the Ordination of that Ministery which he had in England because Imposition of hands was in the Church of Rome from the times of â—he Apostles is there continued to this day although much mixed with many pollutions of their own Obj. But if those that separate from us will throw away all that comes through Rome what course will they take when they have denied all the Ordinances that have been administred for these ninety years in England for if no Ministery then certainly no Authoritative Preaching no Sacraments and thus they have renounced their baptisme which they had by these Ministers What Method then will they take in their Reformation Ans. How will they come to be rebaptized They will tell us peradventure that they will Covenant together and then Elect and ordain a Minister and he shall baptize 1. Reply Will they Covenant together supposing themselves to be Saints first say they so Are they Saints by a calling How came they to be so What did God call them immediately No They must say many if not all of them who have any truth of grace by the preaching of the word they were called What from those Ministers from whom they separate as no Ministers because of their Ordination Hath the Lord so far owned his despised Members as to make them the instruments to bring these to be visible Saints fit to imbody or Covenant And are these now no Ministers Are these the effect of their Ministerial labours and they no Ministers 1. Ans. But they say They will Elect and Ordain one Minister and then he shall rebaptize 2. Reply But since he did renounce his own baptisme also who shall baptize him first There must be a Minister to do that to be sure he cannot do it himself nor none of them for they are private persons To administer the Lords Supper before they be baptized is contrary to the Scripture-rules as Iustinus Martyr defends But how can they Ordain this Minister not being themselves baptized Where doth it appear in Scripture that an unbaptized people did ever Elect or Ordain a Minister These absurdities would necessarily follow such a reformation of this whole Land by denying thâ— Ministers to be true Ministers and by annulling their Ordination because it came through the Church of Rome 2. Ans. But secondly I answer to the main Objection of our Ordination passing through Rome to us That the Churches of England had not their first beginning from Rome as some fondly and ignorantly conceive but rather from Ierusalem Yea Baronius a great stickler for Romes priviledges yet acknowledgeth the Antiquity of the Church of England before Rome it self observing the conversion of England to Christianity to have been the five and thirtieth year after the Ascension of Christ and the Conversion of Rome to have been ten years after in the year 45. So that the Churches of England were at first rightly gathered and constituted the instruments of gathering being from Ierusalem Apostles or Apostolical men as is evident from Mr. Fox Neither is it to be doubted but that they did Ordain Officers in the Churches for we read of Ministers and Bishops The Land falling to the possession of the Saxons about the year 568. the History saith p. 147. that by them all the Clergy and the Christian Ministers of the Britains were then utterly driven out in so much that the Archbishops of London York went into Wales Thus long then it seems that the Ministers of England had no Ordination from Româ— This appears also by Austin the Monk who came inâ—o England in the year 598 it is observed by Mr. Fox p. 153. that about the year 600. Aâ—stâ—n assembled the Bishops and Doctors of Britain so that still here were Ministers and charged them for to preach the Gospel to the English men and also that they should among themselves reform certain Rites in their Church especially for Easter-tide and for baptizing after the manner of Rome to which the Scots and Briâ—tains would not agree which shews that they did not neither would they depend upon Rome Since then there were so many Ministers and Bishops in England who had their Ordination by Succession from those Apostolical men and not from Rome and opposed Austin the Monk indeavouring to settle Rites Ceremonies and Superstitions according to the practise of Rome why may not we suppose that these again might preach the Gospel to the English maintaining Baptisme and Ordination in that purity wherewith they were Instituted by IesusChrist Moreover It is very observable from Mr. Selden and Mr. Speeds Historie of great Britain that in the Church of England the corruptions which the Church of Rome would have introduced about Ordination of Ministers and other Ecclesiastical affairs were withstood and opposed by the Kings of England Nor do we read of any Ministers in England that were ordained by any Agents sent from Rome but onely of some idle Ceremonies of Confirmation of them that were ordained by the Pall and the Ring brought thence into England So that if the whole be well considered it will puzzle those of the Separation to prove that the Church of England was beholding to the Church of Rome for either the first plantation after Reformation or continuation of the Gospel Church and Ministery therein from the first beginning even to this very day 3. Ans. But thirdly I answer that in case it be granted that our Ordination have passed through Rome so that it have been formerly corrupted with some Romish Rites Ceremonies as Baptisme also was and that stubble have been built upon Gold and upon the true Institution of Christ for the ordaining rightly