive 
 hijn of his civil rights, and therefore toucheth not princes, 
 or other magistrates, in point of their civil dignity or 
 authority ; and, the excommunicate being but as a publi- 
 can and a heathen, heathens being lawfully permitted to 
 come to hear the word in church assemblies, we acknowl- 
 edge therefore the like liberty of hearing the word, may 
 be permitted to persons excommunicate, that is permitted 
 unto heathen. And because we are not without hope of 
 his recovery, we are not to account him as an enemy, but 
 to admonish him as a brother. 
 
 1 Cor. xiv. 'Zi, '25. 2 Thess. iii. 14. 
 
 7. If the Lord sanctify the censure to the offender, so 
 as by the grace of Christ he doth testify his repentance, 
 with humble confession of his sin, and judging of himself, 
 giving glory unto God; the church is then to forgive him, 
 and to comfort him, and to restore him to the wonted 
 brotherly communion, which formerly he enjoyed with 
 them. 
 
 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8. 
 
 8. The suffering of profane or scandalous livers to 
 continue in fellowship, and partake in the sacraments, is 
 doubtless a great sin in those that have power in their 
 hands to redress it, and do it not. Nevertheless, inasmuch 
 as Christ and his apostles in their times, and the prophets 
 and other godly in theirs, did lawfully partake of the 
 Lord's commanded ordinances in the Jewish church, and 
 neither taught nor practised separation from the same, 
 though unworthy ones were permitted therein; and inas- 
 much as the faithful in the church of Corinth, wherein 
 were many unworthy persons and practices, are never 
 
77 
 
 commanded to absent themselves from the sacraments, 
 because of the same ; therefore the godly in like cases are 
 not presently to separate. 
 
 Rev. ii. 14, 15, 20. IMat. xxiii. 3. Acts, iii. 1. 1 Cor. vi., and xv. 12. 
 
 9. As separation from such a church wherein profane 
 and scandalous persons are tolerated, is not presently 
 necessary ; so for the members thereof, otherwise un- 
 worthy, hereupon to abstain from communicating with 
 such a church in the participation of the sacraments, is 
 unlawful. For as it were unreasonable for an innocent 
 person to be punished for the faults of others, wherein he 
 hath no hand, and whereunto he gave no consent ; so it 
 is more unreasonable, that a godly man should neglect 
 duty, and punish himself, in not coming for his portion in 
 the blessing of the seals as he ought, because others are 
 suffered to come that ought not ; especially, considering 
 that himself doth neither consent to their sins, nor to their 
 approaching to the ordinance in their sin, nor to the 
 neglect of others who should put them away, and do not; 
 but on the contrary doth heartily mourn for these things, 
 modestly and seasonably stir up others to do their duty. 
 If the church cannot be reformed, they may use their 
 liberty as is specified, chap. 13, sect. 4. But this all the 
 godly are bound unto, even every one to do his endeavor, 
 according to his power and place, that the unworthy may 
 be duly proceeded against, by the church to whom this 
 matter doth appertain. 
 
 2 Chro. XXX. 18. Gen. xviii. 25. Ezek. ix. 4. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Of the communion of churches one with another. 
 
 1. Although churches be distinct, and therefore may 
 not be confounded one with another ; and equal, and 
 therefore have not dominion one over another ; yet all the 
 churches ought to preserve church communion one with 
 another, because they are all united unto Christ, not only 
 
78 
 
 as a mystical, but as a political head, whence is derived a 
 cominunion suitable thereunto. 
 
 Rev. i 4. Cant. viii. 8. Jlom. xvi. 16. 1 Cor. xvi. 19. Acts, xv. 23. 
 Rev. ii. 1. 
 
 2. The communion of churches is exercised sundry 
 ways. 1. By way of mutual care, in taking thought for 
 one another's welfiire. 2. By way of consultation one 
 with another, when we have occasion to require the 
 judgment and counsel of other churches, touching any 
 person or cause wherewith they may be better acquainted 
 than ourselves. As the church of Antioch consulted 
 with the apostles and elders of the church at Jerusalem, 
 about the question of circumcision of the Gentiles, and 
 about the false teachers that broached that doctrine. In 
 which case, when any church wanteth light or peace 
 amongst themselves, it is a way of communion of 
 churches, according to the word, to meet together by 
 their elders and other messengers in a synod, to consider 
 and argue the points in doubt or difference ; and having 
 found out the way of truth and peace, to commend the 
 same by their letters and messengers to the churches 
 whom the same may concern. But if a church be rent 
 with divisions amongst themselves, or lie under any open 
 scandal, and yet refuse to consult with other churches, 
 for healing or removing of the same ; it is matter of just 
 offence both to the Lord Jesus, and to other churches, as 
 bewraying too much want of mercy and faithfulness, not 
 to seek to bind up the breaches and wounds of the church 
 and brethren : and therefore the state of such a church 
 calleth aloud upon other churches, to exercise a fuller act 
 of brotherly communion, to wit, by way of admonition. 
 3. A third way then of communion of churches, is by 
 way of admonition ; to wit, in case any public offence be 
 found in a church, which they either discern not, or are 
 slow in proceeding to use the means for the removing and 
 healing of Paul had no authority over Peter, yet when 
 he saw Peter not walking with a right foot, he publicly 
 rebuked him before the church. Though churches have 
 no more authority one over another, than one apostle had 
 over another, yet as one apostle might admonish another, 
 so may one church admonish another, and yet without 
 usurpation. In which case, if the church that lieth under 
 
79 
 
 offence, do not hearken to the church that doth admonish 
 her, the church is to acquaint other neighbor churches 
 with that offence which the offending church still lieth 
 under, together with their neglect of their brotherly ad- 
 monition given unto them ; whereupon those other 
 churches are to join in seconding the admonition formerly- 
 given ; and if still the offending church continue in 
 obstinacy and impenitency, they may forbear communion 
 with them, and are to proceed to make use of the help of 
 a synod, or council of neighbor churches walking orderly 
 (if a greater cannot conveniently be had) for their con- 
 viction. If they hear not the synod, the synod having 
 declared them to be obstinate, particular churches ap- 
 proving and accepting the judgment of the synod, are to 
 declare the sentence of non-communion respectively con- 
 cerning them ; and thereupon, out of religious care to 
 keep their own communion pure, they may justly with- 
 draw themselves from participation with them at the 
 Lord's table, and from such other acts of holy communion, 
 as the communion of churches doth otherwise allow and 
 require. Nevertheless, if any members of such a church 
 as liveth under public offence, do not consent to the 
 offence of the church, but do in due sort bear witness 
 against it, they are still to be received to wonted com- 
 munion ; for it is not equal that the innocent should 
 suffer with the offensive. Yea, furthermore, if such 
 innocent members, after due waiting in the use of all 
 good means for the healing of the offence of their own 
 church, shall at last, with the allowance of the council of 
 neighbor churches, withdraw from the fellowship of their 
 own church, and offer themselves to the fellowship of 
 another, we judge it lawful for the ether church to receive 
 them (being otherwise fit) as if they had been orderly 
 dismissed to them from their own church. 4. A fourth 
 way of communion of churches is by way of participation. 
 The members of one church occasionally coming unto 
 another, we willingly adnjit them to partake with us at 
 the Lord's table, it being the seal of our communion, not 
 only with Christ, nor only with the members of our own 
 church, but also of all the churches of the saints ; in 
 which regard, we refuse not to baptize their children 
 presented to us, if either their own minister be absent, or 
 
80 
 
 such a fruit of holy fellowship be desired with us. In 
 like case such churches as are furnished with more min- 
 isters than one, do willingly afford one of their own 
 ministers to supply the place of an absent or sick minis- 
 ter of another church for a needful season. 5. A fifth 
 way of church communion is by way of recommendation, 
 when the member of one church hath occasion to reside 
 in another church, if but for a season, we commend him 
 to their watchful fellowship by letters of recommendation; 
 but if he be called to settle his abode there, we commit 
 him according to his desire, to the fellowship of their 
 covenant, by letters of dismission. 6. A sixth way of 
 church communion is, in case of need, to minister relief 
 and succor one unto another, either of able members, to 
 furnish them with officers, or of outward support, to the 
 necessities of poorer churches, as did the churches of the 
 Gentiles contribute liberally to the poor saints at Jeru- 
 salem. 
 
 Cant. viii. 8. Acts, xv. 2, 6, 22, 23. Ezek. xxxiv. 4. Gal. ii. 11—14. 
 Malt, xviii 15, 16, 17, by proportion. Gen. xviii. 25. 1 Cor. xii. 13. Horn, 
 xvi. I. Acts, xviii. 27, and xi. 22, 29. Rom. xiii. 26, 27. 
 
 3. When a company of believers purpose to gather into 
 church fellowship, it is requisite for their safer proceed- 
 ing, and the maintaining of the communion of churches, 
 that they signify their intent unto the neighbor churches, 
 walking according unto the order of the gospel, and de- 
 sire their presence, and help, and right hand of fellowship, 
 which they ought readily to give unto them, when there 
 is no just cause to except against their proceedings. 
 
 Gal. ii. 1, 2, and 9, by proportion. 
 
 4. Besides these several ways of communion, there is 
 also a way of propagation of churches : when a church 
 shall grow too numerous, it is a way, and fit season, to 
 propagate one church out of another, by sending forth 
 such of their members as are willing to remove, and to 
 procure some officers to them, as may enter with them 
 into church estate amongst themselves. As bees, when 
 the hive is too full, issue forth by swarms, and are 
 gathered into other hives ; so the churches of Christ may 
 do the same upon like necessity ; and therein hold forth 
 to them the right hand of fellowship, both in their gather- 
 ing into a church, and in the ordination of their officers. 
 
 Isa. xl. 20. Cant. viii. 8, 9. 
 
81 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Of synods. 
 
 1. Synods orderly assembled, and rightly proceeding 
 according to the pattern, Acts 15, we acknowledge as the 
 ordinance of Christ: and though not absolutely necessary 
 to the being, yet many times, through the iniquity of men, 
 and perverseness of times, necessary to the well-being of 
 churches, for the establishment of truth and peace therein. 
 
 Acts, XV. 2-15. 
 
 2. Synods being spiritual and ecclesiastical assemblies, 
 are therefore made up of spiritual and ecclesiastical 
 causes. The next efficient cause of them under Christ, 
 is the power of the churches, sending forth their elders 
 and other messengers, who being met together in the 
 name of Christ, are the matter of a synod ; and they in 
 argilinop, debating, and determining matters of religion 
 according to the word, and publishing the same to the 
 churches it concerneth, do put forth the proper and formal 
 acts of a synod, to the conviction of errors and heresies, 
 and the establishment of truth and peace in the churches, 
 which is the end of a synod. 
 
