duty of holinesse Y Neither here did they stand but went on to aver the death of the soul with the body Z That all the Saints upon earth have two bodies AA That Christ is not united to our fleshly body but they would have him to be united to our new body BB with the same union where with his humanity is united with his Godhead That Christs Manhood was not now in the heavens CC but that his body was his Church These abominable errours and many more of this kinde to the number of Fourscore and eleven DD the New-English Independency did produce to the world in a very short time For the second The number of the erring persons this is said to have been incredible not onely multitudes of men and women every where were infected EE but almost no Society no Family of that Land was free of that Pest BB Boston the best and most famous of their Churches was so far corrupted that few there were untainted GG Concerning the Hypocrisie of these Hereticks it was exceeding great None appeared so humble so holy so spiritual and full of Christ as they HH In their speech nought but self-denial II In their prayers ravishing affections and heavenly expressions KK All their singular opinions were for the advancing of Free-grace LL For the glorious light of the Gospel for the setting up of naked Christ on his Throne MM Their malice towards all that dissented from them was so extreme that they made the life of many the most religious of their Neighbours to be bitter and a wearisome burden to them NN For their Ministers some of them they adored Master Cotton and Master Wheelwright they set up as the onely true Preachers of the Covenant of Grace they extolled them to the skies avowing that since the Apostles dayes none had received so much Gospel-Light as they OO But the rest of the Preachers not onely all in Old England PP but also all in New-England except a very few and most of all the best the most zealous and Orthodox even the instruments of their own conversion were to them Baals Priests Legal Preachers Popish Factors Scribes and Pharisees Enemies to the Gospel voide of the Spirit of Grace QQ Their contempt of the Magistrates was as great as of the Ministers Their late Governour they professed was a true friend to Christ and Free-grace RR but Master Winthrop their present Governour and the most of the Magistrates they proclaimed enemies of Grace Persecutors Antichrists Ahabs Herods Pilates whom God would destroy SS Their Preacher Master Wheelwright would exhort the people in his Sermon to deal with the Magistrates as such remembring them how Moses had killed the Egyptian TT Their Heresies did bring on so dangerous seditions as in a short time did put their Common-wealth in a clear hazard of utter ruine VV for the Heretikes had drawn to their side not onely multitudes of the people but many of the ablest men for parts in all Trades especially the Souldiers XX They kept such intimate familiarity and open correspondence with the most eminent men of the Land Mistresse Hutchinson and the late Governour kept almost every day so private and long discourse with Master Cotton that made them conclude all was their own YY and forced the wise Governour Master Winthrop to prevent their designes to put the former Governour and all that followed him from their places in the general Court and to desire him and them to be gone which was counted a real though a civil banishment out of their Land ZZ Also to disarm the most of that faction expresly upon fear least the Tragedy of Munster should be acted over again in New-England AAA Master Williams told me that he was imployed to buy from the Savages for the late Governour and Master Cotton with their followers a proportion of Land without the English Plantation whither they might retire and live according to their own minde exempt from the Jurisdiction Civil and Ecclesiastick of all others Master Williams was in so great friendship with that late Governour when he told me so much That I beleeve he would have been loth to have spoken any untruth of him Their obstinacy in all these things was truely marvellous for after all the pains which their godly Pastors took upon them in Preaching in Conference in Publike Disputations After the Magistrate had executed the Law and inflicted civil punishments upon some of their prime Seducers yea when God visibly from the Heavens had declared his anger against some of their cheif Leaders punishing Mistresse Hutchinson with a monstruous birth of more then thirty mis-shapen Creatures at one time BBB and Mistresse Dyer her principal assistant with another monstrous birth CCC of one Creature mixed of a Beast of a Fish and a Foul Notwithstanding all these admonitions their obstinacy was so great that many of them continued pertinacious without any repentance DDD For some of them separating of their own accord others being banished by the Magistrate retired into those Lands which Master Williams had bought for them and in that their new Habitation they continued not long till beside all the named Errours they fell into many more both Errours and Schisms EEE And Mistresse Hutchinson did make a new Separation retiring to a new dwelling FFF where after her long contempt of divine and humane patience at last God did let loose his hand and destroyed her sending in upon her a company of the Savages who burnt her self her house and all that she had GGG Notwithstanding all that God and man at that time and since hath done to discover the evil spirit that raged in that way yet such is the stoutnesse of many especially of the late Governour whose hand in all that businesse was cheif that to this day if you will confer with them they will assure That Mistresse Hutchinson was much mistaken and wronged that she was a most pious woman and that her Tenents if well understood were all true at least very tolerable We have oft marvelled that the Eldership of Boston did never so much as call her before them to be rebuked for any of her Errours though their general Assembly had confuted and condemned them yet still she was permitted to go on till the zeal of the new Governour and the general Court did condemn her to perpetual banishment then and not till then so far as we can perceive by the story did the Church of Boston begin a processe against her and when the processe was brought to an end Master Cotton by no means would put it in execution that burden was laid on the back of Master Wilson his Colleague how ever not the fittest instrument being the person to whom Mistresse Hutchinson from the beginning had professed her greatest opposition and when the sentence was pronounced against her they tell us That the great cause of it was none of her Heresies or Errours but her other practises especially