the Gospel-Ministers Yet neither this scruple nor the Objection of Bishops ordaining formerly is sufficient to null our Ordination and make void the true Ministery of England nor any warrantable Plea to separate from us and from our Congregations A stream of water that springs from a clear Fountain may in the first Reach run like the Fountain clear in the second Reach by reason of a muddy and soul bottom it may run also muddy and in the third Reach it may come out again clear and run as at the first And yet none will deny it in the third Reach to have streamed from a clear Fountain neither any loath to drink of it because immediatly before it ran through a muddy Reach Even so our ordination hath sprung from a clear Fountain from Christ our Head and in the first Reach of the Primitive times ran very clear without corruptions or innovations of sinfull men and Prelates In the second Reach of corrupt and Popish times it ran more muddy by reason of pollutions and filthy inventions and Ceremonies Superstitiously added to it by the Popes But now in the third Reach of Reformation from Popery it runs again clear as at the first And therefore who with conscience can deny it to come from a clear Fountain and ought to loath it because more immediatly it
Christs name is named called upon and professed and that without superstitious inventions of man there is a true Church But our Parochial meeting and gathering together is to name the Name of Christ to call upon it and profess it Ergo Our Parochial people here in England so meeting and gathering together are true Churches and not Babylonish 3. Argument We be either the Church of Christ and so a true Church or the Church of Antichrist But we are not the Church of Antichrist Ergo we are the Church of Christ and so not Babylonish but a true Church The Minor is clear we have forsaken Rome the Pope his Doctrine his Sacraments Yea every year upon the Friday before Easter day we are excommunicated by the Pope with this Ceremony which my self have seen and was present at it Ann. Dom. 1640. The Pope standing in a high Balcony in Peters Palace before thousands of people gathered beneath in an open wide and capacious place takes in his hand a lighted Torch declaring that light to represent the light and brightness of the true Militant Church and the light and glorie of the Triumphant Church above and then one of his Chaplains putting out the light The Pope casteth the Torch out of his hand from on high down to the ground declaring by that Ceremony that so he excommunicates and deprives of all light of mercy favour comfort in the Militant Chuâ—ch and also excludes from the light of glory in the Triumphant Church all Hereticks in England as such he looks upon us who acknowledge him noâ— by their obedience to him to be the supream head of the universal Church and condemns their Souls to the pits of Hell where is no light of mercy and redemption but darkness for ever excâ—pt they repent and turn to him using in this action of casting down the Torch the words of Christ to the wicked on the leâ—t hand Dâ—part from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Matth. 25. vers 41. Thus are we disowned cast out anathematized and for ever cursed by the Pope and shall we yet be said by Mr. Nâ—â—hols to be Babylonish to be his or any wayes to belong to him No surely we may rather say as our Saviour said of the World and his Disciples If ye were of the World the World would love his own but because ye are not of the World but I have chosen you out of the World therefore the World hateth you John 15. vers 19. So if we were of Rome of Babylon Rome would love us as her own but because we are not of Rome but the Lord hath chosen us out of Rome and out of Babylon therefore she hates us and her Triple Crowned Head and Governour bids us depart casteth us out and curseth us So it appears that we are no Church nor people of Antichrist Ergo we are a Church of Christ. And if there be any further doubt of this in Mr. Nichols I must tell him plainly that the difference is between him and the Pope The Pope saith we are no Church of Christ because not belonging to him Mr. Nichols saith we are no Church of Christ because we are Babylonish and so belonging to the Pope and to Antichrist As Paul set the Pharisees and Sadducees at variance to help himself Act. 23. vers 6 7. So I shall leave the Pope and Mr. Nichols to reason this case whilest I step forth to my fourth Argument thus 4. Argument A company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for their true head can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body But we are a company having no false nor Babylonish head but having Iesus Christ for our true head Ergo we can be no false nor Babylonish Church or body The Minor is clear thus because we do all profess him which is a token of Faith in the heart Rom. 10. vers 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And the Apostles judged such worthy to be of the Church in their time and thereupon did admit men as Act. 16. vers 31 32. Yea Simon Magus thereupon was admitted Act. 8. vers 13. though otherwise a dissembling Hypocrite whose example is a sufficient answer to Mr. Nichols his Objection saying sheâ— me â—here the Apostles admitted wicked men into their Churches as you do To which with this example of Simon Magus we answer as also with Demas Hymenaeus and Alexander that they admitted wicked dissembling Hypocrites as we may do some not qua and as wicked and dissemblers but qua and as Proâ—essours