lying do they appear in publike insomuch that a scold with a Stentoâ—â—an voice is the fittest Antagonist to undertake a dispute with them What gross principles do they maintain as of setting up their Conceits and Experiences as being of equal authority with the Scriptures and that the Scripture bindes not them if not let on their hearts by a present impulse Their denying interpretations of Scrâ—pture under the name of Meanings and Additions Their following the Light within Their pleading for a necessity of being saved as Adam should have been by an absolute perfection Their grievous conceits concerning Christ to the subverting of the Doctrine or his Nature offices and satisfaction Their neglect and denial of the observation of the Lords Day and Ordinances as Baptism and the Lords Supper c. We might tell you of their ridiculous interpretations of Scripture interpretation of Scripture is a fault in other men but none in them of their placing their religion in trivial things as Thou-ing and keeping on the har when yet the weightier matters of communion with God are neglected As also we might reckon up their self-contradictions their ignorant and sottish conceits about the unlawfulness of using words which the Scripture useth not as Trinity Sacrament c. or habits which the Scripture speaks not of when yet they cannot excuse themselves from what they condemn in others neither is it to be forgotten that when they have stuffed a paper as full of lying and non-sense as it can hold and we have many of them in our hands they blush not to father all upon the spirit of God Consider we pray you the case of those that have been entangled and yet are pluck'd out as a brand out of the fire Consider the relation of Iohn Gilping well you see what pittiful shifts they are put to when they would seem to say something in answer to it Observe what a favourable aspect all their opinions have to Popery and how visibly those poor creatures are acted by the Jesuits as by relation of the man of Bristol and others it appears What progress in grace and true religious walking can you observe in them since their Apostafie Where is now their constant Family and private prayers Where is that conscientious fear which sometime they seemed to have of speaking evill of what they know not Lastly Doth not all that they say against us under the reviling terms of Baals Priests or Priests of the world strike also against all those Martyrs which in Queen Maries time and before have laid down their lives for the Testimony of Jesus Oh! then beware if you love your own souls what is there here that can be called Christian We could tell you of some Christians in Cumberland that have thought it their duty to humble themselves solemnly before God for their inclinations this way when the error first appeared and was not then well known and also to return thanks to God for preserving them from the infection and the reasons of their dislike of the quakers given in writing were most of these that we have hinted to you 'T is good to learn the danger of the snare from other mens dear-bought experience Mark therefore them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus but their own belly Rom. 16. 17. We shall conclude this with that of 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godliness he is proud knowing nothing c. From such withdraw thy self 4. Lastly walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called and let your conversation be such as becomes the Gospel of Christ ye cannot be happy without holiness except you be redeemed from your vain conversation and have crucified the old man with his deeds the flesh with the lusts thereof and be renewed in the spirit of your mind ye shal perish and shal not enter into his rest Ye are sure that you can never be too holy or that you can never do too much for God Gird up therefore the Ioyns of your minde and run the race that is set before you Be not affraid of being too precise or of being reviled and hated for a Puritane Take courage you are unworthy of such a Prince of Righteousness if ye dare not own him how wil you deny your selves take up his Cross and follow him upon other terms you cannot be his disciples if a word or a frown of man do discourage you Be not ashamed of Christ his ways even in their strictness lest he be ashamed of you in his kingdom Mar. 8. 38 therfore walk circumspectly avoid the appearances occasions of evil Sanctifie the Sabbath conscientiously Set up prayer and instruction in your Families Deal uprightly with all men Set a watch over your lips Take heed of giving offences Let your zeal and moderation be known to all Forget not to do good and to distribute Do not satisfie your selves with a form of godliness but labour after the power of it Endeavour to grow in grace and knowledge Edifie one another Warn the unruly Comfort the feeble-minded Support the weak Consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Keep up Christian communion and society Let those that fear the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3. 