cording to that word to be judged by the General Court. see p. 1.

For the suppressing of Anabaptists.

It is ordered by this Court and Authority thereof, that if any person or persons within this Iurisdiction shall either openly condemn or oppose the baptizing of Infants, or goe about secretly to seduce others from the approbation or use thereof, or shall purposely depart the Congre gation at the administration of that Ordinance; or shall deny the Ordinance of Magistracy, or their lawfull right or authority to make war, or punish the outward breaches of the first Table, and shall appear to the Court wilfully and obstinately to continue therein, after due means of conviction, every such person or persons shall be sentenced to Banishment.

see pag. 3. Against Blasphemy, being a capitall transgression.

It is ordered, that if any person within this Iurisdiction, whether Christian or Pagan, shall wittingly and willingly presume to BLASPHEME the holy Name of God, Father, Son, or Holy-Ghost. with direct, expresse, presumptuous, or high-handed blasphemy, either by wilfull or obstinate denying the true God, or his Creation, or Government of the World; or shall curse God in like manner, or reproach the holy Religion of God, as if it were but a politick device to keep ignorant men in awe; or shall utter any other kind of Blasphemy, of the like nature and degree, they shall be put to death. Lev. 24. 15, 16. See p. 5.

To raise money for Publick charges in Church and Commonwealth.

It is ordered by this Court, and the Authority thereof, that every Inhabitant shal henceforth contribute to all charges both in Church and Commonwealth whereof he doth or may receive benefit: and every such Inhabitant who shal not voluntarily contribute proportionably to his ability with the Freemen of the same Town to all comon charges, both Civil and Ecclesiastical, shall be compelled thereto by assessment and distress to be levyed by the

Constable or other Officer of the Town as in other cases: and that the lands and estates of all men (wherever they dwell) shall be rated for all Town charges both Civil and Ecclesiastial as aforesaid, where the lands and estates shall lye; their persons where they dwell. See p. 9.

Lawes Ecclesiasticall.

1 All the people of God within this Iurisdiction, who are not in a Church way, and be orthodox in judgement, and not scandalous in life, shall have full liberty to gather themselves into a Church estate, provided they doe it in a Christian way, with due observation to the rules of Christ revealed in his word. Provided also that the General Court doth not, nor will hereafter approve of any such companies of men as shall joyn in any pretended way of Church fellowship, unless they shall acquaint the Magistrates and the Elders of the neighbour Churches where they intend to joyn, and have their approbation therein.

2 And it is further ordered, that no person being a member of any Church which shall be gathered without the approbation of the Magistrates and the said Churches, shall be admitted to the Freedom of this Common-wealth.

3 Every Church hath also free liberty to exercise all the Ordinances of God according to the rules of the Scripture.

4 Every Church hath free liberty of election and ordination of all her Officers from time to time. Provided they be able, pious and orthodox. Now the question is who shall judge of these words of restraint, Christian way, rules of the Scripture, word of God, able and orthodox.

13 That if any Christian (so called) within this Iurisdiction shall contemptously behave himself toward the Word preached, or the Messengers thereof called to dispense the same in any Congregation; when he doth faithfully execute his Service and Office therein, according to the will and word of God either by interrupting him in his preaching, or by charging him falsely with any errour which he hath not taught in the open face of the Church: or like a son of Korah cast upon his true doctrine or himself any reproach to the dishonour of the Lord Iesus who

hath sent him, and to the disparagement of that his holy Ordinance, and making Gods wayes contemptible and ridiculous that every such person or persons (whatsoever censure the Church may passe) shall for the first scandal be convented and reproved openly by the Magistrate at some Lecture, and bound to their good behaviour. And if a second time they break forth into the like contemptuous carriages, they shall either pay five pounds to the publick Treasurie; or stand two hours openly upon a block or stool, four foot high, on a lecture day, with a Paper fixed on his brest, written in Capitall letters [AN OPEN AND OBSTINATE CONTEMNER OF GODS HOLY ORDINANCES] that others may fear and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickedness.