 Acts, XV. 2, 3, 6, 7-23, 31, and xvi. 4, 15. 
 
 3. Magistrates have power to call a synod, by calling 
 to the churches to send forth their elders and other mes- 
 sengers, to coun.sel and assist them in matters of religion; 
 but yet the constituting of a synod, is a church-act, and 
 may be transacted by the churches, even when civil 
 magistrates may be enemies to churches, and to church 
 assemblies. 
 
 2 Chron. xxix. 4, 5-11. Acts, xv. 
 
 4. It belongeth unto synods and councils, to debate and 
 determine controversies of faith, and cases of conscience ; 
 to clear from the word holy directions for the holy wor- 
 ship of God, and good government of the church; to bear 
 witness against mal-administration and corruption in 
 doctrine or manners in any particular church ; and to 
 orive directions for the reformation thereof: not to exercise 
 
 o 
 
 8 
 
82 
 
 church censures in way of discipline, nor any other act of 
 church authority or jurisdiction, which that presidential 
 synod did forbear. 
 
 Arts, XV. 1, !2, G, 7. 1 Chron. xv. 13. 2 Chron. xxix. 6, 7. Acts, xv. 24, 
 28, 29. 
 
 5. The synod's directions and determinations, so far as 
 consonant to the word of God, are to be received with 
 reverence and submission ; not only for their agreement 
 therewith, (which is the principal ground thereof, and 
 without which they bind not at all,) but also secondarily 
 for the power whereby they are made, as being an ordi- 
 nance of God appointed thereunto in his word. 
 
 Acts, XV. 
 
 6. Because it is difficult, if not impossible, for many 
 churches to come together in one place, in all their mem- 
 bers universally ; therefore they may assemble by their 
 deleo;ates or messengers, as the church of Antioch went 
 not all to Jerusalem, but some select men far that pur- 
 pose. Because none are or should be more fit to know 
 the state of the churches, nor to advise of ways for the 
 good thereof, than elders ; therefore it is fit that in the 
 choice of the messengeis for such assemblies, they have 
 special respect unto such : yet inasmuch as not only Paul 
 and Barnabas, but certain others also were sent to Jeru- 
 salem from Antioch, and when they were come to Jerusa- 
 lem, not only the apostles and elders, but other brethren 
 also do assemble and meet about the matter ; therefore 
 synods are to consist both of elders, and other church 
 members, endued with gifts, and sent by the churches, not 
 excluding the presence of any brethren in the churches. 
 
 Acts, XV. 2, 22, 2J. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Of the civil niaglslrate's power in matters ecclesiastical. 
 
 1. It is lawful, profitable, and necessary for Christians 
 to o-athcr themselves into church estate, and therein 
 to exercise all the ordinances of Christ, according 
 
«3 
 
 unto the word, although the consent of the magistrate 
 could not be had thereunto ; because the apostles and 
 Christians in their time did frequently thus practice, 
 when the magistrates being all of them Jewish or pagan, 
 and most persecuting enemies, would give no countenance 
 or consent to such matters. 
 
 Acts, ii. 41, 47, and iv. 1—3. 
 
 2. Church government stands in no opposition to civil 
 government of commonwealths, nor any way intrencheth 
 upon the authority of civil magistrates in their jurisdic- 
 tion ; nor any whit weakeneth their hands in governing, 
 but rather strengtheneth them, and furthereth the people 
 in yielding more hearty and conscionable obedience unto 
 them, whatsoever some ill affected persons to the ways of 
 Christ have suggested, to alienate the affections of kings 
 and princes from the ordinances of Christ ; as if the 
 kingdom of Christ in his church could not rise and stand, 
 without the falling and weakening of their government, 
 which is also of Christ : whereas the contrary is most 
 true, that they may both stand together and flourish, the 
 one being helpful unto the other, in their distinct and due 
 administrations. 
 
 John, xviii. 36, Acts, xxv. 8. Isa. xlix. 23. 
 
 3. The power and authority of magistrates is not for 
 the restraining of churches, or any other good works, but 
 for helping in and furthering thereof; and therefore the 
 consent and countenance of magistrates, when it may be 
 had, is not to be slighted, or lightly esteemed; but on the 
 contrary, it is part of that honor due to Christian magis- 
 trates, to desire and crave their consent and approbation 
 therein ; which being obtained, the churches may then 
 proceed in their way with much more encouragement and 
 comfort, 
 
 Rom. xiii. 4. 1 Tim. ii. 2. 
 
 4. It is not in the power of magistrates to compel their 
 subjects to become church members, and to partake at 
 the Lord's table ; for the priests are reproved that brought 
 unworthy ones into the sanctuary : Then as it was unlaw- 
 ful for the priest, so it is as unlawful to be done by civil 
 magistrates. Those whom the church is to cast out if they 
 
84 
 
 were in, the magistrate ought not to thrust them into the 
 church, nor to hold them therein. 
 Ezek. xliv. 7, 9. ICor. v. 11. 
 
 5. As it is unlawful for church officers to meddle with 
 the sword of the magistrate, so it is unlawful for the 
 magistrate to meddle with the work proper to church 
 officers. The acts of Moses and David, who were not 
 only princes, but prophets, were extraordinary, therefore 
 not imitable. Against such usurpation, the Lord wit- 
 nessed, by smiting Uzziah with leprosy, for presuming to 
 offer incense. 
 
 Matt. ii. 25, 26. 2 Chron. xxvi. 16, 17. 
 
 6. It is the duty of the magistrate to take care of mat- 
 ters of religion, and to improve his civil authority for the 
 observing of the duties commanded in the first, as well as 
 for observing of the duties commanded in the second 
 table. They are called gods. The end of the magis- 
 trate's office, is not only the quiet and peaceable life of 
 the subject in matters of righteousness and honesty, but 
 also in matters of godliness, yea, of all godliness. Moses, 
 Joshua, David, Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, 
 Josiah, are much commended by the Holy Ghost, for the 
 putting forth their authority in matters of religion : on 
 the contrary, such kings as have been failing this way, 
 are frequently taxed and reproved by the Lord. And not 
 only the kings of Judah, but also Job, Nehemiah, the 
 king of Nineveh, Darius, Artaxerxes, Nebuchadnezzar, 
 whom none looked at as types of Christ, (though were it 
 so, there were no place for any just objection,) are com- 
 mended in the book of God, for exercising their authority 
 this way. 
 
 Psalm Ixxxii. 2. 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2. 1 Kings, xv. 14, and xxii. 43. 2 Kings, 
 xii. 3, and xiv. 4, and xv. 35. 1 Kings, xx. 42. Job, xxix. 25, and xxxi. 26, 
 28, 2<eh. xiii. Jonah, iii. 7. Ezra, yii. Dan. iii. 29. 
 
 7. The object of the power of the magistrate are not 
 things merely inward, and so not subject to his cogni- 
 zance and view, as unbelief, hardness of heart, erroneous 
 opinions not vented, but only such things as are acted by 
 the outward man ; neither is their power to be exercised 
 in commanding such acts of the outward man, and pun- 
 ishing the neglect thereof, as are but mere inventions and 
 
85 
 
 devices of men ; but about such acts as are commanded 
 and forbidden in the word ; yea, such as the word doth 
 clearly determine, though not always clearly to the 
 judgment of the magistrate or others, yet clearly in itself. 
 In these he of right ought to put forth his authority, 
 though oft-times actually he doth it not. 
 1 Kings, XX. 28, 42. 
 
 8. Idolatry, blasphemy, heresy, venting corrupt and 
 pernicious opinions that destroy the foundation, open 
 contempt of the word preached, profanation of the Lord's 
 day, disturbing the peaceable administration and exercise 
 of the worship and holy things of God, and the like, are 
 to be restrained and punished by civil authority. 
 
 Deut. xiii. 1 Kings, xx. 28, 42. Dan. iii. 29. Zech. xiii. 3. Neh. xiii. 
 31. 1 Tim. ii. 2. Kom. xiii. 4. 
 
 9. If any church, one or more, shall grow schismatical, 
 renting itself from the communion of other churches, or 
 shall walk incorrigibly or obstinately in any corrupt way 
 of their own, contrary to the rule of the word ; in such 
 case the magistrate is to put forth his coercive power, as 
 the matter shall require. The tribes on this side Jordan 
 intended to make war against the other tribes, for build- 
 ing the altar of witness, whom they suspected to have 
 turned away therein from following of the Lord. 
 
 Josh. xxii. 
 
CONFESSION OF FAITH, 
 
 Owned and consented unto by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches 
 assembled at Boston in New England, 
 
 MAY 12, 1680, 
 
 BEING THE SECOND SESSION OF THAT SYNOD. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The Lord Jesus Christ witnessed a good confession, at the 
 time when he said, To this end was I born, and for this cause 
 came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the 
 truth ; and he taketh notice of it, to the praise and high com- 
 mendation of the church in Pergamos, that they held fast his 
 name, and had not denied his faith. Nor are they worthy of 
 the name of Christians, who, though the Lord by his providence 
 call them publicly to own the truth they have professed, shall 
 nevertheless refuse to declare what they believe, as to those 
 great and fundamental principles in the doctrine of Christ, the 
 knowledge whereof is necessary unto salvation. We find how 
 ready the Apostle was to make a confession of his faith ; though 
 for that hope's sake he was accused and put in chains. And 
 the Martyrs of Jesus, who have laid down their lives in bearing 
 witness to the truth, against the infidelity, idolatry, heresy, 
 apostasy of the world, when Pagan, Arian, or overspread with 
 Popish darkness : Having their feet shod with the preparation 
 of the gospel of peace, were free and forward in their testi- 
 mony, confessing the truth, yea, sealing it with their blood. 
 With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the 
 mouth confession is made unto salvation, Rom. x. 10. Nor is 
 there a greater evidence of being in a state of salvation, than 
 such a confession, if made in times or places where men are 
 exposed to utmost suflfering upon that account. 1 John, iv. 15. 
 And if confession of faith be, in some cases, of such importance 
 and necessity, as hath been expressed ; it must needs be in 
 itself, a work pleasing in the sight of God, for his servants to 
 declare unto the world, what those principles of truth are, 
 
90 
 
 which they have received, and are (by the help of Christ) pur- 
 posed to live and die in the stedfast profession of. Some of 
 the Lord's worthies have been of renown among his people in 
 this respect; especially Irseneus and Athanasius of old, and of 
 latter times Beza, all whose (not to mention others) confessions, 
 with the advantage which the church of God hath received 
 thereby, are famously known. 
 
