THe eye of the world hath now twice made his progress through all his 365 degrees, and you having received of the Parishioners of Barham, since you came hither, well nigh so ma­ny pounds as there are degrees for his orb to move in, during all which we a considerable number of the same Parish, having with no ordinary pat [...]ence, as we (and others too) conceive, expected that you should administer the holy and saving Ordinances of our most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ amongst us; but to our wonderment, and greif, finding so great (we will not yet say wilful) neglect in you therein, do now, (not out of any humour of opposition, or cavelling with you, qualities which become not the ser­vants of our Lord and Master, who is the [Page 2]Prince of peace) but out of a sincere and hearty affection to the glory of Almighty God, and the welfare of our souls, in all hum [...]lity and meekness of Spirit, earnestly desire, & implore you, from the very bottom of our hearts, as you are a Minister of Je­sus Christ, & if as truly sent amongst us, as never chosen by us or liked of us, that you will not defraud us of that which we con­ceive belongs to us & our Children, & is no less then the holy Sacraments ordained by the Lord Jesus himself till the time of his second c [...]ing.

In this manifestation of our thoughts and desires, you cannot expect from us plain Countrey-men, any Rhetorical florishes, any depth of humane learning, any wis­dome, such as is that of the world; these fa­culties, as they are above the sphaere of our capacities, so are they far beneath the le­vel of our desires; for we seriously con­fess we covet not the excellency of enticing words, or of the wisdome of the men, or Princes of the world, but that which we daily and hourly beg for, is, that we may receive the Spirit of God, thereby to know Christ crucified and seasonably to apply his merits to our souls, by participation of [Page 3]him in his holy Sacraments.

We know that the world knew not God, in the wisdome of God, & that natural man perceiveth not, nor indeed can he perceive the things of the Spirit of God.

We also know that not many wise men, not many mighty, not many noble, no not many Princes of the world hath God cho­sen to be his favourites, but that he hath made choise of the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty, and the vile things of the world, and things which are despised, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: amongst which foolish and weak things, we ranck our selves, neither having attained to, nor indeed much affected the wisdome of the world, or excellency of words.

God he knows, our meaning is honest, and very plain, and we shall sincerely pro­pose our very hearts and thoughts to you.

We truly confess, we speak [...] to your honor, we have not observed any of those vices of drunkenness or prodigallity in you, which too too much abound in some men, & we do as cordially wish, that spiritual [Page 4]pride, secret malice, and immoderate covetousness, (affections which many times are too too predominant in the Saints themselves) may not take up any lodging in the chambers of your (as we hope) sanctified heart: yet we must really tell you, we cannot but wounder with what face, with what reason, with what con­science you could impose, or suffer your self to be imposed upon a people, which it should seem you esteem to be no better then Infidels, or dogs; for upon what o­ther ground, we are to seek, why you should refuse to give that which is holy un­to us? we have not as yet denyed to give you temporal things, the fruits of the la­bour of our hands, the sweat of our browes, the issue of our brains; why should you withold from us those which are spiritual, why should you keep back from us those tokens which our Lord and Master hath left for us? we beseech you tell us, do you think it your whole duty to get up into the Pulpit, and there only preach unto us, and by vertue thereof to extort tythes from us? in sober sadness, is there nothing else in your opinion required of a Minister of Je­sus Christ? are there no signs and seals of [Page 5]the Covenant of grace to be delivered by you to us? is it therefore you refuse to do it, because you may think there be some amongst us, that have been railors, drun­kards, wantons, fornicators, adulterers or covetous persons? why? though not guilty, we can say, (it is to be feared) such were some of you! and if you be now washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God, who knoweth, but by the same spirit, we may be in the like manner, washed, sanctified and justified, and if so, or desire to be so, pardon us, if we impor­tune the seals of Grace, which may con­duce to our future glory.

But if you think us, like Turks, Jews and Heathen unworthy of them, tel us so: if not, why have you witheld them from us all this while? if you will not give them us, but necessitate us to seek for them else­where, we then desire you to set down your reasons under your hand: in the mean while we demand of you, with what conscience or honor you can refuse to re­store back to the poorer sort amongst us, out of that great income you receive, those moneyes they have been forced to expend [Page 6]upon other Ministers, for doing that which we conceive, of right belonged [...]o you to do; we say great income, because it is great in it self, greater in respect of the very little content you give us: for when we stedfast­ly look upon you, and behold you like Ja­nus to have two faces, with the one looking earnestly toward our Tithes without any regard to the Sacraments, with the other toward Womens weuld, we cannot appre­hend you to be other then some strange Minister, (we will not say Monster) ru­shed in amongst us, and indeed such an one, as neither we, nor our Fore-fathers ever saw in Barham before.

None of your Predecessors, some of whom, without all peradventure were pi­ous and learned men, Hooker ever, like unto your self, denyed the Sacraments unto us: they knew them to serve as bonds of obedience to God, strict obligations to the mutual exercise of Christian Charity, provoca­tions to godliness, preservations from sin, memorials of the principal benefits of Christ, annexed for ever unto the new Testament, as other Rites were before with the Old; they knew them to be war­rants for the more security of our belief, [Page 7]marks of distinction to seperate Gods own from strangers: heavenly Ce­remonies sanctified by God himself, and ordained to be administred in his Church as signs to know whereby God doth impart the vital or saving grace of Christ unto all that are capable there­of, and as means which God requi­reth in them unto whom he imparteth Grace. For sith God in himself is in­visible, and cannot by us be disc [...]rned working, therefore when it seemeth good in the eyes of his heavenly wisdome, that men for some special intent and purpose should take notice of his glori­ous presence, he giveth them some plain, and sensible token, whereby to know what they cannot see. For Moses to see God was imposible; yet Exod. 2.3. Moses by fire knew where the glory of God extraor­dinarily was present. The Joh. 5 4. Angel by whom God endued the waters of the Pool called Bethesda with supernatural vertue to heal, was not seen of any, yet the time of the Angels presence known by the troubled motions of the waters themselves. The Apostles Act. 2.3. by fiery tongues, which they saw, were admonished when the Spirit [Page 8]which they could not behold was upon them. In like manner it is with us; Christ, and his holy Spirit, with all the blessed ef­fects, though entring into the soul of man, we are not able to apprehend, or express how, do notwithstanding give notice of the times when they use to make their ac­cess, because it pleaseth Almighty God to communicate by sensible means those bles­sings which are incomprehensible. Our Pre­decessor knew the necessity of receiving the Sacraments, that grace is a consequent of them, a thing which accompanieth them as their end, that it is not Gods or­dinary will to bestow the grace of the Sa­craments on any, but by the Sacraments, which grace also they that receive by Sa­craments or with Sacraments, receive it from him, and not from them; they knew that saving grace which Christ ori­ginally is, or hath for the general good of the whole Church, he severally deriveth [...] every member thereof by Sacraments, and that they serve as the Instruments of God to that end and purpose, Hooker moral instru­ments, the use whereof is in our hands, the effect in his; they knew that for the use of them we have his express commandment [Page 9]for the effect, his promise; so that without our obedience to the one, there is of the other no apparant assurance, and we are not to doubt but that they really give what they promise, and are what they signifie; they knew that the Sacraments are not bare resemblances, or memorials of things absent, or naked signs and Testimonies, as­suring us of grace received bef [...]re, but (as they are indeed and in verity) means effectual, whereby God when we take the Sacraments delivereth into our hands that grace available unto eternal life, which grace, the Sacraments signifie or represent: and are they such effectual means? are they necessary to salvation? are they by God himself for ever annexed unto the new Testament? how great then is the neglect? how great the Offence? how detestable the wilfulness of those men, who though im­powred, set apart in a great measure for that purpose, and required by God himself to communicate them, in order to the sal­vation of his people, shall notwithstanding be careless in performance of his will, yea peremptorily deny to put his most sacred and saving Ordinances in execution?

