"It will be needfull, before we speake to this poynte, that some thing be premised to prevent mistakes. And first, we acknowledg that Bishops, such as are mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, are of devine institution, and the ordinance of God. But Lord Bishops, invested with sole spiritual power and government, and exercising sole authority, power, and government over the churches, without their choy se or consent, is strang from the scriptures, no institution of Christ, but a humane devise and intrusion. 2d. Though this Lordly hierarchie, consisting of primates, metropolitans, archbishops, lordbishops, deans, archdeacons, with all their subordinats and inferior dependents, in regard of their places, callings, power, and jurisdiction, were unlawfull and strang from the scripture paterne, yet wee acknowledg that many of their persones were men of worth for vertue and learning, pietie and godlines; yea, some of them blessed martires, who gaive their bodyes to the fire, for the trueth of Christ. 4ly. For the maine, in charitie, wee beleeve they saw not the evil in these things, but had their mindes more intente upon the puritie of doctrine, in the cheefe foundations of religion, and purging the same from popish leaven; especially the first and most sincere reformers. 5ly. Though they saw some thing amise, yet they could not do all things at once; the times would not bear it, they thought to gaine upon them by degrees, as the times would suffer: and so might have done, had men continued faithful; and pride and ambition had not hindered and blinded the eyes of sundrie. 6ly. The casting out of the Pope and his supremacie, and suppressing the worst part of the hierarchie, abbots, monks, and friars, those swarms of locusts, which did eat up and defile the land, and pulling down of strong foundations, and firme corporations, which they thought to be indissoluble-it did cause such an earthquake in the land, as did astonish the minds of men, and in that juncture of time made the world to wonder, and after times to admire the same: No marvel, therefore, though the greatness of that work did not give way to many other things, which were to be the worke of time.

"We are, therefore, thankfully to acknowledg the great work of God, in the reformation made in our dear native land; in which the tyranie and power of the Pope was cast off, and the puritie of doctrine in the cheefe foundations of religion restored: and though she fell short, in some things, of other reformed churches, especially in government, yet not in the truth and power of godliness, but rather to excede these, in such as the Lord raised up and enlightened among them. But herein was the great defecte, that this lordly hierarchie was continued, after the pope was cut off, in the same callings and offices; and ruled (in a manner) by the same laws; and had the same power and jurisdiction over the whole nation, without any distinction; all being compelled, as members of this national

church, to submit to the forme of worship established, and this government set over them, far differing from the liberty of the gospell, and the practiss of other reformed churches, who admitted only such into the church, and to partake of the holy things, as manifested repentance, and made public confession of their faith, according to the scriptures; and had such a ministrie set over them as themselves liked and approved of.

"And of this Dr. Ridley bitterly complains, (who was sometime a bishop, and afterward a blessed martyr) 'how that the greatest part, in King Edward's days, both magistrats, bishops, lawyers, and people, of all sorts and degrees, were never persuaded (but from the teeth outward and to please the King) of the trueth of God's word and the religion they received; but did dissemble. And pitifull and lamentable it was (saith he) to see the people so loathsomly and irreligiously to come to the holy communion and the service of God which they understood never a whit, nor could be edified any thing at all thereby.' A very sad complainte, and shows us the true face of things in those times; by one who was able to discerne, and who was neither a Brownist, nor Separatist. He also judged it to be a cheefe cause of God's judgment which followed in Queen Mary's days.

"Beza also saith, that the church is not to be taken for certain of the worshipfull clergymen alone, but for a whole assemblie or congregation of God's people, without whose consent, neither excommunication nor election of ministers ought to be used.' And he saith again, it was not possible to have brought my Lord Bishop, Mr. Official, Mr. Vicar, their procurators, and the like, into the church of God, till they had driven Christ their master out. There is neither holy scripture, neither councell, nor anciente doctors who ever knew such monsters. Concerning suffragans, officials and proctors in the courts of the church, and other such innumerable vermin, what can I say; for one shall as soone find the devell among the angels, as one word or mention of them in the scriptures, or in the anciente counsells or doctors, Greek or Latin, to approve them. I say more, that it is as impossible to accord these estates with the true form of the church of Christ, as to accord light and darkness, truth and lies.'

"Through the ambition of Bishops, (saith Qualter,) it is come to pass, that the libertie of the church is trodden under foote, and the chosing of ministers dependeth on them. Now where the ambition of prelates hath disturbed and encroached on this libertie, and challenged to themselves a lordship over the inheritance or church of Christ, the congregations are molested with contensions, and there is no end of errors or of bitter debates.

"I think verilie, saith Mr Wheatonhall, that Qualter, in these words pointed especially to England; for no nation in

Christendome, that is called a reformed church, hath had or is like to have such endless contentions and continual errors; only the lordship and magnificient estate of Lord-Bishops; which no reformed church in all Europe hath retained but England.

"Danæus saith, they perfidiously deprive the church of her right, who thrust a pastor on a people without their knowledge or consent; for they doe the church the greatest injurie when they spoil her of her judgment and voyce-giving: who are, therefore, truly to be called sacrilegious, or church-robbers: " By all which it appears how that calling of ministers is not lawful, which is made by the authority, letters and judgment of the king alone, or queen, or patrons, or bishops, or archbishops, as is used in England; which I speak with greefe.