16. but yet manage it wisely let other mens miscarriages in this kinde be a warning to you Keep within your sphere Take heed of pride and contempt of the weaker sort Lose not the end of Christian Society by doating about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh Envy Strife Railing Evill Surmises Perverse Disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. Let your discourses be sober tending to the promoting of grace duty and assurance These Counties of Cumberland and VVestmerland have been hitherto as a Proverb and a by-word in respect of ignorance and prophaneness Men were ready to say of them as the Jews of Nazareth Can any good thing come out of them Let us now labour to become a blessing and a praise that people may say concerning us Behold in the VVilderness waters have broken out and streams in the Desart the parched ground is become a pole and the thirsty land springs of water it doth rejoyce and blossome as the rose Therefore beloved Brethren be ye stedfast unmovable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord FINIS †Things not essential * In respect of the Church a Deut. 6. 4. 1 Chron. 8. 4. 6. I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and Buried He descended into Hell The third day hee pose againe from the Dead Hee ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right Hand of GOD the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to iudge the Quick and the Dead I believe in the Holy Ghost The Holy Catholike Church The Communion of Saints The forgiveness of Sins The Resurrection of the Body and the Life Everlasting Amen b 1 Thes. 1. 9. Ier. 10. 10. c Io. 4. 24. d Iob 11. 7 8 9. e 1 Ioh. 5. 7. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Mat. 28. 19. f 2 Pet. 1. 21. g 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Eph. 2. 20. Rev. 22. 18 19. h Gen. 1. i Heb. 1. 3. k Ps. 103. 19. 13 5. 6. l Eph. 1. 11. Mat. 10. 29 30. m Gen. 1. 26 27. Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. n Rom. 2. 14 15 o Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 10. p Gen. 3. 6 7 8 q Gen. 2. 17. with Rom. 5. 12. 18 19. Eph. 2. 1 2. 3. r Rom. 5. 6. 8. 3. s Io. 3. 16 17. t Gen. 3. 15. 1 u Gal. 4. 4. w Heb. 2. 14 16 x 1 Tim. 2. 5. Rom. 5. 15. y Luk. 1. 27 31 35 42. 2. 7. Gal. 4 4 z Heb. 4. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 2i a Mat. 3. 15. 5. 17. b Gal. 3. 13. c Luk. 23. 33 Ph. 2. 8. d 1 Cor. 15. 4. e Acts 1. 9 10. f Eph. 1. 20. Rom. 8. 34 g Heb. 7. 25. h Act 13. 48. i Rom. 11. 7. k Eph. 1 4 5. l Eph. 2. 8. Ioh. 6. 37. m Eph. 3. 17. 1 Cor 1. 9. Col. 1 88. n Eph. 1. 22. 23. 4. 15 16. o Rom 8. 30. p Io. 1. 12. Eph. 1. 5. q 1 Co. 6. 11. Eph. 2. 10. r 1 Co. 1. 9. Eph. 1. 3. s Rom. 10. 17. t 1 Pet. 2. 2. u Act 2. 42. 46. w Neh. 8. 1 2 3. Acts. 15. 21. Mat. 28. 19 20 2 Tim. 4. 2. Acts 2. 42. Col. 3. 16. 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. Heb. 3. 13. Levit. 19. 17. Mat. 18. 17 18. 1 Cor. 5. ult. x 2 Cor. 3. 11. Eph 4. 12. 13. Heb. 12. 27. Matth 28. 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 26. 1 Tim. 6. 14. y Acts 1. 11. 1 Thes. 4 16 17 z 1 Cor. 15. 12. to the end †2 Cor. 5. 10. * Mat. 25 31. to the end a Deut. 26. 16 b Psa. 73. 25. to the end 4. 6 7. c Phil. 3. 8 9. d Psal. 51. 11 Eph. 4. 30. e Deut. 6. 5. Mat. 22 37. Luk. 10. 37. f Iosh. 24. 14. g Numb. 15. 39 40. Deu. 12. 32. h Mat. 10. 38 16. 24. Luk. 9. 23. 14. 26. i Rev. 2. 10. Mat. 10. 22. k Acts 2. 42. 46. Heb. 10. 25. l Mat. 18. 15 16 17. m 2 Cor. 13. 10. 108. n 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. Heb. 13. 17. o Heb. 3. 13. Lev. 19. 17. Eph. 5. 11. * May he not then juridically debar others that are in a like capacity of improving the Ordinance * By whom the Congregation might be offended * Art 4 5. Notwithstanding this calls the scandalous mans receiving Sacrilegii crimen peccatum multis alâ—is gravius and affirms the party mortaliter peccare sacramentum violare in Art c.
