is counted one of the six foūdations principles of faith there rehearsed Which then requireth that also the whole outward spiritual administration and government of Christes Church now must be such yea and the forme it selfe of the visible politicall Church must then be a foundation of Religion a principle of christian faith ordinarily necessary forever unchangeable by men Wee doe not here think that all who of simplicitie doe erre in this foundation and principle of faith are of necessitie damned We are not of so rigid and severe an opinion But we therefore hold it as a foundation and principle of faith because it is ordinarily necessarie to salvation and forever unchangeable by men Thus standeth our faith in these pointes so that they which hold contrarily to wit that these things are but circumstances in Religion accidents ordayneable and changeable by men even from one forme to another doe as we believe erre greatly from the trueth Of Christs true visible politicall Church in more speciall manner 4. Wee believe that the nature essence of Christs true visible that is politicall Church under the Gospell is a free congregation of Christians for the service of God or a true spirituall bodie politike cōteyning no more ordinary Cōgregations but one and that independent Wherein chiefly 2. pointes are to be noted First that a true visible politicall Church under the Gospell is but one ordinary Congregation And this is to be seene plainely in these scriptures Math. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.4.12.13 1 Cor. 11.18.20 1 Cor. 14.23 Againe Act. 1.15 Act. 2.1.44 Act. 6.2.3.5.6 Act. 15.22.25 Also Act. 14.27 Act. 15.30 Moreover Act. 20.28 Act. 14.23 Gal. 1.2.21 2 Cor. 8.1 Rom. 16.1 c. The second point here to be noted is That by Gods ordinance this one ordinary congregation of Christians is a spirituall bodie politike and so it is a free congregation independent That is It hath from God the right and power of spirituall Administration and Government in it selfe and over it selfe by the common and free consent of the people independently and immediately under Christ alwayes in the best order they can Which these places doe prove Mat. 18.17.19 1 Cor. 5.12.13 10.15 7.23 2 Cor. 2.8 2 Thes 3.6.14 Act. 6.3.5.6 Act. 14.23 Act. 1.23.26 Act. 15.22.25 1 Thes 5.21 1 Ioh. 4.1 Rom. 16.17 Coll. 4.17.2 3 Io. 10. Gal. 1.9 Gal. 5.1 Gal. 4.26 Of Synods and Councells 5. Howbeit we acknowledge with all that there may be and that on occasion there ought to be on earth a consociatiō of Congregations or Churches namely by way of Synods but not a subordination or surely not a subjection of the congregations under any higher spirituall authoritie absolute save onely Christs and the holy Scriptures They who deny this mainteyning a Diocesan and Provinciall and neither wee nor they themselves know what universall visible politicall Church both proper and representative doe herein vary farr from the rule of the Gospell Of a Catholike or Vniversall Church politike that is indued with power of outward spirituall Government 6. It is demanded doe wee deny an Universall visible Church under the Gospell Wee answer yea Under the Gospell Christ never instituted nor had any one Universall visible Church that is Politicall either proper or representative which ordinarily was to exercise spirituall outward government over all persons through the world professing Christianity No such Church say wee is found in all the new Testament Therefore we now cannot acknowledge any such Of a Provinciall Church independent 7. It is marveyled why we likewise deny that under the Gospell there is any true visible politicall Church Provinciall or Diocesan seing so we shall deny a true visible politicall Church to be now in England because the English Church as commonly it is holden is properly a Diocesan and Provinciall or a Nationall visible politicall Church We answere For our parts we acknowledge there are many true visible yea politicall Churches in England in some degree in some respect yet indeed we deny also a Nationall a Provinciall Diocesan Church under the Gospell to be a true visible politicall Church whether wee meane the whole body or the representative part of such Churches though the publike practise among us doth hould them for true politicall Churches The reason why wee deny these also is Because neither any such is found any where set downe in Gods word of the new Testament even like as there is no Universall Church visible politicall there set downe But onely a free Congregation or ordinary Assembly is found in the new Testament as a litle before is shewed How true visible politike Churches are in England 8. And touching the true visible politicall Churches which we acknowledge are in England wee professe and declare in this manner Namely that each company of true visible Christians associated togither in one place viz. a Parish and professing to serve God according to his will in faith and order so farr as they knowe such as there are many in England the same is a true visible politicall Church in some respect that is Though not in respect of the order of the state unless indirectly and by accident to it after which they walke and under which they stand in spirituall bondage yet in Christ directly they are free And so directly and essentially they are a true politicall Church as they are a company of true visible Christians united by their owne consent to serve God as a litle before is noted And thus they have free power of spirituall outward governmēt among themselves though they professedly practise it not But esteeming them by Gods word in their direct practise state according to the publike proceedings they are not a true politicall Church nor free directly as they stand under and joyned to the L. Bishops spirituall dominion over them Which bondage and want of spirituall freedome in themselves our godly people generally see not nor this That in right from Christ they have this freedome to be exempted from the unlawfull domination of the L. Bishops aforesayd Neither think they so upon this matter as they ought and as the perill of their soules requireth Howbeit yet all this as ‡ Prov. 25 18. 17.15 we judge doth not simply disanull that peoples being true visible Christians with us so long as herein they erre but of ignorance nor the assemblies from being true visible politicall Churches in some respect and degree as before is shewed And therefore we cōmunicate also with them on occasion as before likewise is signified viz. while in such communicating wee countenance out no evill thing in them which in many places and many times we need not doe Whereof we shall presently see further in Art 11. following Of L. Archbishops and L. Bishops Diocesan and Provinciall 9. Wee believe that the spirituall office calling and power and administration of L. Archbishops and L. Bishops
