of the Bishop well assisted be not a great deale better I leave to our superiours to determinâ— Who denounce Church censures Dic Ecclesiae * This agreeth with the rule in England Admonition Excommunication Cognizance of causes Churches independent â—â—fference of rule in Churches Consistory A better Consistory is and may be constituted in England Difference in number of Officers Chappels of ease These you see are necessary in England in some places Prophesying Prophesying or Preaching by Licence It ought not to be otherwaies in England * Universities Cathedrals and Collegiat Churches * 1 Cor. 13.2 The publique worship Every Sunday morning Lords Supper * Once I stood without one of the doores and looked in and saw the administration Besides I have had credible relation of all the particulars from some of the members Afternoone Baptisme Contribution Differences in contributions Admissions Offences Lectures Fasts feasts a And why not set fasting dayes times and set feasts as well as set Synods in the Reformed Churches b And why not holy dayes as well as the fift of November and the dayes of Purim among the Jews Besides the commemoration of the blessed and heavenly mysteries of our ever blessed Saviour and the good examples and piety of the Saints What time is there for the moderate recreation of youth and servants but after divine services on most of those dayes seeing that upon the Sunday it is justly held unlawfull And sure enough at New-England the Masters will and must hold their servants to their labour more then in other Countries well planted is needfull therefore I think even they should doe well to admit of some Holy dayes too as not a few of the wiser sort among them hold necessary and expedient Little reading catechizing c Whereas in England every Sunday are read in publique Chapters and Psalmes in every Church besides the 〈…〉 Commandements Epistle and Gospell the Creed and other good formes and catechizings and besides what is read upon Holy dayes and other dayes both in the parish and Cathedrall and Collegiat Churches in the Universities and other Chappels the benefit whereof doubtlesse all wise men will acknowledge to be exceeding great as well as publique preaching and expounding Dayes and moneths how called Neglect of instructing the Indians Charity * The Covenant of Grace of the New Testament it is true makes the whole universall Church of Christ and every part thereof or at least belongeth thereunto but allowing Churches a Covenant of Reformation tending to the bettâ—r ordering and well-being of themselves and for other politique respects this is as much as they at New-England can iustly make of their Covenant and some that are judicious among themselves have acknâ—wledged it And yet even this unlesse it be made and guided by good counsell and held with dependance and concatenation upon some chiefe Church or Churches may tend to much division and confusion as is obvious to the understanding of those that are but a little versed in study of these points Ecclesia regnans Elections of the Governour chiefe Magistrates Freemen their oath Courts and Laws Actions and causes Grand Juries Tryals Prophanenesse beaten downe * Although some have held that three or two may make a Church yet I have heard Master Cotton say that a Church could not be without the number of sixe or seaven at least and so was their practise while I was thâ—â—e at Weymouth and New Taunton and at Lin for Long Island Because if there are but three one that is offended with another cannot upon cause tel the Church but one man Ministers names Magistrates namâ—s Marriages Testaments Administrar Burials * Causes touching Matrimonie and Testaments and other Ecclesiasticall causes have been anciently by the good lawes of England committed to the Clergie upon better grounds then many are aware of Brethren I pray consider well that the Apostle doth allow judgements of controversies to the Church 1 Cor. 6. And so they did anciently in other Countries as well as in England as appeares by S. Augustines profession thereof cited by one lately viz. That he the said Father and other holy men of the Church suffered the tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes touching secular affaires either by determining them by judging or in cutting them off by entreaties which labour saith he we endure with consolation in the Lord for the hope of eternall life To which molestations the Apostle tyed us not by his owne judgement but by his judgement who spake in him Besides should they judge these things and labour for and watch over us in the Lord and not be recompenced as long as they doe well I speak not to countenance undue exactions bribes or other corruptions I intend brevity and therefore make bold to refer my Reader to the many learned arguments both in Law-books and Divinity of this subject Trainings or Musters Grievances Danger New Plymouth Patent M. Raymer M. Smith M. Chancey his controversie * Eccles. 12.11 One shepheard James 3.1 Not many masters Whether this be their ground I know not but what ever there be in others to advise and assist the deciding determining voice I meane also the negative in some cases ought as I think to be in the Pastor Be there never so many Ministers in the Church Doe nothing without your Pastor or Bishop saith Irenaeus for whatsoever is faulty in the Church the Bishop is first and principally blamed Rev. 2. and 3. Taunton M. Hooke M. Streate their ordination M. Doughty his controversie Divers other Towns and Ministers Island Aquedney Master Gorton whipt and banished New Providence M. Blakeston Connecticot Lady Boteler Lady Moody New Haven Long Island Pascattaqua M. Larkham excommunicated A broyle or riot Episcopacie Province of Maigne Exeter Cape Anne Fishing Isles of Shoales and Richmond Isle of Sables Martins Vineyard French and Datch Virginia Maryland Swedes New-found-land Florida State of the Countrey of New-England * Wheat and Barley are thought not to be so good as those grains in England but the Rye and Pease are as good as the English the Pease have no wormes at all Beanes also there are very good Of the Indians M. 