trates than heathen: therefore magistrates may not hinder them herein, as Pharaoh did the people from sacrificing, for wrath will be upon the realm, and the king and his sons, Ezra vii. 23.

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Secondly, it hath been a usurpation of foreign countries and magistrates to take upon them to determine times and places of worship; rather let the churches be left herein to their inoffensive liberty.

"Thirdly, concerning the power of synod assemblies:"First, in corrupt times, the magistrate, desirous to make reformation of religion, may and should call those who are most fit in several churches to assemble together in a synod, to discuss and declare from the word of God matters of doctrine and worship, and to help forward the reformation of the churches of God: this did Josiah.

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Secondly, in the reformed times, he ought to give liberty to the elders of several churches to assemble themselves by their own manual and voluntary agreement, at convenient times, as the means appointed by God whereby he may mediately reform matters amiss in churches, which immediately he cannot nor ought not to do.

Thirdly, those meetings for this end we conceive may be of two sorts.

"1. Monthly, of some of the elders and messengers of the churches.

"2. Annual, of all the messengers and elders of the churches.

"First. Monthly, of some: first, those members of churches which are nearest together, and so may most conveniently assemble together, may, by mutual agreement, once in a month, consult of such things as make for the good of the churches.

Secondly. The time of this meeting may be sometimes at one place, sometimes at another, upon the lecture

day of every church where lectures are: and let the lecture that day be ended by eleven of the clock.

"Thirdly. Let the end of this assembly be to do nothing by way of authority, but by way of counsel, as the need of churches shall require.

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Secondly, annual, of all the elders within our jurisdiction or others, whereto the churches may send once in the year to consult together for the public welfare of all the churches.

"First. Let the place be sometimes at one church, sometimes at another, as reasons for the present may require.

"Secondly. Let all the churches send their weighty questions and cases, six weeks or a month before the set time, to the church where the assembly is to be held, and the officers thereof disperse them speedily to all the churches, that so they may have time to come prepared to the discussing of them.

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Thirdly. Let this assembly do nothing by authority, but only by counsel, in all cases which fall out, leaving the determination of all things to particular churches within themselves, who are to judge and so to receive all doctrines and directions agreeing only with the word of God."

The grounds of these assemblies.

"First. Need of each other's help, in regard of daily emergent troubles, doubts, and controversies.

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Secondly. Love of each other's fellowship.

"Thirdly. Of God's glory, out of a public spirit to seek the welfare of the churches, as well as their own, 1 Cor. x. 33, 2 Cor. xi. 28.

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Fourthly. The great blessing and special presence of God upon such assemblies hitherto.

"Fifthly. The good report the elders and brethren of churches shall have hereby, by whose communion of love others shall know they are the disciples of Christ.”

A strange double pic

ture.

The great privileges of the true spouse, or church of Christ.

To hold with light and

walk in darkness.

The magistrate lift up

CHAP. CXXX.

Truth. I may well compare this passage to a double picture; on the first part or side of it a most fair and beautiful countenance of the pure and holy word of God: on the latter side or part, a most sour and uncomely, deformed look of a mere human invention.

Concerning the former, they prove the true and unquestionable power and privilege of the churches of Christ to assemble and practise all the holy ordinances of God, without or against the consent of the magistrate.

Their arguments from Christ's and the angels' voice, from the apostles' and churches' practice, I desire may take deep impression, written by the point of a diamond, the finger of God's Spirit, in all hearts whom it may

concern.

This liberty of the churches of Christ, he enlargeth and amplifieth so far, that he calls it a usurpation of some magistrates to determine the time and place of worship and says, that rather the churches should be left to their inoffensive liberty.

:

Upon which grant I must renew my former query, whether this be not to walk in contradictions, to hold with light yet walk in darkness? for,

How can they say the magistrate is appointed by God and Christ the guardian of the Christian church and wornor of the ship, bound to set up the true church, ministry, and ordi

to be the chief gover

church, and

yet cast

down not to nances, to see the church do her duty, that is, to force her

false have power

to appoint the place or

meeting.

to it by the civil sword: bound to suppress the church, ministry, and ordinances, and therefore, conse- time of quently, to judge and determine which is the true church, which is the false, and what is the duty of the church officers and members of it, and what not: and yet, say they, the churches must assemble, and practise all ordinances, without his consent, yea, against it. Yea, and he hath not so much power as to judge what is a convenient time and place for the churches to assemble in; which if he should do, he should be a usurper, and should abridge the church of her inoffensive liberty.

tudes, illus

magistrate

both governor of the

yet usurper

ing.

As if the master or governor of a ship had power to Two similijudge who were true and fit officers, mariners, &c., for the trating the managing of the ship, and were bound to see them each cannot be perform his duty, and to force them thereunto, and yet he church, and should be a usurper if he should abridge them of meeting in commandand managing the vessel at their pleasure, when they please, and how they please, without and against his consent. Certainly, if a physician have power to judge the disease of his patient, and what course of physic he must use, can he be counted a usurper unless the patient might take what physic himself pleased, day or night, summer or winter, at home in his chamber or abroad in the air?

may assem

and against

then the magisgather There- then much

trate's consent (as is affirmed),

more constitute and

Secondly, by their grant in this passage, that God's If a church people may thus assemble and practise ordinances without ble without and against the consent of the magistrate, I infer, also may they become a church, constitute and without or against the consent of the magistrate. fore may the messengers of Christ preach and baptize, that is, make disciples and wash them into the true profession of Christianity, according to the commission, though the magistrate determine and publicly declare such ministers, such baptisms, such churches to be heretical.

Thirdly, it may here be questioned, what power is now

become a

church, &c.

Gross partiality.

If the civil magistrate

given to the civil magistrate in church matters and spiritual affairs?

If it be answered, that although God's people may do this against the magistrates' consent, yet others may not: I answer, as before, who sees not herein partiality to themselves? God's people must enjoy their liberty of conscience, and not be forced; but all the subjects in a kingdom or monarchy, or the whole world beside, must be compelled by the power of the civil sword to assemble thus and thus.

Secondly, I demand, who shall judge whether they are God's people or no? for they say, whether the magistrate consent or consent not, that is, judge so or not, they ought to go on in the ordinances, renuente magistratu.

How agrees this with their former and general assertion, be to build that the civil magistrate must set up the Christian church

the spiritual

or Christian and worship? Therefore, by their own grant, he must

house, he

in the matter.

must judge judge the godly themselves, he must discern who are fit matter for the house of God, living stones, and what unfit matter, trash and rubbish.

A close and faithful in

to the con

the authors of these

positions.

Those worthy men, the authors of these positions, and terrogatory others of their judgment, have cause to examine their souls sciences of with fear and trembling in the presence of God upon this interrogatory, viz., whether or no this be not the bottom and root of the matter: if they could have the same supply of maintenance without the help of the civil sword, or were persuaded to live upon the voluntary contribution of poor saints, or their own labour, as the Lord Jesus and his first messengers did :-I say, if this lay not in the bottom, whether or no they could not be willingly shut of the civil power, and left only to their inoffensive liberties?

A sad query

to some concerning their practice.

I could also put a sad query to the consciences of some, viz., what should be the reason why in their native country, where the magistrate consenteth not, they forebore to