in our degenerate age, have been so trained, and see how little they are carried away with novelties in religion. Regard not the sneers of errorists and enthusiasts, who despise doctrinal knowledge, and pretend that such religious instruction only serves to make formalists, or hypocrites. It remains a sound maxim, that if you bring up a child in the way in which he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it. As, in the spring, you sow your seed in the ground, not knowing what will become of it, so implant the word of God in the susceptible minds of youth, and commit the event to God. He will cause it to prosper.

CHAPTER X.

Form of Church Government.

THE people of England had always been accustomed to the Episcopal form of church government; but this having been found unedifying and oppressive, there existed an urgent and increasing demand for a change. At first, no more was thought of than such a reduced form of Episcopacy, as had been recommended by archbishop Usher, but after the arrival of the Scottish commissioners, and an acquaintance was had with the Presbyterian system, as practised in the kirk of Scotland, a large majority of the Westminster divines were strongly inclined to adopt that system; and, after examining the subject, were convinced that this was the system which had its origin in the Scriptures of truth, and was most accordant with the practice of the Apostles, and primitive ages of Christianity. This system is founded on a few plain principles, which as they are accordant with Scripture, so they commend themselves to the reason of unprejudiced and impartial men. These are, that Christ has appointed and established, in the Holy Scriptures, a certain definite

form of government for his church, and has not left this important concern to be regulated by the wisdom or caprice of fallible men. And that as the church is ONE, wherever the members may be scattered, or however many particular churches may be constituted, they are included in this one body; and therefore, as far as circumstances will admit, all the parts of this body should be united in one communion; and where actual fellowship in worship is impracticable, or very inconvenient, yet there should exist a unity of spirit, love to all the members of the body, and a mutual sympathy or tender concern for each other's welfare. The several societies, or churches, therefore, of which this Catholic church consists, should not be considered as independent societies, but as connected parts of one body, having ONE HEAD, and pervaded and united by one SPIRIT. The actions and operations of the several parts should be in subordination to the whole, or to a majority of the whole. This being an organized body, is furnished with officers, for the purpose of communicating instruction, and for the orderly government of the society. These offices were expressly instituted by Christ, the KING OF ZION, before he left the world. Some of them were, at first, endowed with extraordinary powers; but the ordinary and permanent officers of the church are pastors or teachers, elders who rule, and deacons or ministers, who have charge of the alms of the church, for the supply of the wants of the poor. As to bishops and presbyters, the Holy Scriptures make no manner of difference between them. These names are used, in Scripture, promiscuously, and applied indifferently to the same officers. The difference which, in ages after the Apostles, sprung up, has no foundation or vestige in the sacred record. How it arose, it is not difficult to explain. The Apostles, indeed, were invested with authority over all the churches, and all the other ministers; but as they have no successors, in their inspiration and miraculous gifts, by which they were qualified to exercise such a power over their brethren, so they have no

successors in that plenary authority which Christ committed to them. Since their departure out of the world, all regular pastors and teachers, in the church of Christ, are equal in authority; no one being invested with a power to rule over his brethren, in the ministry, although each is appointed a ruler as well as an instructer, over the flock of which he has been regularly constituted the bishop. As all Christ's ministers should aid one another by their counsels, and should assist in preserving the purity, unity, and peace of the church, it is expedient for the officers of Christ's kingdom to meet from time to time, either periodically, or as occasion may require, to consult and determine, respecting all things which are connected with the welfare of the church. And as the body is one, a smaller part should yield to the will and authority of the greater; so for the wise and orderly government of the whole, it is expedient to have a gradation of courts or judicatories, from the authorities which pertain to a particular church, through as many gradations as may have been established, up to the highest judicatory, which can be convened with convenience, for the decision of all matters, according to the word of God, which may relate to the welfare and increase of the church.

The two radical principles of Presbyterial church government, therefore, are, the PARITY OF MINISTERS of the gospel, or the identity of bishops and presbyters; and the regulation of all matters in the church, by the counsel and will of the whole body, or their representatives, which comprehends the subordination of inferior to superior judicatories. This form of church polity was adopted by all branches of the Reformed churches, except England, and was administered by consistorial, classical, and synodical judicatories; but was no where more perfectly carried out into practice, in all its details, than in Scotland, in the time of Andrew Melville, who by his unwearied exertions and consummate wisdom, had the whole system fully matured and adopted by the General Assembly of Scotland. Although the beauty and consistency

of Presbyterial government had been deformed and disturbed by the introduction of anomalous bishops, yet in the memorable Assembly of 1638, this excrescence on Presbytery was thrown off, and the system restored to its original simplicity and purity. This was the model which the Westminster Assembly had in their view, and with which they were made acquainted, by the learned Commissioners of the church of Scotland, and by the writings communicated by them, to the members of the Assembly.

Concerning Episcopacy, there were no disputes in the Assembly, at Westminster; for after the expulsion of Dr. Featly there remained no advocate for diocesan Episcopacy in the body. But there were a few learned and able men, who had adopted the principles of the Brownists, in regard to the independence of particular churches, and who, while they divested the system of its most extravagant features, strenuously and tenaciously defended the system of the independency of churches. Much of the time of the Assembly was occupied with this dispute, in which the Independent members, though few in number, by their zeal and pertinacity, often kept off a decision of questions in debate, for weeks together. Their principal speakers were, Dr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, and Mr. Bridges. The Erastian party, while they strenuously opposed every resolution which involved the divine right of any form of church government; yet had no objections to the establishment of presbytery, on mere grounds of expediency. Finally, the Presbyterial system was adopted by the Assembly, by a large majority. Indeed, the vote may be considered as nearly unanimous, for before it was taken, the Independents and most of the Erastians withdrew, and the Presbyterians were left in the quiet possession of the Assembly.

The dissolution of the ecclesiastical hierarchy of the church of England, may be considered as having virtually taken place from the time of the taking of the Covenant by the Parliament, the Assembly, and the nation; for in that instrument, the overthrow of church government by archbishops, bishops, &c., was

explicitly designated, as one great object of this solemn league. The archbishop of Canterbury was directed by Parliament to collate benefices on no persons without their approbation; and for refusing obedience to this order, was suspended from his office. Henceforward, all benefices were conferred by the Parliament, and the Assembly were made use of, to examine all candidates, and ultimately, to provide for the ordination of ministers. In process of time, this business of examining candidates for sequestered livings, occupied so much of the time of the Assembly, that they appointed a large committee to attend to it. The members selected were, Dr. Lightfoot, Dr. Smith, Dr. Temple, Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Gouge, Dr. Staunton, Dr. Hayle, Dr. Burges, Dr. Spurstow, Dr. Reynolds, Mr. Ley, Mr. Conant, Mr. Gower, Mr. Coleman, Mr. Hill, Mr. Corbet, Mr. Gataker, Mr. Herle, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Bathurst, and Dr. Cheynel. The method of proceeding was this: The names of the applicants who had been recommended by Parliament, or who had petitioned the Assembly, were published two or three days before the examination, that opportunity might be given to any who had any thing to allege against the candidates, to bring it forward. Where no obstacle appeared in the way, the committee, or any five of them, proceeded to the examination; and it was also customary to require the candidate to preach publicly before them. A list of all who were approved was ordered to be kept by the scribes of the Assembly.

This order of things continued to be observed until the adoption of the new form of government and Directory.

CHAPTER XI.

Directory for Public Worship.

THE Assembly, upon their first organization, directed their attenion to an amendment of the Articles of