 And it must needs tend much to the honor of the dear and 
 blessed name of the Lord Jesus, in case many churches do join 
 together in their testimony. How signally the Lord hath owned 
 the confession of the four general Synods or Councils for the 
 suppression of the heresies of those times, needs not to be said, 
 since no man can be ignorant thereof, that hath made it his 
 concern to be acquainted with things of this nature. The con- 
 fession of the Bohemians, of the Waldenses, and of the reform- 
 ed Protestant churches abroad, all these have been of singular 
 use, not only to those that lived in the ages when these declara- 
 tions were emitted, but unto posterity, yea, unto this day. 
 
 There have been some who have reflected upon these New- 
 English churches, for our defect in this matter, as if our prin- 
 ciples were unknown ; whereas it is well known, that as to 
 matters of doctrine, we agree with other reformed churches : 
 nor was it that, but what concerns worship and discipline, that 
 caused our fathers to come into this wilderness, while it was a 
 land not sown, that so they might have liberty to practice 
 accordingly. And it is a ground of holy rejoicing before the 
 Lord, that now there is no advantage left for those that may be 
 disaffected towards us, to object any thing of that nature against 
 us. For it hath pleased the only wise God so to dispose in his 
 providence, as that the elders and messengers of the churches 
 in the colony of the Massachusetts in New-England, did, by 
 the call and encouragement of the honored general Court, 
 meet together Sept. 10, 1679. This Synod at their second 
 session, which was May 12, 1680, consulted and considered of 
 a Confession of Faith. That which was consented unto by the 
 elders and messengers of the Congregational churches in Eng- 
 land, who met at the Savoy, (being for the most part, some 
 small variations excepted, the same with that which was agreed 
 
91 
 
 upon first by the Assembly at Westminster, and was approved 
 of by the Synod at Cambridge in New-England, anno 1648, as 
 also by a general assembly in Scotland,) was twice publicly 
 read, examined and approved of: that little variation v/hich we 
 have made from the one, in compliance with the other, may be 
 seen by those who please to compare them. But we have (for 
 the main) chosen to express ourselves in the words of those 
 reverend assemblies, that so we might not only with one heart, 
 but with one mouth glorify God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 As to Avhat concerns church-government, Ave refer to the 
 Platform of Discipline agreed upon by the messengers of these 
 churches anno 1648, and solemnly owned and confirmed by 
 the late Synod. 
 
 What hours of temptation may overtake these churches, is 
 not for us to say. Only the Lord doth many times so order 
 things, that when his people have made a good confession, 
 they shall be put upon the trial one way or otiier, to see 
 whether they have (or who among them hath not) been sincere 
 in what they have done. The Lord grant that the loins of our 
 minds may be so girt about with truth, that we may be able to 
 withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 
 
CONFESSION OP FAITH. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Of the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 Although the light of nature, and the works of 
 creation and providence, do so far manifest the goodness, 
 wisdom and power of God, as to leave men unexcusable ; 
 yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God 
 and of his will, which is necessary unto salvation : there- 
 fore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in divers 
 manners to reveal himself, and to declare that his will 
 unto his church ; and afterwards for the better preserving 
 and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure 
 establishment and comfort of the church against the cor- 
 ruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the 
 world, to commit the same wholly to writing : which 
 maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary ; those 
 former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people 
 being now ceased. 
 
 II. Under the name of Holy Scripture, or the word of 
 God written, are now contained all the books of the Old 
 and New Testament, which are these : 
 
 OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. 
 
 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, 
 Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 
 2 Kings, I Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, 
 Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of 
 Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, 
 Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, 
 Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi. 
 9 
 
94 
 
 OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. 
 
 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts of the Apostles, 
 Paul's Epistle to the Romans, I Corinthians, 2 Corinthi- 
 ans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thes- 
 salonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 to Timothy, 2 to Timothy, 
 to Titus, to Philemon, the Epistle to the Hebrews, the 
 Epistle of James, the first and second Epistles of Peter, 
 the first, second and third Epistles of John, the Epistle of 
 Jude, the Revelation. 
 
 All which are given by the inspiration of God to be 
 the rule of faith and life. 
 
 III. The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being 
 of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the 
 scripture ; and therefore are of no authority in the church 
 of God, nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of, 
 than other human writings. 
 
 IV. The authority of the holy scripture, for which it 
 ought to be believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the 
 testimony of any man or church, but wholly upon God 
 (who is truth itself) the author thereof; and therefore it 
 is to be received, because it is the word of God. 
 
 V. We may be moved and induced by the testimony of 
 the church, to an high and reverend esteem of the holy 
 scripture. And the heavenliness of the matter, the 
 efficacy of the doctrine, the majesty of the style, the 
 consent of all the parts, the scope of the whole (which is, 
 to give all glory to God) the full discovery it makes of the 
 only way of man's salvation, the many other incompara- 
 ble excellencies, and the entire perfection thereof, are 
 arguments whereby it doth abundantly evidence itself to 
 be the word of God ; yet notwithstanding, our full per- 
 suasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine 
 authority thereof, is from the inward work of the Holy 
 Spirit, bearing witness by and with the word in our 
 hearts. 
 
 VI. The whole counsel of God concerning all things 
 necessary for his own glory, man's salvation, faith and 
 life, is either expressly set down in scripture, or by good 
 and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scrip- 
 ture ; unto which nothing at any time is to be added, 
 whether by new revelations of the Spirit, or traditions of 
 men. Nevertheless we acknowledge the inward illumina- 
 
95 
 
 tion of the Spirit of God to be necessary for the saving 
 understandincr of such things as are revealed in the word: 
 and that there are some circumstances concernmg the 
 worsliip of God and government of the church, common 
 to human actions and societies, which are to be ordered 
 by the light of nature, and Christian prudence, according 
 to the general rules of the word, which are always to be 
 observed, 
 
 VII. All things in Scripture are not alike plain in 
 themselves, nor alike clear unto all : yet those things 
 which are necessary to be known, believed and observed 
 for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in 
 some place of Scripture or other, that not only the 
 learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary 
 means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of 
 them. 
 
 VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the 
 native language of the people of God of old) and the 
 New Testament in Greek (which at the time of writing 
 of it was most generally known to the nations) being 
 immediately inspired by God, and by his singular care 
 and providence kept pure in all ages, are therefore 
 authentical ; so as in all controversies of religion, the 
 church is finally to appeal unto them. But because these 
 original tongues are not known to all the people of God, 
 who have right unto and interest in the Scriptures, and 
 are commanded in the fear of God to read and search 
 them ; therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar 
 language of every nation unto which they come, that the 
 word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship 
 him in an acceptable manner, and through patience and 
 comfort of the Scriptures may have hope. 
 
 IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture, 
 is the Scripture itself; and therefore when there is a 
 question about the true and full sense of any Scripture 
 (which is not manifold, but one) it must be searched and 
 known by other places, that speak more clearly. 
 
 X. The Supreme Judge by which all controversies of 
 religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, 
 opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men and private 
 spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are 
 to rest, can be no other, but the holy Scripture delivered 
 
96 
 
 by the Spirit ; into which Scripture so delivered, our 
 Faith is finally resolved. 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 Of God and of the Holy Trinity. 
 
 There is but one only living and true God ; w^ho is 
 infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisi- 
 ble, without body, parts, or passions, immutable, immense, 
 eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, most wise, most 
 holy, most free, most absolute, working all things accord- 
 ing to the counsel of his own immutable and most 
 righteous will, for his own glory, most loving, gracious, 
 merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, 
 forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, the rewarder of 
 them that diligently seek him, and withal, most just and 
 terrible in his judgments, hating all sin, and who will by 
 no means clear the guilty. 
 
 II. God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in, 
 and of himself, and is alone in, and unto himself, all-suffi- 
 cient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath 
 made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only mani- 
 festing his own glory in, by, unto and upon them. He is 
 the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, 
 and to whom are all things : and hath most sovereign do- 
 minion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, 
 whatsoever himself pleaseth : in his sight all things are 
 open and manifest, his knowledge is infinite, infallible and 
 independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him 
 contingent or uncertain. He is most holy in all his coun- 
 sels, in all his works, and in all his commands. To him 
 is due from angels and men, and every other creature, 
 whatsoever worship, service or obedience, as creatures, 
 they owe unto the Creator, and whatever he is further 
 pleased to require of them. 
 
 HI. In the unity of the God-head there be three 
 persons, of one substance, power, and eternity, God the 
 Father, God the Son, and God the Holy (a host : the 
 Father is of none, neither begotton, nor proceeding ; the 
 
97 
 
 Son is eternally begotten of the Father ; the Holy Ghost 
 eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. 
 Which doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all 
 our communion with God, and comfortable dependence 
 upon him. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 Of God's eternal Decree. 
 
 God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy 
 counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain 
 whatsoever comes to pass : yet so, as thereby neither is 
 God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will 
 of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of 
 second causes taken away, but rather established. 
 
 II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come 
 to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not 
 decreed any thing, because he foresaw it as future, or as 
 that which would come to pass upon such conditions. 
 
 III. By the decree of God for the manifestation of his 
 glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto ever- 
 lasting life, and others foreordained to everlasting death. 
 
 IV. These angels and men thus predestinated, and 
 foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, 
 and their number is so certain and definite, that it cannot 
 be either increased or diminished. 
 
 V. Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, 
 God, before the foundation of the world was laid, accord- 
 ing to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret 
 counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in 
 Christ unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace 
 and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or 
 perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the 
 creature, as conditions or causes moving him thereunto, 
 and all to the praise of his glorious grace. 
 
 VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so 
 hath he by the eternal and most free purpose of his will 
 foreordained all the means thereunto ; wherefore they 
 who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by 
 Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his 
 Spirit working in due season, are justified, adopted, 
 
 9 * 
 
98 
 
 sanctified, and kept by his power, through faith, unto 
 salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, or 
 effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and saved, 
 but the elect only. 
 
 VII. The rest of mankind God was pleased, according 
 to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he 
 extendeth or withholdeth mercy, as he pleaseth, for the 
 glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass 
 by, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their 
 sin, to the praise of his glorious justice. 
 
 VIII. The doctrine of this high mystery of predestina- 
 tion, is to be handled with special prudence and care, 
 that men attending the will of God revealed in his word, 
 and yielding obedience thereunto, may from the certainty 
 of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal 
 election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, 
 reverence and admiration of God, and of humility, 
 diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely 
 obey the gospel. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of Creation. 
 
 It pleased God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for 
 the manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, 
 wisdom and goodness, in the beginning to create or 
 make of nothing the world, and all things therein, 
 whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days, and 
 all very good. 
 
