And of these we shall note something in relation to the printed Papers .

1. For Church-Government I cannot blame the Respondent , who had lived under the form of Episcopacy , to own that ancient way . He denies it not to have been subject unto faults and errors by the miscarriage of persons employed ; whose faults , if th●● shoud be charged likewise upon other Governments , no form , neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical , would be of any long continuance . I suppose it were a good Reformation , to make some amendment in the Ecclesiastical Lawes ( as about the abilities required in persons to be Ordained , &c. ) and to bring up the practice of the Church to the Laws . That Episcopacy is not to be cast off , we the Ancients , Ignatius , and little reading in are verily perswaded by our other , and by what we find in our own best Reformed Divines . No more need here be named but Zanchy from beyond sea , and Bishop Davenant at home ( whose words you have in the Testimonies ) Bishop Davenant ( a man worthily much esteemed by all parties ) saith , that among many Presbyters , that administer the Word and Sacraments in some one City , there was one by the Apostles themselves , set over the rest , and ( indowed ) with a certain singular dignity and power . And it is manifest , these Bishops thus establisht by the Apostles authority had their successo●s in the same Cities by a continual order . And Zanchy saith , That in the Protestant Churches are not wanting Bishops and Archbishops indeed and in effect : But the good Greek names being changed into bad Latin , they call them Superintendents and general Superintendents . And where these names are not , yet there are wont to be some prime men , who have almost all the Authority . And why should we contend about names , when we agree about the thing ? I will onely adde upon this first Head , what I hear is not displeasing to the Presbyterians , I wish it may not be to the Independents ( whose chief Argument from Mat . 18. for the power of the Congregation , is answered by considering , that matters seem to be referred to the people , because they passed at their assemblies , though under censure of Bishops and Presbyters . See page 112. ) Namely the judgment of that most Reverend and learned Primate , Dr. Usher , now with God : who in four Articles lately printed , hath reduced Episcopacy to the form of Synodical Government . The summe is this , 1 That in every parish the Rector with the Churchwardens note the scandalous and admonish them . 2. That they present the obstinate to the monthly rural Synod , consisting of the Rectors of that part assembled under the Suffragan there to be censured . 3. That the Acts of the monthly Synods be revised once or twice a year by the Diocesan Synod , consisting of all the suffragans and some choice Rectors assembled under the Bishop . 4. That further Appeal may be made , in case of grievances , to the Provincial Synods , &c.

This is a way of conjoyning Episcopal government and Presbyterial into one : which might happily content all sober Christians , so as Church-affairs should be managed ( to borrow words from the royal pen ) neither with tyranny , ●●p●rity , nor popularity : neither Bishops ejected , nor Presbyters despised , nor people oppressed : Whom God hath joyned together , let no man put asunder . So much of the first Head .

2. For Publick prayers . I see no cause to dislike that which is ( among the following testimonies ) cited out of Mr. Calvin's Epistle to the Lord Protector , wherein he saith , I very much approve a certain form of prayers , from which it may not be lawful for the Pastors in their function to depart ; for these reasons , that help may be given to the unskilfulnesse of some : that the consent of all the Churches may appear ; that the levity and uncertainty of some men alwaies affecting novelties , may be regulated and restrained . Yet neither doth Calvin here , nor do any of us deny a grave , modest , discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts , even in publick , the better to fit & excite their own and the peoples affections to the present occasions . But that any mens private & single Abilities should quite justle out the publick forms of prayer , composed by the joynt Abilities and gifts of Godly learned Governours of the Church , this is that we cannot allow of . Neither do we conceive the spirit of prayer to consist so much in utterance of words , which is but a gift of edification , as in stirring up the Graces of faith and humility , and other gifts of sanctification , wherein the very life and soul of prayer consisteth . And certianly he that saith , that short comprehensive prayer ( justly called The Lords prayer , because he framed it for his Disciples ) with an understanding , devout and faithfull heart , prayes very spiritually , very acceptably , and powerfully . Concerning this prayer , I censure it as too yieldingly spoken , which is said in the first Letter , as if the words might be laid aside and omitted , the sense being kept : When as , in my opinion , it is an honour to our Saviour , and a good mark of his humble and faithful followers , to keep not the sense onely , but the very form of words which he hath commended : Nor can I see any reason why so many in these times do omit the form , as if that omission were now become a distinctive character , whereby the most godly preachers and most Reformed Christians might be known . But enough of this .

