I. separation may be pleaded by any erroneous conscience what- CHARLES ever. And thus, by the same equity and parity of reasoning, the Church may be broken into as many subdivisions as there are different scruples in the minds of men." The Independents come on once more, and insist" that this indulgence will give countenance only to godly people's joining in other congregations for their greater edification, who cannot otherwise, without sin, enjoy all the ordinances of Christ; that, by such going off, they do not censure the Churches they retire from as false, but esteem them as members of the body of Christ, and join with them in all duties of worship as far as they are able. And this conscientious practice, they conceive, can neither be called schism, nor countenancing it; and that so deep a censure cannot be justified by Scripture, or any good ecclesiastical authority." To this the assembly-divines answered, "that this indulgence desired is no better than a licence for perpetual division in the Church; and a constant revolt from the rule must be the consequence of it: for, upon the same pretence, those who scruple infant-baptism may withdraw from the Independent Churches, and go off into another congregation; and, in this new shelter, some danger may be apprehended, and carry the scrupling persons to a farther distance. And are these subdivisions and fractions in Church-government as lawful as they may be infinite? Or must we give that regard to erroneous consciences as to satisfy men's scruples by so unbounded a liberty? Does not this plainly import that error in conscience is a protection against schism? "2. The not condemning our Churches as false," continue the Presbyterians, "extenuates the charge of separation but a very little for several of the Brownists, who have totally separated in former times, have not condemned the Churches they quitted as false. However, though they do not pronounce an open and decisive sentence, their practice amounts to little less for the very separating supposes error and impurity in the Churches from which they depart. "3. Though the Presbyterians do not pronounce all difference in judgment or inconformity in practice schism, provided communion is preserved, yet they affirm that joining in congregations of another communion is a plain rupture, splits a society, and amounts to formal schism. And, if the apostle An ordinance for suspending scandalous persons from the sacrament. Oct. 20, Rushworth's Hist. Coll. part 4. P. 210. An ordinance touch ministers. calls those divisions of the Church schisms, where the Christians did not disagree so far as to separate into distinct and opposite communions, the separation desired by the Independents will lie fuller under that imputation. 66 4. They affirm, in decisive language, that scruple of conscience is no good plea against the charge of schism. To make the defence unexceptionable, the motives must have more weight in them; and the grounds of separation must be justified from the nature of the thing'." To go somewhat backwards: the lords and commons at Westminster gave directions, in an ordinance, for suspending scandalous persons from the Lord's supper. The crimes are too long to mention,-only, it may be observed, rebellion is none of them. Persons of ill fame in any of the particulars were to be examined by the eldership of every congregation. This ordinance concludes with a proviso, that the members of both houses, who are now members of the assembly of divines, or any seven of them, shall be a standing committee to pronounce upon the causes of suspension from the Lord's supper not mentioned in this ordinance. Some few weeks forward, we meet with another ordinance touching the ordination of ministers. The person to be ordained was to address himself to the presbytery of his class. By the way, London was divided into twelve classes of ministers; and these divisions in the country were proportioned to the extent of the shires. To go on the candidate for orders was to bring the presbying ordina- tery a testimonial of his having taken the covenant of the three tion of kingdoms, of his diligence and proficiency in his studies, what degrees he has taken in the university, and how long he has continued there. His age was likewise to be inquired into, which must reach to four-and-twenty years at least. And, to conclude, his morals and regularity of behaviour must be particularly regarded. The rules for examining him are Nov. 8, A.D. 1645. these: "1. The party examined must be dealt with in a brotherly 1d. p. 212. way, with mildness of spirit, and with special respect to the gravity, modesty, and quality of every one. It was fortunate for the Church that the schism of the Presbyterians was weakened by the schism of the Independents, and that the mischief of division was mitigated by that of subdivision. I. "2. He shall be examined touching his skill in the original CHARLES tongues, and that trial to be made by reading the Hebrew and Greek Testaments, and rendering some portions of them into Latin; and inquiry also shall be made after his other learning, and whether he hath skill in logic and philosophy. "3. What authors in divinity he hath read, and is best acquainted with; and trial shall be made of his knowledge in the chief grounds of religion, and of his ability to defend the orthodox doctrine contained in them against all unsound and erroneous opinions, especially those of the present age; of his skill in the sense and meaning of such places of Scripture as shall be proposed unto him in cases of conscience, and in the chronology of Scripture, and of the ecclesiastical history. "4. If he hath not before preached in public, with approbation of such as are able to judge, he shall, at a competent time assigned him, and before the presbytery, expound such a place as shall be given him. "5. He shall in a competent time also frame a discourse in Latin, upon such a common place or controversy in divinity as shall be assigned him, and exhibit to the presbytery such theses as express the sum thereof, and maintain a dispute upon them. "6. He shall preach before the people; the presbytery, or some of the ministers of the word appointed by them, being present. "7. The proportion of his gifts in relation to the place unto which he is called shall be considered. "8. Besides the trial of his gifts in preaching, he shall undergo an examination in the premises two several days or more, if the presbytery shall judge it necessary." 