 II. After God had made all other creatures, he created 
 man, male and female, with reasonable and immortal 
 souls, endued with knowledge, righteousness and true 
 holiness, after his own image, having the law of God 
 written in their heart, and power to fulfil it ; and yet 
 under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the 
 liberty of their own will, which was subject to change. 
 Besides this law written in their hearts, they received a 
 command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good 
 and evil ; which while they kept, they were happy in 
 their communion with God, and had dominion over the 
 creatures. 
 
99 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Of Providence. 
 
 God the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, 
 dispose and govern all creatures, actions and things, from 
 the greatest even unto the least, by his most wise and 
 holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge 
 and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to 
 the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, 
 goodness and mercy. 
 
 II. Althoijgh in relation to the foreknowledge and de- 
 cree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immu- 
 tably, and infallibly ; yet by the same providence he or- 
 dereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second 
 causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently. 
 
 III. God in his ordinary providence maketh use of 
 means, yet is free to work without, above, and against 
 them at his pleasure. 
 
 IV. The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom and the 
 infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his 
 providence, in that his determinate counsel extendeth 
 itself even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and 
 men, (and that not by a bare permission,) which also he 
 most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise 
 ordereth and governeth in a manifold dispensation, to his 
 own most holy ends, yet so as the sinfulness thereof pro- 
 ceedeth only from the creature, and not from God, who 
 being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the 
 author or approver of sin. 
 
 V. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth 
 ofttimes leave for a season his own children to manifold 
 temptations, and the corruption of their own hearts, to 
 chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto 
 them the hidden strength of corruption, and deceitfulness 
 of their hearts, that they may be humbled, and to raise 
 them to a more close and constant dependence for their 
 support upon himself, and to make them more watchful 
 against all future occasions of sin, and for sundry other 
 just and holy ends. 
 
 VI. As for those wicked and ungodly men, whom God 
 
100 
 
 as a righteous judge for former sins, doth blind and harden, 
 from tliem he not only withholdeth his grace, whereby 
 they might have been enlightened in their understandings, 
 and wrought upon in their hearts ; but sometimes also 
 withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them 
 to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin ; 
 and withal gives them over to their own lusts, the tempta- 
 tions of the world, and the power of Satan, whereby it 
 comes to pass that they harden themselves, even under 
 those means which God useth for the softening of others. 
 VII. As the providence of God doth in general reach 
 to all creatures, so after a most special manner it taketh 
 care of his church, and disposeth all things for the good 
 thereof 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof. 
 
 God having made a covenant of works and life there- 
 upon, with our first parents, and all their posterity in 
 them, they being seduced by the subtilty and temptation 
 of Satan, did wilfully transgress the law of their creation, 
 and break the covenant in eating the forbidden fruit. 
 
 II. By this sin they, and we in them, fell from original 
 righteousness and communion with God, and so became 
 dead in sin, and wholly defiled in all the faculties and 
 parts of soul and body. 
 
 III. They being the root, and by God's appointment 
 standing in the room and stead of all mankind, the guilt 
 of this sin was imputed, and corrupted nature conveyed 
 to all their posterity descending from them by ordinary 
 generation. 
 
 IV. From this original corruption, whereby we are 
 utterly indisposed, disabled and made opposite to all good, 
 and wholly inclined to all evil, do proceed all actual 
 transgressions, 
 
 V. This corruption of nature during this life, doth 
 remain in those that are regenerated ; and although it 
 be through Christ pardoned and mortified, yet both itself 
 and all the motions thereof are truly and properly sin. 
 
101 
 
 VI. Every sin, both original and actual, being a trans- 
 gression of the righteous law of God, and contrary there- 
 unto, doth in its own nature bring guilt upon the sinner, 
 whereby he is bound over to the wrath of God, and curse, 
 of the law, and so made subject to death, with all miseries, 
 spiritual, temporal and eternal. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Of God's Covenant with Man. 
 
 The distance between God and the creature is so great, 
 that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience to 
 him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained 
 the reward of life, but by some voluntary condescension 
 on God's part, which he hath been pleased to express by 
 way of covenant. 
 
 II. The first covenant made with man, was a covenant 
 of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him 
 to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal 
 obedience. 
 
 III. Man by his fall having made himself uncapable of 
 life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a 
 second, commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein 
 he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus 
 Christ, requiring of them faith in him that they may be 
 saved, and promising to give unto all those that are 
 ordained unto life, his Holy Spirit to make them willing 
 and able to believe. 
 
 IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in 
 scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the 
 death of Jesus Christ the testator, and to the everlasting 
 inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein be- 
 queathed. 
 
 V. Although this covenant hath been differently and 
 variously administered, in respect of ordinances and insti- 
 tutions in the time of the law, and since the coming of 
 Christ in the flesh ; yet for the substance and efficacy of 
 
102 
 
 it, to all its spiritual and saving ends, it is one and the 
 same ; upon the account of which various dispensations, 
 it is called the Old and New Testament. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Of Christ, the Mediator. 
 
 It pleased God in his eternal purpose, to choose and 
 ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son, acccrding 
 to a covenant made between them both, to be the media- 
 tor between God and man : the prophet, priest and king, 
 the head and saviour of his church, the heir of all things, 
 and judge of the world : unto whom he did from all eter- 
 nity give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in 
 time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified and glorified. 
 
 II. The Son of God, the second person in the Trinity, 
 being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal 
 with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, 
 take upon him man's nature, with all the essential prop- 
 erties and common infirmities thereof, yet without sin, 
 being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the 
 womb of the virgin Mary, of her substance : so that two 
 whole, perfect and distinct natures, the Godhead and the 
 manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, 
 without conversion, composition, or confusion ; which 
 person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only 
 mediator between God and man. 
 
 III. The Lord Jesus in his human nature, thus united 
 to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and 
 anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in 
 him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom 
 it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the 
 end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace 
 and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute 
 the office of a mediator and surety ; which office he took 
 not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father, 
 who also put all power and judgment into his hand, and 
 gave him commandment to execute the same. 
 
103 
 
 IV. This office the Lord Jesus Christ did most wil- 
 lingly undertake ; which that he might discharge, he was 
 made under the law, and did perfectly fulfil it, and under- 
 went the punishment due to us, which we should have 
 borne and suffered, being made sin and a curse for us, 
 enduring most grievous torments immediately from God 
 in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body, was 
 crucified, and died, was buried, and remained under the 
 power of death, yet saw no corruption, on the third day 
 he arose from the dead with the same body in which he 
 suffered, with which also he ascended into heaven, and 
 there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making 
 intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels 
 at the end of the world. 
 
 V. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacri- 
 fice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once 
 offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of 
 God, and purchased not only reconciliation, but an ever- 
 lasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those 
 whom the Father hath given unto him. 
 
 VL Although the work of redemption was not actually 
 wrought by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, 
 efficacy and benefits thereof were communicated to the 
 elect in all ages successively from the beginning of the 
 world, in and by those promises, types and sacrifices, 
 wherein he was revealed and signified to be the seed of 
 the woman, which should bruise the serpent's head, and 
 the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being 
 yesterday and to-day the same, and forever. 
 
 Vn. Christ in the work of mediation acteth according 
 to both natures, by each nature doing that which is 
 proper to itself; yet by reason of the uniTy of the person, 
 that which is proper to one nature, is sometimes in scrip- 
 ture attributed to the person denominated by the other 
 nature. 
 
 VIIL To all those for whom Christ hath purchased 
 redemption, he doth certainly and effectually apply and 
 connnunicate the same, making intercession for them, 
 and revealing unto them in and by the word, the myste- 
 ries of salvation, effectually persuading them by his Spirit 
 to believe and obey, and governing their hearts by his 
 word and Spirit, overcoming all their enemies by his 
 
104 
 
 almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as 
 are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable 
 dispensation. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Of Free-will. 
 
 God hath endued the will of man with that natural lib- 
 erty and power of acting upon choice, that it is neither 
 forced, nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined 
 to do good or evil. 
 
 II. Man in his state of innocency had freedom and 
 power to will and to do that which was good and well 
 pleasing to God ; but yet mutably, so that he might fall 
 from it. 
 
 III. Man, by his fall into a state of sin, hath wholly lost 
 all ability of will to any spiritual good accompanying sal- 
 vation, so as a natural man being altogether averse from 
 that good, and dead in sin, is not able by his own strength 
 to convert himself, or to prepare himself thereunto. 
 
 IV. When God converts a sinner, and translates him 
 into the state of grace, he freeth him from his natural 
 bondage under sin, and by his grace alone enables him 
 freely to will and to do that which is spiritually good ; yet 
 so, as that by reason of his remaining corruption, he doth 
 not perfectly nor only will that which is good, but doth 
 also will that which is evil. 
 
 V. The will of man is made perfectly and immutably 
 free to good alone in the state of glory only. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Of Effectual Calling-. 
 
 All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and 
 those only, he is pleased in his appointed and accepted 
 
105 
 
 time, effecitually to call by his word and Spirit out of that 
 state of sin and death in which they are by nature, to 
 grace and salvation by Jesus Christ, enlightening their 
 minds spiritually and savingly to understand the things of 
 God, taking away their heart of stone, and giving unto 
 them an heart of flesh, renewing their wills, and by his 
 almighty power determining them to that which is good, 
 and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ ; yet so, as 
 they come most freely, being made willing by his grace. 
 
 II. This effectual call is of God's free and special 
 grace alone, not from any thing at all foreseen in man, 
 who is altogether passive therein, until being quickened 
 and renewed by the Holy Spirit, he is thereby enabled to 
 answer this call, and to embrace the grace offered and 
 conveyed in it. 
 
 III. Elect infants dying in infancy, are regenerated and 
 saved by Christ, who worketh when, and where, and how 
 he pleaseth : so also are all other elect persons, who are 
 uncapable of being outwardly called by the ministry of 
 the word. 
 
 IV. Others not elected, although they may be called 
 by the ministry of the word, and may have some common 
 operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn 
 by the Father, they neither do nor can come unto Christ, 
 and therefore cannot be saved ; much less can men not 
 professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other 
 way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their 
 lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that 
 religion they do profess : and to assert and maintain that 
 they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested. 
 
 CHAi>TER XI. 
 
 Of Justification. 
 
 Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely 
 
 justitieih, not by infusing righteousness into them, but by 
 
 pardoning their sins, and by accounting and accepting 
 
 their persons as righteous, not for any thing wrought in 
 
 10 
 
106 
 
 them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone; nor 
 by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other 
 evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness, but 
 by imputing Christ's active obedience unto the whole 
 law, and passive obedience in his sufferings and death, 
 for their whole and sole righteousness, they receiving and 
 resting on him and his righteousness by faith ; which 
 faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God. 
 