professing with their mouth the Lord Jesus as a token of Faith in their hearts Rom. 10. vers 9. Yea secondly such is this confession or profession of the name of Christ that it is a token laid down in Scripture that such as confess Iesus Châ—ist have the Spirit of God Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 1 John 4. vers 2. And thirdly the confession of his name is a part of our praise so Paul saith By him let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Hebr. 13. vers 15. Thus we hold Christ for our head we profess and confess him and his name â—rgo we are no Babylonish â—or false Body 5. Argument A company having Iesus Christ for their Mediatour and Advocate are a true Church But we are a company having Iesus Christ for our Mediatour and Advocate Ergo we are a true Church The Minor is proved thus First by our prayers which are onely made to God and in the name of Iesus Christ onely Secondly in that we do condemne the Papists for making the Virgin Marie Saints and Angels Mediatours to God and we do reject it as idolaâ—rous Thirdly because we do partake of the Covenant made unto us by God through Iesus Christ which I thus make good First because many of us both in Church and Common-wealth of both higher and lower degree have true knowledge of Gods word which is one part of the promise and Covenant as you may read in these words of Ieremiah This shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel saith the Lord. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people And further They shall all know me from the lowest of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord Jerem. 31. vers 33 34. and the like Hebr. 8. vers 10. and Chap. 10. vers 16. Secondly the fear of God possesseth the hearts of many which is another part thereof as the same Prophet writeâ— I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from
and have denied my Minor which immediately I proved thus from St. Paul to the Hebrews 4. Argument St. Paul in Hebr. 6. Chap. vers 1 2. sets down with Baptisme Imposition of hands to be a Principle of thâ— Doctrine of Christ. But Baptisme because it is a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ â—ught never by any Churches to be omitted to the end of the World Ergo Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination also ought never by any Churches to be omitted to the end of the World Here Mr. Nichols began to perceive his errour and want of knowledge in the Scriptures when he denied the Minor and that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery was a Doctrine of the Principles of Christ which being made clear unto him he could give no answer to it and so my Syllogisme was in the discretion and sound judgement unanswerable and unanswered But Mr. Nichols his Moderatour perceiving the unresistible force of the Arment and seeing his friends mouth almost shut up spoke a word to this purpose that it was doubted by some Authours whether that place of Paul Hâ—br 6. vers 1 2. did intend Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination or some other end in Imposition of hands in that place To whom I â—ad replied had not Mr. Nichols his mouth begun to open again for my beloved some of the Authours which understand that place of Paul not of Imposition of hands in Ordination but to some other end intend that end to be Imposition of hands by the Byshop in Confirmation whose judgement I cannot follow neither will Mr. Nichols or his Moderatour dare to follow that Opinion unless they will acknowledge Bishops again amongst us to Confirm and Bishop our Children that such a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ in that sense may not be omitted in our Churches Which I am sure Mr. Nichols his Moderatour whom I respect as a Divine of sound judgement doth not allow but onely to strengthen his friend in his weakness and that in the mean time he might recollect himâ—elf for some better answer was pleased to make such a motion and put in such a Caâ—â—at Some other Authours understand that place of Paul Hebr. 6. vers 1.2 to mean laying on of hands on the sick which the Church of Rome continues to this day superstitiously maintaining extream Unction and anointing the sick with Oyl hallowed by their Bishops Either of which Opinions had Mr. Niâ—hâ—â—â— insisted on I should soon have shewed him his errour and such a second trouble to have befallen him as the Poet speaketh off saying Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdin and as the Iews spake to Pilate So the last errour shall be worse than the first Matth. 27. vers 64. This beloved I do mention but to call you to minde to remember it that you may take notice how with the strength yea evidence of my Argument which truely to me is undeniable Mr. Nichols was put to his shifts And so indeed after a while he betook himself to another shift saying that Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination had been so abused and corrupted by the Bishops and by the Church of Rome that now by the Godly it was thought fit to be omitted and laid aside Ah beloved and can this answer perswade any sound Conscience to slight a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ Must Bishops or Romes corruptions make us more corrupt Must their corruptions make us deny our Principles Might not Mr. Nichols as well have answered that because the Church of Rome hath corrupted baptisme with Rites and Superstitious Ceremonies therefore we ought utterly to forsake to forget slight and omit baptism which also