Hath the great Judg of all the world said, [Page 10]that Joh. 3.33. unless a man be born of water & the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven, & except you eat of the Joh. 6.53. flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood ye have no life in you; and hath the mirror of piety, and Learning affirmed, that we may with consent of the whole [...]hristian world, Hooker con­clude the Sacrament of Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord to be necessary, the one to initiate, or begin, the other to consummate, and make perfect our life in Christ; who then can imagine otherwise? but great must be the ignorance or obsti­nacy of those kind of men, who deny the administration of those heavenly Mysteries which are so necessary to eternal life.

For as concerning the Sacrament of Baptism, in the first place, we believe as we are not naturally men without birth, so neither are we Christian men in the eye of the Church of God, but by new birth, nor according to the manifest ordinary course of divine dispensation new born, but by that Baptism which both declareth and maketh us Christians; In which respect we justly hold it to be the door of our actual entrance into Gods house, the first apparant begin­ing life, a seal perhaps to the grace of e­lection [Page 11]before received, b [...]t to our sancti­fication here, a step which hath not any be­fore it.

The Law of Christ tyeth all men to re­ceive this baptism, expresly specified by water and the Spirit; water, as duty re­quired on our parts; the Spirit as a gift God bestoweth; for unless as the Spirit is a necessary inward cause, so water were a necessary outward means to our regenera­tion; what construction should we give unto those words to be new born, and that [...], even of water? why are we taught Eph. 5.2. that with water God doth purifie and cleanse his Church? wherefore do the Apostles of Christ term baptism Tit. 3.5. a bath of Regeneration? what purpose had they in giving men advice to Act. 2.38. receive outward bap­tism, and in perswading them it did avail to remission of sins? If then Christ himself who giveth salvation, do require baptism, it is our duty who look for salvation, seri­ously to do that which is required, and religiously to feare the danger which may grow by the want thereof, and it behoov­eth all Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who have any fear of God in their hearts, and care of delivering mens souls [Page 12]from sin, to teach men the necessity there­of, & not omit (when ocasion is offered) this their necessary duty in their own per­sons. For though we grant that those sentences which make Sacraments most ne­cessary to eternal life, are no prejudice to their salvation that want them by some in­evitable necessity, and without any fault of their own, yet we say it ought in reason to be acknowledged likewise, that for as much as the Lord himself maketh Bap­tism necessary; necessary, whether we re­spect the good received by it, or the Te­stimony yeilded unto God of that humility and meek obedience, which reposing who­ly it self on the absolute authority of his commandment, and on the truth of his hea­venly promise, doubteth not but from creatures despicable in their own condition and substance, to obtain grace of inestima­ble value, or rather not from them, but from him, yet by them, as by his appoin­ted means: and howsoever he, by the se­cret wayes of his own incomprehensible mercy, may be thought to save without Baptism, this cleareth not the Church from guiltiness of blood, if through her super­fluous scrupulositie, lets, and impedi­ments [Page 13]of less regard, should cause a grace of so great moment to be witheld, where­in our merciless strictness may be our own harm, although not theirs towards whom we shew it; and we for the hardness of our hearts may perish, albeit they through Gods unspeakable mercy may live.

God which did not afflict that innocent, whose circumcision Moses had overlong deferred, was about to have killed Exod. 4.24. Moses himself for the injury, which was done, through so great neglect, giving us thereby to understand, that they whom Gods own mercy saveth without us, are on our parts notwithstanding, and as much as in us ly­eth, even destroyed, when under unsuffi­cient pretences, we defraud them of such ordinary outward helps as we should ex­hibit. Not that we hereby make Baptism a cause of grace, but say that the grace wh^ch is given with baptism, doth so far forth depend on the outward Sacrament, that God will have it embraced not only as a sign or token what we receive, but also as an instrument or mean whereby we receive Grace.

And as concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, we say, that he which [Page 14]hath said of the one Sacrament, wash and be clean; hath said concerning the other, Eate and live. Life being therefore pro­posed unto all men as their end, they which by Baptism have laid their foundation, and attained the first beginning of a new life, have here their nourishment and food, pre­scribed for the continuance of life in them. Such as will live the life of God, must eat the flesh, and drink the blood of the Son of man; because this is a part of that diet, which if we want, we cannot live: whereas therefore in our infancy we are incorporated into Christ, and by Baptisme receive the grace of his Spirit, without any sence or feeling of the gift which God bestoweth, in the Eucharist we so receive the gift of God, that we know by grace, what the grace is which God giveth us, the decrees of our increase in holiness and vertue, we see and can judge of them, we understand that the strength of our life, began in Christ, is Christ, that his flesh is meat, and his blood is drink; not by surmized imagination, but truly, even so-truly, that through Faith we perceive in the signs of the Body and Blood Sacra­mentally presented, the very taste of E­ternal [Page 15]Life: The grace of the Sacrament is here as the food which we eat and drink. The Sacrament is a true and real partici­pation of Christ, who thereby imparteth himself, even his whole intire person as a mystical head, into every soul that receiveth him; and every such receiver doth thereby incorporate or unite himself unto Christ, as a Mystical member of him, yea, of them also whom he acknowledgeth to be his own. And to whom the person of Christ is thus communicated, to them he giveth by the same Sacrament his Holy Spirit to sanctifie them, as it sanctifieth him which is their head; and what merit, force, or vertue soever there is in his sa­crificed body and bloud, we freely, fully and wholy have it by this Sacrament; the effect whereof in us is a real transmutation of our Souls and Bodies from sin to righte­ousness, from death and corruption, to immortality and life; and though the Sacrament it self be but a corruptible and earthly creature, yet he by the strength of his glorious power, will bring to pass that the Bread and Cup which he giveth us, shall be truly the thing he promi­seth.