 II. Faith thus receiving and resting on Christ, and his 
 righteousness, is the alone instrument of justification ; 
 yet it is not alone in the person justified, but is ever ac- 
 companied with all other saving graces, and is no dead 
 faith, but worketh by love, 
 
 III. Christ by his obedience and death did fully dis- 
 charge the debt of all those that are justified, and did by 
 the sacrifice of himself, in the blood of his cross, under- 
 going in their stead the penalty due unto them, make a 
 proper, real and full satisfaction to God's justice in their 
 behalf; yet inasmuch as he was given by the Father for 
 them, and his obedience and satisfaction accepted in their 
 stead, and both freely, not for any thing in them, their 
 justification is only of free grace, that both the exact jus- 
 tice and rich grace of God might be glorified in the justi- 
 fication of sinners. 
 
 IV. God did from all eternity decree to justify all the 
 elect, and Christ did in the fullness of time die for their 
 sins, and rise again for their justification: nevertheless, 
 they are not justified personally, until the Holy Spirit 
 doth in due time actually apply Christ unto them. 
 
 V. God doth continue to forgive the sins of those that 
 are justified ; and although they can never fall from the 
 state of justification, yet they may by their sins fall under 
 God's fatherly displeasure : and in that condition they 
 have not usually the light of his countenance restored 
 unto them, until they humble themselves, confess their 
 sins, beg pardon, and renew their faith and repentance. 
 
 VI. The justification of believers under the Old Testa- 
 ment, was in all these respects one and the same with the 
 justification of believers under the New Testament. 
 
lor 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Of Adoption. 
 
 All those that are justified, God vouchsafeth in and 
 for his only Son Jesus Christ to make partakers of the 
 grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the num- 
 ber, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children 
 of God, have his name put upon them, receive the spirit 
 of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with bold- 
 ness, are enabled to cry Abba Father, are pitied, pro- 
 tected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a father, 
 yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, 
 and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Of Sanctification. 
 
 They that are effectually called and regenerated, being 
 united to Christ, having a new heart, and a new spirit 
 created in them, through the virtue of Christ's death and 
 resurrection, are also further sanctified really and person- 
 ally through the same virtue, by his Word and Spirit 
 dwelling in them, the dominion of the whole body of sin 
 is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and 
 more weakened and mortified, and they more and more 
 quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the 
 practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall 
 see the Lord. 
 
 II. This sanctification is throughout in the whole man, 
 yet imperfect in this life, there abide still some remnants 
 of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual 
 and irreconcilable war, the flesh lusting against the spirit, 
 and the spirit against the flesh. 
 
 III. In which war, although the remaining corruption 
 
108 
 
 for a time may much prevail, yet through the continual 
 supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, 
 the regenerate part doth overcome, and so the saints grow 
 in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Of Savins: Faith, 
 
 The grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled to 
 believe to the saving of their souls, is the work of the 
 Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought 
 by the ministry of the word ; by which also, and by the 
 administration of the seals, prayer and other means, it is 
 increased and strengthened. 
 
 II. By this faith a Christian believeth to be true what- 
 soever is revealed in the word, for the authority of God 
 himself speaking therein, and acteth differently upon that 
 which each particular passage thereof containeth, yield- 
 ing obedience to the commands, trembling at the threat- 
 enings, and embracing the promises of God for this life, 
 and that which is to come. But the principal acts of 
 saving faith are, accepting, receiving and resting upon 
 Christ alone, for justification, sanctification, and eternal 
 life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. 
 
 III. This faith, although it be different in degrees, and 
 may be weak or strong, yet it is in the least degree of it 
 different in the kind or nature of it (as is all other sav- 
 ing grace) from the faith and common grace of tempo- 
 rary believers ; and therefore, though it may be many 
 times assailed and weakened, yet it gets the victory, 
 growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance 
 through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our 
 faith. 
 
109 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Of Repentance unto Life and Salvation. 
 
 Such of the elect as are converted at riper years, hay- 
 ing sometime lived in the state of nature, and therein 
 served divers lusts and pleasures, God in their effectual 
 calling, giveth them repentance unto life. 
 
 II. Whereas there is none that dceth good, and sinneth 
 not, and the best of men may through the power and de- 
 ceitfulness of their corruptions dwelling in them, with the 
 prevalency of temptation, fall into great sins and provo- 
 cations; God hath in the covenant of grace mercifully 
 provided, that believers so sinning and falling, be renewed 
 through repentance unto salvation. 
 
 III. This saving repentance is an evangelical grace, 
 whereby a person being by the Holy Ghost made sensible 
 of the manifold evils of his sin, doth by faith in Christ 
 humble himself for it with godly sorrow^ detestation of it, 
 and self-abhorrency, praying for pardon and strength of 
 grace, with a purpose and endeavor by supplies of the 
 Spirit', to walk before God unto all well pleasing in all 
 things. 
 
 IV. As repentance is to be continued through the 
 whole course of our lives, upon the account of the body 
 of death, and the motions thereof; so it is every man's 
 duty to repent of his particular known sins, particularly. 
 
 V. Such is the provision which Gcd hath made through 
 Christ in the covenant of grace, for the preservation of 
 believers unto salvation, that although there is no sin so 
 small, but it deserves damnation, yet there is no sin so 
 great, that it shall bring damnation, on them who truly 
 repent ; which makes the constant preaching of repentance 
 necessary. 
 
 10 
 
no 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Of Good Works. 
 
 Good works are only such as God hath commanded in 
 his holy word, and noi such as without the warrant thereof 
 are devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pre- 
 tence of good intentions. 
 
 II. These good works done in obedience to God's com- 
 mandments, are the fruits and evidences of a true and 
 lively faith, and by them believers manifest their thank- 
 fulness, strengthen their assurance, edify their brethren, 
 adorn the profession of the gospel, stop the mouths of 
 the adversaries, and glorify God, whose workmanship 
 they are, created in Christ Jesus thereunto, that having 
 their fruit unto holiness, they may have the end eternal 
 life. 
 
 III. Their ability to do good works is not at all of 
 themselves, but wholly from the Spirit of Christ: and that 
 they may be enabled thereunto, besides the graces they 
 have already received, there is required an actual influ- 
 ence of the same Holy Spirit to work in them to will and 
 to do, of his good pleasure ; yet are they not hereupon to 
 grow negligent, as if they were not bound to perform any 
 duty, unless upon a special motion of the Spirit, but they 
 ought to be diligent in stirring up the grace of God that 
 is in them. 
 
 IV. They who in their obedience attain to the greatest 
 height which is possible in this life, are so far from being 
 able to supererogate, and to do more than God requires, 
 as that they fall short of much, which in duty they are 
 bound to do. 
 
 V. We cannot by our best works merit pardon of sin, 
 or eternal life at the hand of God, by reason of the great 
 disproportion that is between them, and the glory to come; 
 and the infinite distance that is between us and God, 
 whom by them we can neither profit, nor satisfy for the 
 debt of our former sin ; but when we have done all we 
 can, we have done but our duty, and are unprofitable 
 servants; and because as they are good, they proceed 
 
Ill 
 
 from his Spirit, and as they are wrought by us, they are 
 defiled and mixed with so much weakness and imperfec- 
 tion, that they cannot endure the severity of God's judg- 
 ment. 
 
 VI. Yet notwithstanding, the persons of believers being 
 accepted through Christ, their good works also are ac- 
 cepted in him, not as though they were in this life wholly 
 unbhimable and unreprovable in God's sight, but that he 
 looking npon them in his Son, is pleased to accept and 
 reward that which is sincere, although accompanied with 
 many weaknesses and imperfections. 
 
 VII. Works done by unregenerate men, although for 
 the matter of them, they may be things which God com- 
 mands, and of good use both to themselves and to others ; 
 yet because they proceed not from an heart purified by 
 faith, nor are done in a right manner, according to the 
 word, nor to a right end, the glory of Gcd ; they are 
 therefore sinful, and cannot please God, nor make a man 
 meet to receive grace from Gcd ; and yet their neglect of 
 them is more sinftd and displeasing to God. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 Of llie Perseverance of the Saints. 
 
 They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effect- 
 ually called and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally 
 nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall cer- 
 tainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally 
 saved. 
 
 II. This perseverance of the saints depends not upon 
 their own free-will, but upon the immutabiliiy of the de- 
 cree of election, from the free and unchangeable love of 
 God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and inter- 
 cession of Jesus Christ, and union with him, the oath of 
 God, the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within 
 them, and the nature of the covenant of grace, from all 
 which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof. 
 
113 
 
 III. And though they may through the temptation of 
 Satan, and of the world, the prevalency of corruption re- 
 maining in them, and the neglect of the means of their 
 preservation, fall into grievous sins, and for a time con- 
 tinue therein, whereby they incur God's displeasure, and 
 grieve his Holy Spirit, come to have their graces and 
 comforts impaired, have their hearts hardened, and their 
 consciences wounded, hurt and scandalize others, and 
 bring temporal judgments upon themselves ; yet they are 
 and shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto 
 salvation. 
 
 CHAPTER XVHI. 
 
 Of the Assurance of Grace and Salvation. 
 
 Although temporary believers, and other unregenerate 
 men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and 
 carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and 
 state of salvation, which hope of theirs shall perish, yet 
 such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus, and love him in 
 sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience be- 
 fore him, may in this life be certainly assured that they 
 are in the state of grace, and may rejoice in the hope of 
 the glory of God, which hope shall never make them 
 ashamed. 
 
 H. This certainly is not a bare conjectural and prob- 
 able persuasion, grounded upon a fallible hope, but an 
 infallible assurance of faith, founded on the blood and 
 ricrhteousness of Christ, revealed in the gospel, and also 
 upon the inward evidence of those graces, unto which 
 promises are made, and on the immediate witness of the 
 Spirit, testifying our adoption, and as a fruit thereof, 
 leaving the heart more humble and holy. 
 
 HI. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the 
 essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long, 
 and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker 
 of it ; yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things 
 whicli are freely given him of God, he may without extra- 
 ordinary revelation, in the right use of ordinary means 
 
113 
 
 attain thereunto ; and therefore it is the duty of every 
 one to give all diligence to make his calling and election 
 sure, that thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and 
 joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God, 
 and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedi- 
 ence, the proper fruits of this assurance ; so far is it from 
 inclining men to looseness. 
 