3. As to the Ordination and power of Ministers , that Text ( Tit . 1.5 . ) insisted on in the Dispute ( adde Acts 14.23 . ) plainly shews the Apostolical practice of Ordaining Elders in every Church ; and in succeeding Ages a succession of Christs Ministers was preserved by the like Ordination , as Ecclesiastical Records do abundantly witness . That Churches parochial should be filled with those that set up a new or no form of worship , and minister holy things before they have received holy Orders , this I think was never heard of in our land , before these our times ; and what the consequence will be , we have great cause to fear , even the overthrow of all Religion , and the introducing of Atheism and prophaness among our people . Those words in the late Mournf●ll Complaint , presented to some Parliament men , are to the purpose : You have placed in many of our Churches , and given the Tithes , and other profits belonging to the cure of souls , to men that refuse to take any such charge upon them , and who are so far from having the affections , or performing the duties of faithful Pastors to us , that they do professedly disown any such relation , and consequently all the duties thereunto belonging : Thence they neither Baptise nor Catechise our children , ●●r do they administer the Lords Supper in our Congregations , our sick and seeble persons they visite not , nor own it as a duty incumbent on them to take care for our souls . These Ministers I conceive , being not Ordained , believ● their ministerial power to reach onely to those select persons that are in Covenant with them , and submit to their Church-way , as if the said power were received from the persons that consent thereunto . Thus have we Ministers that are Preachers to thousands , and Ministers ( as themselves say ) to some few gathered out of the multitude ; the rest of the multitude in the mean time remaining ( according to their opinion ) almost in the quality of meer Heathens and Infidels : and if they be not such , this seemeth a way to make them so . For , being not owned as Brethren by the gathered Church , and having good reasons not to come into their communion , they are in many places destitute of divine ordinances without publick Prayers , Sermons , Sacraments , and in a ready way to loose Religion altogether . But why do they not come into the Preachers placed among them by Authority ? Because they believe those Preachers , however settled by the civil power , have not received the sacred Office by lawful Ordination : For we may easily distinguish between the Office and the place wherein the Office is exercised . Preachers and Ministers are placed , and confirmed in their places by the Magistrate or Civil power , but they receive their ministerial Office , or spiritual function by lawful Ordination , and laying on of the hands of the Presbytery . This is called the Power of Order , derived , not from the Magistrate or Prince ; not from the people ( they cannot give what they have not ) but from Bishops and Presbyters , who also have received it from their Predecessors . The Ministers , Servants , Officers and Embassadors of Christ , must have their Authority and Commission from Christ , either immediately , as the Apostles had , or m●di●t●ly by the hands of Elder Ministers , as the lawful Ministers of our time have ; nor may any take this honour unto himself , but he that is thus called of God . The people indeed may be said to Call , that is , to invite and intreate Ministers to come unto them , but their Calling or Function is from God . The Lord of the harvest sends in the laborers ; the great Shepheard setteth Pastors over his flock ; the Master of the Family appointeth Stewards for his houshould to dispence unto them the Mysteries of God .