'Truly, (saith Calvin,) this is a foul example, that out of the court are sent bishops to possess churches; and it should be the world of a godly prince to abstain from such corruption; for it is a wicked spoiling of the church, when there is thrust on any people a bishop whom they have not desired, or at least with free voyce allowed. It is tyrannous for any one man to make or appointe ministers at his pleasure. But the most lawful way is, that they be chosen by common voyces, who are to take upon them any public function in the church.

"Francis Lambert saith, marvel not that I said there be many bishops in one city: for verilie, every city hath so many bishops as it hath true preachers. Again he saith, every parish or congregation ought to have their proper bishop, which should be chosen and confirmed by the people and commonaltie of the church of every place. And to do this, they have no need of letters, seals, tokens and such things, very much used clean contrary to the word of God. And so long they should be accounted for bishop as they preach purely the gospel of the kingdom of God. From which if they swerve and preach strang doctrine they ought to be deposed and put out by them by whom they were chosen, even of the commonaltie of the church aforenamed. And again he saith, all the cannons of the world cannot lawfully choose one bishop of the church of Christ; and that the church of God hath no ministers besides these, bishops and deacons.

"And Zuinglius saith, a church is taken for the severall congregations, which conveniently meete together in some one place, for the hearing of the word and receiving of the sacra ments. The Greeks call these parikias. And of this manner of church Christ speaks, Mat. xviii; and the apostle to the Corinthians.

"Peter Martir saith, we confesse the government and ecclesiastical power are given to the whole church. He also saith, without the consent of the church no one can be excommunicated: this right belongs to the church, neither ought it to be taken away from it.

He also affirmeth, that government is a

notable portion of the gospel, and not the least part of the christian religion: and that the gospel seemeth to be neglected by them who put away so excellent a part thereof.

"Chemnicius saith, that Paul and Barnabas did not thrust ministers on the church without their consent; and that the election of ministers, by the historie of the apostles and their example, appears clearly to belong to the whole church: and that this is the way of the apostlic, primitive and ancient church, concerning the lawful election and calling of ministers; which way hath place in those churches which are constituted according to the word of God.

Junius saith, it is manifest that way of choosing and calling. ministers is most approved by the holy scriptures which the apostles kept in the churches. And when the bishops did arrogate that power to themselves and deprive them of it, it was to the damage and shame of the churches; and that way he before showed was that the whole church did choose by equall and common voyces. But some will say, the people are ignorant of their duty and right herein. Let them be taught, then, and they will understand it. But they know not how to use it aright. They will never know it, if they do never use it. But they are factious often and divided into parties. Let them be reduced to peace by wholesome counsell; and let them be ruled by the authority of the word and the endeavours of good men, that their minds being well ordered they may do that which is their duty to do.

"I might add much more; for the whole current of all these excellent devines, and first lights and guides of the reformed churches, run in one stream in this way. But these must suffice: By which you may see from the scriptures how they shew what the church is; what power it hath, both in choosing and ordaining or confirming their own officers; and in deposing, if the case so require; as also to receive the worthy and to excommunicate the guilty when proper; and that it is not only an injurie for any to deprive of this their right and libertie; but that it was no less than sacriledge and tyrannous usurpation in the lordly hirarchie so to do."

See page 16. The pastors of the church of puritans, gathered in Lincolnshire, &c., and which removed to Amsterdam, and thence to Leyden, before coming to America, were Cliffton and Robinson. The former was much the oldest, and died at Amsterdam, before the church settled in Leyden. The opinions and advice of Robinson, to those of the church who settled Plymouth, in 1620, are worthy of everlasting remembrance, "When we parted with our beloved pastor," says Governor Winslow, "he charged us, before God and his holy angels, to

follow him no further than he followed Christ: and that if God should reveal any thing to us by any other instrument of his, to be as ready to receive it, as ever we were to receive any truth by his ministry. For he was very confident that the Lord had more truth and light yet to break forth from his holy word. He took occasion also miserably to bewail the state of the reformed churches, who were come to a period in religion, and would go no further than the instruments of their reformation. As, for example, the Lutherans could not be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; for whatever part of God's word He had further revealed to Calvin, they had rather die than embrace it: and so, also, said he, you see the Calvinists, they stick where he left them; a misery much to be lamented: for though they were precious and shining lights in their times, yet God had not revealed his whole will to them. And were they now alive, said he, they would be as ready to embrace further light as that they had received. Here also he put us in mind of our church covenant; whereby we engaged with God and one another, to receive whatever light or truth should be made known to us from His written word. But withal exhorted us to take heed what we receive for truth; and well to examine, compare and weigh it with other scriptures before we receive it. For, said he, it is not possible the christian world should come so lately out of such anti-christian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should brake forth at once."

As an apology for not adopting all the doctrines and formsrequired of him by the church of England, the celebrated John Cotton, (many years the faithful and able pastor of the church in Boston,) in a letter to his bishop, in 1633, just before he left Great Britain for Massachusetts, says, "your lordship well knoweth it to be a principle both of the prophets and apostles, and it holdeth in every religious man, justus ex fide sua vivit, non aliena. And, therefore, however I do highly prize and much prefer other men's judgment, learning, wisdom and piety, in things pertaining to God and his worship, I must live and act according to my own faith, and not according to theirs."

See page 18. The following is the whole of the instrument or compact framed and agreed to, on board the May Flower, in Cape Cod harbor, November 11th, 1620.

"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are here underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of GoD, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, defender of the faith, &c., having undertaken, for the glory of GoD, and the advancement of the christian faith, and the honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do, by these PRE