[Page 16]This Sacrament keepeth Christians, in a continual remembrance of that propitia­tory sacrifice, which Christ once for all offered by his death upon the Cross, to reconcile us to God: He was himself once really offered, and as oft as this Sa­crament is celebrated, so oft is he spiritu­ally offered by the faithfull. This Sa­crament confirmeth our Faith; for God by it doth signifie and seal unto us from Hea­ven, that according to the promise and new Covenant which he hath made in Christ, he will truly receive into his grace and mercy all penitent believers who duly receive this holy Sacrament, and that for the merit of the death and passion of Christ, he will as verily forgive them all their sins, as they are made partakers of this Sacrament. It is also a pledg, and Symbole of the most neer and effectual communion which Christians have with their Head, from which communion there followeth to the faithfull, many ine­stimable benefits, as his taking by impu­tation all their sins and guiltiness upon him, to satisfie Gods justice for them; and he freely gives by imputation unto us all his righteousness in this life, and all his right [Page 17]unto eternal life, when this is ended; and counteth all the good, or ill that is done unto us, as done to his own person: there likewise floweth from Christ nature into our nature united unto him, the lively spirit, and breath of Grace, which reneweth us unto a spiritual life, and so sanctifieth our minds, wills, and affections, that we day­ly grow more and more conformable to the Image of Christ; he also bestoweth upon us all saving graces necessary to at­tain eternal life, as the sence of Gods love, the assurance of our election, with regene­ration, sanctification, and grace to do good works. This Sacrament also feeds the Souls of the faithfull in the assured hope of life everlasting, and withal doth seal unto them the assurance of the injoy­ment of that life. Manna, Angels food, fed the Israelites forty years in the wilder­ness, but behold a better food is prepared for them, even the body, and blood of our most blessed Saviour, the bread of life, on which whosoever by a sincere and stedfast faith do feed, it will nourish their souls for ever unto a blessed life without end: in order to which, it is an assured pledg of the spiritual resurrection of our [Page 18]souls from the death of sin here, and of the corporal resurrection of our bodies at the last day; of the first resurrection our Saviour hath said, John 6.57. He that eateth me even he shall live by me;; of the second He himself hath also said, 57. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him at the last day: for this Sacrament signifieth and sealeth unto us, that Christ died, and rose again for us, and that His flesh quickeneth and nourisheth unto eternal life, and that therefore our bodies shall surely be then raised unto that life; for seeing our Head is risen, all the members of the body shall likewise surely rise again, for how can those bodies fed and nourished with the body and blood of the Lord of life, but be raised up with him again at that day unto life? it being given by Him for their eter­nal salvation.

It was neither Saint nor Angel, but the Son of God himself who ordained this ho­ly Mystery, and is the chiefest memorial left by Him of our Redemption; our Re­demption, which was the chiefest benefit that ever man needed from God, or that God ever bestowed up on man; and there [Page 19]fore every Christian should account this holy supper the chiefest and most joyful feast in this world, and come unto it with praise and thanksgiving: the sinner laying aside his sins must come to this feast, the envious man his enmitie and come; he that hath variety of secular imployments must lay aside his secular imployments and and come and converse with God. He that is well grounded in grace must come, because he is excellently disposed to so ho­ly a feast, but he that is but in the infan­cy of his piety, had need to come, that so he may grow in grace; the strong must come, least they become weak, and the weak, that they may become strong; the sick must come to be cured, the healthful to be pre­served: they that have leasure must come because they have no excuse; they that have no leasure must come hither, that by so excellent Religion they may sanctifie their business: The penitent sinners must come, that they may be justified; and they that are justified, that they may be justified still; they that have fears and great reverence to these mysteries, and think no preparation to be sufficient, must receive, that they may learn to receive [Page 20]the more worthily, and they that have a less degree of reverence, must come often, to have it hightned: Here are re­medies for all sick and sorrowful sinners, the very letter of the word of Christ giveth plain security that these mysteries do as nails fasten us unto his very Cross, that by him we draw out as touching efficacy, force and vertue, even the blood of his gored side, in the wounds of out Redeemer, we there dip our tongues, we are dyed red both within and without, our hunger is satisfied and our thirst for ever quenched; they are things wonderful which he feeleth, great which he seeth, and unheard of which he uttereth, whose souls is possest of this Paschal Lamb, and made joyful in the strength of this new wine; this Bread hath in it more then the substance which our eyes behold, this Cup hallowed with so­lemn benediction, availeth to the endless life and welfare both of soul and body, in that it serveth as well for a medicine to heal our infirmities and purge our sins, as for a sacrifice of thanksgiving, which tou­ching, it sanctifieth, it enlightneth with belief, it truly conformeth us unto the Image of Jesus Christ, who by vertue of [Page 21]his divine benediction, with hands and eyes lifted up to heaven, first blessed, and consecrated those chosen elements of bread & wine, & made them for ever instruments of life, for the endless good of all genera­tions: O how inexpressibly comfortable are the benefits devolved upon us hereby! O how infinite are the joyes, such as eye hath not seen nor eare heard, nor can en­ter into the heart of man prepared for the worthy receivers! to such belongs life, life indeed, life everlasting; with those is the Tabernacle of God, and God himself shall be their God, and He will wipe away all tears from their eyes, no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying, no more pain shall trouble them: He that is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end will be their God, and they shall be his Sons, they shall inhabit the great City, the ho­ly Jerusalem enlightned with the glory of God, and walled with a great and high wall, founded upon twelve foundations, garnished with all manner of precious stones, and the names of the Lambs twelve Apostles; the gates belonging to this City being no less in number then twelve, and every one of them made of [Page 22]Pearl, Rev. 21.21 and the pavement of it of pure Gold; a City having no need of Sun or Moon to shine in it, having the glory of God to light it, and the law to be the light of it; to this City all the Kings of the Earth shall bring honor and glory, and all those who religiously hunger and thurst after the body and blood of this Lamb, and worthily partake of it, shall walk in the light of it: And shall any hunger and thirst after this soul-saving heavenly ban­quet? Shall some be set apart on purpose, by an Almighty, gracious and liberal inviter freely to deliver it unto them? And are all these mentioned benefits and priviledges, yea, Heaven it self promised to them that hunger and thirst, and partake of it? and yet shall there be any who will not only wil­fully neglect, but also peremptorily deny to minister at this holy feast, and thereby suffer the hunger and thirst of poor souls to remain unsatisfyed? Shall any in like manner whom our most mercifull Saviour Jesus Christ hath commanded to Suffer little children to come unto him, for to such belongs the Kingdom of Heaven, be so wickedly hard-hearted, so maliciously bent, so without all natural compassion, [Page 23]as to shut the door against those poor little infants, deny them a little water Sacra­mentally to wash away their sins with; keep back from them the sign and seal of Gods promise, and as much as in them lieth put them out of the Covenant of Grace, and thrust them into the wofull pit of everlasting Perdition? Certainly, if we had not seen such creatures with our eyes, wee should hardly have believed our ears at any mens mentioning of them; such there are amongst us, and our chil­dren after us will declare the mighty work of division they have wrought in our days; which they first prepared under colour of Religion, to accomplish their own crooked ends thereby. And these people do se­parate themselves from others, desiring to be thought more holy then they. These the Apostles long since foretold should come to deceive in the latter times; they have thrust out pious and learned men out of their seats, and exalted Dunces, and themselves in the room of them; they have caused Schismes and Heresies amongst the people, which happen by reason of our sins, through the just judgment of our God, wherewith from on high he hath [Page 24]visited us, by permitting those false lights to shine in these times of darkness, to lead our feet out of the way of peace, and deny us the Holy Sacraments, which were ordeined for the remission of our sins: such strange lights there are now; and what makes them such? Semblably it is to be feared, ignorant obstinacy, and self-seeking ends; for who can imagine it to be other then ignorant obstinacy in these crabbed Doctors, who alledge no other then unsatisfactory reasons, for their omis­sion of holy and necessary duties; as because forsooth the people (whom they expect should do just as they would have them, be it right or wrong) will not pre­sently go out of the old, and instantly come into a new Church way; and that even before they are shewn what it is, or where it lies, or the contrivers of it, them­selves have thorowly agreed what it shall be; a way which when by themselves (as they may think) perfected, will in all likelyhood be as little liked of, and fol­lowed by the most godly, most wise, and most learned men of this Nation, as it hath been practised by them, since the time of our blessed Saviors coming into [Page 25]the world, till the first year of Liberty, for every one to take upon him what Re­ligion he pleaseth, broach what Heresie he fancieth, and be of what Sect he con­ceiveth most to his own advantage.