is a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ Surely for all this his answer you will be unwilling to deprive your Children of baptisme so purely and rightly administred in England because in Rome it is corrupted And so shall I for all this poor shift of Mr. Nichols be as unwilling to deny Imposition of hands by the Presbytery in Ordination as a Principle of the Doctrine of Christ because in Rome it is corrupted with anointing with Oyl the thumbs and fore-fingers of the Priests and with other foolish superstitious needless Rites and Ceremonies never practised by the Apostles But yet to shew Mr. Nichols his folly in this answer I demanded of him why then if he made such scruple of us Ministers who had been ordained by Bishops formerly with their Presbyters and of those Reverend Presbyters who in some places of this Land did still ordain without Bishops why then had he not the Imposition of hands by some Ministers nearer in judgement unto himself who had been beyond the Seas in Holland and doubtless there were ordained by some purer Presbyters who never succeeded Bishops These at least might better have ordained him than the people who have no power to ordain nor any power of the Keyes But this last Mr. Nichols denying and affirming the power of the Keyes to be in the people I replied against it thus 5. Argument The power of the Keyes wheresoever it is must be in that Subject which Christ hath ordained But Christ ordained not the people to be the Subject of the Keyes Ergo The people are not the Subject of the power of the Keyes The Major Proposition he granted and the Minor without any distinction at all he denied To which I replied If Christ ordained the people to be the subject of the power of the Keyes then the people must needs be the proper subject of the power of the Keyes But the people are not the proper subject of the power of the Keyes Ergo Christ ordained not the people to be the subject of the power of the Keyes The Major was granted and the Minor was yet denied to the which I replied with another Syllogisme If the people are the proper subject of the power of the Keyes than they are thâ— first subject of the power of the Keyes But the people â—re not the first subject of the power of the Keyes Ergo The people are not the proper subject of the power of the Keyes This Minor also he denied that the people were not the first subject of the power of tâ—â— Keyes till a friend whispering him in the ear made him to see and â—â—flect upon his oversight and better to consider what he had denied But I forthwith replied against him thus If the people were the first subject of the power of the Keyes then the power of the Keyes was in them first and before it was in the Apostles converting and baptizing them But the power of the Keyes was not in the people first and before it was in the Apostles converting and baptizing them Ergo The people are not the first subject of the power of the Keyes Here beloved Mr. Nichols finding himself by this Syllogisme quite cast upon his back followed his whispering friends as is supposed good counsel and though
passed through the mud of corruptions and corrupt men The Sun shineth one day bright the next day is obscured with clouds and the third day shines bright again And who of sound judgement will the third day deny that light and brightness to be truely the Suns because the day before it was obscured and hid with clouds Or who will refuse the benefit of the Suns light and brightness the third day because it was the day before clouded and obscured Or who will deny the third dayes light truely to be the Suns because the day before there was not from the Sun so clear a light The same I say of our Ordination that indeed it did shine in the Primitive times and when our Churches in England were first constituted with a most clear and bright light of Christs own Institution but afterwards it was obscured and hid in a cloud of Superstitions Popish Rites and Ceremonies and now again is clear and bright and shineth with the light of the true Institution Who therefore of sound judgement will refuse the benefit of it Who can deny it to be from the Sun of Righteousness Jesus Christ because in Popish times it was obscured with clouds of Superstition Though by the Papists we are unjustly called Hereticks Yet some of them deny not to us what those of the Separation here will not grant us Some of them do still look upon our Ordination as true by reason of the Head and Fountain of Iesus Christ from whom it sprang Dominicus Soto Bellarmine Gregorius de Valentia do teach out of Austin grounding on the Scripture that Heretical Bishops may lawfully ordain and that it is an Heresie such as the Donatists was to deny it To this agrees the judgement of our Saviour who teacheth that the Scribes and Pharisees have a lawfull Succession they sit in his Chair their calling is of God though a Race of bad men possessed that Chair and Christ will have them acknowledged for their lawfull Ministers Math. 23. vers 2 3. So is our calling and succession though it passed through corrupt times The Scriptures themselves Baptisme and the Articles of our Creed have all passed through the Papacie unto us and yet they cease not to be true Scriptures nor true baptisme Much less doth Ordination cease to be true and right it being an Act of Jurisdiction which may be legally and lawfully performed by men of corrupt Faith We must carefully distinguish the Acts of Office which have their form and being from a Root or Fountain without us