14 It is ordered and decreed by this Court and Authority thereof, That wheresoever the ministry of the word is established according to the order of the Gospell throughout this Iurisdiction, every person shall duely resort and attend thereunto respectively upon the Lords dayes, and upon such publick Fast-days, and dayes of Thanksgiving as are to be generally kept by the appointment of Authority: and if any person within this Iurisdiction shall without just and necessary cause withdraw himself from hearing the publick ministry of the word, after due means of conviction used, he shall forfeit for his absence from every such publick meeting 5 shillings. All such offences to be heard and determined by any one Magistrate or more from time to time.

15 It is ordered by this Court, That the civil Authoritie here established hath power and liberty to see the peace, ordinances and rules of Christ to be observed in every Church according to his word. As also to deal with any church-member in a way of civil justice notwithstanding any church relation, office, or interest; so it be done in a civil and not in an ecclesiastical way. Nor shall any church censure degrade or depose any man from any civil dignity, office or authority he shall have in the Common-wealth.

It is ordered, that from henceforth all lands, cattle, and other estates of any kind whatsoever, shall be lyable to be rated to all common charges whatsoever, either for the

Church, Town or Comon-wealth in the same place where the estate is from time to time. see pag. 18, 19, 20.

Heresie.

Although no humane power be Lord over the Faith and Consciences of Men, and therefore may not constrain them to beleeve or profess against their Consciences: yet because such as bring in damnable heresies, tending to the subversion of the Christian Faith, and destruction of the soules of men, ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety, It is therefore ordered and decreed by this Court;

That if any Christian within this Iurisdiction shall go about to subvert and destroy the Christian Faith and Religion, by broaching or maintaining any damnable heresie; as denying the immortality of the Soul, or the resurrection of the body, or any sin to be repented of in the Regenerate, or any evil done by the outward man to be accounted sin or denying that Christ gave himself a Ransom for our sins, or shall affirm that we are not justified by his Death and Righteousnesse, but by the perfection of our own works; or shall deny the morality of the fourth comandement, or shall indeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned, every such person continuing obstinate therein; after due means of conviction, shall be sentenced to Banishment. see pag. 24.

Disturbing of Churches.

It is ordered and decreed by this Court, and the Authority thereof, That if any person whether in Church-fellowship or not, shall goe about to destroy or disturb the orders and peace of the Churches established in this Iurisdiction, by open renouncing their Church, Estate, or their Ministry, or other ordinances dispenced in them, either upon pretence that the Churches were not planted by any new Apostles, or that ordinances are for carnall Christians, or babes in Christ, and not for spirituall, or illuminated persons, or upon any other such like grounded conceit, every such person, who shall be found culpable herein, after due means of conviction, shall forfeit to the publick Treasury forty shillings for every moneth, so long as he continues in that his obstinacy.

Torture.

That no man shall be beaten with above forty stripes for one Fact at one time. Nor shall any man be punished with whipping, except he have not otherwise to answer the Law, unlesse his crime be very shamefull, & his course of life vitious & profligate. see p. 50.

The Testimony of John Clarke, Obediah Holmes, and John Crandall, Prisoners at Boston, in New-England, concerning the faith and order of the Gospel of Christ Iesus the Lord, as the same was laid down in four Conclusions, and proffered to be openly and publickly defended against all gain-sayers; when none would come forth thus to oppose it: now again by the aforesaid John Clarke reviewed, particularly, and strictly examined by the Word of God, and Testimony of Iesus, and thereby, (as is here at large to be seen) confirmed and justified.

The first Conclusion.

[I Testifie that Iesus of Nazareth, whom God hath raised from the dead, is made both Lord and Christ] you may see this testimony clearly, and plentifully witnessed and confirmed by the Scriptures of Truth; for First, that God raised him from the dead, appears by the testimony of 12 chosen Witnesses, Acts 2. 24. 32. This Jesus, say they, hath God raised up, whereof we are Witnesses; so also chap. 3. 15. And being alive again he was seen of above 500 Brethren at once being faithfull Witnesses, Children that will not lie, see 1 Cor. 15. 6. And last of all he was seen of Paul, whom he sent to the Gentiles, see 1 Cor. 15. 8. Acts 22. 18. 21. And this is layd by Paul as the foundation of the hope of the Israel of God, that they shall be raised, and shall share in that glory that shall then be revealed; yea it is that word of Truth (as Peter witnesseth) by which the Father of mercies doth again beget such as had sinned & faln short of the glory of God, & were without hope, unto a lively hope of the glory of God, in an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, and is reserved in heaven for