 IV. True believers may have the assurance of their 
 salvation divers ways shaken, diminished and intermitted, 
 as by negligence in preserving of it, by falling into some 
 special sin, which woundeth the conscience, and grieveth 
 the Spirit, by some sudden or vehement temptation, by 
 God's withdrawing the light of his countenance, suffering 
 even such as fear him to walk in darkness, and to have 
 no light ; yet are they neither utterly destitute of that 
 seed of God, and life of faith, that love of Christ and 
 the brethren, that sincerity of heart and conscience of 
 duty, out of which by the operation of the Spirit, this as- 
 surance may in due time be revived, and by the which in 
 the mean time they are supported from utter despair. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Of the Law of God. 
 
 God gave to Adam a law of universal obedience writ- 
 ten in his heart, and a particular precept of not eating the 
 fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, as a cov- 
 enant of works, by which he bound him and all his pos- 
 terity to personal, entire, exact and perpetual obedience, 
 promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death 
 upon the breach of it, and endued him with power and 
 ability to keep it. 
 
 II. This law, so written in the heart, continued to 
 be a perfect rule of righteousness after the fall of man, 
 and was delivered by God on Mount Sinai in ten com- 
 mandments, and written in two tables ; the four first com- 
 mandments containing our duty towards God, and the 
 other six our duty to man. 
 
114 
 
 III. Beside this law commonly called moral, God was 
 pleased to give to the people of Israel, as a church under 
 age, ceremonial laws, containing several typical ordi- 
 nances, partly of worship, prefiguring Christ, his graces, 
 actions, sufferings and benefits, and partly holding forth 
 divers instructions of moral duties : all which ceremonial 
 laws being appointed only to the time of reformation, are 
 by Jesus Christ the true Messiah and only lawgiver, who 
 was furnished with power from the Father for that end, 
 abrogated and taken away. 
 
 IV. To them also he gave sundry judicial laws, which 
 expired together wjth the state of that people, not obliging 
 any now by virtue of that institution, their general equity 
 only being still of moral use. 
 
 V. The moral law doth forever bind all, as well justi- 
 fied persons as others, to the obedience thereof; and that 
 not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also 
 in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave 
 it : neither doth Christ in the gospel any way dissolve, but 
 much strengthen this obligation. 
 
 VI. Although true believers be not under the law, as a 
 covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned, 
 yet it is of great use to them as well as to otliers, in that, 
 as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God, and 
 their duty, and directs and binds them to walk accord- 
 ingly, discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, 
 hearts and lives, so as examining themselves thereby, they 
 may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and 
 hatred against sin, together with a clearer sight of the 
 need they have of Christ, and the perfection of his obedi- 
 ence. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain 
 their corruptions, in that it forbids sin, and the threaten- 
 ings of it serve to show what even their sins deserve, and 
 what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, 
 although freed from the curse thereof threatened in the 
 law. The promises of it in like manner show them God's 
 approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may 
 expect upon the performance thereof, although not as due 
 to them by the law, as a covenant of works ; so as a 
 man's doing good, and refraining from evil, because the 
 law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, 
 is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under 
 grace. 
 
115 
 
 VII. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law 
 contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly com- 
 ply with it, the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling 
 the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully, which 
 the will of God revealed in the law required to be done. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace thereof. 
 
 The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made 
 unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give unto the 
 elect the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the 
 means of calling them, and begetting in them faith and 
 repentance. In this promise, the gospel, as to the sub- 
 stance of it, was revealed, and was therein effectual for 
 the conversion and salvation of sinners. 
 
 II. This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is 
 revealed only in and by the word of God ; neither do the 
 works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, 
 make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as 
 in a general or obscure way ; much less that men desti- 
 tute of the revelation of him by the promise or gospel, 
 should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repent- 
 ance. 
 
 III. The revelation of the gospel unto sinners made in 
 divers times, and by sundry parts, w-ith the addition of 
 promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, 
 as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is 
 merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God, 
 not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due 
 improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of com- 
 mon light received without it, which none ever did make, 
 or can so do : and therefore in all ages the preaching of 
 the gospel hath been granted unto persons and nations, as 
 to the extent or straightening of it, in great variety, ac- 
 cording to the counsel of the will of God. 
 
 IV. Although the gospel be the only outward means of 
 revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abun- 
 
116 
 
 dantly sufficient thereunto ; yet that men who are dead 
 in trespasses, may be born again, quickened or regen- 
 erated, there is moreover necessary an effectual, irresis- 
 tible work of the Holy Ghost upon the whole soul, for the 
 producing in them a new spiritual life, without which no 
 other means are sufficient for their conversion unto God. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience. 
 
 The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers 
 under the gospel, consists in their freedom from the guilt 
 of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the rigor and curse 
 of the law, and in their being delivered from this present 
 evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin, from 
 the evil of afflictions, the fear and sting of death, the vic- 
 tory of the grave, and everlasting damnation ; as also in 
 their free access to God, and their yielding obedience 
 unto him, not out of slavish fear, but a childlike love and 
 willing mind : all which were common also to believers 
 under the law, for the substance of them, but under the 
 New Testament the liberty of Christians is further en- 
 larged in their freedom from the yoke of the ceremonial 
 law, the whole legal administration of the covenant of 
 grace, to which the Jewish church was subjected, and in 
 greater boldness of access to the throne of grace, and in 
 fuller communications of the free Spirit of God, than be- 
 lievers under the law did ordinarily partake of 
 
 II. God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left 
 it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, 
 which are in any thing contrary to his word, or not con- 
 tained in it ; so that to believe such doctrines, or to obey 
 such commands out of conscience, is to betray true liberty 
 of conscience, and the requiring of an implicit faith, and 
 an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of 
 conscience, and reason also. 
 
 III. They who upon pretence of Christian liberty do 
 practise any sin, or cherish any lust, as they do thereby 
 
iir 
 
 pervert the main design of the grace of the gospel to their 
 own destruction, so they wholly destroy the end of Chris- 
 tian liberty, which is, that being delivered out of the 
 hands of our enemies, we might serve the Lord without 
 fear, in holiness and righteousness before him ail the days 
 of our life. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Of Religious Worship, and of the Sabbalh Day. 
 
 The light of nature showeth that there is a God, who 
 hath lordship and sovereignty over all, is just, good, and 
 doth good unto all, and is therefore to be feared, loved, 
 praised, called upon, trusted in, and served with all the 
 heart, and all the soul, and with all the might; but the 
 acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted 
 by himself, and so limited by his own revealed will, that 
 he may not be worshipped according to the imaginations 
 and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under 
 any visible representations, or any other way not pre- 
 scribed in the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 II. Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost, and to him alone ; not to angels] 
 saints, or any other creature ; and since the fall, not with- 
 out a Mediator, nor in the mediation of any other but of 
 Christ alone. 
 
 HI. Prayer with thanksgiving, being one special part 
 of natural worship, is by God required of all men ; but 
 that it may be accepted, it is to be made in the name of 
 the Son, by the help of his Spirit, according to his will, 
 with understanding, reverence, humility, fervency, faith,* 
 love and perseverance : and when with others in a known 
 tongue. 
 
 IV. Prayer is to be made for things lawful, and for all 
 sorts of men living, or that shall live hereafter, but not for 
 the dead, nor for those of whom it may be known that 
 they have sinned the sin unto death. 
 
 V. The reading of the Scriptures, preaching and hear- 
 
 11 
 
118 
 
 ing of the word of God, singing of psalms, as also the ad- 
 ministration of baptism and the Lord's supper, are all 
 parts of religious worship of God, to be performed in obe- 
 dience unto God, with understanding, faith, reverence 
 and godly fear. Solemn humiliations with fastings, and 
 thanksgiving upon special occasions, are in their several 
 times and seasons to 'be used in an holy and religious 
 manner. 
 
 VI Neither prayer nor any other part of religious wor- 
 ship, is now under the gospel either tied unto, or made 
 more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or 
 towards which it is directed : but God is to be worshipped 
 everywhere in spirit and in truth, as in private families 
 daily, and in secret each one by himself, so more solemnly 
 in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly nor 
 wilfully to be neglected or forsaken, when God by his 
 word or providence calleth thereunto. 
 
 VII. As it is of the law of nature, that in general a 
 proportion of time by God's appointment be set apart for 
 the worship of God ; so by his word in a positive, moral 
 and perpetual commandment, binding all men in all ages, 
 he hath particularly appointed one day in seven for a Sab- 
 bath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning 
 of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last 
 day of the u^eek, and from the resurrection of Christ, was 
 changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture 
 is called the Lord's day, and is to be continued to the 
 end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation 
 of the last day of the week being abolished. 
 
 VIII. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, 
 when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and 
 ordering their common affairs beforehand, do not only 
 observe an holy rest all the day from their own works, 
 words and thoughts about their worldly employments and 
 recreations, but also are taken up the whole time in the 
 public and private exercises of his worship, and in the 
 duties of necessity and mercy. 
 
119 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Of Lawful Oaths and Vows. 
 
 A LAWFUL oath is a part of religious worship, wherein 
 the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judg- 
 ment, solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth 
 or promiseth, and to judge him according to the truth or 
 falsehood of what he sweareth. 
 
 II. The name of God only is that by which men ought 
 to swear, and therein it is to be used with all he ly fear 
 and reverence ; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by 
 that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any 
 other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred; yet as in mat- 
 ters of weight and moment an oath is warranted by the 
 word of God, under the New Testament, as well as under 
 the old; so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful author- 
 ity in such matters, ought to be taken. 
 
 III. Whosoever taketh an oath warranted by the word 
 of God, ought duly to consider the weightiness of so sol- 
 emn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is 
 fully persuaded is the truth : neither may any man bind 
 himself by oath to any thing, but what is good and just, 
 and what he believeth so to be, and what he is able and 
 resolved to perform. Yet it is a sin to refuse an oath 
 touching anything that is good and just, being lawfully 
 imposed by authority. 
 
 IV. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common 
 sense of the words, without equivocation, or mental reser- 
 vation. It cannot oblige to sin, but in anything net sin- 
 ful being taken, it binds to performance, although to a 
 man's own hurt ; nor is it to be violated, although made 
 to heretics or infidels. 
 
 V. A vow, which is not to be made to any creature, 
 but God alone, is of the like nature with a promissory 
 oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, 
 and to be performed with the like faithfulness. 
 
 VI. Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, 
 professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from 
 being degrees of higher perfection, that they are supersti- 
 tious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may en- 
 tangle himself. 
 
120 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 Of the Civil Rlagistrale. 
 
 God, the supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath 
 ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the 
 people for his own glory and the public good; and to this 
 end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the 
 defence and encouragement of them that do good, and 
 for the punishment of evil doers. 
 