〈◊〉 a hopefull Schoolmaster Some late occurrences concerning Episcopacie a Mat. 10.1 Mar. 3.13 Act. 1.4 2.47 8.5.6 9.32 35. 11.19.20.21.26 b Acts 8.14 9.31 11.22.27 13 2.3 14.21.10 28. c Col. 2.5 Act. 11.27 15.36 16.4 d Acts 8.5.14 11.22 27. 13.2 3. e Mat. 28.19 Acts 13.1 2 3. 8.1 f Acts 1.2 3 4. 2.47 13.1 g Act. 1.25 26. h Act. 6 6. 14.23 i Act. 8.14 11.22 k Rom. 10.15 l Act. 6.6 13 3. 1 Tim. 4.14 m Eph. 4.11 Act. 1 25. 8.14 11.22.27 n Rom. 16.1 o 1 Cor. 3.6 p 2 Tim. 1.6 1 Tim. 4 14. compared q 1 Cor. 12.19 29. r 2 Cor. 10.12 to the end s Act. 13.1 2 3 t Act. 1.4 2.47 v As Hierusalem Antioch Ephesus Acts 11.26 u Acts 11.22 x Acts 1.4 15 26. 2.41 y Act. 19.40 Fitzherb N.B. z 1 Cor. 5.3 4. a Acts 15.6 Objection b Iames 5.14 c 1 Pet. 5.1 2 3 Answer d Acts 1.20 e 2 Cor. 11.28 Chap. 10.12 to the end f 2 Cor. 8.12 g Eph. 5.19 1 Cor. 14.26 40 h Mat. 6.9 Sic ergo adirate vos {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Luke 11.2 i Rom. 15.1 k Rom. 12.16 Idipsum in inviâ—em sentientes non alta sapientes sed humilibus consâ—â—â—ientes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but condescending to the humble l Act. 10.24 44 47 48. 16.30 31 32 33. vers. 14 15. m Acts 8.8 12 14. n Acts 10. o Acts 16. p Acts 8. q Acts 18. r Acts 8.13 Act. 2.41 5.1 compared s 1 Tim. 5.22 Titus 2.2 v Pro. 25.3 Eccles. 8.4 10.16 17. u 1 Cor. 4.1 â— 10
the whole Church of God and themselves as I take it Besides many of the things are not infirmities but such as I am bound to protest against yet I acknowledge there are some wise men among them who would help to mend things if they were able and I hope will do their endeavours And I think that wiser men then they going into a wildernesse to set up another strange government differing from the setled government here might have falne into greater errors then they have done Neither have I the least aime to retard or hinder an happy and desired reformation of things amisse either in Church or Common-wealth but daily and earnestly pray to God Almighty the God of Wisdome and Counsell that he please so to direct his Royall Majesty and his wise and honourable Counsell the high Court of Parliament that they may fall upon so due and faire a moderation as may be for the glory of God and the peace and safety of his Royall Majesty and all his Majesties dominions and good Subjects Vale Clements Inne Jan. 17. 1641. Thomas Lechford A TABLE of the chiefe Heads of this DISCOURSE 1. THe Church-government and administrations in the Bay of the Mattachusets Page 2. 2. Their publique worship 16 3. Touching the government of the Common-wealth there 23 4. Certaine Propositions to the generall Court concerning recording of Civill Causes 29 5. A Paper of the Church her liberties 31 6. A Paper intended for the Worshipfull John Winthrop Esquire late Governour touching baptizing of those they terme without and propagation of the Gospel to the Infidel Natives 34 7. The Ministers and Magistrates their names 37 8. The state of the Countrey in the Bay and thereabouts 47 9. A relation concerning the Natives or Indians 49 10. Some late occurrences touching Episcopacie 53 11. Three Questions to the Elders of Boston and their Answers 55 12. A Paper of exceptions to their government 56 13. Forty quaeres about planting and governing of Churches and other experiments 58 14. An abstract of certaine Letters 68 15. The Conclusion 78 Plaine dealing OR NEWES FROM NEW-ENGLAND HAving been forth of my native Countrey almost for the space of foure yeeres last past and now through the goodnesse of Almighty God returned many of my friends desiring to know of me the manner of governments and state of things in the place from whence I came New England I thinke good to declare my knowledge in such things as briefly as I may I conceive and hope it may be profitable in these times of disquisition For the Church government and administrations in the Bay of the Mattachusets A Church is gathered there after this maner A convenient or competent number of Christians allowed by the generall Court to plant together at a day prefixed come together in publique manner in some fit place and there confesse their sins and professe their faith one unto another and being satisfied of one anothers faith repentance they solemlny enter into a Covenant with God and one an other which is called their Church Covenant and held by them to constitute a Church to this effect viz. To forsake the Devill and all his workes and the vanities of the sinfull world and all their former lusts and corruptions they have lived and walked in and to cleave unto and obey the Lord Jesus Christ as their onely King and Law-giver their onely Priest and Prophet and to walke together with that Church in the unity of the faith and brotherly love and to submit themselves one unto an other in all the ordinances of Christ to mutuall edification and comfort to watch over and support one another Whereby they are called the Chruch of such a place which before they