from the qualities of the man that performeth that Office The man may be naught yet his Office be good and Acts done by verâ—ue of his Office may be good just and allowable although the man his religion be naught As for instance in Caiphas and in those Priests to whom our Saviour bad the Lepers go and shew themselves Luke 17. vers 14. A Popish Land Lord makes to his Tenant a Lease of a Farm The Lease is not Antichristian but good in Law although he that demised it be for his Religion a Papist A Popish Judge doth pass a sentende in Court which standeth good in Judicature his sentence is not Popish though he that pronounced it be a Papist The reason is because the Legal sentence is not of him nor from him as a Papist but as a Iudge who doth but deliver that which he hath received from an higher root the Law So in this case Ordination is an Act of Office derived from Christ and it is not Popish though executed by a Papist We do not rebaptize them that were baptized by a Popish Priest because the power of Gods Ordinance depends not on the Person that doth execute the same but upon an higher foundation the Institution of Christ. Ministerial Acts are not vitiated or made null though they pass through the hands of bad men but stand good to all intents and purposes to such as receive them aright by vertue of their Office Authoritatively derived from the first Institution Yea further I say that if there have been no true Ministers in England or else where no true Ordinances nor Churches but where there hath been no humane mixtures nor wicked Persons or Officers then there have been but few Ministers Ordinances or Churches since there was a Church upon earth and if there ought to be separation from such Ministers Churches then we should have found before these dayes Separatists enough How hardly was Superstition kept out in the Church of the Iews before the Captivity Afterwards when Christ came were they clear What shall we say of corrupt Caiphas then the high Priest his corrupt entering into and his continuing in the place for one year So the Pharisees a generation corrupt that God never Instituted their School began some say two hundred and fourty years some say more before Christ and for their Superstitious inventions they were not barren in them But did Christ so soon as he came to preach call away the people and bid them separate No we finde no such words but rather we read that though here were corrupt Officers Christ bids the multitude hear them and observe and do whatsoever they bid them observe and do Math. 23. v. 3. After Christ how long did the Churches continue without Superstitious mixtures I believe we shall finde that the Church hath not been long free but we do not finde separation presently and nulling of Ministers as now Men should do well to give us a precept or example out of the word where Ordinances have been dispensed true for the substance though some humane mixtures have been joyned to them that therefore they were iteraâ—ed 4. Aâ—s Fourthly I answer that if the true succession of Ministers of England and true Ordination of them have failed decayed or been lost because of either Bishops or Popish Prelates or a Romish Presbytery in the time of Popery from whom we have descended then it must be shewed in whom particularly or in what Prelates Bishops or Presbyters this Ordination fiâ—st decayed died and was quite lost and abolished If we look back to the beginning of Popish Superstition in England and to the first Bishops and Presbyters that then Apâ—staâ—ized from the purity of the Gospel and of the Ordinances of Christ to Popery we shall finde that Ordination for substance died not in them for before they fall they were truely and rightly Ordained to preach and pray and if to preaching and praying they added Mass mumming that their first corruption did not deprive them of that first power which by true Ordination they received to preach and to pray for that power was not given them conditionally so long as they preserved themselves from corruptions and to be forfeited by corruptions as I shewed before that corruptions in an Officer do not null or make void the Acts of Office which have their form and being from a root or foundation without Ordination therefore in them was not lost
by reason of their corruptions And if not lost in them then in them it still continued and if it continued in them then still in them there was by vertue of their true Ordination for substance potestas in and potestas ad a power in in themselves to preach and to pray still and a power to or towards to or towards others to communicate this power by imposition of hands to others to other Ministers and Presbyters in whom neither could Ordination for subsâ—ance be lost for their superstitions and corruptions could not make void null the Acts of Office belonging to them from a Root and Fountain without and Authoritatively derived to them from the first Institution of Christ and from their Ordination by imposition of hands by the former Presbyters still true for substance And if their Superstitions and corruptions could make Ordination void and null the Superstitions and corruptions of the former should also have made it void and so it must be said to decay in the first in whom it decayed not they having been rightly ordained for substance before their fall apostasie Now the Superstitions corruptions of those that succeeded the first were in kinde of the same nature and quality with those that were found in the first and so they could not being