The Preface. 17 the Government ofthe Churches, -if ever they had any f ch thing, without great and Trouble. For, faith he, Government isfo rice and tender a thing, that every one is fo much concernedfor his(hare in it, that men are not ea lily induced to part with it. Let so firppof the fudgement of the Church to *ave been_Democratical at farfi, as Dr. O. feems to do, rs it- probable that the 'People would have been wheadled cùt of the fireetnef ofGovernment f foon, and made no noife about it ? pag. 226. His Mittake about my Judgment herein bath been marked before. No o- ther Intereff or {hare in_ the Government is afèrìbed by us unto the People, but that they may be ruled 'by their own confnt, and that they may be allowed to yeild O- bedience in the Church, unto the commands ofChriff and his Apoftles, given unto them for that End. This Intere1t they neither did nor could f rego, without their: own Sin and Guilt, 'in.riegle6ting the Exercife of the Gifts and Graces which they ought to have had, and the Performance of the Duties whereunto they were obliged. But for any ingagement on their Minds from thefweetnef of Government wherein their concern .prin- cipally -confits in ..án underftanding voluntary Obedi- ence unto the com bands ofChrift, they had nothing of it. Take alto in general, Government to be, as the Government of the Church is, meerly a Duty, Labour, andService, w-ithout thófe Advantages ofPower, Eafè, Dignity; and Wealth, which have been annexed unto it ; and it will be hard to difcover fuch a Nicety or Sweetnef in it, as to oblige unto Pertinacy, in an adhe- rence unto it. If the Government of the Church were apprehended to confitt, in mens giving themfelves wholly to the Word and `Prayer, in watching - continually over the Flock; in acurate carefulnefs to do -and ad nothing D in
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