confess mine unadvisedness in my better judgment of it than it deserved.

And thus much for this letter, which the author might more fitly have called an exercise of wit, than a Manuduction, as he doth. And for that it is in effect intended for the justification of the ministry, it shall not be amiss, for the better help of the reader and furtherance of the truth, briefly to set down such particulars as, by the Scriptures and good reason thereunto agreeable, are of absolute necessity for a true ordinary church-officer and minister of Christ; which for order sake I will reduce to four heads.

[1.] The first is, that there be a true visible church, in which he is to be appointed, God having set in the Church Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, etc.: and mention being made everywhere of the "making and ordaining of Elders or Bishops in the churches." Whereupon, 1. I desire to know how the ministers of the Church of England can be true ministers, not being made and ordained such in and to any particular church? 2. Since, as is rightly acknowledged in the former part of the book, "Every true visible church is a company of people called and separated out from the world," I would know how many and which of the parish churches consist of such a separated people, and are not both (at the best) in their persons mixt of the people of God and the world, and also mixt in one national, provincial, and diocesan church, or body, with all the godless multitude, and part of the world in that land? 3. I add, that, since a separated people from the world is but the matter of the Church, and that for a true church a true form is also required, it must also be showed how that can be found there. This form cannot be any particular act, which is transient and passeth away, but something constant and permanent, without which residing actually in the whole and all the parts thereof, the church cannot consist one moment; neither yet can it be any personal thing, either disposition or other relation whatsoever : nor other, as I conceive, than a public orderly covenant and union of a particular assembly, by which it hath in itself entire right to Christ, and to all the means of enjoying him; which I

rather wish could be, than believe can be (for the present) found in any parish church in the land. Lastly, if the provincial and diocesan churches be not true visible churches (which I suppose is this author's judgment) I would know how the parish assemblies, being parts of the other and so parts of false churches, can any more be reputed true churches, than could a particular Jewish synagogue be reputed a true church, which should have made itself an entire and independent body, in respect of the national church and temple ?

But now if any of the parish assemblies be thus separated in their personal and church estate, and formed accordingly (though with defects and wants), we desire to take knowledge of them and which they be, that we may rejoice for the grace of God towards them, and perform unto them the duties of Christian fellowship, as is meet.

a

II. The second necessary for a true ministry is a fit person, in whom aptness to teach and unreprovableness in conversation is found; even reason teaching that whomsoever God calleth to any estate he fitteth competently for the main works thereof. In whom also, for his own comfort with God, is required an inward calling, which, with Calvin, I conceive to be an holy disposition and desire to administer the Gospel of Christ to the glory of God, and furtherance of man's salvation. Which inward calling as a true minister before men may want, as did Judas, so, for that they in England much pretend it when they cannot justify their outward, I demand whether a man thus inwardly called of God, and forefitted accordingly, and being withal persuaded in his heart that a lawful outward calling, and without sin in the entrance and continuance, cannot be had in the Church of England; whether, I say, such a man be not bound in conscience to seek out or procure another church than the Church of England in the present state thereof, by and unto which he may lawfully enter, and administer: and how otherwise he doth not either carelessly neglect, or sinfully profane the Lord's inward calling in his heart?

III. The third thing necessary is a true and lawful office, or function, of ministry; there being, as the Apostle teacheth, diversities of administrations, but (and by) the same Lord, even the Lord Jesus, who, when he ascended on high, gave gifts unto men, some Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists, and some Pastors and Teachers. Now this office and order not being a matter of dignity, as the order of knighthood, or the like, but of work and service, and this work standing summarily in feeding the flock, Acts xx. 28, and this feeding, in teaching and ruling, as the two main parts thereof, I demand how that can possibly be the true and lawful function or office of a bishop or pastor, unto which preaching to the flock is not necessarily required, nor ruling so much as permitted; as we all know the case standeth with the English ministry?

IV. Lastly, there is required a true and lawful outward callingd of the ministers, by those in whom the Lord hath left that right and power: which (if the Scriptures may bear sway) are the particular congregations, in and unto which they are to administer. And of such force is this true and lawful outward calling, as that by it, and none otherwise, this fit and lawful person becomes properly and immediately a true pastor. And how then can he be a true pastor, whose calling unto his function or office of priesthood in the Church of England is merely by the prelate of the province or diocese; by whose license or institution he is also afterward designed to his more particular charge ?

These four conditions and every of them are necessarily required to the constitution of a true pastor: and are none of them (to my knowledge), save the second, to be found in the parochial ministry. Let mine opposite either disprove the former, or manifest the latter, and how and where such a ministry is to be found: but let him do it in that godly simplicity which becometh the Gospel and the things thereof; prescribing to himself, with due reverence of God in whose work he dealeth, the sacred bounds of the Apostle, saying, we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. In and into which the God thereof guide both him, and myself, and all his always! Amen.

NEVV-ENGLAND:

WITH

An exact relation of the first planting that Countrey: A description of the

profits accruing by the Worke.

Together with a briefe, but true
discovery of their Order both in Church
and Common-wealth, and maintenance al-
lowed the painfull Labourers in that Vineyard
of the LORD.

WITH

The names of the severall Towns,
and who be Preachers to THEM.

LONDON;

Printed by Matthew Simmons,

196

A

New Relation by Observation, and
serious Cogitation touching the Transplan-
tation of our English Nation.

To spend no time in complement honest John, cast not away these lines, because the meeter and rusticall harmony rings but rudely without rhetorick, let me lead thy affections to these following premises: suppose thou see thy face not so amiable as thy fancy deemes it to be, fling not furiously to breake the glasse, moderate thy anger, and I have my desire. Misse not my meaning, by turning my discourse to personate any, but many: Its past my intention to lessen or inlarge for favour or affection. Applause I looke not for: some Latine and Eloquent phrases I have pickt from others, as commonly clowns use to doe, yet be sure I am not in jest: for the subject I write of requires in many particulars the most solemn and serious meditation that ever any of like nature have done. Favour my clown-ship if I prove too harsh, and I shall remaine yours.

[This rare tract is reprinted from a manuscript copy, procured in London through the good offices of His Excellency ABBOTT LAWRENCE, U. S. Minister at the Court of St. James's, who sent it to the President of the Historical Society. But it has since been carefully compared with a printed copy in possession of J. C. Brown, Esq., of Providence, and kindly lent by him. - EDS.]