government a free Congregation according as is before described that we may obey God and keepe his Commandement given us in these places of Scripture Which we ought to doe Likewise * Gal. 5.1 all are cōmanded to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be intangled in the yoake of bondage Out of such a visible Church a free Congregation we cannot possibly observe and keepe this generall Commandement orderly ordinarily but in it we may Therefore here we are commanded also to be actually in such a visible Church a free Congregation and to use the same Againe all are commanded †2 Thes 3.15 to stand fast and to keep the Apostles Traditions and Ordinances But this forme of a visible Church is one maine and substantiall Apostolike Ordinance Therefore we are all cōmanded to observe keepe it namely so as before is declared Againe all are commanded to ‡ Heb. 13 17 7 1 Thes 5.12 obey their Pastors to follow their faith to make much of such to | Math. 6.33 seeke first the Kingdome of God to “ 2 Fet. 1.10 make our calling and election sure viz. by walking in the true outward way To observe the 2. Commandement in all the parts of it a maine part whereof under the Gospell is this forme of a visible Church and government Lastly this ordinance of Christ we ought to hold and keep most firmely whosoever gainsay it because in this estate of a Church the †Psalm 33.3 134. ◠Eph. ◠12 promises of God are given and received and no where else directly and ordinarily And there is no promise to any indirect and accidentall constitution of a Church Wherefore this direct and ordinary meanes of hope and faith of grace and salvation we ought to preferre before our life Remembring also that ‡ Luk. 9.27 willingly to refuse and omitt the same is no lesse then damnation to any man Thus then in all these so waighty points we are cleerely cōmāded to obey God rather thē man And God cōmanding us to feare to love and to serve him he cōmandeth us the necessary meanes way of doing so even that Church in and by which ordinarily wee must doe so that wee may be accepted Which under the Gospell is such a free Congregatiō as is †In Artic. 4. before made cleare Where we see that this onely is now Christs true visible Church and no other forme of a visible Church is Wherefore we are all bound with all care to hearken to the expresse precept o the Holy Ghost concerning even this point saying ‡ Isa 30. 21. This is the way walke yee in it Which also the Harmony of Confessions teacheth viz. | Harm of Conf. French Artic. 26. Dutch Artic. 28. Helvet ch 11. That this we ought to doe notwithstanding men of power and might shall say nay These with the branches depending on them are our differences even all the matters wherein we dissent from the usuall and common opinion among us in this Land 3. Now therefore to come to the 3. and last point of this our Protestation wee demaund and doe earnestly crave of every in different christian to answere us what false things have wee here affirmed What on our part is evill What is wicked in all this If nothing as wear firmely perswaded in our soules that there is nothing Then we pray and earnestly intreate in the bowells of mercy in Iesus Christ every one to pardon our Consciences in that thus doing wee stand to give actuall obedience to our Heavenly Lord and Saviour in his owne Commandements and Ordinances which also wee doe that we may thereby as by the onely true complete meanes get †1 Ioh. 3.18.19 assurance of salvation to our soules which otherwise we for our parts cannot finde And otherwise whise wee omitt thus to doe and keepe not Christs sayd Cōmandements any with reproch may say unto us shew us your faith by your workes through workes is faith made perfect But faith without workes is dead And Christ sayth If yee love mee then keep my Commandements And Not he that saith Lord Lord But he that doeth the will of the Father is justified Whence verily wee see it plaine and we know well that not the talkers nor disputers of Christs will but the doers shal be saved yea though men afflicte them for it and they that will have Christ to raigne over them not ‡ L 19. they that will not Wherefore we humbly pray every upright-harted servant of God to consider that it is not possible for us knowing that which we know to give this fore-rehearsed due obedience unto Christ but by walking in this way which wee doe Which also cannot be but first by eschewing the evill and then by doing the good That is first by renouncing to be ordinary and constant members of any Diocesan or Provinciall Church visible politicall Because the forme of these is wholly without Gods word in the Gospell yea contrary to it And then also of the Parishes as naturall parts depending on them and on their Lord Bishops seeing these likewise doe both want Gods word and add to it stand in bondage in those the above noted substantiall pointes and meanes most important to salvation which before have been declared Wherefore thus farr forth onely wee leave our sayd parishes