work that the enemies of the church and ministry do exceedingly vex at, and hate, and fear more than any thing that yet we have undertaken. I perceive the signs of the Papists' indignation against it. And methinks it hath the most notable character of a work extraordinarily and unquestionably good for they storm at it, and yet they have nothing to say against it. They cannot blame it, and yet they hate and fear it, and would fain undermine it, if they knew how. You know how many false rumours have been spread abroad this country, to deter the people from it; as that the Lord Protector and Council were against it: that the Subscribers were to be ejected: that the Agreement was to be publicly burnt, &c. And when we have searched after the authors, we can drive it no higher than the Quakers, the Papists' emissaries; from whom we may easily know their minds. And yet when a Papist speaks openly as a Papist, some of them have said that it is a good work; but that it wants authority, and is done by those that are not called to it: forsooth, because we have not the authority of their pope or prelates: and some that should be more sober have used the same language; as if they would rather have thousands and millions of souls neglected, than have them so much as catechised and instructed without commission from a prelate. Yea, and some that differ from us about infant baptism, I understand repine at it; and say that we will hereby insinuate ourselves into the people, and hinder them from receiving the truth. A sad case, that any that seem to have the fear of God should have so true a character of a partial, dividing, and siding mind; as to grudge at the propagation of Christianity itself, and the common truths which we are all agreed in, for fear lest it should hinder the propagation of their opinions. The common cause of Christianity, must give place to the cause of these lower controverted points; and they grudge us our very labour and suffering for the common work, though there be nothing in it which meddleth with them, or which they are able with any show of reason to gainsay.

I beseech you, brethren, let all this, and the many motives that I have after given you, persuade you to greater diligence herein! When you are speaking to your people, do it with the greatest prudence and seriousness, and be as earnest with them as for life or death; and follow it as close as you do your public exhortations in the pulpit. I profess

again, it is to me the most comfortable work, except public preaching (for there I speak to more, though yet with less advantage to each one), that ever I yet did set my hand to; and I doubt not but you will find it so to you, if you faithfully perform it.

My second request to the reverend ministers in these nations is, that at last they would, without any more delay, unanimously set themselves to the practice of those parts of Christian discipline, which are unquestionably necessary, and part of their work. It is a sad case that good men under so much liberty, should settle themselves so long in the constant neglect of so great a duty. The common cry is, Our people are not ready for it; they will not bear it. But is not the meaning, that you will not bear the trouble and hatred which it will occasion? If indeed you proclaim our churches incapable of the order and government of Christ; what do you but give up the cause to them that withdraw from them, and encourage men to look out for better societies where that discipline may be had? For though preaching and sacraments may be omitted in some cases, till a fitter season, and accordingly so may discipline be; yet is it a hard case to settle in a constant neglect, for so many years together as we have done, unless there were a flat impossibility of the work and if it were so, because of our incapable materials, it would plainly call us to alter our constitution, that the matter may be capable. I have spoke plainly afterward to you of this, which I hope you will bear, and conscientiously consider of. I now only beseech you that would make a comfortable account to the chief Shepherd, and would not be found unfaithful in the house of God, that you do not wilfully or negligently delay it, as if it were a needless thing; nor shrink from the duty because of trouble to the flesh that doth attend it: for as that is too sad a sign of hypocrisy, so the costliest duties are usually the most comfortable; and be sure that Christ will bear the cost. I could here produce a heap of testimonies, of fathers and reformed divines, that inculcate this duty with great importunity. I shall only now give you the words of two of the most godly, laborious, judicious divines, that ever the church of Christ had since the days of the Apostles.