say were no Church nor of any Church except the invisible After this they doe at the same time or some other all being together elect their own Officers as Pastor Teacher Elders Deacons if they have fit men enough to supply those places else as many of them as they can be provided of Then they set another day for the ordination of their said officers and appoint some of themselves to impose hands upon their officers which is done in a publique day of fasting and prayer Where there are Ministers or Elders before they impose their hands upon the new Officers But where there is none there some of their chiefest men two or three of good report amongst them though not of the Ministery doe by appointment of the said Church lay hands upon them And after the said ordination if there are any Elders of other Churches present as of late I have knowne divers have been present under the names of the Messengers of the Churches they give the new Officers the right hand of fellowship taking them by the right hand every one severally or else sometimes one forraine Elder in the name of all the rest gives the right hand of fellowship with a set speech unto them Notice is given in divers Churches or other places before-hand of the gathering of every Church divers weeks before and so also of every ordination And some Ministers or others as Messengers from other Churches are usually present at such gatherings of Churches and ordinations For sometimes Magistrates Captains Gentlemen and other meaner Brethren are made messengers of Churches for those and other purposes never having had imposition of hands And at planting of a Church or gathering as they tearme it one of the Church messengers of forraine Churches examines and tries the men to be moulded into a Church discerns their faith and repentance and their Covenant being before ready made written subscribed and here read and acknowledged hee decerns and pronounceth them to be a true Church of Christ and gives them the right hand of fellowship and all this in the name of Christ and of all the Church-messengers present and their Churches so did Master Weld at the founding of Weymouth Church or to this effect And the generall Court will not allow of any Church otherwise gathered Some Ministers have there heretofore as I have heard disclaimed the power of their Ministery received in England but others among them have not Generally for the most part they hold the Pastors and Teachers offices to be distinct the Teacher to minister a word of knowledg the Pastor a word of wisdome but some hold them all one as in the Church of Watertowne there are two Pastors neither will that Church send any messengers to any other Church-gathering or ordination When a man or woman commeth to joyne unto the Church so gathered he or shee commeth to the Elders in private at one of their houses or some other place appointed upon the weeke dayes and make knowne their desire to enter into Church-fellowship with that Church and then the ruling Elders or one of them require or aske him or her if he bee willing to make known unto them the worke of grace upon their soules
to whom I wrote kindly returned me a wise answer wherein is this passage TO speak in briefe I think now that New-England is a perfect model and sampler of the state of us here at this time for all is out of joynt both in Church and Common-wealth and when it will be better God knoweth To him we must pray for the amendment of it and that he will not lay on us the merits of our nationall and particular sinnes the true cause of all these evils Dated out of Somerset-shire Aprilis 27. 1641. To another thus IN a word or two we heare of great disturbances in our deare native Countrey I am heartily sorry c. I beseech you take my briefe opinion We here are quite out of the way of right government both in Church and Common-wealth as I verily think and as far as I can judge upon better consideration and some pains taken in searching after the bottome of some things Some electorie wayes tend to the overthrow of Kingdomes No such way for government of Englishmen as a Monarchie of Christians as by Diocesan Bishops in their line Better yeeld to many pressures in a Monarchie then for subjects to destroy and spoile one another If I were worthy to advise a word I should desire you to have a care and so all your friends you prejudice not your estate or posterity by too much opposing the Regall power For I verily beleeve the Kings Majesty hath in generall a good cause touching Episcopacie My reasons I could better deliver in presence if haply God give opportunity to see you or if you require it hereafter I will be ready to present my thoughts unto you All this as I shall answer before the Lord without any by-respects If you were here I presume you would see more then I can but I think you would be much of my mind From Boston in N. E. Septemb. 4. 