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
Diocesan and Provinciall with their inferior Hierarchy is contrary to the Ecclesiasticall order ordinance of Christ established in the new Testament and not to be communicated with The proofes whereof doe stand on the grouÌ„ds of the 4. Article before and on those in the 10. Article next following after Of the making of Ministers 10. Wee believe that the essence of Ministers calling under the Gospell is the †1 Thes 5.21 Rom. 16.17 1 Ioh. 4.1 Act. 14.23 Act. 6.3.5 Act. 1.23.26 2 Cor. 1.24 1 Pet. 5.3 1 Cor. 7.23 1. Cor. 3.22 Math. 18.17.19 28.20 Congregations consent We speake of the ordinary Ministerie especially of Pastors And it is proved thus Whatsoever is essentiall in making of a Minister at some time and in some place the same is essentiall ever But the Congregations consent is essentiall at sometime and in some place This is without question viz. in some places it was when Christians came first out of the Antichristian tyranny bondage of Rome Also as it may happen it is now and may be hereafter in like cases And also in the first conversion of the Indies and other infidell Countries Which even our Adversaries as they must needes doe confesse Therefore the Congregations consent is essentiall ever and every where in the making of a Minister Many there are by whome this conclusion is denyed They hold the authority and consent of a former Minister to be essentiall to the making of a Minister And so they derive hold the Ministery of the Church of Christ with us to come as touching the essence thereof succeedingly from Antichrist the Pope of Rome Indeed there are but onely these 2. wayes neither can be to make Ministers to us essentially And therefore in truth we conclude a Ministers calling is essentially alwayes from the Congregations consent For any lawfull authority herein from the Pope we acknowledge * 2 Cor. 6.15.16 none And with all upon this ground Wee for our partes cannot but believe it to be simply unlawfull and sinfull to fetch receive yea or to use a Ministery formerly received from the Prelates seing that hereby and especially by the expresse opinion that the Ministery of England descendeth from the Pope beside the mainteyning of Romes pride the foreshewed order of God and the †As before in the beginning of this Artic. Churches true right spirituall is most plainely violated and defaced yea and as we doubt our persons most deeply indangered of our lives by the ‡ Eliz. 27.2 Lawes verdicte in the rigor thereof Because the Soveraigne absolutenes and independency of our Land and Countrey in spirituall things is greatly impaired abased and diminished thereby to say no more of it Finally upon this ground we also believe that a Minister so reputed without any particular flocke is indeed | T.C. â—epl .1 â—1 no Minister Of our communicating with the Parish Ministers Parishes in England 11. First we believe that to think we doe or can receive a Ministery essentially from a former ‡ Hebr. 7.7 Minister or Prelate in these dayes is an errour and the thing received is a nullitie in that respect Secondly this receipt in a Parish minister with us maketh not a nullitie of the Ministerie in him in every respect besides that is it maketh not voyd all truenes of Ministery in him as a believing Congregation howsoever consenteth to have him and useth him for their Minister This consent of the godly there howsoever it be mingled otherwise with errour is not wholly voyd Thirdly concerning us when on some weightie occasion we joyne onely to that which is true in the sayd Ministery and testify in the best manner we can that so we doe also ordinarily leaving the parish congregation and Ministerie for that their errour and other such like and with all professing publishing and practising freely and constantly the simple truth therein with our selves this quitteth us as we firmely believe and sufficiently maketh us cleare from all evill and appearance of evill in this matter Lastly It being no evill nor any appearance of evill justly in us to joyne to the Parish Congregation and Ministerie in such respect and so farr forth onely as is aforesayd we ought as we believe sometime on waightie occasion so to joyne and †Luk. 17.37 Heb. 10.25 1 Cor. 10.32 we sinne if we doe not Touching Plurality Pastors and Nonresidents 12. We believe Plurality-Pastors and Nonresidents to be directly contrary to the order of God in the Gospell And therefore that now they are simply unlawfull and likewise deputed and substituted Pastors by private authority such as our Curates are And meere Lecturers are little better Touching Discipline and Censures 13. Wee believe the true administring of the holy Censures to be by the Congregations consent also And therefore not to be lawfully done by an absolute Diocesan or Provinciall authority that is if it be without any necessary concurrence of consent of that Congregation which it chiefly concerneth Touching the number of Pastors in each Church of the Pastors ordinary power authoritie in managing the Churches spirituall affaires Government 14. Wee believe each Church ought to have one Pastor at least and that they may have moe then one if the number of the Church and their meanes be fitt for it and such plenty of choice may be had Howbeit we judge that it is best and most agreable to the last Apostolike practise that even where many are yet that one have during life a precedencie and prioritie in order and place not in power before the rest Revel 2.1 c. Touching their power and authority in Church government we believe whether they be in each Church single or moe then one they have all that they have and nothing more then what the Congregation doth commit unto them and which they may when need requireth againe take away from them Yea to their utter deposing and also rejection out of the Church it selfe if such necessitie be Howbeit otherwise while they are approved and stand in their place we judge each proper Pastor may and ought to be trusted by the Congregation with the managing of all points of their Ecclesiasticall affaires and government so farr that he with his assistants when he hath any doe execute and administer the same yet so that in matters of waight the whole Congregation doe first understand thereof before any thing be finished and the finall act be done in the presence of the whole Congregation and also that they the sayd Congregation doe not manifestly dissent there from Touching the profane and scandalous mixtures of people in the Congregation 15. Wee believe concerning mixtures of the open prophane with some manifest godly Christians in a visible Church though at once it doth not destroy essentially nor make void the holines of that whole Assembly yet truely it putteth that whole Assembly into a most dangerous and desperate estate by such their confusion and