there are but two ecclesiastical orders, bishops and deacons, mentioned in the gospel, how it can be less than impiety to make a demur at that, which is there so perspicuous." 66 Such is Milton's dictum, but we maintain that scripture nowhere says that there are but two orders, or the controversy would be at once decided; in that case it would be impossible but to acquiesce in his next beautiful words, which are based on this false assumption. Certainly, if Christ's apostle have set down but two,"-again we ask where has He done. this?" then according to his own words, though he himself should unsay it, and not only the angel of Smyrna, but an angel from heaven, should bear us down that there be three, St. Paul has doomed him twice: “let him be accursed;" for Christ has pronounced that no tittle of His word shall fall to the ground; and if one jot be alterable, it is as possible that all should perish; and this shall be our righteousness, our ample warrant, and strong assurance, both now and at the last day, never to be ashamed of, against all the heaped names of angels and martyrs, councils and fathers, urged upon us, if we have given ourselves up to be taught by the pure and living precept of God's word only; which, without more additions, nay, with a forbidding of them, hath within itself the promise of eternal life, the end of all our wearisome labours, and all our sustaining hopes.” THE REASON OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT THE IE preface to the second book of this Treatise is especially interesting from his subject leading him to speak of himself, his studies, intentions, and aspirations, and why they were now interrupted and postponed. "In the publishing of human laws, to set them barely forth to the people without reason or preface or only with threatenings, in the judgment of Plato was thought to be done neither generously nor wisely. His advice was, that there should be used as an induction some well-tempered discourse, showing how good, how gainful, how happy it must needs be to live according to honesty and justice; which being uttered with those native colours and graces of speech, as true eloquence, the daughter of virtue, can best bestow upon her mother's praises, would so incite, and in a manner charm the multitude into the love of that which is really good, as to embrace it ever after, not of custom and awe, but of choice and purpose, with true and constant delight. But this practice we may learn from a better and more ancient author ity than any heathen writer hath to give us; and indeed being a point of so high wisdom and worth, how could it be but we should find it in that book, within whose sacred context all wisdom is unfolded. Moses, therefore, the only law-giver that we can believe to have been visibly taught of God, knowing how vain it was to write laws to men whose hearts were not first seasoned with the knowledge of God and of His works, began from the book of Genesis, as a prologue to His laws; that the nation of the Jews, reading therein the universal goodness of God to all creatures in the creation, and His peculiar favour to them in His election of Abraham, their ancestor, might be moved to obey sincerely, by knowing so good a reason of their obedience: how much more then ought the members of the church, under the gospel, seek to inform their understanding in the reason of that government which the church claims to have over them! But because about the manner and order of this government, whether it ought to be presbyterial or prelatical, such endless question, or rather uproar, is arisen in this land, as may be justly termed the eternal reproach of our divines: I shall in the meanwhile not cease to hope through the mercy and grace of Christ, the head and husband of His church, that England shortly is to belong, neither to see patriarchal, nor see prelatical, but to the faithful feeding and disciplining of that ministerial order, which the blessed apostles constituted throughout the churches; and this, I shall essay to prove, can be no other than that of presbyters and deacons. And if any man incline to think I undertake a task too difficult for my years, I trust through the supreme enlightening assistance far otherwise; for my years, be they few or many, what imports it? So they bring reason, let that be looked on; and for the task, I conclude it must be easy; God having to this end ordained His gospel to be the revelation of His power and wisdom in Christ Jesus. And this is one depth of His wisdom, that He could so plainly reveal so great a measure of it to the gross distorted apprehension of decayed mankind. Let others, therefore, dread and shun the scriptures for their darkness; I shall wish I may deserve to be reckoned among those who admire and dwell upon them for their clearness. And this seems to be the cause why, in those places of holy writ, wherein is treated of church government, the reasons thereof are not formally and professedly set down, because to him that heeds attentively the drift and scope of Christian profession, they easily imply themselves." Most undoubedly. "The first and greatest reason of church government we may securely, with the assent of many on the adverse part, affirm to be because we find it so ordained and set out to us by the appointment of God in the Scriptures; but whether this be presbyterial or prelatical, it cannot be brought to the scanning, until I have said what is meet to some who do not think it for the ease of their inconsequent opinions to grant that church discipline is platformed in the Bible, but that it is left to the discretion of men. To this conceit of theirs I answer that it is both unsound and untrue; for there is not that thing in the world of more grave and urgent importance throughout the whole life of man than is discipline. What need I instance? He that hath read with judgment of nations and commonwealths, of cities and camps, of peace and war, sea and land, will readily agree that the flourishing and decaying of all civil societies, all the moments and turnings of human occasions, are moved to and fro as upon the axle of discipline. So that whatsoever power or sway in mortal things weaker men have attributed to fortune, I durst with more confidence (the honour of Divine Providence ever saved) ascribe either to the vigour or the slackness of discipline. Nor is there any sociable perfection in this life, civil or sacred, that can be above discipline; but she is that which, with her musical chords, preserves and holds all the parts thereof together. Hence in those perfect armies of Cyrus in Xenophon, and Scipio in the Roman stories, the excellence of military skill was esteemed, not by the not needing, but by the readiest submitting to the edicts of their commander. And certainly discipline is not only the removal of disorder, but if any visible shape can be given |