doth not onely call for ministerial help and advice in a more especial manner but also gives opportunity and advantage for counsel or reproof therefore wee resolve to be as diligent in visiting the sick and afflicted as other labours greatness of our charge and ability to go abroad will suffer us and that not only the rich and those that desire us but also the poor and those that send not for us 8. Seeing we are in Scripture commanded to love all men and as much as in us lieth to follow Peace with all and yet warned to reserve our Brotherly kindness and delight for those that walk holily therefore we resolve in our Society as well as in dispencing of Ordinances to put a difference between the precious and the vile and though we intend not to deny that Charity Help Civility and Duty that we owe unto the Scandalous yet will we bestow our love of complacencie onely on those that order their conversations aright lest by intimacie with wicked men we strengthen the hands of evill doers grieve the hearts of the godly and ensnare our own souls 9. Seeing the sins of Sabbath-breaking Swearing Fornication and Drunkenness are so abominable in the sight of God and men and yet so frequent we resolve besides the reproving of these sins in publike and private to endeavor to bring such Offenders to the punishment of the Law in thosed cases provided 10. We will instruct our people publikely concerning the nature of the discipline of Christ shal press the necessity of their submission to it according to the Rule of Scripture 11 Because it hath been the commendable practise of the Saints of old in order to the Reformation of the Churches publikely and solemnly to renew the Covenant with God and because in this Age temptations to Apostacie and back-slidings from the faith are strong and frequent and because our hearts are so ready to start aside from the Power of Discipline that we daily stand in need of all possible Obligations to submission therefore we resolve to require from our people an assent to the Truths of Christ contained in a short Confession of Faith hereunto annexed and a Profession of their consent to submit unto and accept of the terms of the covenant of Grace to take the Lord for their God to walk in his Wayes to fear love honor and obey him with all their heart and with all their might and to submit to Discipline and Government Yet 1. We are so far from resolving to satisfie our selves with the bare recital and repetition of the words of the Profession c. that we shall endeavour to make the people not onely to profess with Understanding but so far as we can with feeling Apprehensions of what they speak 2. Neither do we intend strictly to bind all to the same circumstances of professing their consent but if any professing owning the substance shall scruple at any particular circumstance we resolve to use towards such all possible meekness and condiscention 12. Besides a professed competent Knowledge of the fundamentals of Religion we resolve to require an unblameable conversation in all those whom we shall admit to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper both these being necessary for the discovery of peoples present fitness and right * in foro Ecclesiae to the actual enjoyment of that Ordinance 13. Because the Ordinances of God may on the one hand be prophaned by the sinful neglect and carelessness of the Church-guides and because on the other hand people may be wronged by a rash and groundless exclusion therefore in the judging and determining of peoples present fitness for that Sacrament we resolve to set before us these following Rules both in point of Knowledge and Scandal In Point of Knowledge 1. Because the truth of Grace is utterly inconsistent with a total ignorance of the Fundamentals of Religion and because such persons not being able to discern the Lords body would eat and drink judgement to themselves therefore we resolve not to admit any that upon trial shall be found to be such to the Sacrament of the Supper 2. We shall not reject any as ignorant that have a competent Knowledge of those heads of Divinity mentioned by the Assembly in the form of Church-Government pag. 28. All such persons who shall be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ought to know That there is a God that there is but one everliving and true God Maker of Heaven and earth and Governor of all things that this onely true God is the God whom we worship that this God is but one God yet three distinct persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost all equally God That God created man after his own image in Knowledge Righteousness and true Holiness That by one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned that thereby they are all dead in Trespasses and sins and are by nature the children of wrath and so lyable to eternal death the wages of every sin That there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man the Man Christ Iesus who is also over all God blessed for ever neither is there salvation in any other That he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary that he died upon the cross to save his people from their sins that he rose again the third day from the dead ascended into heaven sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh continual intercession for us of whose fulness we receive all grace necessary to salvation That Christ and his benefits are applied onely by faith that faith is the gift of God and that we