1640. To another of no meane rank COmplaining of my sufferings and shewing the reasons desiring him to send for me that I might declare them to his person more effectually From Boston in N. E. March 1640. To another YOu knew my condition and employment and how ill it went with me in England by reason of the trouble of our friends and my own danger therby For my outward subsistence here at this time God knowes it is but meane some say it is my owne fault and that I stand in my owne light and you and others may so conceive but the God of heaven is my witnesse I have endeavoured in all things to keep a good conscience though sometimes I have failed I have endeavoured laying all by-respects aside to joyne with the Church here but cannot yet be satisfyed in divers particulars whereby I am kept from all place of employment or preferment as I have had overtures made unto me of if I would or could yeeld but hitherto I have not dared to doe it for good reasons best knowne to our heavenly Witnesse I must give you a taste They hold their Covenant constitutes their Church and that implyes we that come to joyne with them were not members of any true Church whence we came and that I dare not professe Againe here is required such confessions and professions both in private and publique both by men and women before they be admitted that three parts of the people of the Country remaine out of the Church so that in short time most of the people will remaine unbaptized if this course hold and is we feare of dangerous consequence a thing not tending to the propagation of the Gospel in peace Which though it have a colour of sanctimony and strictnesse whereby many well-affected or affectionate people but weak in sound experience and judgement are the rather drawn thereunto and they are in a manner necessitated to it to maintaine their election of Magistrates and Ministers in their owne way of popular or Aristocraticall government I dare not for my part yeeld unto neither in my own conscience nor for the credit of those persons with whom I have been educated and in whose causes I have been seen A Monarchy is the best government for Englishmen better to suffer some pressures under that kind of government then to spoile one another with popular elections Againe I cannot yeeld to Lay-Elders nor that Lay-men should impose hands upon any to the Ministerie nor that any Minister should renounce his calling to the Ministerie which he received in England as Antichristian It is a grosse error and palpable schisme then our Baptisme is not right and so there will be no end of separations Also I beleeve there cannot be a Church without a true Minister nor can any gather themselves together into a Church without a true Minister nor can they ordain their own Ministers ordinarily I meane what may be done in an extraorninary case pro prima vice is another question I hold there ought to be an Apostolicall Bishop by succession from Christ and his Apostles superiour in order or degree to his brethren which Bishop ought to ordain and rule with other Presbyters or alone but Presbyters cannot without him And if so be any thing in word or act passed from mee to the contrary hereof I do professe it was in my ignorance Their calling is of Divine authority or nearest thereunto else the Church of God could not have subsisted in any tolerable way of peace through all this by-past time of 1600. yeeres I feare they know not what they say that say the contrary let them come here they will quickly change their minde if they study the point and follow it home for besides the keeping of peace and unity and a pure and able learned Ministery how can the Gospell be propagated without some speciall Ministers having the power Apostolicall to goe forth to convert Indians or Pagans If a Pastor or Minister or Christian of any Church shall doe so what hath he to doe with Infidels as hee is a Pastor he is no Pastor to them Therefore if any are sent to convert and establish Churches among Infidels such as are sent are Apostolick messengers Bishops or Ministers to them and ought to be sent with fasting and Prayer and by imposition of hands of the Presbytery and having converted Infidels may plant Churches and ordain Ministers among them and afterwards visit them and is not this Episcopacie and their line wherein they have gone their Diocesse These things naturally flow from and are grounded in the Word or equity thereof and meere necessity Now if all Ministers should ordinarily have this authority to go forth to these works without mission what quarelling there would be for division of Lines or Dioceses let the experience of former ages tell yea of the Apostolique times wherein were not wanting those that quarelled with Saint Paul himselfe about his Line or rule 2 Cor. 10. Now unto this confusion tends the opinion that saith a Bishop and Presbyter is all one and equall
it is of Acrius it is false and it is confusion The reformed Churches and Writers that held so had little experience of mission to convert plant Churches among Infidels That reformation goes too deep that tends to pulling downe of Cathedrall Churches and Bishops houses Should not Apostolick Bishops and the chiefest Ministers have houses to dwell in and Churches to recide and officiate in whither all the Churches of their Line may send and come together in Councel or Synod and so do nothing of great moment without their Bishop a Timothy or a Titus Again Baptisme is admission and initiation into the Church to whom Baptisme is commited viz. Apostles and Apostolick Ministers they have power of admission that is of loosing and consequently of binding excommunication or expulsion Where is now the peoples power in the keyes are they all Apostles and Apostolick Ministers what confusion is this who can yeeld to it knowingly I beseech you pardon my zeale and when you have considered all pity my condition and pray for me still Well I am assured that master Prynne master Burton would never yeeld to these things especially if they had experience of them It is good for us to see our errours and acknowledge them that we may obtain peace in the day of account Boston 13. Oct. 1640. To another SOrry and grieved we are at the heart to heare of the