also but no further That is to be in them no ordinary and constant members but members in them occasionally we refuse not to be seing in them we finde in many places very many true visible christians with whom we cannot as we believe deny publike communion absolutely and therefore on occasion we offer to communicate with our sayd publike congregations or parishes as before we have professed taking God to witnes that this we doe not through any pride or singularity but meerely out of necessitie of our duetie to obey Christ in his word as we believe that herein we doe and to submitt unto his word and ordeyned meanes to keepe his commandements and to avoide abiding in sinne which otherwise possibly we cannot see how wee can avoyd Yea againe and againe we testify that being forced meerely by conscience thus wee do not knowing otherwise in our soules how to answere it at the last day Where we know no Magistrate nor Prince shall be able to answere for us if after the Light manifested we be found standing in a wrong way contrary to Christes sacred Ordinance as we believe this Diocesan politicall Church is Secondly hence it is that we do joyne each person onely himselfe humbly and obediently to the evident way of the Gospell the most certayne true Church estate set downe in the New Testament by Christ and his Apostles namely to a free Congregation Which truthes before specially in the 4th Article wee have sufficiently shewed binding our selves to proceede simply and onely by this sure rule and therein to persevere
And to be short by experience wee see too oft most evidently they breed both an idle Pastor an ignorant secure people Therefore to follow herein the Christian liberty and discretion of the Churches in the Apostles times we hold it to be farr the best Of Holy dayes so called 22. Wee believe that under the Gospell there is not any holy day besides the Lords day nor any fasting day or dayes constant ordinary and on certaine seasons or times of the yeare continually to be observed All such observing of dayes we believe is against Gods word not onely as being religious ordinances †Math. 15.9.13 instituted by men neverthought on by Christ nor his Apostles in all their time who yet had the Holy Ghost leading them into ‡ Joh 4.25 14 26. 6.13 all truth meete for Christian people and had more reason to institute them then wee but also as being directly forbidden in the 4. Commandement where God saying to man | Exod. 20.9 Six dayes thou shalt labour and doe all that thou hast to doe he sayth there also but rest the Seaventh for so did God himselfe after the 6. dayes creation whose example herein do thou follow Now this Divine appointmēt of a Seventh day onely to be kept holy wee plainely see to be for the equity proportion which is the substance therof avery Commandment of God unto us still and therefore of all men to be perpetually observed Howbeit if God or the Apostles had ordeyned beside a 7. day any other holy dayes particularly in the Gospell as God and his Prophets else where in the Law did ordeyne some besides the Sabbath then notwithstanding this Commandement we would never refuse such holy dayes now over and besides the Lords day But that in the Gospell was not done the Gospell no where sheweth any such matter Therefore we believe it not we cannot now but refuse it And yet againe Dayes of thanksgiving or fasting which by men are appointed upon some speciall occasion and are to be used accordingly that is for the sayd speciall and particular occasions sake and onely for a season convenient and fitting thereunto but in no wise constantly and continuingly as is afore noted such dayes I say we approve and allow as having warrant from the Spirit of God both in the Law and in the Gospell But other then these we neyther believe nor allow any Of Mariage Burying Churching as it is called 23. Concerning making of mariage and burying the dead we believe that they are no actions of a Church Minister because they are no actions spirituall but civill Neither are Ministers called to any such busines Neither is there so much as one example of any such practise in the whole book of God either under the Law or under the Gospell without which warrant we believe it to be unlawfull whatsoever any Minister doth attempt at any time or in any place especially as a part of his ministeriall office and function Wherefore we professe and protest that we earnestly desire that the Solemnization of holy Mariage might be performed by some Civill Magistrate assigned by highest authoritie thereunto And when Ministers doe in the Congregations solemnize Mariage we testify that we believe that they doe nothing therein neither can but blesse this ordinance of God as likewise they doe some time the initiation of a Magistrate they doe not essentially constitute either of them And for Churching of women likewise we know no ground for it in Scripture nor good reason at all specially to make it a necessary part of the Ministers office in the publike divine service Of Ministers made also Magistrates by the State 24. Wee believe that the joyning of Pastorall ministery and Magistracy together in one person under the Gospell is simply unlawfull and contrary to the Text of the new Testament which sayeth It shall not be so among you Ma. 20.25 Luke 22.26 And. Let him that teacheth waite on teaching abide therein Rō 12.17 Of the gifts and offerings of the faithfull 25. Wee believe that there is a holy Cōmunion of the whole Church in communicating of their substance together by gifts and offerings These gifts and offerings are given Numb 28.2.18.8 Malach. 