have it not of our selves but it is wrought in us by the Word and the spirit of God That faith is that grace whereby we believe and trust in Christ for remission of sins and life everlasting according to the promises of the Gospel that whosoever believes not in the Son of God shall not see life but shall perish eternally That they who truly repent of their sins do see them sorrow for them and turn from them to the Lord and that except men repent they shall surely perish That a godly life is conscionably ordered according to the word of God in holiness and righteousnses without which no man shall see God That the Sacraments are seals of the Covenant of Grace in the blood of Christ that the Sacraments of the New Testament are Baptism and the Supper of the Lord that the outward elements in the Lords Supper are Bread and Wine and do signifie the Body and Blood of Christ crucified which the worthy receiver by Faith doth partake of in the Sacrament which Christ hath likewise ordained for the remembrance of his death that whosoever eateth and drinketh unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord therefore that every one is to examine himself left he eat and drink judgement to himself not
churches and whosoever shall thus be cast out of one church wee wil repute him equally cast out of all and avoid communion with him accordingly 24. If it should so fall out that any Minister or particular church should obstinately and wilfully after many endeavours and much waiting reject the direction and counsel of the association in things apparently agreeable to the word of God then we resolve to draw the right hand of fellowship from such Minister or church 25. For the better carrying on of our intended association we resolve to observe these following rules 1. We judge it convenient to divide our selves into three associations viz. at Carlile at Penrith and Cockermouth and shall meet once a Moneth or more or less as occasion shall require and the major part of the association shall think fit yet in this we do not intend to exclude any Minister not being scandalous from any of the associations that will be pleased to take the pains to be present there nor yet the Ministers of other Counties that shall desire to joyne with any of them 2. At these meetings we shall hear and determine things of common concernment endeavour to resolve doubts compose differences consider the justness weight of the grounds and reasons of Ministers removals from any place when such cases shall fall out consult and advise about special emmergencies that may happen to our Ministry or congregations in particular 3. Because ministers being men of like passions with others can claime no exemptions from humane frailties and infirmities and in regard their miscarriages are more dishonorable to God and the Gospel more offensive and hurtful to private christians therefore we resolve impartially to hear complaints made against any Minister in association with us and to this end we do all and every one of us in case any exception or complaint against any of us shall be made freely profess our resolution to submit to the admonition reproof censure or advice of our brethren yet we would not be here mistaken as if we intended the encouragement of groundless and frivolous quarrels and exceptions either in people against ministers or in one minister against another for as we purpose the Lord assisting us not to be too backward to reprove and rebuke when there shall be just cause so shall we endeavour to be mindefull of that wariness which the Scripture enjoyneth in receiving an Accusation against an Elder 4. Though for conveniencie we divide our selves into three associations yet we resolve sometimes to meet all together especially when there shall fall out any thing of more extraordinary and publike nature or difficulty which cannot be easily satisfactorily decided in any of our particular associations 5. If any that shall offer to ioyn with us in our association lie under the common repute of scandal then we will deferr his admission till he have cleared himself or otherwise given satisfaction and for the prevention of offences we resolve not to admit any into our associations without the consent of the whole or major part of them 6. Lastly we will endeavour a closure of affection as well as judgement and practise and to that end we resolve wholly to lay aside and bury all names and terms of difference to carry our selves each to other as brethren forbearing as much as we can whatsoever might either in word or action occasion mis-reports and offences or raise up grounds of iealousie and exception one against another Omnibus hisce Consentimus c. The Ministers of Westmerland gave their Consent in these words We whose Names are here under-written do subscribe to the forementioned