 II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the 
 office of a magistrate, when called thereunto: in the man- 
 agement whereof, as they ought especially to maintain 
 piety, justice and peace, according to the wholesome laws 
 of each commonwealth, so for that end they may lawfully 
 now under the New Testament wage war upon just and 
 necessary occasion. 
 
 HI. They, who upon pretence of Christian liberty shall 
 oppose any lawful power, or the lawful exercises of it, re- 
 sist the ordinance of God, and for their publishing of such 
 opinions, or maintaining of such practices as are contrary 
 to the light of nature, or to the known principles of Chris- 
 tianity, whether concerning faith, worship or conversation, 
 or to the power of godliness, or such erroneous opinions or 
 practices, as either in their own nature, or in the manner 
 of publishing or maintaining them, are destructive to the 
 external peace and order which Christ hath established in 
 the church, they may lawfully be called to account, and 
 proceeded against by the censures of the church, and by 
 the power of the civil magistrate; yet in such differences 
 about the doctrines of the gospel, or ways of the worship 
 of God, as may befall men exercising a good conscience, 
 manifesting it in their conversation, and holding the 
 foundation, and duly observing the rules of peace and 
 order, there is no warrant for the magistrate to abridge 
 them of their liberty. 
 
 IV. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to 
 honor their persons, to pay them tribute and other dues, 
 to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their 
 authority for conscience sake. Infidelity, or difference in 
 religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and 
 
121 
 
 legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedi- 
 ence to him : from which ecclesiastical persons are not 
 exempted, much less hath the pope any power or jurisdic- 
 tion over them in tiieir dominions, or over any of their 
 people, and least of all to deprive them of their domin- 
 ions or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon 
 any other pretence whatsoever. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 Of Marriage. 
 
 Marriage is to be between one man and one woman : 
 neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one 
 wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband 
 at the same time. 
 
 II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of hus- 
 band and wife, for the increase of mankind with a legiti- 
 mate issue, and of the church with an holy seed, and for 
 preventing of uncleanness. 
 
 III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry, who 
 are able with judgment to give their consent. Yet it is 
 the duty of Christians to marry in the Lord, and therefore 
 such as profess the true reformed religion, should not 
 marry with infidels, papists, or other idolaters : neither 
 should such as are godly, be unequally yoked by marrying 
 such as are wicked in their life, or maintain damnable 
 heresy. 
 
 IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of 
 consanguinity or affinity forbidden in the word, ncr can 
 such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any 
 law of man, or consent of parties, so as those persons may 
 live together as man and wife. 
 
 11 
 
122 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 Of the Church. 
 
 The catholic or universal church, which is invisible, 
 consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, 
 are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ, the Head 
 thereof, and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of him 
 that fiUeth all in all. 
 
 H. The whole body of men throughout the world, pro- 
 fessing the fiith of the gospel, and obedience unto God 
 by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own 
 profession by any errors everting the foundation, or un- 
 holiness of conversation, they and their children with 
 them are, and may be called the visible catholic church 
 of Christ, although as such it is not intru.sted with any 
 officers to rule or govern over the whole body. 
 
 HI. The purest churches under heaven are subject 
 both to mixture and error, and some have so degenerated 
 as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of 
 Satan : nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall 
 have a visible kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of 
 such as believe in him, and make profession of his name. 
 
 IV. There is no other head of the church but the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, nor can the pope of Rome in any sense be 
 head thereof, but is that antichrist, that man of sin, and 
 son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church 
 against Christ, and all that is called God, whom the L .rd 
 shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. 
 
 V. As the Lord in his care and love towards his church, 
 hath in his infinite wise providence, exercised it with great 
 variety in all ages for the good of them that love him, and 
 his own glory; so according to his promise, we expect that 
 in the latter days antichrist being destroyed, the Jews 
 called, and the adversaries of the kingdom of his dear Son 
 broken, the churches of Christ being enlarged and edified, 
 through a free and plentiful communication of light and 
 grace, shall enjoy in this world a more quiet, peaceable 
 and glorious condition, than they have enjoyed. 
 
123 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 Of the Communion of Saints. 
 
 All saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head 
 by his Spirit and faith, although they are not made thereby 
 one person with him, have fellowship in his graces, suffer- 
 ings, death, resurrection and glory : and being united to 
 one another in love, they have communion in each other's 
 gifts and graces, and are obliged to the perf(!rmance of 
 such duties, public and private, as do conduce to their 
 mutual good, both in the inward and outward man. 
 
 II. Ail saints are bound to maintain an holy fellowship 
 and communion in the worship of God, and in performing 
 such other spiritual services as tend to their nmtual edifi- 
 cation : as also in relieving each other in outward things, 
 
 ... . . . 
 
 according to their several abilities and necessities : Vv'hich 
 
 communion, though especially to be exercised by them in 
 the relations wdierein they stmd, whether in families or 
 churches, yet as God offereth. opportunity, is to be ex- 
 tended unto all those who in every place call upon the 
 name of the Lord Jesus. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Of the Sacraments. 
 
 Sacraments are holy signs and se?ils of the covenant 
 of grace, immediately instituted by Christ, to represent 
 him and his benefits, and to confirm cur interest in him, 
 and solemnly to engage us to the service of God in Christ, 
 according to his word. 
 
 II. There is in every sacrament a spiritual relation, or 
 sacramental union between the sign and the thing signi- 
 fied ; whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects 
 of the one are attributed to the other. 
 
 III. The grace which is exhibited in or by the sacra- 
 
124 
 
 ments rightly used, is not conferred by any power in 
 them, neither doth the efficacy of a sacrament depend 
 upon the piety or intention of him that doth administer it, 
 but upon t!ie work of the Spirit, and the word of institu- 
 tion, which contains together with a precept authorizing 
 the use thereof, a promise of benefit to worthy receivers. 
 
 IV. There be only two sacraments ordained by Christ 
 our Lord in the gospel, that is to say, baptism and the 
 Lord's supper ; neither of which may be dispensed by 
 any but by a minister of the word lawfully called. 
 
 V. The sacraments of the Old Testament, in regard of 
 the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited, were 
 for substance the same with those of the New. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 Of Baptism. 
 
 Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, or- 
 dained by Jesus Christ, to be unto the party baptized a 
 sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting 
 into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of 
 his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in 
 newness of life ; which ordinance is by Christ's own ap- 
 pointment to be continued in his church, until the end of 
 the world. 
 
 II. The outward element to be used in this ordinance 
 is water, wherewith the party is to be baptized in the 
 name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy 
 Ghost, by a minister of the gospel lawfully called tliere- 
 unto. 
 
 HI. Dipping of the person into the water is not neces- 
 sary, but baptism is rightly administered by pouring or 
 sprinkling water upon the person. 
 
 IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in, 
 and obedience unto Christ, but also the infants of one or 
 both believing parents are to be baptized, and those only. 
 
 V. Although it be a great sin to contenm or neglect 
 this ordinance, yet grace and salvation are not so insepa- 
 
125 
 
 rably annexed to it, as that no person can be regenerated 
 or saved without it ; or that all that are baptized are un- 
 doubtedly regenerated. 
 
 VI. The efficacy of baptism is not tied to that moment 
 of time wherein it is administered, yet notwithstanding, 
 by the right use of this ordinance, the grace promised is 
 not only offered, but really exhibited and conferred by the 
 Holy Ghost to such (whether of age or infants) as that 
 grace belongeth unto, according to the counsel of God's 
 own will in his appointed time. 
 
 VII. Baptism is but once to be administered to any 
 person. 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 Of the Lord's i^upper. 
 
 Our Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed, 
 instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the 
 Lord's supper, to be observed in his churches to the end 
 of the world, for the perpetual remembrance, and showing 
 forth of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing 
 of all benefits thereof unto true believers, their spiritual 
 nourishment and growth in him, their further engage- 
 ment in and to all duties which they owe unto him, and 
 to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, 
 and with each other. 
 
 II. In this sacrament Christ is not offered up to his 
 Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of 
 sin of the quick or dead, but only a memorial of that one 
 offering up of himself upon the cross once for all, and a 
 spiritual oblation of all possible praise unto God for the 
 same; so that the popish sacrifice of the mass (as they 
 call it) is most abominably injurious to Christ's own only 
 sacrifice, the alone propitiation for all the sins of the elect. 
 
 HI. The Lord Jesus hath in this ordinance appointed 
 his ministers to declare his word of institution to the 
 people, to pray and bless the elements of bread and wine, 
 and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy 
 
126 
 
 use, and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, 
 and (they communicating also themselves) to give both 
 to the communicants, but to none who are not then pres- 
 ent in the congregation. 
 
 IV. Private masses, or receiving the sacrament by a 
 priest, or any other alone, as likewise the denial of the 
 cup to the people, worshipping the elements, the lifting 
 them up, or carrying them about for adoration, and the 
 reserving them for any pretended religious use, are all 
 contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the insti- 
 tution of Christ. 
 
 V. The outward elements in this sacrament duly set 
 apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation 
 to him crucified, as that truly, yet sacramentally only, 
 they are sometimes called by the name of the things they 
 represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ ; albeit in 
 substance and nature they still remain truly and only 
 bread and wine as they were before. 
 
 VI. That doctrine which maintains a change of the 
 substance of bread and wine, into the substance of 
 Christ's body and blood (commonly called transubstantia- 
 tion) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is 
 repugnant not to the scriptures alone, but even to com- 
 mon sense and reason, overthroweth the nature of the 
 sacrament, and hath been, and is the cause of manifold 
 superstitions, yea, of gross id(;latries. 
 
 VII. Worthy receivers outwardly partaking of the vis- 
 ible elements in this sacrament, do then also inwardly by 
 faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, 
 but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and 
 all benefits of his death ; the body and blood of Christ 
 being then not corporally or carnally in, with, or under 
 the bread and wine, yet as really, but spiritually present 
 to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements 
 themselves are to their outward senses. 
 
 VIII. AH ignorant and ungodly persons, as they are 
 unfit to enjoy communion with Christ, so are they un- 
 worthy of the Lord's table, and cannot without great sin 
 against him, whilst they remain such, partake of these 
 holy mysteries, or be admitted thereunto ; yea, whose ever 
 shall receive unwortliily, are guilty of the body and blood 
 of the Lord, eating and drinking judgment to themselves. 
 
127 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 Of the Slate of Man after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead. 
 
 The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see 
 corruption ; but their souls (which neither die nor sleep) 
 having an immortal substance, immediately return to God 
 who gave them, the souls of the righteous being then 
 made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest 
 heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and 
 glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies: and 
 the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they re- 
 main in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judg- 
 ment of the great day : besides these two places of souls 
 separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth 
 none. 
 
