4. A particular form of church discipline is usually, in such petitions, either directly expressed or evidently pointed at and directed unto, as that alone which our covenant engageth us to embrace ; yea, as though it had long since designed that particular way, and distinguished it from all others, the embracing of it is pressed. under the pain of breach of covenant, — a crime abhorred of God and man. Now, truly, to suppose that our covenant did tie us up absolutely to any one for- merly .known way of church disclphne, — the words formally engaging us into a disquisition out of the word of that which is agreeable to the mind and will of God, — is to me such a childish, ridiculous, selfish conceit, as I believe no knowing men will once entertain, unless prejudice, begotten by their peculiar interest, hath disturbed their intellectuals. For my part, 1 know no church government in the world already established amongst any sort of men, of the truth and necessity whereof I am convinced in all particulars; especially if I may take their practice to be the best Intepreter of their maxims.
Fourthly, Another " postulatum '" is, that men would not use an over-zealous speed, upon every small difference, to characterize men (otherwise godly and peaceable) as sectaries; knowing the odiousness of the name,' among the ^'ulgar, deservedly or otherwise Imposed, and the evil of the thing itself, rightly appre- hended, whereunto lighter difterences do not anunuit. Such names as this I know are arbitrary, and generally serve the wills of the greater number. They are commonly sectaries who, "jure aut injuria," are ojjpressed. Nothing Avas ever
1 '• Nunc vero si noniiiiis odium est, ([uis noroinum rpatus ? qua! accusatio vocabuldruui ? nisi aut Ciibarum soiiat aliijua vox iioininis, aut iiia'.odicuin, aut irapudicunir" — Tertul Ajiol.
PREFACE. 47
persecuted under an esteemed nam?. Names are in the power of manj'; things and their causes are known to few. There is none in the world can give an ill title to others, which from some he doth not receive. The same right which in this kind I have towards another, he hath towards me ; unless I affirm myself to be infallible, not so him. Those names which men are known by when they are oppressed, they commonly use against others whom they seek to oppress. I would, tlierefore, .that all horrid appellations, as increasers of strife, kindlers of MTath, enemies of charity, food for animosity, were for ever banished from amongst us. Let a spade be called a spade, so we take heed Christ be not called Beelzebub. I know my profession to the greatest part of the world is sectarism, as Christi- anity; amongst those who profess the name of Christ, to the greatest number I am a sectary, because a Pi-otestant ; ' amongst Protestants, at least the one half account all men of my persuasion Calvinistical, sacramentarian sectaries ; amongst these, again, to some I have been a puritanical sectary, an Arian heretic, because anti-prelatical ; yea, and amongst these last, not a few account me a sectary because I plead for presbyterial government in churches : and to all these am I thus esteemed, as I am fully convinced, causelessly and erroneously. What they call sectarism, I am persuaded is " ipsissima Veritas," the " very truth itself," to which they also ought to submit ; that others also, though upon fklse grounds, are convinced of the truth of their own persuasion, I cannot but believe : and therefore, as I find by experience that the horrid names of heretic, schismatic, sectary, and the like, have never had any influence or force upon my judgment, nor otherwise moved me, unless it were unto retaliation, so I am persuaded it is also with others ; for " homines sumus : " forcing them abroad in such liveries doth not at all con- vince them that they are servants to the master of sects indeed, but only makes them wait an opportunity to cast the like mantle on their traducers. And this usually is the beginning of arming the more against the few with violence, im- patient of bearing the burdens \\hich they impose on others' shoulders ; by means Avhereof Christendom hath been made a theatre of blood, and one amongst all, after that by cruelty and villany he had prevailed above the rest, took upon him to be the only dictator in Christian religion. But of this after\\'ard.
Now, by the concession of these, as 1 hope, not unequitable demands, thus much at least I conceive will be attained, viz., that a peaceable dissent in some smaller things, disjKitable questions, not absolutely necessary assertions, deserves not any rigid censure, distance of affections, or breach of Christian communion and amity. In such things as these, " veniam petimusque damusque vicissim : " if otherwise, I profess I can hardly bring my mind to comply and close in with them amongst whom almost any thing is lawful but to dissent.
These things being premised, I shall now set down and make public that pro- posal which heretofore I have tendered, as a means to give some light into a way for the profitable and comfortable practice of church government ; drawing out of general notions what is practically applicable, so circumstantiated as of necessity it must be. And herein I shall not alter any thing, or in the least expression go off from that which long since I drew up at the request of a worthy friend, after a discourse about it ; and this, not only because it hath already been in the hands of many, but also because my intent is not, either to assert, dispute, or make out any thing farther of my judgment in these things than I have already done (hoping for more leisure so to do than the few hours assigned to the product of this short appendix will permit), but only, by way of a defensative, to evince that the rumours which have been spread by som.e, and entertained by others too greedily, about this matter, have been exceeding causeless and groundless ; so that