Propositions except what concerns the County of Cumberland in particular The Confession of Faith I Believe that there is one only a living and true God b who is a most pure spirit c infinite in being and perfection d And that in the Unity of the Godhead there are three dictinct Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one God the same in substance equal in power and glory e 2. I believe that God hath revealed his whole counsel concerning his own glory and mans salvation in the Scriptures of the Old and new Testament which were given by divine inspiration f to be the perpetual and onely rule of our faith and obedience g 3. I believe that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth h and all things in them of nothing in the space of six dayes and all very good and that he upholdeth i all things by the word of his Power and governeth k all things according to the counsel of his own will l 4. I believe that God created man after his own image in knowledge righteousness and true holiness m And that he gave him a Law n promising life upon perfect obedience and threatning disobedience with death o 5. I believe that man having broken this Law lost the image of God and communion with him p and brought himself his whole posterity into an estate of sin and misery q 6. I believe that man not being able to deliver himself from the curse r God so loved the world s that he promised t and accordingly when the fulness of time was come sent forth his Son Jesus Christ u who took to him our nature w and became man x being conceived by the Holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin Mary of her substance and born of her y yet without sin z who having fulfilled all righteousness a was made a curse for us b suffered death upon the cross c was buried and the third day he rose again d ascended into heaven e and sitteth at the right hand of God f making intercession for us g 7. I believe that all the fruits of Christs Mediatorship shall be effectually communicated to all h and onely i those who in him were elected unto salvation before the foundation of the world k which the Holy Ghost doth certainly apply by working faith in them l thereby uniting them in their effectual calling to Christ theirhead m and into one Church which is his body n justifying o adopting p sanctifying q and bringing them into communion with him in all spirituall blessings r 8. I believe Christ hath appointed that those who profess his name should for the begetting s and increase t of grace and knowledge exercise an holy communion together u under the administration of all his Ordinances w which they are carefully to observe till his second coming x 9. I believe that Christ shall come again at the end of the world y and that then the Bodies of all those that shall bee found dead shall bee raised and the rest z changed and all brought before him to judgement which he
shall pass upon them according to their works †whereby the righteous shall be adjudged to eternal life in heaven and the wicked to eternal death in hell * I do heartily take the Lord to be my God a and chief good b and Iesus Christ to bee my onely Saviour and Redeemer c and the Holy Ghost to bee my Sanctifier d giving my selfe up wholly to this one God to love him with all my heart with all my soule and with all my might e to obey him sincerely and faithfully f in all his Lawes contained in the Holy Scriptures g though never so cross to my desires or interest of Credit Pleasure and Profit h and all this to the death i And in particular I consent and resolve in the strength of Christ to hold constant Communion with the Church of CHRIST in the publike VVorship of GOD k and to submit unto the Discipline and Government which CHRIST hath ordained l for his own glory and his peoples good m and that I may have the opportunity of the injoyment of these priviledges for the advancement of mine obedience I resolve and promise to submit n to the Ministeriall guidance and oversight exercised according to the Rules of the VVord in this Congregation and to the brotherly advice and admonition o of fellow-Christians here TO ALL That proses the Name of the LORD JESUS IN THE COUNTIES OF Cumberland and Westmerland BOTH Magistratates and People They that shall appear against the carnal interests and corruptions of men in the confident expectation of a calm Sea and a generall acceptance do forget that they deal with men whose distempers usually are awakened to the most vigorous angry opposition by the smaâ—â— of a searching though never 〈◊〉 and necessary medicine Or that they deal with English men pardon the expression whose former contentions and dis-satisfactions make their passions the more ready to take up Armes and become quarrelsome Or that they deal with Satan who will the more best it himselfe to kindle