Calvin. Institut. lib. 4. cap. xii. sec. 1, 2. "Sed quia nonnulli in odium disciplinæ ab ipso quoque, nomine abhorrent,

hi sic habeant: Si nulla societas, imò nulla domus quæ vel modicam familiam habeat, contineri in recto statu sine disciplina potest: Eam esse multo magis necessariam in Ecclesia, cujus statum quàm ordinatissimum esse decet. Proinde quemadmodum salvifica Christi doctrina anima est Ecclesiæ, ita illic disciplina pro nervis est: qua fit ut membra corporis, suo quodque loco inter se cohæreant. Quamobrem quicunque vel sublatam disciplinam cupiunt, vel ejus impediunt restitutionem, sive hoc faciant data operâ, sive per incogitantiam, Ecclesiæ certè extremam dissipationem quærunt. Quid enim futurum est, si unicuique liceat quod libuerit? Atqui id fieret nisi ad doctrinæ prædicationem accederent privatæ monitiones, correctiones, et alia ejusmodi adminicula quæ doctrinam sustinent et otiosam esse non sinunt. Disciplina igitur veluti frænum est, quo retineantur et domentur qui adversus Christi doctrinam ferociunt: vel tanquam stimulus quo excitentur parum voluntarii: interdum etiam velut paterna ferula, qua clementer et pro Spiritus Christi mansuetudine castigentur, qui gravius lapsi sunt. Quum ergo jam imminere cernamus initia quædam horrendæ in Ecclesia vastitatis, ex eo quòd nulla est cura, nec ratio continedi populi, ipsa necessitas clamat remedio opus esse. Porrò hoc unicum remedium est quod et Christus præcipit, et semper usitatum inter pios fuit. 2. Primum disciplinæ fundamentum est, ut privatæ monitiones locum habeant: hoc est, siquis officium sponte non faciat aut insolenter se gerat, aut minus honestè vivat, aut aliquid admiserit reprehensione dignum, ut patiatur se moneri: atque ut quisque fratrem suum, dum res postulabit, monere studeat. Præsertim verò in hoc advigilent Pastores ac Presbyteri, quorum partes sunt non modò concionari ad populum, sed per singulas domos monere et exhortari, sicubi universali doctrina non satis profecerint: quemadmodum docet Paulus, quum refert se docuisse privatim et per domos: et se mundum à sanguine omnium attestatur, quia non cessaverit cum lachrymis nocte et die monere unumquemque." See the rest. And sec. 4, he adds of the necessity; "Sine hoc disciplinæ vinculo qui diu stare posse Ecclesias confidunt, opinione fallantur: nisi fortè carere impunè possimus eo adminiculo, quod Dominus fore nobis necessarium providit." Et sec. 5, "Atque hîc quoque, habenda est Cœnæ Dominicæ ratio, ne promiscua exhibitione profanetur. Verissimum est enim eum, cui commissa est dis

pensatio, si sciens ac volens indignum admiserit quem repellere jure poterat, proinde reum esse sacrilegii acsi corpus Domini canibus prostituerit."