And is it any other then an unsatisfa­ctory reason in those Austere Doctors, which will not administer the holy Sacra­ment of Baptism to those children, whose Parents though visibly in the Covenant of God, and visible members of Christs Church, though they acknowledg them­selves to believe in him, and by vertue of his merits to obtain everlasting life; and though they desire to partake of his Or­dinances, yet because they will not in e­very thing dance after their pipe, will not have a hand with them in renting in pie­ces the seamless Coat of their Saviour, will not apprehend all their errors to be truths, will not suffer themselves to be rid upon by these unmercifull horsmen, under pretence of Church discipline, will not break the bond of unity amongst them­selves, but maintain a sociable familiarity, and sometimes as they have too too much cause, speak against Pharisaical practises, yet because they will not confess all that [Page 26]these teachers say to be true, all that they practise to be good, all that they would have done to be of absolute necessity to be done, shall therefore be denied the be­nefit of the Holy Sacraments, though accused by no other then themselves to be ignorant, scandalous and scoffers at Religion, and hereupon be rejected as Children of wrath, plain Aliens, altoge­ther without hope, utterly without God in this present world. Miserable were the condition of man, if it were by a per­petual Law established, that these partial and hard-hearted Rulers should be his Accusers and Judges. For should not God through his unspeakeable goodness, shew mercy unto thousands of poor Chil­dren, whose remote forefathers loved him? They must forever go without it for these men, and all because their immediate parents were such as would not every way square themselves according to their wild fancies, and unrectified judgments. But suppose those immediate parents were wicked indeed, as they many times only pretend them to be so: Hath not God told them plain enough by the Prophet Ezekiel, Ez. 18.20. That the child shall not suffer for [Page 27]the iniquity of the Father? & is it not evident that the Children of wicked Parents a­mongst the Jews were circumcised? and if so, why may not Children proceeding from the like Parents of the Christians be baptized, sith (it is not to be doubted) his hand is not shortned, and he hath given as large priviledges to us under the Gospel, as he gave to them under the Law: other­wise we should be loosers by the coming of Christ, which Credat Judaeus Apella, non nos, though the circumcised Jew will believe, we will be far from giving credit to any such monstruous improbability Nisi forte arbitramur Christum in suo ad­ventu. Patris gra­ [...]am im­minuisse aut decur­tasse, quod ex [...]crabi [...] blasphe­mia non va [...] C [...]l. Inst. lib. 4. c. 16. sect. 4.

We read that Saint John the Baptist sprang for joy in his Mothers womb, at the salutation of the Virgin, Luke 1.41. but are to seek for the cause of so great joy, had his birth been so disadvanta­gious to him, and others in that condition; the coming of Christ, witness the testi­mony of an Angel from heaven, and the Holy Ghost bearing witness of the truth of that Testimony, was joyous to all: Lu. 2.20. all sexes, all conditions, all ages, advantagi­ous to all, even to Infants. Our most blessed Saviour brought grace along with him: Grace and Truth saith John Joh. 1.17. came [Page 28]by (& with) Jesus Christ; Grace in the su­perlative degree reaching & spreading far­ther under the new, then the old Testament. The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared, saith the Apostle, Tit. 2.11. to all men i.e. to all sorts of ages & conditions of men. The grace of God in an ordinary dispensa­tion was first appropriated to the Jews, they were then his favourites, to whom his grace in Christ, was manifested; but now that grace hath appeared to all men; the grace of the Gospel is more ample; and every wayes greater Grace then that before, or under the Law: God having provided some bet­ter things for us (saith the Apostle) Heb. 11.40 more, greater, and better privileges for us under the Gospel, then for them under the Law; and by consequence for the Chil­dren of the Christians, then for the Chil­dren of the Jews, which could not be, if our Children had not right to the Cove­nant, as well as theirs. Had these Tea­chers who are thus scrupulous in admini­string this holy Ordinance, perused and minded holy and learned Perkins his works, as much as they use to read, and and study the noval and schismatical Pam­phlets of the time, they might have been [Page 29]taught by him that The Children of Parents that are professed members of the Church, (though cut off for a time, upon some offence committed) have right to Baptism, because it is not in the power of man to cut them off from Christ though excommunicated; which being so, why may not the Chil­dren descending from Parents (though in their persons wicked) not excommu­nicated, have right to the sacred Ordinance of Baptism, sith those of the very excom­municated (in the Judgment of so profound a Master as Perkins) have right thereunto.

But behold the opinion by the practice of a greater then Perkins, even of John the Baptist himself, who baptized all that came unto him for his Baptism, Mat. 3.5. amongst others even those very Pharisees and Sadduces, whom at the same time he called a generation of vipers, Mat. 3.7. and the latter of whom denyed the resur­rection it self.

And as they are no other then unsatis­factory reasons, which are given for not ad­ministring the holy Sacrament of Baptism, what are they better which are rendred for their not admitting those that are Religious and knowing Christians to the supper of [Page 30]the Lord, because peradventure there may be some in a Parish who may be Scanda­lous or ignorant; or others who will refuse to make answer to some needless questions may be demanded by such as rake it to be a part of their function, to make a deeper search into consciences, then any Law of God or reason of man inforceth, and upon this denyal they shall be put off to another time, from the mystery of heavenly grace, though for piety, and knowledge they be sufficiently capable: in like manner others who deny not to submit themselves to this severe inquisition, yet if they be persons any way distasted by them, if these do not make answer iisàem terminis to that they would have them, though in effect knowingly enough, they shall notwith­standing be put off to farther tryal; in which men, although there should be found some weakness indeed, (as it is too too often only pretended there is,) yet should they in divers considerations be cherished, according to the merciful ex­ample and precepts, whereby the Gospel of Christ hath taught us, towards such to shew compassion, to receive them with lenity and all meekness; if any thing be [Page 31]shaken in them, to strengthen it, not to quench with delayes & jealousies that fee­ble smoak of godliness which seemeth to breath from them, but to build wheresoever there is any foundation, and to add per­fection unto slender beginnings, and that, as by other offices of piety, so by the Or­dinances which Christ hath left in his Church, not only for preservation of strength, but also for relief of weakness.

Far differrent from these men was the practice of the Church of Corinth, unto which (it seems) many came over from Heathenism, and as many as came in unto them, all were admitted to their Com­munion, amongst whom some were such lukewarme Christians, that they were sometimes ready to go to their Idols, and sometimes to Church (to say nothing of those Corinthians who were (as it is to be doubted) 2 Cor. 12.20. given to strife, envying, wrath, contentions, backbiting whisperings, pride, and discord: v. 21. and others of them who were given to uncleanness, fornication, and wantonness, 2 Cor. 15.12. and other some who were so scrupulous as to make a doubt of the Re­surrection it self) 2 Cor. 11.18,21. yet these Idolatrous Co­rinthians whom we shall also find muti­nous, [Page 32]and even drunken together at this Table, whilst they are but willing to pro­fess Christ, are admitted with the rest to the Sacrament True it is, they are re­proved (as they justly deserved to be so) for their prophanation, and directed to ex­amine, and carry themselves better for the future, but as for their coming together, and general participation, that was but their duty, and nothing said against it.