841. After the ordination sermon, the minister that preached was to require the person ordained to make a profession of his belief, and the integrity of his intention in entering upon the holy function. After this, the presbytery, or the ministers deputed by them, were to lay their hands upon the candidate, Id. p. 212. with a short prayer or benediction. It was resolved by the lords and commons in February following, a choice should be made of elders throughout the kingdom of England and Wales. On the 14th of March this An ordiresolution was formed into an ordinance. were to be made by the congregation, or the major part of elders. These elections nance for electing Collect. &c. fol. 165. such as had taken the national covenant: these electors were neither to be minors nor servants. There was likewise a set of persons authorized by this ordinance, called triers, who were empowered to hear and determine all exceptions against the legality of these elections: and here it was farther ordained,- That all sentences pronounced by the majority of the triers present (provided the number is not under seven) in each classis, shall pass as the act of all the triers of that classis. That the committee of the lords and commons appointed for the judging of the scandal, shall have power to constitute Id. Scobel's triers within the province of London, where need shall require. The majority of these triers are laymen throughout the twelve London classes. If any person under censure thought himself injured, he had the liberty of appealing from the congregational to the classical, from the classical to the provincial, and from thence to the national assembly. The Scotch disagree houses at Westminster in several points of And here it may not be improper to observe that this scheme of religion is drawn upon Erastian principles; for the ordinance sets forth that the congregational, classical, provincial, and national assemblies, were all of them to be subordinate to the parliament. The two houses having spent several months in drawing proposals to be sent to his majesty touching a peace, the Scotch commissioners excepted against part of the draught. I shall mention only their objections relating to religion. As to the ordinances of the two houses concerning Church with the two government, they agree with them in the main: only they desire that no godly minister may be excluded from being a member of classical, provincial, and national assemblies. They likewise desire the time for the ordinary meeting of the government. national assembly may be fixed; with a reserve of power to the parliament to convene them when they please, and with a liberty to the Church to meet oftener upon necessary occasions. Church The Scotch commissioners agree with the lords and commons upon the rules concerning suspension from the sacrament of the Lord's Supper; only they desire the congregational eldership may have power to judge in cases of scandal not expressed. This they conceived cannot be construed lodging an arbitrary power in the Church. On the other side, the appointing such provincial commissioners as are settled in I. the ordinance, will occasion disputes, create a disconformity CHARLES between this and other churches; and is a mixture in Church government altogether without precedent. This business, therefore, they conceive may be better managed by assemblies of ministers and ruling elders. They likewise agree to the ordinance for ordination of ministers; excepting that whereas this provision is only temporary for a twelvemonth, they desire it may be made perpetual. Farther, the manner of subjecting Church assemblies to the controlment and decision of the parliament, they conceive very liable to mistakes: the seeming exemption likewise of some distinctions of persons from ecclesiastical censures: the administering the sacrament to some persons against the conscience of the ministry and eldership: these and some other particulars are more than they understand, and may be easily altered to a general satisfaction. As for the remainder re- April, lating to the perpetual officers of the Church, together with A.D. 1646. their respective functions; the order and power of Church assemblies, the directions for public repentance, the rules for excommunication and absolution; all these they desire may be settled pursuant to the covenant, and with the joint advice of the divines of both kingdoms. Notwithstanding this remonstrance, the two houses were p. 253. et unwilling to come under any restraints, or part with their deinc. spiritual empire. This aversion appeared sufficiently by a declaration of the commons, in which they acquaint the two kingdoms they could by no means consent to the granting an unlimited jurisdiction to near ten thousand judicatories: that such arbitrary sway was inconsistent with the fundamental laws of this nation, and by necessary consequence excluded the parliament from having any share in ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Rushworth, part 4. Thus the two houses seem to have been afraid of the Scotch discipline, and of being fettered too much in their interest, their pride, or their pleasures. However, the king now broken in the field, retiring to the Scotch army, and casting himself upon the duty and honour of that party, the two houses thought it necessary to come towards a compliance. The June 5. Scotch having the advantage of the king's person in their army, were not to be too much provoked. The juncture therefore proving somewhat unfriendly, they passed an ordi- An ordinance for the "present settling of the presbyterian govern-settling VOL. VIII. X nance for |