Hier. Zanchius de Ecclesia, vol. 3. fo. 123, 124. '(Disciplina) est actio qua Ecclesia, secundum facultatem sibi à Christo traditam fideles suos non solum publicè, sed etiam privatim, tam in vero Dei cultu quam in bonis moribus, idque tum doctrina, tum correctionibus, tum Ecclesiasticis pœnis et censuris, tum etiam si opus sit excommunicationibus instituit et institutos retinet.' Fol. 124. Primo habet privatam doctrinam. Habet enim Ecclesia potestatem, si publica doctrina in publico Templo non sufficiat, privatas fidelium domos ingrediendi; atque ibi eos privatim docendi, ac in vera doctrina ac religione Christiana instituendi: et fideles pati debent ut pastor suas ædes ingrediatur, et eos privatim instituat. Hujus exemplum est, in Acts xx. &c. Idem fecerunt reliqui Apostoli. 2. Habet privatas admonitiones, correctiones, objurgationes, &c.' This is for private teaching : Now for the Sacrament, hear what he saith, ibid. fol. 79. Obj.' Manebimus in Ecclesia, audiemus verbum, &c. sed qui possumus in Cœnâ communionem vobiscum habere, cum ad eam admittantur multi impuri, ebrii, avari, &c. Resp. 1. Quantum ad hos peccatores, eos intelligi posse bifariam; vel qui ante fuerunt ebrii, &c. Sed postea resipuerunt. Hos dicimus secundum verbum Domini non esse excludendos à mensa Domini, quandoquidem verâ penitentiâ et fide præditi sunt: vel eos qui etiamnum ebrietati student, aliisque vitiis, et talis sine pœnitentiâ et fide accedunt: hos dicimus simpliciter non esse admittendos. Quod autem admittantur plerumque hoc contingere potest bifariam: vel ex ignorantia Ministrorum, eò quod non agnoverint tales esse, quales sunt: Et hanc certè ignorantiam, non probamus, quoniam debet minister agnoscere, qualesnam sint illi quibus cœnam Domini administrat: quod si ignorat, non potest non accusari supinæ et reprehendæ negligentiæ, &c. Aut cum sint omnibus noti qualesnam sint, non student tamen eos arcere præ timore, vel aliquo alio humano respectu. Hoc damnamus in Ministro vitium timiditatis. Debet enim minister Christi esse cordatissimus et heroicus. Sed hic non est spectandum quid unus aut alter vilis minister agat (mark the title) sed quæ sit Ecclesiæ institutio, quæque communis in

omnibus Ecclesiis consuetudo: in omnibus autem Ecclesiis nostris antequam Cœna ministretur, omnibus hujusmodi, interdicitur, &c. Et certo magnum est probrum, quod inter filios Dei locum habeant et porci et canes: Multò verò magis, si illis prostituuntur Sacro-sancta cœnæ Dominicæ symbola, &c. Quare ecclesiæ Christi non debent hujusmodi sceleratos in sinu suo ferre, nec ad Sacrum cœnam dignos simul et indignos promiscuè admittere: id quod plerumque sit in Ecclesiis nostris :" (How many were then the ́ viles ministri !')

But the principal is behind, of the Necessity of Discipline and I desire both Magistrates and Ministers, into whose hands these lines shall fall, to read and consider it.

:

Ibid. fol. 134, 135. "Videant igitur Principes et Magistratus qui hanc disciplinam in Ecclesiam restitutam, nolunt, quid agant. Hæc instituta est à Christo, ut perpetuo in Ecclesia tanquam singularis thesaurus conservetur: ergo qui eam exulare volunt, sciant se velle Christum exulare. Hæc pars est evangelii Jesu Christi. Ergo qui hanc restitutam nolunt, sciant se nolle evangelium Christi, sicut debet, restitutum. Quomodo igitur gloriamur restitutum esse Evangelium in Ecclesiis nostris, si hanc eamque non postremam partem Evangelii restitutam nolumus? Hâc vitia corriguntur ; virtutes promoventur: Ergo qui hanc disciplinam restitutam nolunt, quomodo audent dicere se vitia odisse, virtutum vero amantes esse, pietatis promotores, impietatis osores. Hâc conversatur et regitur Ecclesia, singulæque Ecclesiæ membra sua quæque loco cohærent: ergò quomodo qui hanc expulsam, volunt, dicunt se velle Christi Ecclesiam, bene rectam siquando sine hac bene regi non potest. Si nulla domus, nullum opidum; nulla urbs, nulla respublica, nullum regnum, imò ne exiguus quidem ludus literarius, sinè disciplina regi potest, quomodo poterit Ecclesia?" I would magistrates would read the rest, which is purposely to them.

Et fol. 135. " At timetur seditio et tumultus. Resp. ergo neque Evangelium est prædicandum, &c. Quid: Annon vident principes et magistratus nostri quantum malum in Ecclesia oriatur, et intus et foris ex neglectu contemptuve hujus disciplina? Foris nulla res est, quæ magis Papistas et alios, arceat,vel saltem retrudet amplectendo Evangelio, atque hæc disciplinæ Ecclesiasticae destitutio, quæ est in Ecclesiis