And this general participation of the Corinthians appears plainly by the sence of the words of the Apostle to them, 1 Cor. 10.5. shew­ing them, that all the Israelites that passed thorow the Sea, and wilderness, were ad­mitted to both Sacraments as well as they, even those very scandalous ones, with whom God was not well pleased, but like to them destroyed in the wilderness, yet it was a just punishment upon them, when they ran to Idols, as they in like manner did, and therefore bid them take heed, and not think that they should escape Gods judgments, if they walked not answerable to their profession, notwithstanding their admittance to the Sacraments.

And this is not only evident by the ex­ample of the Corinthians and Israelites, [Page 33]but by that notable one of our blessed Sa­viour himself, who admitted even Judas that Arch-Traytor to the Passover, if not to his supper, (however it is the same in signification) so that those who will not be otherwise moved to a more free admis­sion of the Sacrament, then is of late dayes allowed of, might very well be enduced to do it, if not by what the Corinthians and Israelites did, yet by the example of the Son of God himself; unless they will wil­fully shut their eyes against that light which came into the world to illuminate all those who have a desire to see the right way, and walk in it.

And that some with-hold the Sacra­ments from those they ought to minister them to, may it not be doubted they do it out of selfish ends? which if well looked into, will prove the state of many questions which go under the notion of Religion in these dayes, as well as it hath in the times of old: hence it is that they account they shall be the more sought unto, the more held in reverence, the more engrandize their power, and hold men in obedience and slavery under them, and they them­selves be in subjection to none; this sel­fishness, [Page 34]if thorowly searcht into, will be found secretly to contain that poyson which hath so powerfully wrought upon the braines of so many Presbyterians and other Sectaries, and caused them to cast so many stumbling blocks in the way, and set so many fences between the people and the body of their Saviour: (mistake us not we beseech you, we mean not all, but some of your profession:) hence is it that so many heart burnings, so many contentions, so many divisions hath happened between Church-men and Church-men, as well as between them and the people: however in this particular, as Herod and Pilate, though they differed otherwise, yet agreed against Christ; so in this, too too many of each sect joyn hand in hand in scrupu­ling to give the bread of life to poor sin­ners, which might nourish and comfort their hungry souls unto life everla­sting.

But we hear you say, If we will come under a Presbyterial Discipline, you will administer the Sacraments to us, otherwise not.

To this we demand of you, Would you have us to subject our selves to a discipline [Page 35]against our consciences, a discipline not established by Law, nor congruent to our Liberty? would you have us put our necks under the yoak of a discipline, which we truly conceive hath been the anvil upon which so many engines have been framed, which have so much battered down the quiet and peace both of Church and State? Declara­tion of the Lords and Commons to the Scots Commis. p. 49. Have not the favourers of this discipline grasped at unlimited power, such as neither deriveth its beginning, nor willingly re­ceiveth its commands from the Magistrate? whom they would have countenance them in all their Actions, and yet not allow of his rules and direction; they would have him censure and condemn, or others by his Authority, which is all one, and yet will not allow him to know and judg: they will call for his hand to strike, and yet not allow him an eye to see.

Without offence, be it in a good hour spoken, we apprehend this discipline to be of all other most injurious to the Magi­strate, most oppressive to the Subject, and most pernitious to both: it is the very quintessence of refined Pouery, and a greater Tyranny then ever Rome brought forth, inconsistent with all forms of Civil [Page 36]government, destructive to all sorts of po­licy, a rack to the conscience, the heaviest pressure that can fall upon a people, and so much the more dangerous, because by the specious pretence of divine Institution, it takes away the sight, but not the burden of slavery.

How it is injurious to the Magistrate, ap­pears by that little hath been said already; but will farther appear,

• 1. By overthrowing his Rights in convocating Synods to order Ecclesiasticall affaires, and reform the Church within his Dominions.
• 2. By robbing him of the last appeal of his Subjects.
• 3. By exempting the Ministers from due punishment.
• 4. By subjecting the supream Autho­rity to their Censures, even to the highest Censure of excommunication, that very engine by which the Popes exalted them­selves above Emperors.
• 5. By robbing the Magistrate of his dis­pensative Power.
• 6. By cheating him of his Civil Power in order to Religion.
• 7. By challenging an exorbitant Power by Divine Right.
• [Page 37]8. And by making a very Monster of the Common-wealth.
• 9. And little more then a Cypher of Parliaments.

All which are evidently demonstrated, not by some extraordinary practises, justified only by the pretence of invincible necessi­ty (a weak patrociny for general Doctrine) nor by the single opinions of some capri­cious fellows, but by the Scottish book of Discipline, by the Acts of their general and provincial Assemblies, by the concurrent votes and writings of their Commissioners, as is exactly to be seen in the fair warning to take heed of this Discipline by Dr. Joh. Bromwel L. Bishop of London-Derry in Ireland. And how it is oppressive to particular persons, and full of rigor, and like Dracos laws that were written in blood, it will appear by inflicting Church censures upon slight grounds; as for an uncomely ge­sture, a vain word, for suspition of Covetous­ness or Pride, for superfluity of rayment ei­ther for cost or fashion, for dancing at a wed­ding, or of servants in the streets, for wearing a mans hair al a mode: They scarce allow a man a Latitude of discretion in any thing: all men, even their superiors must be their [Page 38]slaves, or pupils. If a man will not con­fess himself a Delinquent, be sorry for giv­ing the Presbyters any offence, and con­form himself in his hair, apparel, diet, e­very thing, to what these rough-hewen Ca­to's shall prescribe, they will proceed against him to excommunication.

By this Discipline a man is punished twice for the same crime; first by the Ma­gistrate, according to the Laws of God and the Land, for the offence; then by the Censures of the Church, for the scandal. To this agrees their Synod, nothing forbids the same fault in the same man to be punish­ed one way by the Political power, another way by the Ecclesiastical; T [...]or. 63. by that, under the formality of a crime with corporal or pecuniary punishment; by this, under the formality of scandal, with spiritual censures.

Thus their Liturgy in express terms, All crimes which by the Law of God de­serves death, deserves also excommunica­tion. Yea, though an offender abide an assise, and be absolved by the same, yet may the Church enjoyn him publick satis­faction. Or if the Magistrate shall not think fit in his Judgment, or cannot in [...]onscience prosecute the party upon the [Page 39]Churches intimation, the Church may ad­monish the Magistrate publickly. And if no remedy be found, excommunicate the offender, first, for his crime, and then for his being suspected to have corrupted the Judg. By which we observe, how these severe Disciplinarians bring all crimes whatsoever, great and small, within their Jurisdiction; how that a Delinquents tryal for his life is no sufficient satisfaction to them; and how that to satisfie their own humours, they care not how they blemish publickly the reputation of the Magistrate upon frivolous conjectures.

And as they bring all crimes great and small, so do they bring all degrees under their Jurisdiction. The supreme Magi­strate shall be bearded and mated by every ordinary Presbyter; witness that insolent speech of Mr. Robert Bruce to King James, Sir, I see your resolution is to take Huntley in favour; if you do, I will oppose: you shall choose whether you will lose Huntley, or me, for us both you cannot keep. It is nothing with them for a pedant to put him­self into the ballance with the Prince, and most Potent Peer of the Realm. And as for the common people, they shall have [Page 40]an high Commission in every Parish, and groan under the Arbitrary Decrees of ig­norant unexperienced Governors, who know no Law but their own wils, who ob­serve no order but what they list: under these men, Parents shall lose the free dis­position of their own Children in marriage: 1 Book disc. 9. head. if the child desire a husband or a wife, and the Parents gain-stand their request, and have no other cause then the common of men have, to wit, lack of goods, or because the other party is not of birth high enough, upon the childs desire, the Minister is to travail with the Parents, & if he find no just cause to the contrary, may admit them to the marriage: For the work of God ought not to be hindred, by the corrupt affections of worldly men. This doctrine is very high, but their practice yet much more high; for the Presbyterians will compel the wronged Parent to give that child as great a portion as any of his other children.

