A COUNTRY ESSAY,

&c.

OUR long expectation of some accommodation" between the dissenting parties about church government, being now almost totally frustrate; being also persuaded partly through the apparent fruitlessness of all such undertakings, partly by other reasons, not at this time seasonable to be expressed, that all national disputes tending that way, will prove birthless tympanies; we deem it no ungrateful endeavour, waving all speculative ideas, to give an essay in such expressions, as all our country friends, concerned in it, may easily apprehend, of what we conceive amongst us may really be reduced to comfortable and useful practice: concealing for awhile all arguments for motives and inducements unto this way, with all those rocks and shelves, appearing very hideous in former proposals, which we strive to avoid; until we perceive whether any of our giants in this controversy will not come and look and so overcome it, that at first dash the whole frame be irrecoverably ruined.

Neither would we have any expect our full sense to each particular imaginable in this business; it being only a heap of materials, most what unhewed, that we intend, and not a well compacted fabric; and if the main be not condemned, we are confident no difference will ensue about particulars, which must have their latitude. However, if it be received as candidly as it is offered, no inconvenience will ensue. Now that the whole may be better apprehended, and the reasons, if not the necessity of this undertaking intimated, we shall premise some things concerning the place, and persons, for whose use is this proposal.

First, For ministers. The place having all this while, through the goodness of God, been preserved in peace and quietness, and by the rich supply of able men sent hither by

P The form being given to this essay at the first, I thought not good to alter any thing about it.

parliament, there are in many parishes, godly, orthodox, peace-loving pastors.

Secondly, For the people.

1. Very many, as in most other places, extremely ignorant, worldly, profane, scandalously vicious.

2. Scarcely any parish where there are not some visibly appearing, of all ages, sexes, and conditions, fearing God, and walking unblameably with a right foot, as beseemeth the gospel though in some places, they are but like the berries after the shaking of an olive-tree.

3. Amongst these very few gifted, fitted, or qualified for government.

4. Many knowing professors, and such of a long standing, inclined to separation, unless some expedient may be found for comfortable communions; and in this resolution seem to be settled to a contempt of allurements and threatenings.

5. Seducers everywhere lying in wait to catch and deceive well-meaning souls, any thing discontented with the present administration of church affairs.

6. Upon all which it appears, that comfortable communion is not to be attained, within the bounds of respective parishes.

Farther to carry on our intentions, we would desire of authority,

1. That our divisions may not be allotted out by our committees, who, without other consideration, have bounded us with the precincts of high constables; but be left to the prudence of ministers, and other Christians, willingly associating themselves in the work.

2. That men placed in civil authority may not, by virtue of their authority, claim any privilege in things purely ecclesiastical.

In the several parishes let things be thus ordered.

1. Let every minister continue in his station, taking especial care of all them that live within the precincts of his parish; preaching, exhorting, rebuking, publickly, and from house to house, warning all, using all appointed means to draw them to Jesus Christ, and the faith of the gospel, waiting with all patience on them that oppose themselves, until God give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and in so doing, rest upon the calling he hath already received.

2. Let the respective elders of the several parishes, to be chosen according to the ordinance of parliament (annually, or otherwise) join with the ministers, in all acts of rule and admonition, with those other parts of their charge, which the parochial administration doth require.

3. Let all criminal things, tending to the disturbance of that church administration which is amongst them, be by the officers orderly delated to such as the civil magistrate shall appoint, to take cognizance and determine of such things.

And thus far have we proposed nothing new, nothing not common; neither in that which follows is there any thing so indeed, may it be but rightly apprehended.

For the several combinations of ministers and people.

1. Let the extremes of the division not be above eight or ten miles distant, and so the middle or centre not more than four or five miles from any part of it, which is no more than some usually go to the preaching of the word, and in which space Christians are generally as well known to one another in the country, as almost at the next door in cities; but yet this may be regulated according to the number of professors fit for the society intended, which would not be above five hundred, nor under one hundred.