4. For the administration of the holy Sacrament , that such as have not received the power before mentioned by lawful Ordination , do not administer the Sacrament to all , we will not blame them , because we conceive they have not power of ministring to any one ; but that they condemn the lawful Ministers for ministring unto the people of their Parishes , the sacred things which cannot rightly be denied them , this we may complain of . In the above-cited Mournful Complaint , among many other sad passages , we finde these words : You permit us not to celebrate the memory of our dying Saviour in the Sacrament of his last Supper , and so deprive our souls of that heavenly food , that our dear Lord hath with so much cost provided for us : We would after many sad violations , renew our Covenant with Christ , and engage our souls more firmly to him , but you will not permit us . You complain of the loosenesse of our spirits , whilest you withhold the bonds that should knit us faster unto Christ ; you complain of our weaknesse in resisting corruptions , whilest you withhold the food whereby we should be strengthened ; you complain of seism , strife and division , whilest by you the sacred pledge of Union is detained from us . Surely , I had rather the Church-gatherers should blame the Minister for his indulgence to the people , than that the people should have cause in this manner to complain of his severity ; but the golden mean is to be inquired for . And this is discovered in the ensuing Papers ; where the Author endearours on the one side to avoid the preciseness of some , that admit to the holy Table onely some few persons chosen out of many hundreds ; and the loosnesse of some on the other side , who admit hundreds and exclude not some few ; namely , such as are ignorant and scandalous , such he would have noted , kept back and avoided , if after due admonitions they will not be amended . Whosoever shall peruse two of the following Papers , the first entituled , A reformed Congregation . The second , The Congregation of S. will acknowledge the Author to be no favourer of ignorance and scandalous living , but one that is studious to advance and increase knowledge and piety , and to procure and maintain good Order . The more cause have I to note either the want of charity , or want of care in that Writer , who in a certain Preface hath snatched the Argument out of the Letter May 26 and contrary to the Authors minde and the many expressions in the Book , put upon him this Thesis , That the ignorant and scandalous must be admitted to the Communion : For it is one thing to administer the Sacrament in a Congregation , though mixt , i.e. though after your diligence in doing your part , there be a mixture of good and bad , as there will be while men are men ; and it is another thing to administer carelesly to all sorts , without preparation , without observation , without suspension of such as the Minister is assured , are uncapable of receiving any benefit thereby . That the fear of a mixture is not reason enough to forbear the Sacrament , is ( we still believe ) evinced by some ( at least ) of those Arguments . How they are perverted by the Repenter , the impartiall Reader will easily observe , if he please to compare the places . I will here mention onely the last . As we offer the Covenant to All , so must we offer the Seal to All , that do outwardly submit to the Covenant . Out of these words the Repeater frames this Argument : The Covenant must be offered to all ; Therefore the Sacrament must be offered to all , even to the ignorant and scandalous : Leaving out the qualification added to All in the letter ; namely , that outwardly submit to the Covenant , by which he might if he had pleased , have understood , those that professe faith and repentance , and outwardly or in the eye of their neighbours , are not rebellious against good counsell and admonition . If profession of faith and repentance , t●at is , a voluntary subjection to the Gospel be not the proper Quality of a Receiver , what is ? And when shall Ministers perform their duty of administration , if they must behold first the work of Grace wrought in the heart of every Receiver ? Let the Minister instruct , exhort , admonish his people ; let the people also exhort , and admonish one another , yea let them separate and gather as long as they will ; yet still there will be a mixture : Perfect purity is reserved for heaven . Labour for purity , labour for perfection we must , but in the way of charity and humility , in the way of peace and order . The defence , not of negligent , but of faithful Ministers in Parish-Churches was the thing undertaken by this Respondent , who whilest he labored to compose the difference by private conference , was unhappily engaged to a kinde of publick Dispute , wherein the Reader will quickly finde a great fault , wandring from the Question , and he will find as easily where to lay the blame . However , it may pass among the scuffles of our time , not the worst . In the Relation we know not of any wrong done to the Opponents , with whom the Respondent wisheth no more contention , but what shall pursue Truth and Peace with the swiftest foot . For he is not glad to see the divisions of Protestants and Papists , muchless of Protestants among themselves ; least of all , of English Protestants st●iving to the ruin of our Mother Church .

All good men will joyn in Reverend Doctor Bernard's most charitable wish , That such as do consent in substantials for matter of Doctrine , would joyn in Discipline , and not let private interests and Circumstantials keep them thus far asunder .

I conclude with the words of an honorable and religious person : This therefore is the best and surest way , because we are all apt to be deceived , to be sincere in our disquisitions , modest in our determinations , charitable in our Censures , and apt to communicate in things of evident Truth and confessed Holinesse .