All Masters and Mistresses of families, of what age or condition soever, must come once a year before the Presbyter, with their houshold, to be examined personally, whether they be fit to receive the Sacra­ment, in respect of their knowledg and [Page 41]otherwise; and if they suffer their children or servants to continue in wilful ignorance (though they cannot help it) they must undergo the severity, and extreme rigor of their excommunication; 1 Book disc. 9 head. after which sen­tence, no person (his wife and family only excepted) may have any kind of conver­sation with him that is excommunicated, they may not eat with him, nor drink with him, nor buy with him, nor sel to him; they may not salute him, nor speak to him, except it be by licence of the Presbytery. 1 Book disc. 7. head. His Children begotten & born after that sentence, and before his reconciliation to Christ, may not be admitted to Baptism, until they be of age to require it, or the Mother, or some special friend, being a member of that Church, present the child, abhorring and damning the iniquity and obstinate contempt of the Father. And all this being not enough, they proceed to an outlawing of the party, and a confiscation of his goods, and putting him out of the Ma­gistrates protection, so as any man may kill him and be unpunished: yea the par­ty excommunicated is not so much as to at­tend or hear these fatal letters granted.

And that the people may the more pa­tiently [Page 42]suffer all this harshness from them, may the more quietly indure all their hea­vy oppressions, and the more humbly sub­mit themselves to all their rigid Ordi­nances, they perswade them, that they are bound in conscience to hear and obey their voice, and reverence the Majesty of the Son of God speaking in them; for having made their Consistories the Taber­nacles of Christ, they expect that their determinations shall pass for the sentences of Christ; and thus these proud Vicars having mounted themselves aloft, they sit upon the Temple of God, and exalt them­selves above all that the Scripture calleth God.

And how can any man be so ignorant, so stupid, so void of reason, as to think that these men can be led by an infallible spirit, who in this manner, like the Lords of the Heathen, seek for Dominion and Power! who aim at Authority and Rule in this world, of which they cannot but know their Masters Kingdome is not! who being puffed up with an unparallel'd pride have made themselves drunk with the spirit of Antichrist, and so drunk, that they be­gin to stagger, and are in danger of falling [Page 43]down even level with the the ground!

But sith they, the better to support them­selves from falling, have thought fit to joyn unto them a sort of men whom they have Christned by the name of lay Elders, and will have them looked upon as Commissioners of Christ; we will let you know, that we are not ignorant of the true reason of their annexing this conjun­ction copulative unto them; for the poli­tick projector and founder of this new dis­cipline, by name Calvin (a man famous for his great wisdome) the more surely and easily to bring that beast of many heads, the people, to assent & contribute their la­bour and endeavours towards the erecting of the building, whereof he had before hand conceived an Idea in his mind, thought good to tender an offer to them (plausible enough in outward shew) that for every Minister, who should sit perpetual Judg, they should annually chuse two lay Elders out of every Parish amongst them­selves, and they to sit with them in the standing Ecclesiastical Court which was to be established, to be Judges together with them in the same: and these two sorts should have a care of all mens manners, [Page 44]power of determining all kind of Ecclesi­astical causes, and Authority to convene, to controul, to punish, as far as with Ex­communication, whomsoever they should think worthy, none either small or great excepted: now the people (who are ever taken and deluded with fair shews, (and to the worlds end will be so) rather then re­alities,) conceiting this ods of two to one, to be sufficient to remedy any inconveni­ence might arise by the Ministry, willingly enough embraced the Offer, and joyntly set to their helping hands and heads to bring the business to perfection; and ac­cordingly, after no small opposition which was made by the wiser sort, effected what they intended; we say, no small opposition, for the more quick-sighted, and men of pro­foundest judgment among the layty, fore­saw that this filling up of the seates in the Consistory with so great a number of lay­men, was but to please the mind of the people, to the end they might think their own sway somewhat; but when things came to tryal of practice, their Pastors learning would be at all times of force to over-perswade simple men, who knowing the time of their own Presidentship to be [Page 45]but short, would alwayes stand in fear of their Ministers perpetual Authority: and hereupon professed with greater stomach their Judgments, that such a discipline was little better then Popish Tyranny, disguised and tendered unto them under a new form. But how much soever the more prudential men gainsaid this upstart discipline, yet certain it is, in those times of distraction (as the Citty of Geneva was then in) (as we have in like manner seen in these our dayes by woful experience) Anno Do. 1541. not the wise, but the many, like a boisterous torrent, beares down all before them, and to the disturbance of the world, do what they list, so (they) established this dis­cipline. A discipline which they peremp­torily affirmed to have been taught by Christ and his Apostles in the Word of God; and yet full fifteen hundred years have passed from the birth of our Saviour till the setting up thereof, and they cannot, during all that time, shew us one Church upon the face of the whole earth which ever found out or erected it, till this present time: and now forsooth this discipline is become The Scepter of Christ, the eternal Gospel: and where did this Scepter lie [Page 46]hid during all these hundreds of years, that we cannot find out the least foot-step of it in the meanest village of Christendome? This world draws toward an end: was this discipline fitted and contrived for the world to come? or how can it be the eternal Gospel?

We should be injurious unto Charity it self, if we should affirm all these men who are of this stamp, to have wilfully gone out of this right way into this Labyrinth, and accordingly to have led others a long with them in a maze; or should surmise all those who have been misguided, knowing­ly to continue in an error; no, we have a better opinion of some of them, who no doubt have a conceit of the divinity of their discipline, and yet are truly godly men in their hearts, sincere in their affections, upright in their meanings: but we say, cer­tainly godly men in all ages have erred, and without all peradventure so do the best of these; and that the founder hereof him­self was but a man, we all know, we no less know men are but men, and humanum est errare: what moved him at first to fancy this discipline, and afterwards to esta­blish it, is to be seen at large in judicious Hooker his preface.

[Page 47]Nature worketh in us all a love to our own counsels. The contradiction of others is a fan to in flame that love. Our love set on fire to maintain that which once we have done, sharpneth the wit to dispute, to ar­gue, and by all means to reason for it: wherefore a marvel it were, if a man of so great capacity, having such incitements to make him desirous of all kind of furthe­rances unto his cause, could espie in the whole Scripture of God, nothing which might breed, at the least a probable opi­nion of likelihood, that Divine Authority it self was the same way somewhat inclina­ble. And all which the wit, even of Cal­vin was able from thence to draw, by sif­ting the very utmost sentence and sillable, is no more, then that certain speeches there are, which to him did seem to intimate, that all Christian Churches ought to have their Elderships endued with power of excom­munication, and that a part of those Elder­ships every where should be chosen out from amongst the Layty, after that form which himself had framed Geneva unto. But what argument can be shewn wherby it was ever prov'd by Calvin, that any one sentence of Scripture doth necessarily inforce these things. Or that those El­ders were Lay-men?