2. In this division let there be, in the name of Christ and the fear of God, a gathering of professors (visible saints, men and women of good knowledge, and upright conversation, so holding forth their communion with Christ) by their own desire, and voluntary consent, into one body uniting themselves, by virtue of some promissory engagement, or otherwise, to perform all mutual duties, to walk in love and peace, spiritual and church communion, as beseemeth the gospel.

3. Let every one so assembling have liberty, at some of the first meetings, to except against another, whether minister or others, so it be done with a spirit of meekness, and submission of judgment; or to demand such questions for satisfaction as shall be thought fit to be propounded.

4. When some convenient number are thus assembled, let the ministers, if men of approved integrity and abilities, be acknowledged as elders respectively, called to teach and rule in the church, by virtue of their former mission, and be

assumed to be so to this society, by virtue of their voluntary consent and election.

5. Let the ministers engage themselves in a special manner to watch over this flock, every one according to his abili ties, both in teaching, exhorting, and ruling, so often as occasion shall be administered, for things that contain ecclesiastical rule and church order; acting jointly and as in a classical combination, and putting forth all authority that such classes are intrusted with.

6. If it be judged necessary that any officers be added to them for the purpose before named, let them be chosen by the consent of the multitude.

7. If not, let the ministers have the whole distributed among themselves, respectively according to the difference of their gifts; reserving to the people their due and just privileges.

8. Let this congregation assemble at the least once in a month for the celebration of the communion, and other things them concerning; the meeting of the ministers may be ap pointed by authority, for those of a classis.

9. If any one after his admission be found to walk unworthily, let him, after solemn repeated admonition, be by joint consent left to his former station.

10. Let any person, in any of the parishes combined as before, that is desirous to be admitted into this society, as is thought fit, be received at any time.

11. If the number in process of time appear to be too great, let it be divided, and subdivided according to conve niency.

12. Any one of the ministers may administer the sacra ment, either to some, or all of these, in their several parishes, or at the common meeting, as opportunity shall serve.

13. Let the rules of admission into this society and fellowship be scriptural, and the things required in the mem→ bers only such as all godly men affirm to be necessary for every one that will partake of the ordinances with profit and comfort, special care being taken that none be excluded, who have the least breathings of soul in sincerity after Jesus Christ.

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Now beyond these generals for the present we judge it

needless to express ourselves, or otherwise to confirm what we have proposed, each assertion almost directly pointing out unto what, in that particular, we do adhere, which being sufficiently confirmed by others, were but a superfluous labour to undertake; neither shall we trouble you with a catalogue of conveniences, whereof men are put upon an express annumeration when otherwise they do not appear, but commit the consideration of the tendence of the whole to every one's judgment; and conclude with the removal of a few obvious objections, being resolved hereafter, by God's assistance, to endeavour satisfaction about this way unto all; unless to such as shall be so simple or malicious as to ask, whether this way be that of the Presbyterians or Independents.

Obj. 1. By this means parishes will be unchurched.

Ans. 1. If by churches you understand such entire societies of Christians, as have all church power, both according to right and exercise, in and amongst themselves, as Independents speak of congregations, then they were never churched by any.

2. If only civil divisions of men that may conveniently be taught by one pastor, and ruled by elders, whereof some may be fit to partake of all the ordinances, some not, as Presbyterians esteem them, then by this way they receive no injury, nor are abridged of any of their privileges.

Obj. 2. This is to erect churches amongst churches, and against churches.

Ans. No such thing; but a mere forming of one church with one presbytery.

Obj. 3. It is against the parliament's ordinance to assume a power of admitting and excluding of church members, not exactly according to their rule, nor subordinate to the supervising of such as are appointed by them.

Ans. 1. For the rules set out by ordinance, we conceive that the church officers are to be interpreters of them, until appeal be made from them, unto which we shall submit; and if it be so determined against us that any be put on our communion, 'ipsi viderint,' we shall labour to deliver our own souls.

2. Though the parliament forbid any but such authoritatively to be excluded, yet it doth not command that any be admitted but such as desire it; and we shall pray for such