troublous estate and condition of our native countrey wee here also meete with our troubles and distresses in outward things and some in spirituall matters also Here wants a staple commodity to maintain cloathing to the Colony And for my own particular hitherto I have beene much distressed here by reason I cannot yet so clearely understand the Church proceedings as to yeeld to them there are therein so many difficult considerations that they have sometimes bred great confusion in my thoughts Never since I saw you have I received the Sacrament of the Lords supper I have disputed in writing though to my great hinderance in regard of outward things yet blessed be the Lord to my better satisfaction at the last I never intended openly to oppose the godlyhere in any thing I thought they mistooke but I was lately taken at advantage and brought before the Magistrates before whom giving a quiet and peaceable answer I was dismissed with favour and respect promised me by some of the chiefe for the future Our chiefe difference was about the foundation of the Church and Ministery and what rigid separations may tend unto what is to be feared in case the most of the people here should remaine unbaptized considerations which may trouble the wisest among us Rigid separations never did nor can propagate the Gospell of Christ they can do no good they have done hurt It is dangerous to found Church government on dark uncertain interpretations of Propheticall or other Scriptures foundations ought to be full of evidence demonstration Blessed be the Lord now some of the chiefe leaders of the Churches here hold the Churches in England true Churches and your Ministery lawfull though divers corruptions there may be among you yea some there bee of the chiefe among us that conceive the government by godly Bishops superintendent over others to be lawfull Churches are not perfect in this world We may not for every disagreement in opinion or for slender pretended corruptions separate from the Church separate so once and no end of separation From Boston in N. E. Decem. 19. 1640. To conclude SUppose there are foure sorts of Government which are used in Church as in Common-wealth Monarchicall absolute without Lawes which is tyrannie Monarchicall bounded by Lawes Aristocraticall and Democraticall Episcopall absolute which is Popish tyrannie Episcopall regulated by just Lawes Presbyterian and Congregationall Which of these will all men like and how long Some have well compared the humour of the people in this kind to a merry relation of an old man and his sonne passing through the streets of a City with one horse betweene them First the old man rode then the people found fault with his unkindnesse in that he did not cause his son to ride with him then the young man gets up too now the people say they are both unmercifull to the beast downe comes the old man then the young man is unmannerly to ride and his father walk on foot at last downe goes the young man also and leads the horse then they were both unwise to lead the horse and neither of them to ride Well but alter the inconstant vulgar will if so God grant it be for the better But then consider stories one alteration follows another some have altered sixe times before they were setled againe and ever the people have paid for it both money and bloud Concerning Church-government what the Presbyterian way is and how sutable for Englands Monarchie I leave to the pious experienced Divines to set forth and the Church and State thereof to judge And for the Congregationall independent government whereof I have had some experience give me leave instead of a better intelligencer thus to present to my deare countrey now in a time of neede my impartiall opinion in these confused papers And in brief-thus Although it had some small colour in Scripture and a great pretence of holinesse yet no sound ground in the Scripture Again if it be neither fit nor possible long to bee continued in New-England as not I alone but many more eye and eare witnesses doe know and the learned can and will judge undoubtedly it must needes be much more unfit and impossible to be brought into England or Ireland or any other populous Nation All which upon the whole I humbly submit unto the sacred judgment and determination of holy Church his royall Majesty and his Highnesses great and honourable Councel the high Court of PARLIAMENT Imprimatur Ioh Hansley FINIS How Churches are gathered there Their Church Covenant Election of their Church Officers Their ordinations The right hand of fellowship by messengers of Churches Some differ How members are received or added to the Church there The usuall termes whereupon Matters of offence how heard in private Dilatorie proceedings in admitting members * Whether Popish Auricular confession and these publique confessions be not extremes and whether some private Pastorall or Presbyteriall collation left at liberty upon cause and in case of trouble of conscience as in the Church of England is approved be not better then those extremes I leave to he wise and learned to judge Testimonials and Recommendations Publique confessions of parties to be received Their profession of faith Officers in the Church Their duties or offices Members duties A Sermon of twelve Articles of Religion Master Knolls how admitted Right hand of fellowship given to brethren The whole Church ruleth Their enterance into Covenant Severing in the family Offences how heard in publique The whole Church ruling and usurping the keyes * Whether a grave and judicious consistorie