[Page 48] Author to the Petiti­on direct­ed to his Majesty. And his followers, who with all their learning have endeavoured to extol his Tenents to the highest, have notwithstan­ding acknowledged, that with whom the truth is they know not: neither do they all agree in one opinion: and of them which are at agreement, the most part through a courteous enducement have fol­lowed one man as their guide, and that one man therein most assuredly hath swerved from the Truth.

And what can they be thought but self­seeking ends in some, who when they know themselves infinitely short of that learning hath been in their Predecessors, and therefore not knowing how to get un­to themselves fame, by walking in the plain and beaten road leading to happi­ness marked out for them, will attempt to get unto themselves a name, by pretending to have found out a nigher way unto it, then any else have done before them, & amuzing the unlearneder sort with a belief hereof, get unto themselves followers after their own horrid inventions, whom they entice into such a path, as neither our blessed Saviour nor any of his holy Apostles ever traced out for them; & insensibly by degrees bring [Page 49]them into such a Labyrinth, which when they are once entred into, they become a­mazed, and know not which way to get out of it, and then run out of one error in­to another, from bad, to worse, till at length they become as dreadful Comets to all that behold them. These kind of pernicious leaders imitate him, who know­ing not by any other act, set the Temple of Diana on fire, with an intent to memo­rize themselves by that strange one.

And what can be thought better of these, than of that Monster of men Bernardinus Ochinus, whose zeal at the first seemed to be so violent, as no former Religious insti­tution, though never so rigorous, was strict enough for him: he from thence fell to be an Heretick, then a Jew, then a Turk, and last of all an Atheist, and then wrote a furious invective against the three grand Impostors of the world, amongst whom he ranked—Horresco referens—Jesus the Prince of Peace, Saviour of mankind, and Moses as well as Mahomet.

And what can they be construed, but self seeking ends in those men, by whom those who are rich, who are powerful and able to do either good or hurt, though [Page 50]they be as ignorant and scandalous to the world, and perhaps more than those who are poor, shall notwithstanding be diligent­ly invited, gladly received, and earnestly en­treated to partake of those comfortable my­steries, and saving food, which the Re­deemer of Mankind hath prepared for all true believers, without all peradventure, in as large a measure for those indigent ones, to whom the Kingdome of Heaven belongs, as for those great ones, who will find it easier for a Camel to enter thorow the eye of a ne­dle, than for the proud ever to come there.

O let this slie generation of men know, who are guilty of this wilful omission, and such as upon unwarrantable pretences, de­ny the holy Sacrament of Baptism to those it belongs to, and who thrust by hungry and thirsty Souls from the saving banquet of of the Lords supper, who preferr obstina­cy and selfish ends before the will of their Lord and Maker, that though they may take to themselves the glorious name of Gods dear Children, it is to be feared, they may at last be found out to be Children of Belial, in having in the day of their fast sought their own will, rather than the will of their great Commander; [Page 51]let them take heed, that though in their own conceit they may be lifted up to Heaven, they be not brought down as low as Hell; for most assuredly it will be easier for those in the Land of Sodom in the day of Judg­ment to enjoy the new Jerusalem, than for obstinate and self-seeking Hypocrites to come within the gates thereof.

Which kind of people profess to know God, Tit. 1.16. but (it is to be feared) in their works deny him; they shut up the kingdom of Heaven before men, going not in them­selves, nor suffering those that would enter to come in. They say, stand apart, Esay 65.5. come not near to us, for we are holier than you. Jer. 6.13. Yet they bend their tongues like bowes for lies, and proceed from evil to worse. Pro. 12.22. Their lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, and their throats as open sepulchers. Esay 7.9. Their hearts is as hard as the Adamant stone, and deceitful above all things: Esay 9.16. They are leaders of the People, causing them to err, and at last devour them. Esay 15.26. They lay wait as he that setteth snares, and make nets to catch men. Jude. They have mens persons in admiration because of advantage. Esay 5.16. They draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin with cart ropes. They are much given to [Page 52]be drunk with malice, though not with wine; and to stagger, their heads being full of whimsies, though not with strong drink; which causeth them to be Eagle­eyed in spying the mote in their brothers eye, and blind in beholding the beam that is in their own; they are strainers at gnats, and swallowers of Camels. Esay 59.5. They hatch the Cockatrice egs, and weave the spiders web. 64.6. They are as an unclean thing, and their very righteousness as a filthy clout. From the least of them, to the greatest, they are commonly given to Covetousness, 6.13. and from the Prophet to the Priest they all deal falsly; the Prophets among them be­ing a company of crafty fools, and the spiritual men no less then mad. These are they which separate themselves from others, walking after their own lusts, mur­muring, complaining, mocking and spea­king evil even of those they know not. Clouds they are without water, carried about with every wind of doctrine, favou­rers of damnable Heresies, raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame, wandring stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Ju [...]. But here by the by, we desire there [Page 53]may be notice taken, that it is no part of our thought, to bring within the circum­ference of this description of Hypocrites, any truly sincere and godly soul; neither have we the least aim to any particular ho­ly persons alive, that we are acquainted withal, and therefore if any shall account him or themselves deciphered hereby, and thereupon take offence, it must necessarily arise, even in the opinion of all indifferent men, from the check of his or their own restless consciences, which we heartily wish had no just cause to accuse them, as we are truly innocent of any intent of doing so.

We leave this way of accusing & censu­ring particular persons, to that Pharisai­cal generation of people, who being rapt up by a spiritual kind of pride into the aëry Region of a conceited degree of holiness in themselves, do from thence look upon others as sensual, polluted, and wicked, yea, as dogs and swine, altogether unwor­thy to eat with them either at their own or the Lords Table, or so much as to come within the verge of their select compa­ny.

We thank our God we have not in such [Page 54]manner learned Christ as to place our selves in the seat of the Judg, accuser, censurer or scorner of our Brethren; we shall leave all men to the great day of Judgment: for who is he that dares anticipate that day, and enter upon the throne of the great Judg? We confess that the serious acknowledgment of our own vileness makes us afraid at heart, that we our selves are the greatest of sinners; such, as when we consider our own deservings, we cannot but tremble with terror, and amazement at the just and dreadful punishment due unto us for sin, and hereby have learned to pity others as fellow sinners, & not think our selves too good to accompany them in civil, or religious duties.

Wee do withgreif, and shameconfess, that we have erred willingly, and strayed willingly from the wayes of our Almighty and most merciful Father, and that more like untamed Buls then lost and wandring sheep, we have followed too much even altogether the absurd devices, and brutish desires of our own hearts, we have been offended against, nay been offended at his holy, most holy laws, we have left undone, not lone at all those things which we ought [Page 55]to have done, but insteed thereof done those things which we should not have done, insomuch as there is no health, no hope of health in us miserable, most mi­serable, and the greatest of sinners: all which when we seriously lay to our guilty consciences, how can we possibly preferr our own wicked, and abominable selves, whom we certainly know to be thus pollu­ted, and defiled, before others, whose hearts we are no way so able to search and dive into, as we may into our own?

And being in so great a measure sinful, from the crown of our heads to the soles of our feet all over contaminated and infe­cted, in so much as no part of us remai­neth sound, we know no certain cure for our sick and wounded souls, laden with so many and so grevious sins, but to cast our selves into the arms of our most blessed Redeemer, and by a lively faith (though we cannot as Saints, yet) lay claim unto him as sinners, (as wounded and penitent sin­ners) whom he came to save; and his coming being to save such, he will certain­ly afford the seals of his Grace to such, and having appointed the Ministers of his Gospel to deliver them to such, we look [Page 56]upon you (Mr. Barton) if you be a Minister of Jesus Christ as bound in duty (having thrust your self upon us, and thereby kept off those who might otherwise have done it) to perform your office, according to the dispensation of God, Col. 1.25. which is given to his Ministers to us ward to fulfil the word of God.

