The agreement of the associated ministers of the county of Essex: proposed to their particular congregations, and to all such of the county that love the churches peace; with a word of exhortation to brotherly union.

THE PREFACE.

THe richest Crown, and highest glo∣ry of a people, is to be Gods Pecu∣liar, related in Covenant-nearness to him, dedicated to his Praise, trusted with his Word, the only perfect Rule, guided in the alone way of Sal∣vation, the true Religion; Religion shining in those greater Beauties of Purity, Power, and Ʋ∣nity (still that Purity being preserved most ten∣derly, the Power held up eminently, the Ʋnity maintained entirely) and to have all due provi∣sion made for this Crown, and Glory to descend, and settle upon Posterity for ever.

To consider how much of the fore-mentioned Glory hath dwelt in our Land, together with its gradual declining, great decay, almost departing; the hopes of Reformation given, and heightned, but soon disappointed, sadly turned into fears, confusions, and such vast evils, which once let

in, have been so lengthened out: Above all, to seriously view our present condition; of sin, af∣ter soarest smartings, more abounding it spreads farther, roots deeper, rises higher, but comes dai∣ly nearer to a filling up; Of miseries, in complicate distempers, imminent dangers, and so extreme difficulty of healing, settlement and security, our hearts cannot but break and bleed within us; To see Souls more precious than Worlds (whose price can never fall lower) to run unwonted higher hazards of utter undoing. The numbers among us either more setled in ignorance, or im∣proved in prophaneness, fixed in meer civility and formality, without any Power of Godli∣ness, or arrived at very Neutrality; and not a few (which we tremble to mention) under fearful Apostacy of damnable Heresies, and vi∣lest practises, often also attended with hellish blasphemies. These Souls, all retaining their in∣valuable worth, and for ought can be known, possibility of saving, should they not have all endeavour of pulling them out of the fire; and if by Covenant-Obligation, and Sacramental-Dedi∣cation, they are Christs Propriety and Right; should not his Officers and Stewards strive to the utmost to recover them to the King of Glories

use and service? yet these poor perishing ones, as to any effectual order for Instruction or Refor∣mation, remain helpless.

Ah! that we could not go higher to the inju∣ries and dissecurities of Religion it self, in those checks given to the progress, damps to the Power, wide breaches made in the Ʋnity, and most daring attempts against the very Being and Reality; almost no Doctrine or practise escaping vain doubting, yea impious vilifying and decry∣ing. Add that further danger of Opportunity and Temptation, either of shifting wayes and Religi∣ons, till the substance and foundation is over∣turned, or for to shake off profession of Godliness, shut out the Knowledge, and sit at home at doing nothing.

Besides (which still more endangers) many of the elder sort, (who should derive Religion to succeeding Times) by sinful indifferency, are rea∣dy to let go their hold of the Truth; and most of the younger, either distracted at diversities of Wayes and Opinions, or disacquainted with the very principles of Christianity, are never like to take sure hold of it.

Oh that we had not to bewail the dissatisfacti∣ons, divisions, distances, and oppositions, among

Brethren of the same houshold of Faith; and these arising chiefly from less and lower points and pun∣ctillioes, when in fundamentals, and the main, there is so great an accord. And to all we annex, the offence given the weak, discouragements to commers in to godliness, just scandal to many at home, and in Forraign Nations, opening wide the mouths, and strengthening the hands of Adversa∣ries against us; and the most (if not all these e∣vils) arising chiefly from our unestablishment, as to Scripture and Gospel-Order.

Therefore when Souls are thus perishing, Truth lies bleeding, divisions continuing, enemies insul∣ting, dangers and difficulties not abating, and (which far transcends all that can be said) the most precious and glorious Name of Christ so in∣finitely suffering: All this likewise, when our ca∣lamitous condition is not utterly hopeless, but like the patient languishing, not from utter defect of remedy, but want of the Physitians willingness to joyn together, study the case, and apply the cure, For these things our hearts melt, and eyes mourn, till the Lord look down from heaven and help: But when all looking, bewailing, pities and pray∣ers can little avail, without endeavours of redress in a right way first resolved, and then unanimous∣ly

carried on, for which the conceived expedient, is a Brotherly Association, long since in our thoughts, and already begun by others, godly learned, in di∣vers Counties; others of different judgement, in point of Church-Government, shewing the hither∣to hindred Ʋnion, to arise, not so much from diffe∣rence of principles, inconsistent with Ʋnion, as from defect of will and inclination, and this from a grand failing in Brotherly Love.

Therefore laying aside all private respects, and carnal interests, and resigning our selves wholly up to the Lord, we resolve in his strength, accord∣ing to what we have attained, to unite together for carrying on the work of Reformation, and dis∣charge of our duties, in our respective places: and not only an Associating in this particular County, but correspondency with our Brethren in other parts of the Nation, yet hereby, not binding up, and limiting our selves from further improve∣ment of Ʋnion, which we hope the Lord will teach and stablish in his time Ʋniversally.

And for an Introductive to the work in hand, and freeing our selves from imputed Innovation in the Doctrine of Religion, we declare, that as all way formerly we have owned; so we do, (and by Christs assistance) will ever own, and maintain the

form of wholesome words, contained in the Scrip∣tures, of the Old and New Testament, in the con∣stantly received sense of the Orthodox Churches of Christ, exprest more especially (as to the Funda∣mentals of Faith) in that most Ancient and Ʋni∣versally received Creed, called the Apostles, in the therewith agreeing famous Nicene Creed, and that notable Creed of Athanasius; to which (we might add those excellent Creeds of the Great Councils of Constantinople, Ephesus, Calcedon, and o∣thers,) likewise we declare our owning, and re∣solution to own and maintain, the whole Body of Protestant Reformed Doctrine, so far as it is joyntly held forth in their Confessions of Faith, and in our English Articles, the Articles of Ire∣land, 1615. And in the late Confession of Faith, by the Assembly of Divines, so fully and excellent∣ly set forth; and having it, (as to the matter it self) long since imprest on our thoughts, which some pious and prudent Brethren have published for the Basis & ground of their Associating work, we think it no diminution, but honour (if not du∣ty) to tread in their exemplary Christian, and peaceable steps, shewing our ready concurrence with them in building on the same Foundations, which are these ensuing Rules.