and blow the fire because hee knowes such undertakings are principally against his interest are Kingdome Yet they who shall be affrighted from their duty by the report of Giants and walled Cities difficulties that attend it shew so much unfaithfulness in regard of their duty so much blockish regardlessness of Gods Honour and the Churches good which are of far more value then all our lives if it should cost us so much so much sordid basenese of spirit as not daring to disquiet those humours which if reuzed might hazard them in their esteem peace or maintenance so much Atheisme and unbelief as if the great JEHOVAH were not able to bear them out and to give unexpected success to contemptible beginnings or at least to reward them plentifully for their toyle and care That they declare before all the world their unworthiness of that high Trust and those honourable Titles of Overseer Guide Ambassador Steward Stars and Angells which are then most glorious to a spiritual eye when most scorned and vilified by the World Upon these and such like Considerations we have put our selves upon these Resolutions which herewith are presented unto you WE who have engaged our selves in this undertaking have we hope throughly considered what in all probability it may cost us that while we look for reproach contradiction which yet we would not willingly finde our opposers may find that undaunted courage in our prosecution of this Work which they would not readily have looked for The great distance of this from the first undertaking and Report of our Agreement doth necessarily draw forth this brief Account of its Birth and Progress About three yeers ago some of us joyned together in an Expedient much of this nature which we propounded to some of our Brethren of different perswasions in these things but it took not whereupon we resolved to prosecute it among our selves and made some Progress in it At which time VVorcestershire Association with Mr. Baxters Explication came forth Upon this we began to conceive more probability of some reconciliation at least of different judgements in matters of Church-Government then formerly because we hoped the prejudice which possibly might arise from our single attempt in a business of that nature would be much removed when they saw we were not alone and that the way was led by others of so much worth and ability we therefore resolved to take up our former design again and to propound it to the whole Ministry of the County in general To that end several Meetings were desired and at last we agreed in these following Propositions which were cheerfully subscribed by several both of the Presbyterian and Congregational Judgement During the agitation of these things some of us were much affected to observe 1. The Assent of men both able and judicious and such as had throughly studyed the Congregational Way and from whom in proprobability opposition might have been expected in case these things had been inconsistent with these Principles 2. That Prejudice which like a hateful Monster impoysons the best things seeks Fuel from its own ignorance and blindness and from the very distance which it self caused like a Fiery Oven devours all that 's cast into it and musters up all the Passions to fight against it knows not what hath the greatest hand in hindering the Unity and and Concord of Brethren 3. That the best way to cure it is friendly and brotherly debates especially after it hath tyred it self with its own Activity and evaporated something of its Fury 4. That the Churches Peace if by all parties seriously laid to heart is a very forceable medium to infer a conclusion of Unity Yet all was not done when we had proceeded thus far Action the life of all was yet behinde Satan is enraged and surely that must needs be good which he so furiously opposeth and endeavours to stiffle it in the birth to effect which he disgorgeth from his hateful stomack a swarm of Quakers these at that very time when all things were ready for practice come upon us like a furious Torrent all is on fire on the sudden many are unsetled the foundations shaken and some apostatize here we are beaten off and are forced to lay other things aside that we might more fully binde our selves to quench these flames After a while this storm abates and we begin to think of our former Work But the last Parliament was then sitting and because something of that nature was expected from them it was advised we should yet a little forbear till we might see the issue The Parliament being ended we encountered with an other Demurrer which was this The providence of God so ordered things that many Ministers in this County were unfixed supposing they should be necessitated to remove and several did remove to other Counties so that we were again forced to let all alone expecting what way