3.8.9 to God they are Gods properly and specially belonging to God he taketh them for his also they are given to that particular Church of God for which the givers doe intend them They are not meere almes but first evident signes of true love to God then they are necessary meanes and duties required by God for the supportation maintenance and upholding of the sayd Church and of the sincere worship of God therein These gifts and offering are meerely free and voluntary yea every time the giver commeth to God with them These gifts and offerings are ‡ Prov. 3.9 2 Sam. 24.24 1 Chrō 16.29 reall sacrifices to God and partes of his holy ‡ worship and service Also after they are given and received they are holy and consecrated things not goods for | Levit. 27.26.29 Exod 13.13 Deut. 15.19 common secular use These gifts are some ordinary some extraordinary The time of offering these ordinary giftes is every Lords day The most fitt and comely season and place for it is in the holy Assembly then when the Churches use is to performe it Neverthelesse they who are on just occasion any such day absent ought allwayes to lay aside for God and for his service their portion or rather Gods parte and portion and in due time to bring or send it Which is no lesse sanctifyed to the foresayd holy use and acceptable to God then if the givers then had been present These gifts though they be free and voluntary in the givers touching the particular quantitie yet that they doe thus give offer every Lords day somewhat either more or lesse is †1 Cor. 16.2 1 Cor. 9.14 a very commandment of God and a fruit of necessary obedience in man The quantitie is thus farre pointed at in the Scripture viz. According as the Lord hath prospered every one And some are in high grace with God who give to God out of their penurie The persons who are to give these holy giftes are all and every member of the Church except onely those that receive maintenance therefrom at the hand of the Church So that all the Churches members are givers or receivers They that receive are the Poore and the Ministers of the Church Extraordinary offerings and giftes which some out of speciall Zeale to Gods glory doe offer besides the ordinary are for the place time kinde and quantitie such as each giver seeth God may be the more honoured thereby The ordinary offerings in the assembly are to be received by the Deacons committed into the hands of the | Act. 11.30 Numb 18.8.14 Elders and with their direction to be disposed of by the Deacons The Cōmandment of the Apostle to the Church of Corinth 1
untill death or else when wee swerve we acknowledge our selves justly worthy of the fearfull Censure of Excommunication from that holy society of Christians wherein to by Gods mercy we are now entered where withall wee acknowledge our selves also worthily excluded from the spirituall Communion of Gods people wholly and every where till wee returne by Repentance Wee say the feare of God constrayneth us hereunto seing we cannot otherwise finde in our hearts cleerely the safety of our soules a matter above all things in this world which wee and all people ought to have greatest regard of All glory be to God on high and in earth peace goodwill towards man The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with us all Amen Ier. 32.39 One way and one heart Cypr. de Vnit. Eccles Credere se in Christum quomodo dicet qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit How can one say he believeth in Christ who doth not that which Christ commandeth Caluin Instit. 4.3.2 Ecclesiae dissipationem velruinam potiùs exitium molitur quisquis ordinem hunc de quo disputamus HOC GENVS regiminis vel abotêre studet vel quasi minus necessarium éleuat Hee laboureth the ruine and destruction of the Church whosoever he be that endeavoreth to abolish this order and THIS KIND of Government whereof wee treate or maketh light of it as lesse necessary AN HVMBLE PETITION TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE BY THE Christians notified in the fore-rehearsed Confession and Protestation his Majesties ever faithfull Subjects that of his good mercifull disposition it would please him to give them Toleration and peace under him in their serving of God acording to their sayd Confession and Protestation GIve thy judgments to the King ô God thy righteousnes to the Kings Sonne Psalm 72.1 MOst gracious Soveraigne your loyall