And we also say to you as the Apostle commands the Church of God to say to Ar­chippus, Col. 4.17. Take heed to the Ministry that thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulful it: a part whereof is the Communication of the Sacraments of the Lord Jesus Christ, which (we wish we had no cause to say so) to our greif, and your own shame, you have hitherto omitted.

And therefore give us leave to tell you that the Ministers total omission of admi­nistring the Sacraments to the generality of the people under his charge, because there may perhaps some wicked persons, not known to be scandalous creep in amongst the Godly, is, as an erroneous, so an up­start way, never used in the Church, from the time of the first planting of it, till of latter dayes the wild Boar of the forest hath rushed into Christs vineyard, to the [Page 57]danger of the rooting out of the hearts of men the zeal to the frequent practise of applying the seals of Grace to their souls; and insteed thereof to the planting of a peculiar and superstitious holiness in the Ordinances, thereby quite to invert the charitable use of them, and to bereave them of the great Legacy which the Saviour of the world hath left to his people.

And we do wonder there can be any person so obstinate and selfish, as thereby to have the eyes of his understanding so blinded, to force himself to believe that an upstart unused way, should be the right way, when God himself hath said, Ask for the old way, and with all told us, that it is the good way, & given us a charge that we should walk in that way, with a promise, that in so doing, we should find rest to our souls.

He hath also said by his Scripture for our instruction, Call to remembrance the dayes of old, ask thy Fathers and they will shew thee, ask thy Elders and they will tell thee.

And now can any man (who is not utterly void of reason) think that He for whom it is impossible to lie, hath promised [Page 58]rest unto our souls by our walking in the old way, and hath promised to guide his Church all wayes in the right way, should notwithstanding break his word, and suf­fer it to wander out of the way, and that for above 16 hundred years together, even till these times, these very latter, and perrillous times, in which the spirit spea­keth evidently, that there should come divers Hypocrites, men having their con­sciences seared with a hot iron, who should depart from the faith, giving heed to the spirit of error. 1 Tim. 4.1. 2. Tim. 3.1. Jude 19.

And shall that spirit of error have so much power, as contrary to Gods directi­on to intice us into new wayes, by per­swading us to imbrace novel opinions, or unwarrantable practices in Religion, schismes or heresies? shall any, under any plausible pretence whatsoever, go about to make us believe that the Sacra­ments are not necessary to Salvation, or that the Celebration of them doth not be­long to the Ministerial Office, we shall boldly aver such to be of Yesterday, and not to be yet come to their understan­ding.

[Page 59]And we shall not be ashamed to say, they are altogether out of the old right way, and have made to themselves crooked pathes, wherein they grope as blind men, without eyes, and stumble at noon-day as in the twi-light, their feet treading the pavements of desolation and destruction, run to evil, far off from the way of peace and equity; which, it should seem, they never would be enduced to follow; which is the reason why judgment is so far from them, and justice comes not neer them.

And we do here for our selves profess, that if an Angel should come from heaven, and preach to us any doctrine in order to the putting us out of the right way, we would neither follow nor believe him.

For as it hath been hitherto, so shall it be ever far from us, of the Parish of Bar­ham, in these licentious times, in which some would have the golden reines of disci­pline and government let loose in the Church, in so much that single Ministers and private persons might take up what forme of divine worship they pleased to follow: so dangerous an example, far be it from us, to be led by; wandring stars, new, but false lights; bold, but blind [Page 60]guides: far be it from us to make small or no account of the pretious Ordinances of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by neglecting the holy Sacrament of Baptism, and by counting the blood of the Testa­ment as an unholy thing: far be it from us, to exchange the truth which we have re­ceived, for falshood which ought not to be believed; or to undervalue the sound doctrine which hath been taught us, by giving ear to old wives tales: for it is our firm resolution to imbrace that truth, which the great Doctor and Author of truth it self, hath commanded, the blessed Apo­stles taught, the holy Martyrs confirmed, and the most godly, and most learned men in all ages, practised; we shall desire to be washed, that we may be cleansed, we shall desire to eat that we may live.

Thus much have we thought fitting to declare, to the end that posterity, as well as those now living, might know what our Judgments are, concerning the sacred and saving Ordinances which our most blessed Saviour (whose name be for ever praised) hath left to his Church, and that in a time in which so slight a regard hath been had of his heavenly Mysteries we did [Page 61]not with silence, and patience behold such horrible contempt, and detestable neglect: but on the other side might understand our reverend esteem, and opinion of the ne­cessity and use of those Seals, that are to continue in his Church, until He, the Au­thor of them, come to Judg the World, and that a more free and large admission ought to be to them, than of late hath been permitted, or allowed of: and also that obstinacy and selfish ends have been stumbling blocks in the way to this free admission, and that Tyrannical Presby­tery of some, which hath cast those stum­bling blocks in, is both new in erection, and erroneous in execution.

And as we have declared thus much, so we thought our selves bound in conscience to do it, to the end that we might not foo­lishly, like the unprofitable servant, hide our Talent in a Napkin, or perfidiously put our light under a bushel.

Non nobis nati sumus, was the saying of a Heathen, we are not born for the good of our selves alone, but for the welfare of others also; & we say of our very Enemies, as well as friends; to whom we have in some measure held out our light, as we [Page 62]have done to our neerest Relations, where­by they may (if they please) see how to distinguish realities from apparances, substances from shadowes, truth from falshood.

And notwithstanding though they may have but little or no regard to our care, & endeavours for their good; nay, though as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, they may stand in direct opposition to, and contradiction against us, yet shall not we say with the great Cardinal, Si populus vult decipi, decipiatur, (If the people will be deceived let them be so,) but shall, to the utmost of our power, prevent such de­lusion, and as much as in us lies, guide their feet in the blessed wayes of truth and peace.

And in Order thereunto shall advise them, as we do the like to all others, of what condition, and quality soever they be, to beware of such as come in sheeps clothing; and to mark those who make division, ex­perienced in the old Maxime, Divide & Impera, Divide and Command.

Of such it hath been said of old, Qua­si vulpes in deserto Prophetae tui, O Israel: O Israel thy Prophets are like Foxes in [Page 63]the desert: and it is justly to be feared, that some of that breed, are crept in a­mongst us.

Of whom that we may the better take heed, we shall continually and fervently pray to Almighty God, to give us a dis­cerning spirit, and a right apprehension of the necessary use of his holy, heavenly and saving mysteries, so as we may not ne­glect, much less contemn them, but fre­quently and piously hunger and thirst after them, and withal that we may not be Ca­joled by the selfish ends of any erring Pres­byterians or others, how seemingly-holy soever they be, that we may be able to dis­cerne wolves clothed like sheep, and that he will arm us with the wisdome of the ser­pent, whereby we may understand and a­void the subtilties and deceipts of those foxes, who earnestly desire to prey upon our goods and intellects, that so being safe under the shadow of our most Gracious Protectors wings, we may humbly, reli­giously and joyfully worship him accor­ding to his Word and Sacraments, ascri­bing unto him all Honor, Power, and Dominion both now and for ever.