of some fanciful and conceited men, but in the Platform of Church Discipline; the truest understanding of these things is from the Platform deduced out of the word of God."

At a synod holden in Boston, September 10, 1679, of which the Rev. Increase Mather was moderator, "it was put to vote, whether the assembly did approve of The Platform of Church Discipline? And both elders and brethren did unanimously lift up their hands in the affirmative, not one appearing when the vote was propounded, in the negative, but it jointly passed in these words, A synod of the churches in the province of the Massachusetts, being called by the honored General Court to convene at Boston, the 10th of September, 1679, having read and considered the Platform of Church Discipline, agreed upon by the synod assembled at Cambridge, 1648, do unanimously approve of the said Platform, for the substance of it, desiring that the churches may continue stedfast in the order of the gospel, according to what is therein declared from the word of God.'"

This synod held a second session, May 12, 1680, for the purpose of considering and adopting a confession of faith. Whereupon it was "unanimously agreed that a confession of faith, according to that which was drawn up by the ministers and messengers of the Congregational churches who met at the Savoy in London (being for the most part the same with the Westminster confession) should be compiled-which, being publicly read and examined, was approved and adopted." This confession is printed in the latter part of the present volume. The reason why our fathers preferred to adopt, in the former instance the Westminster confession, and now for substance the Savoy confession, rather than prepare a sepa、 rate formula for themselves, was, as they inform us, that by agreeing in the very "words of those reverend assem

blies, they might with one mouth as well as heart, glorify God and our Lord Jesus Christ."

At a general court held at Boston, May 19, 1680, the result of the synod, then just closed, was presented for acceptance. Whereupon the following order was passed: "This Court having taken into serious consideration the request that hath been presented by several of the reverend elders, in the name of the late synod, do approve thereof, and accordingly order, the Confession of Faith, agreed upon at their second session, and the Platform of Discipline, consented unto by the synod at Cambridge, anno 1648, to be printed for the benefit of the churches in present and after times."

From writers who have flourished since the synod of 1680, numerous quotations might be given, expressing their high estimation of the Cambridge Platform. Near the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Rev. Mr. Wise of Ipswich, published a work, the professed object of which was to vindicate the Platform, and urge its observance. The Rev. Cotton Mather, speaking of the Platform, says, "the churches have cheerfully embraced it, practised it, and been prospered in it, unto this very day."

The following quotation is from a joint letter of Rev. Jolin Higginson* and Rev. William Hubbard,† written by them at a very advanced period of life, in which they tell us that they had seen "the persons who from four famous colonies assembled in the synod, that agreed on our Platform of Church Discipline."

"We do earnestly testify," say they, "that if any who are given to change do rise up to unhinge the well established churches in this land, it will be the duty and interest of the churches to examine whether the men of this trespass are more prayerful, more watchful, more zealous, more patient, more heavenly, more universally conscien

*Son of the first minister of Salem.

+ The historian of Ipswich.

tious, and harder students, and better scholars, and more willing to be informed and advised than those great and good men who left unto the churches what they now enjoy; if they be not so, it will be wisdom for the children to forbear pulling down with their own hands the houses of God, which were built by their wiser fathers, until they have better satisfaction.

"It is not yet forgot by some surviving ear-witnesses of it, that when the synod had finished the Platform of Church Discipline, they did with an extraordinary elevation of soul and voice then sing together the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, in the fifteenth chapter of the Revelation: God forbid, that in the loss of that holy discipline, there should be hereafter occasion to sing about breaking down the carved work of the houses of God with axes and hammers; or take up the eightieth Psalm for our lamentations.

Concerning all sinful attempts to overturn the order of the gospel hitherto upheld in the churches of New England, and to spoil that glorious work of God, which we have seen him doing, with a series of remarkable providences, in erecting such congregational churches in these ends of the earth; we would now therefore bear our testimony that they are doubtless displeasing to our Lord Jesus Christ, who walks in the midst of these golden candlesticks, and they will prove bitterness in the latter

end.

"And this we declare with the more concern upon our minds because of an observation, so plain, that he that runs may read it.

"It is too observable that the power of godliness is exceedingly decaying and expiring in the country; and one great point in the decay of the power of godliness, is men's growing weary of the congregational church discipline, which is evidently calculated to maintain it.

"If that church discipline were more thoroughly and vigorously kept alive, even by those that make profession of it, it might be hoped, that the Lord would sanctify it, for the revival of all godliness in the land.

"But if this church discipline come to be given up, we think it our duty to leave this warning with the churches, that probably the apostacy will not stop there; for the same spirit that will dispose the next generation to change their way in one point, will dispose them to more and more changes (even in doctrine and worship as well as in manners) until it may be feared, the candlestick will quickly be removed out of its place."*

The Cambridge Platform never has been superseded or formally annulled in Massachusetts; though by the gradual introduction of laws and usages, in a period of almost two hundred years, several of its requisitions have come to be no longer observed. Still, in many of its parts, it is of distinguished excellence and of high authority; it is an instrument to which reference is often made; and as a monument of the ecclesiastical order of our venerated fathers, it is exceedingly valuable.

A remarkable prediction-and, in regard to not a few of the original churches in Massachusetts, too plainly and sadly accomplished.

ORIGINAL PREFACE.

THE setting forth of the public confession of the faith of churches hath a double end, and both tending to public edification: First, the maintenance of the faith intire within itself Secondly, the holding forth of unity and harmony, both amongst and with other churches. Our churches here, as, by the grace of Christ, we believe and profess the same doctrine of the truth of the gospel, which generally is received in all the reformed churches of Christ in Europe, so especially we desire not to vary from the doctrine of faith and truth held forth by the churches of our native country. For though it be not one native country that can breed us all of one mind; nor ought we to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus with respect to persons, yet as Paul, who was himself a Jew, professed to hold forth the doctrine of justification by faith, and of the resurrection of the dead, according as he knew his godly countrymen did, who were Jews by nature, (Gal. ii. 15, Acts xxvi. 6, 7, ) so we who are by nature Englishmen, do desire to hold forth the same doctrine of religion, especially in fundamentals, which we see and know to be held by the churches of England, according to the truth of the gospel.

The more we discern (that which we do, and have cause to do with incessant mourning and trembling) the unkind, and unbrotherly, and unchristian contentions of our godly brethren and countrymen, in matters of church government, the more earnestly do we desire to see them join together in one common faith, and ourselves with them. For this end, having perused the public confession of the faith, agreed upon by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster, and finding the sum and substance thereof, in matters of doctrine, to express not their own judgment only, but ours also; and being likewise called upon by our godly magistrates, to draw up a public