and dutifull Subjects notified in the forerehearsed Confession and Protestation of their faith being well assured and firmely beleiving that this intent of theirs is honest righteous godly charitable and of necessarie importance to their soules health yet being also in most greivous dangers heavy perplexities ready every howre to be drawne into most miserable distresses and calamities for this their conscience and obedience to Gods word have their recourse to your Sacred Majestie their onely hope in earth and to you as they ought to doe they make their sute in most humble manner on their bended knees Beseeching you as in effect they | Anno. 1609. An Humble Supplication formerly did so now againe to give unto them this favour that peaceably and quietly they may worship God and serve him in your Highnes dominions where they dwell after the tenour of their Confession and Protestatiō here before expressed Their enemies are rigorous and sharpe in laying affliction on them onely for this their conscience toward God both in their goods and libertie if your Majestie will give way to them wherein they pretend your Majesties service and that they doe but your will So that it is your good Grace onely that under God can help us and give us securitie from such we trust undeserved evills Many things induce us to presume thus into your Majesties presence and to be in all humble submissiō suters to your Majestie for this singular grace from you Yea many reasons and strong inforcements as it were doe move us hereunto which we beseech your Majestie graciously to heare First seeing this is the essentiall order in the Gospell of the visible churches of Christ which we follow if he have set any order of spirituall government at all in the Gospell which we verily believe he hath And then wee beseech your Majestie graciously to consider how can it be possible but that for Christs glory and honour and out of necessary obedience and duetie to him we ought to walke in it and humbly sue to your Highnes for peace thereīn as here at this present in all submission and lowlinesse we doe Secondly Because this we perceive that the perill of our soules lyeth hereon How can we there fore choose but with all diligence and dutifull affection seeke at your Majesties gracious hands this bountie towards us which surpasses all other benefites which in this world you can yeeld us Thirdly Forasmuch as the contrary way unto us the way of the L. Bishops and their followers is such as giveth great and most apparant advantage to the papacie Church of Rome and which leadeth many in this land directly thither backe againe partly for that there is in the New Testament much more shew and colour for a universall Church visible indued with governmēt then for a Nationall or Provinciall Church independent as this in England now is partly also because they openly professe that all the ministeries in England are by succession †Fr. Mason of the Consecration of Bb. Anno 1614. derived and received essentially from the Pope which indeed in their estate they cannot will nor choose but so acknowledge Therefore considering this what hearte can sustaine the due griefe sorrowe shame of this slander of this dishonour to God of triumph and laughing to Antichrist of reproch to our land wherein wee for our partes can bringe no other remedie but our prayers to God for the generall good and most humble requests to your Highnes for mercie herein toward our selves Fourthly for as much as if we should deny this our faith and violate our conscience and turne backe with them to the way of deriving the ministerie succeedingly from Rome we are terrified with the very cogitation hereof not onely in that this would argue in us breach of faith toward God and damnable levitie in our conscience but also we behold a fearfull sentence in the | Eliz. 27.2 law of our land against all which so say and affirme Avoyding therefore this perplexitie and danger we have no way to serve God truely in but this which here we professe And therefore cannot but seeke your gracious favour in permitting us with quietnes to enjoye the same Fiftly the integrity of our heartes and loyaltie of our mindes towardes your Highnes Soveraigne power under Christ doth animate us to looke toward your Clemencie in this our need whom God hath ordayned to be a noursing father and defender to all the religious professors of the Gospell among your subjects And therefore we crave of your Highnes herein to be good unto us In what particular That you would afford us and assigne to us some Civill Magistrate or Magistrates qualifyed with wisdome learning and vertue to be under your Highnes our everseers for our more peaceable orderly and dutifull cariage of our selves both in our worshipping God ad in all other our affaires at your pleasure To whom with all readinesse and subjection we are willing to be accomptable and answerable alwayes We have none under Iesus Christ in our wants and distresses to have recourse unto but to your protection and