tis no greater Abfurdity to deftroy the Truth and being of the most of the Reformed Churches, than to Condemn the Romish Communion which is fo Great a Part of Christendom. And what is this? Where lies the Life of it? As I juft now told you; All the Matter amounts to no more than an Inconvenience; And is there not a palpable Inconvenience in the One Cafe as well as in the Other?

32. But when I nam'd fuch an Inconvenience, had I not a warm Side to the Church of Rome? Take my Word for it, Sir, as the Roman Communion is now ftated, I love it as little as you do: And I dare Confidently fay I am for as few of the Novel and Uncatholick principles and Cuftoms of the Romanifts as you are: But feeing you feem to have taken my giving that for my Only Inftance of an Inconvenience like yours, a little by the wrong Handle, I can give you two or three more. Here they are: Your Reafoning is no better than if one should fay: The Chriftian cannot be the Only True Religion; For fo, the far Greater Part of Mankind, for near 1700 Years muft have been Profeffors of Falfe Religions. Again, it cannot be True that Impenitent Sinners must be Damned. For if it is, Millions of Souls made after the Image of God muft perish Everlaftingly. Once more, the Scottish Prefbyterians must be in the wrong, otherwise, All the Chriftians of the Firft and Pureft Centuries were in the wrong; Thefe having firmly be lieved that Epifcopacy was of Divine Right,

while

while as Thofe Confidently Affert that 'tis un lawful; fo very unlawful and Intolerable, as to be a fufficient Ground for Separating from, fuch as Honour it, and Adhere to it. Confider this Serioufly, Sir, For I am apt to think your Inconvenience was not half fo hear of Kin to an Abfurdity.

33. But if my Principle ftrikes fo hard against the Conftitution of fo many Reform'd Churches, does it not look Odioully and Uncharitably? I think not, if 'tis True; but if for all its Truth you will needs have it Odious, neither I nor those of my Perfwafion muft bear the whole Burden of the Odium; Who must bear Part of it with us? Why, Sir? As to fome of the moft Confiderable Reform'd Foreign Churches, even you your Jelf; at leaft, all those who have Own'd the Weftminster Confeffion of Faith to be the Con fefion of their Faith, and promifed that they own the Doctrine therein Contain'd to be the Do arine which they will conftantly adhere to All fuch, I fay, muft bear their fhare of the Q. dium, with Refpect to fome of the most Confiderable Reform'd Churches; for, particu larly the French Minifters, for the moft part had no Better Miffion than that, which Flow ed Originally from the People; and therefore, turn to the 41ft Article of the French Prote Itant Confeffion of Faith, and you'll find it Contrived fo as to juftify fuch Milions; and in Confequence of this, the Advocates for the French Reformed Church have generally beteken themfelves to the Original Power of

the

the

the People, while they have been Forced by thofe of the Church of Rome to Defend the Miffion of their Paftors, particularly (befides many more I could name) the Learned Monfieur Claude in that fame very Book you have Cited (p. 19.) of his, his Defence of the French Reformation: Now, this Original Power of the People was Zealoufly Rejected by the Weftminster Affembly. Shall I fet this in its due Light?

34. After the Alfembly of Divines was Conftituted at Westminster, Anno 1643, 'twas very foon difcovered that there were Two Parties in it, which, tho' both Adverfaries to Epif copacy, differed not a little about Church Power and Government; the Prefbyterians the Greater Party, and the Independents the Leffer. After divers Heats and Debates between them, the Two Houfes of Parliament appointed a Committee to try if Matters might be Accommodated amongst them, but without Succefs; for tho' the Prefbyterians were condefcending enough, as to the Point of Ordinations, offering to agree to this, That where there were Two Preaching Prefbyters, Such a Prefbytery might Ordain their own Elders. Yet, that did not Please the Independents, they were for this; That where there are Two Ruling Elders, they have Power of Ordaining Elders for that Congregation; And in Cafe there be no Elders (as at firft in Ecclefia Conftitutuenda) then the Choice of Elders by the People with Approbation of the Neighbouring Minifters, with Fafting and Prayer may Suffice.

(0)

(0) See Papers of Accommodation, &c. Edit. Lond. An. 1648. p. 4, S.

(p) See, ibid, p. 15.

(0) Or as they themselves word it in another Paper. (p) That where there is a Prefbytery(that is,Two Elders at leaft) in any of our Congre gations, there may be Power of Ordination; and where there is not Prefbytery, thofe who are fufficiently qualified and Approved, for their Gifts and Graces, by Godly Able Minifters, being Chofen by the People, and fet apart for the Miniftry, with Prayer and Fafting in the Congregation, may Prima vice exercife their Miniftry.

1

35. This Demand of the Independents all the Prefbyterians in the Affembly Spurn'd at: And going on quite another Foot, they humbly prefented to the Lords and Commons, to be Ratified by them, amongft divers other, Propofitions relating to Ordination. I. No "Man ought to take upon him the Office "of a Minifter of the Word without a Lawful Calling. II. Ordination is always to be continued in the Church. III. Ordination is the Solemn fetting a Part of a Perfon to fome Publick Church-Office. IV. Every Minifter of the Word is to be Ordained by Impofition of Hands, and Pray er. with Fafting, by the PREACHING PRESBYTERS to whom it doth belong V. Preaching Prefbyters orderly affociated "either in Cities or Neighbouring Villages, • are thofe to whom the Impofition of Hands, doth Appertain for thofe Congregations within their Bounds refpectively, and be caufe they had not then got fuch Affocia Q 2

66

A

tion

tions of Prefbyters erected in many places, rhey added, VI. "That in Extraordinary "Cafes fomething Extraordinary might be “done, until a fettled Order might be had,

yet keeping as near as poffibly might be "to the Rule. Well, did they allow the People to Ordain in fuch Extraordinary Cafes? Nothing like it; on the contrary they meant no more but that where Prefbyters were not Erected, Minifters might be Ordain'd as they beft cou'd, yet ftill, as themselves word it, By Some who being SET A PART themfelves for the Work of the Miniftry have POWER tồ joyn in the SETTING A PART of Others who are found fit and worthy; that is, always by Preaching Prefbyters, &c.

36. Thefe Things duly confidered, we have a Proper Key for Opening up the True Meaning of Divers Articles of the Westminfter Confeffion, particularly Chap. 25. §. 3. tis faid, Chrift hath given to the Catholick Vi fible Church the MINISTRY, as well as the Oracles and Ordinances of God, and Chap. 27.

4. None may difpence the Sacraments but Minifters of the Word Lawfully Ordained. This is faid over again concerning Baptifm, Chap: 28. §. 2. and the Eucharift, Chap. 29. §. 3. and Chap. 30. §. 1. The Lord Jefus as King and Head of his Church bath therein appointed a Government in the Hands of Church Officers diftinct from the Civil Magiflrate. And, §. 2. To thefe Officers the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are committed, by vertue whereof they have Power refpectively to Retain and Remit Sins;

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