regard, to the confidence, and to the love of the descendants of the Pilgrims, a system which their fathers considered as essential to the highest welfare of their posterity, to the promotion of holiness in the land, and to the advancement of the Divine glory in the world.

CONCLUSION.

In conclusion, I commend to the friends of Congregationalism the warning words of one of the fathers of New England, and the concluding address of one of the most able defenders of our system. "Consider what will be the end of receding or making a defection from the way of church government established among us. I profess, I look upon the discovery and settlement of the Congregational way, as the boon, the gratuity, the largess of Divine bounty, which the Lord graciously bestowed on his people that followed Him into this wilderness; and a great part of the blessing on the head of Joseph, and of them who were separate from their brethren. These good people that came over, showed more love, zeal, and affectionate desire of communion with God in pure worship and ordinances, and did more in order to it than others; and the Lord did more for them, than for any people in the world, in showing them the pattern of His house, and the true scriptural way of church government and administrations. God was certainly in a more than ordinary way of favor present with his servants in laying of our foundations, and in settling the way of church order according to the will and appointment of Christ. Consider what will be the sad issue of revolting from the way fixed upon, to one extreme or to another, whether it be to Presbyterianism or Brownism; as for the Presbyterians, it must be acknowledged that there are among them, as pious, learned, sober, orthodox men, as the world affords; and · that there is as much of the power of godliness among that party, and of the spirit of the good old puritans, as among any people in the world. And for their way of church

government, it must be confessed, that in the day of it, it was a very considerable step to reformation. The reformation in king Edward's days was then a blessed work. And the reformation of Geneva and Scotland was then a large step, and in many respects purer than the other. And for my part, I fully believe that the Congregational way far exceeds both, and is the highest step which has been taken towards reformation, and for the substance of it, it is the very same way that was established and practised in the primitive times, according to the institution of Jesus Christ." *

"Thus I have endeavored to state and vindicate the more distinguishing liberties of the churches in New England. As these privileges have been purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus, they ought to be very precious in our esteem, nor, upon any pretence whatever, to be slighted and undervalued by the happy people who enjoy them.

"It is worthy to be always remembered by these churches, that it was not on account of any peculiar sentiments in doctrinal matters, that our wise and good fathers left their native country and came into this then howling wilderness; for they agreed to the doctrinal articles of the Church of England, as much as the Conformists to that Parlimentary Church, and indeed, much more so than most of them: but it was from a pure respect to ecclesiastical discipline and order, and to a more refined worship, that these excellent men, our ancestors, transported themselves, with their families, into this land.

"The Church of Rome, as far as in them lies, have divested our great Saviour of his prophetical, sacerdotal, and kingly offices: other churches have been so far overcome by the light of reason and revelation, that they have restored, as one may say, his sacerdotal office to him, and his prophetical office also: but our gracious

* Election Sermon of President Oaks of Harvard College 1675-1681.-Magnalia, Vol. II. pp. 64, 65.

predecessors, observing that their brethren in England were not willing to allow our Lord Jesus Christ to be the king and ruler of his church, nobly resolved, as the children of Zion, to acknowledge and rejoice in their king: and hence they quitted their ungrateful country, that so they might observe that refined worship and order, which their Lord and Sovereign had in his word appointed to be observed.

"It follows therefore, that any degeneracies from the pure worship and scriptural order in these churches, would be a direct rejection of the kingly authority of Christ Jesus, and a means of setting up another king or captain to lead us backward, in the steps we have taken from Babylon, towards it again. May God of his rich grace, therefore, preserve these churches from any such degeneracies!

"It is evident indeed, that great pains are taken to draw our people, especially our inconsiderate young people, who are too unmindful of the King and God of their fathers, from their love and attachment to those first principles of these churches, which I have been explaining and enforcing: but, as Naboth said to Ahab concerning his vineyard, in 1 Kings 21: 3; 'The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee;' even so it is fit, that we should say to such as would entice us to part with the pure order of these churches, this was our father's inheritance; and God forbid, that any should persuade us to give up our inestimable rights; for the very thought of parting with them is shocking.

"Dear people, the liberties which have been challenged for you, are the same as the brethren in the times of primitive Christianity enjoyed for hundreds of years together: and, whatever specious pretences some may make to the contrary, the dispossessing of the brethren of these their valuable liberties, was a considerable instance of the Romish apostasy. And indeed, they have but a slender acquaintance with ecclesiastical history,

who do not know, that the rise of Popery was owing to the people's tamely giving up their rights and privileges, either through ignorance or imprudence, to the clergy; who unreasonably engrossed to themselves, and grasped in their own clutches, all things in the churches that were of any worth and importance.

"There can be no doubt, that there are many who are sworn and inveterate enemies to the pure order in these churches: and, besides these, we have reason to think that there are many false friends to it; by which sort, I mean those that pretend some regard to the order of the gospel in these churches, but yet, at the same time, would gladly subvert it. And it is well, if there are not sundry ministers in these churches, who are disaffected to it: for, as Luther has somewhere remarked concerning religion: Nunquam magis periclitur quam inter reverendissimos; so it may be said in respect to the order in these churches: probably it may be in most danger from some of the reverend body. But surely, all such in these churches are very unadvised and blameworthy: and, if they are not duly sensible of the tendency of their disaffection and undertakings, it is a pity but their brethren should be, and carefully guard against them.

"And, in fine, much honored and entirely beloved churches; be pleased to accept of this attempt of one, the most unworthy of your sons; who, being set for the defence of the order of the gospel among you, has endeavored to illustrate and confirm that order in its primitive purity for your advantage. And wherein he has failed of giving the true sense of his and your fathers— though from a diligent search of their meaning he has endeavored it-be pleased to impute it to human frailty and undesigned mistaking: for into these alone his failing must be resolved.

Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas."

* Samuel Mather's Apology for the Liberties of the Churches in N. E. pp. 142-146. Published 1738.

APPENDIX.

[In the forms of letters, votes, etc. given in the following pages, I shall not, of course, be understood as settling the precise form in any given case; or, as intimating, that a hundred other modes of expression may not be equally proper. But, having had occasion to know that intelligent church members, and even young ministers, are often at a loss how to express themselves suitably in communications of this description, I have thought that some brief forms would be acceptable, as guides to the general style, etc. of these documents. I have studied brevity, for obvious reasons: should any judge these forms too skeletonlike, they can clothe them to their taste.]

No. 1.

LETTER MISSIVE FROM PERSONS WISHING TO BE ORGANIZED INTO A CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

18.

To the Congregational Church of Christ in

Reverend and Beloved,

Whereas the Great Head of the Church has disposed a number of persons in the town of - to unite together, for public worship and the celebration of religious ordinances, under a Congregational form of church government, the undersigned, in behalf of their brethren, respectfully solicit your attendance, by your Rev. pastor and delegate, at the house of. on the

of

at

o'clock, to take into consideration the propriety of