 II. At the last day such as are found alive shall not die, 
 but be changed, and all the dead shall be raised up with 
 the selfsame bodies, and none other, although with differ- 
 ent qualities, which shall be united again to their souls 
 forever. 
 
 III. The bodies of the unjust shall by the power of 
 Christ be raised to dishonor ; the bodies of the just by 
 his Spirit unto honor, and be made conformable to his 
 own glorious body. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 Of the Last Judgment. 
 
 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the 
 world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, to whom all 
 power and judgment is given by the Father : in which 
 day, not only the apostate angels shall be judged, but 
 likewise all persons that have lived upon earth, shall ap- 
 pear before the tribunal of Christ, to give an account of 
 their thoughts, words and deeds, and to receive according 
 to what they have done in the body, whether good or evil. 
 
128 
 
 II. The end of God's appointing this day, is for the 
 manifestation of the glory of his mercy in the eternal sal- 
 vation of the elect, and of his justice in the danmation of 
 the reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient : for then 
 shall the righteous go into everlasting life, and receive that 
 fullness of joy and glory, with everlasting reward in the 
 presence of the Lord, but the wicked, who know not God, 
 and obey not the gospel of Jesus Christ, shall be cast into 
 eternal torments, and be punished with everlasting de- 
 struction from the presence of the Lord, and from the 
 glory of his power. 
 
 III. As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded 
 that there shall be a judgment, both to deter all men from 
 sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their 
 adversity ; so will he have that day unknown to men, that 
 they may shake off all carnal security, and be always 
 watchful, because they know not at what hour the Lord 
 will come, and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord 
 Jesus, come quickly. Amen. 
 
BENJAMIN PEEKINS & CO., 
 
 No. 100 Washington St., Boston. 
 
 Benjamin Perkins & Co. have recently published 
 
 PROTESTANTISM IN ITALY, past and present, in- 
 eluding a Notice of the Origin, History, and present 
 state of the Waldenses. By Rev. Robert Baird, D. D. 
 
 ' It is a volume of rich interest, especially at the present juncture, 
 and the religious public will look tor it with great interest. Dr. 
 Baird enters into the subject with great minuteness, and the picture 
 he has drawn of Italy as it was, and as it is, will be viewed with 
 astonishment by those who have not been familiar with the instruc- 
 tive theme.' — JV'eic Y'>rk Observer. 
 
 ' This volume is a production of no ordinary interest It puts the 
 reader into possession of just that kind of information, respecting 
 Italy, which the Christian public have long desired to find, but 
 which no previous history furnishes.' — S{ew England Puritan. 
 
 ' We know of no volume in which there is to be found so much 
 interesting and important information, historical, statistical, political, 
 and religious, in regard to Italy.' — jVcw Yoik Ecangdlst. 
 
 ' We commend this volume to every American citizen, to every 
 lover of freedom, and particularly to the Christian, who will see, as 
 he reads, "the bush which burned" in Italy, and yet "was not 
 utterly consumed." ' — ^''ewark Daily Advertiser. 
 
 ' It comprises a large amount of information — the result of careful 
 observation and inquiry — giving such views of the reliiiious state 
 and prospects of Italy and the Walden-es as will be peculiaily inte- 
 resting to those who are watching the progress of truth in the Roman 
 Catholic countries of Europe.' — Philadelphia Observer. 
 
 ' About one third of this vohune is occupied with a history, &c,, 
 of that most interesting of all people, the IValdenscs ; their origin and 
 antiquity — a description of the country inhabited by them — the per- 
 secutions which they have endured from the Papists — th^ir present 
 state — ecclesiastical organization, doctrines, mode of worship, &c. 
 These matters are all described by one who has been repeatedly 
 
» NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
 
 among this wonderful people in their mountain fastnesses, and has 
 made himself familiar with all that pertains to them. We earnestly 
 commend this delightful book to every reader interested in the pro- 
 gress of truth. The book, in its mechanical appearance, is beautiful 
 — faultless." — American TiaveUer. 
 
 * Few men, perhaps no one, could have brought to the task of 
 writing such a book better qualifications than Dr. Baird. He speaks 
 of a country whose history he has studied, and with the present 
 condition of which he has formed a personal and familiar acquaint- 
 ance. The present condition of Italy is probably no where so well 
 and accurately presented.' — Boston Recorder. 
 
 SONGS IN THE NIGHT ; or, Hymns for the Sick 
 and Suffering. 
 
 * \A"here is God my Maker, 
 Who giveth iSoiigs in llie Night.' — Job, xxxv. 10. 
 
 * The plan of the present work has been as judiciously executed 
 as it was tiappily conceived. Each hymn is preceded by a text of 
 Scripture; and, together, they furnish topics of thought, and devo- 
 tion, without tasking the enfeebled energies of the sick.' — Boston 
 Recorder. 
 
 ' It is highly appropriate to the object for which it was compiled, 
 and will be found replete with consolation and support to the afflicted.' 
 
 JWw England Puritan. 
 
 * It is especially adapted to the afTlicted, and will be a precious 
 companion in their hours of suffering.' — Ziuns Herald. 
 
 ' This is a book of gems — a beautiful volume in every respect. It 
 contains a rich collection of original and selected lyrical pieces, illus- 
 trating such divine truths as the Christian pastor or iiiend would 
 suggest to the afflicted or dying lor their support in time of trial. It 
 is an excellent book for the minister who would leave in the cham- 
 ber of the sick and suffering some memento to direct their thoughts 
 to the unfaihng source of divine consolation. Many of these Songs 
 are from the German, and from English works not circulated in this 
 country. They are rich in Sciiptural sentiment, and beautiful and 
 impressive, as lyrical compositions.' — Philadelphia Observer. 
 
 ' The conception of this hook was a happy one, and cannot fail to 
 subserve a benevolent end. Prefixed to the 'Songs' is an Intro- 
 ductory Address to the sick, faithful yet tender and affectionate, and 
 singularly appropriate. We wish it might be the treasure of every 
 fami 1 y . ' — Christian Mirror. 
 
 * This is a verj"^ tasteful selection of short poems, adapted to seasons 
 of affliction, accompanied with an appropriate text of Scripture. The 
 compiler has evinced not only an extensive acquaintance with litera- 
 ture, but a finely moulded taste in the selection and arrangement of 
 the volume.' — .^V. Y. Evangelist. 
 
NOTICES OF BOOKS. 3 
 
 PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY. In a Series of 
 Essays, by John Bowdler, Jr., Esq., of Lincoln's 
 Inn. 
 
 * We have read this volume with the liveliest interest, not knowing 
 whether to admire it most ibr the beauties of its style, the depth and 
 elevation of its views, the force of its reasonings, or the fervor of its 
 piety The issues of the press are few that will probably com- 
 pare with this in richness of instruction, chasteness and elegance of 
 compo:-i(ion, and purity and sweetness of devoiional sentiment. It is 
 among the most precious gems that can adorn the Christian's library.' 
 
 Buston Recorder. 
 
 * It is no common-place production. New thoughts, or old thoughts 
 brought forward in new relations, are of frequent occunence, rousing 
 the mind to wholesome action, and pleasing it by iheii freshness. It 
 is paiticularly well adapted to culiivated minds; and it may be an 
 inducement to such to consult it, that its author was not a professed 
 religious teacher, but a layman.' — Christian Mirror. 
 
 ' These Essays are replete with practical truth, presented in a style 
 w^hich will render them highly acceptable to readers of every class. 
 The subjects which the accomplished author discusses, are. The 
 Character of Christ, The Atonement, Trust in God, Love of God, 
 Faith, Hope, Spiritual Mindeilness, Prayer, Humility, The Lord's 
 Supper, and other kindred topics.' — Fldl. Christian Observer. 
 
 THE LIGHT HEARTED GIRL. A Tale for Chil- 
 dren. By Joseph Alden, D. D. 
 
 ' We have here a very excellent, instructive and entertaining 
 book for children. Its moral and religious influence will be such as 
 all Evangelical Christians must approve.'— ..^m. I'raveller. 
 
 ' This is another excellent little work from the pen of Dr. Alden, 
 a professor in Williams College. Vv'e are glad to see that he is 
 writing books lor youth. It is a charming little book.' — Aew York 
 Observer. 
 
 THE CARDINAL FLOWER, and other Tales. By 
 Joseph Alden, D. D. 
 
 * These stories are in the hnppiest style of Dr. Alden, who seems 
 to have the rare faculty of writing .so as to please children, while all 
 his productions have an elevated and important moral.' — jYcw York 
 Observer. 
 
 THE LOST LAMB, and other Tales. By the same 
 Author. Just published. 
 
4 NOTICES OF BOOKS. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF GERMAN ANABAPTISM, 
 
 gathered mostly from German Writers, living in the 
 age of the Lutheran Reformation, and embracing a full 
 view of the Peasants' Wars, the Celestial Prophets, and 
 Other fanatics of that day, and of the historical connec- 
 tion between the present Baptists and the Anabaptists. 
 By Rev. Parsons Cooke. 
 
 THE LAMBS FED. By a Pastor. For the Younger 
 
 Lambs of the Flock. 
 
 An admirable little manual for the use of Parents in the instruction 
 of very young children, or for Teachers of Infant Sabbath Schools. 
 
 THE BOOK OF PSALMS : being the authorized 
 version of that part of the Sacred Volume, metrically 
 arranged, by James Nourse. 
 
 This book contains the Psalms as given by our translators, except 
 that they are printed in the measured lines of poetry rather than in 
 the form of prose. Those who have never observed the difference, 
 will be struck with the gieat change which so slight an alteration 
 makes, in favor of the poetic impression. The book is printed in a 
 neat and aitractive (brni, and furnishes a very pleasant pocket com- 
 panion for devotional purposes. 
 
 MUSIC EXPLAINED TO THE WORLD; or how 
 
 to understand Music, and enjoy its performance. Trans- 
 lated from the French for the Boston Academy of Music. 
 
 A GERMAN-ENGLISH AND ENGLISH-GERMAN 
 DICTIONARY ; denoting the meaning of all the 
 Words in general use, and likewise of the principal 
 Idiomatic Phrases ; specifying the Parts of Speech to 
 which the words belong, and the Gender, Genitive, and 
 Plural of the German Substantives, thereby indicating 
 the Declension ; and containing also Distinct Tables 
 of the Irregular Verbs and Proper Names in both Lan- 
 guages, and a Table of the Principal Terminations of 
 German Derivatives. By Rev. D. Fosdick, Jr. 
 
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