the same in kinde and nature do more then the first noâ— make void and null that Ordination for substance which the first corruptions in the first Apostates never made void and null So that in those Presbyters who succeeded the first back-sliders there was also potestas in and potestas ad power in themselves to preach and to pray and power to or towards others to communicate this power by imposition of hands to others And so in them neither could ordination for substance still right die or decay And so successively ordination for substance continued true notwithstanding the corruptions and evil qualities of Officers till the glorious light of Reformation began again to shine As in a wall which onâ— day is seen and known by the colour of a white plaistering over it but the next day is found with another colour even dawbed over with black yet still continues in the substance of the stones and other materials to be the same wall the black dawbing or any other paintings not being so destructive as to destroy the substance of the wall Even so Ordination as a strong wall to the Church of Christ though at first in the pure and Primitive times it was observed and known by the true white colour of Imposition of hands by the Presbytery with fasting and prayer without any Oyls or dawbing ointings and Chrisms by praying and preaching onely without that black corruption and Superstition of Mass-mumming or paintings of an unbloudy Sacrifice yet continues and then continued true for substance and was not quite destroyed or abolished by the colours of Rites and Superstitious Ceremonies put upon it by corrupt Bishops Presbyters who lived in England in the height of Pope y and Romish Superstition And thus as I have looked back to the beginning of Popery and there have found no nulling no destroying of true Ordination for substance nor any decay or loss of it in the succâ—ssion of Presbyters following and succeeding untill the Reformation Let us now take a view of the first Reformers who were ashamed of the former corruptions and Apostasies who left off Mass-mumming and offering an unbloudy sacrifice in the Mass and let us now see whether in them continuing Preaching and praying Ordination for substance were lost and decayed so that in them there remained not still potestas in and potestas ad power in in themselves to Preach and to Pray and power to or towards others to communicate to other Presbyters by Imposition of hands the same power to pray to Preach the word and to Administer the Sacraments Object It may be Objected and said of them that they being Ordained to the Mass as well as to Preaching Praying and Admistring the Sacraments could not Ordain others to Preaching and Praying and Administring the Sacraments onely unless they Ordained them to what themselves had been Ordained to wit to Sacrifice also and to the Mass because their power reached to the latter as well as to the former And so the Ministers succeeding them and yet not truely Ordained to the same full power of Massing and Sacrificing to which they that Ordained them had been themselves Ordained but being Ordained to one part onely of their power to wit to Preaching and Praying and Administring the Sacraments and not to Sacrifice and the Mass were not truely Ordained because the first Reformers had shaken off and renounced their own full power which themselves had received by abjuring the Mass and Sacrifice to which their power reachâ—d and so could communicate no power to others but in that fulness of power for kinde and nature which themselves had formerly received Ans. To the which Objection I answer with this plain and easie instance of a Justice of the Peace now amongst us whose former power was onely to Administer Justice and to act by Law against Delinquents and Offenders binding them over to the Sessions or committing them to the Gaol or Prison But now to this his power is further added by an Act of Parliament another power to joyn in the State of Marriage such as shall come before him to be married and to declare them Man and Wife giving them his Certificate that they are truely and lawfully coupled together in the State of Matrimony If now a Justice of the Peace should make a scruple of doing this as some I hear already do his Conscience telling him that Marriages have for many years in all sorts of Churches yea in the best Reformed Churches alwayes belonged to the Ministery as an Ordinance of God though not as a Sacrament as Rome â—eaâ—eth and for that Matrimony is an honourable estate in its Relation to Christ the husband and the Church his spouse Eph. 5. Chap. and not rashly to be undertaken but with grounds reasons and Scripture to be laid upâ—n cleared to the Parties that are to be Wedded and that with good counsel Admonition and prayer to God for a blessing upon the Parties to be maâ—â—ied for the better knowing their duties each to the other better performing those duties and for the better guiding their lives in love peace and unity for the time to come If I say upon these grounds acknowledging himself unlearned in the Scriptures unfit for such good counsel instruction and Admonition having not a Spirit of prayer for such a purpose he should renounce that power given unto him to joyn Man Wiâ—e together and should absolutely refuse to practise it any longer as not belonging to him according to the Dictate of his Conscience Yet the other part of his Power to Administer Justice against Offenders would still continue in force his Power Authority and Commission for that