her grosse lying HHH The prophanenesse also of these persons is considerable their profession of piety being so fair that they avow their standing aloof from all the Reformed Churches as unclean because of their mixture with the prophane multitude Beside all that is said of their Heresies Schisms Contentions Contempt of Magistrates and Ministers all which are the prophane works of the flesh We read of further pollution breaking out among them as both Master Cotton and Master Wells do testifie III Out of the Governour Master Winthrops Narration I remark one abomination which to me seems strange That the Midwives to their most zealous women should not onely have familiarity with the divel but also in that very service should commit divellish Malefices which so far as they tell us were not onely past over without punishment but never so much as inquired after KKK All this and more we read of the Independents in New-England in one short Narration of two or three yeers accidents among them what if we had their full History from any faithful hand it seems that many more mysteries would be brought to light which now are hid in darknesse It is not our intention to bring any man to a prejudice or the least distast of the Grace and Gifts which God hath bestowed on Master Cotton or any other in New-England would to God that all our Questions with them were come to that issue they should finde us here as willing as their greatest admirers to prize to embrace and as our weaknesse will permit to imitate what ever good did shine in any of them But we have made these Observations from what themselves have written to bring if it be possible their own hearts or if this be desperate yet the mindes of others to a suspition of that their new and singular way which the Lord hath so manifestly cursed with bader fruits and greater store of them then ever yet did appear upon the Tree of Brownism which they do so much disgrace as an unlucky Plant notwithstanding all the Gifts and Graces wherewith Ainsworth Robinson and some others of its Branches have been adorned by God in as rich a measure as have been seen in any who to this day have ingrafted themselves into their new and bitter root of Independency The Testimonies A Master Cottons Letter to Skelton p. 3. Your other Errour that our Congregations in England are none of them particular Reformed Churches requireth rather a Book then a Letter to answer it You went hence of another judgement and I am afraid your change hath sprung from New-Plymouth men whom though I much esteem as godly loving Christians yet their Grounds which for this Tenent they received from Master Robinson do not satisfie me though the man I reverence as godly and learned Rathbones Narration p. 1. The Church at New-Plymouth was as I am informed one of the first Churches that was settled in New-England having been a part of Master Robinsons Church in Holland that famous Brownist from whence they brought with their Church Opinions and Practises and which they there still hold without any alteration so far as ever I could learn Master W. an eminent man of the Church at Plimouth told W. R. that the rest of the Churches of New-England came at first to them at Plimouth to crave their direction in Church courses and made them their patern B Vide Purchase Pilgrims in his discourses of America in divers Letters from New-England C Cottons Letter to the Reader before Hildershams Commentary upon John 1632. That one Letter of his to a Gentlewoman against the Separation which without his consent a Separatist Printed and Refuted hath so strongly and cleerly convinced the Iniquity of that way that I could not but acknowledge in it both the wisedom of God and the weaknesse of the Separatists His wisedom in bringing to light such a beam of his Truth by the hand of an adversary against the minde of the Author and the weaknesse of the other to advance the hand of this Adversary to give himself and his cause such a deadly wound in open view as neither himself nor all his associates can be able to heal in which respect I conceive it was that the industrious Doctor Willet stileth this our Author Schismaticorum qui vulgo Brownistae vocantur Malleus The Hammer of Schismaticks whom they commonly call Brownists D Vide supra A. E Edwards Antapology p. 17. Knowing something of the story of Master Goodwins first coming to fall off from the Ceremonies having seen and perused the Arguments that past betwixt him and Master Cotton and some others Master Goodwin assured me some moneths after his going off that he had nothing to say but against the Ceremonies the Liturgy offended him not much lesse dreamed he of this Church-way he since fell into F Cottons Letter from New-England to his friends at Boston October 5. 1635. Some other things there be which were I again with you I durst not take that liberty which some times I have taken I durst not joyn in your Book-Prayers G Ibidem I durst not now partake in the Sacraments with you though the Ceremonies were removed I know not how you can be excused from Fellowship of their sins if you continue in your place While you and some of my other friends continue with them I fear the rest will settle upon their Lees with more security The wise-hearted that left their Stations in Israel I doubt not were some of them if not all useful and serviceable men in their places yet they did themselves and their Brethren more good service in going before their Brethren as the Goats before the Flocks Jere. 50.8 then if they had tarried with them to the corrupting of their own wayes 2 Chro. 11.14 16. Antap. p. 32. After his going into New-England and falling into the Church-way there and sending over Letters into England about the new way presently after these Letters began the falling off and questioning Communion in our Churches H Antap. p. 32. One of you to wit Master Goodwin was so ingaged in his thoughts of one of the Ministers of New-England to wit Master Cotton by whom I am sure he was first taken off that he hath said there was not such another man in the world again Ibidem p. 22. One of you told some friends that he had found out a Form of Church-Government as far beyond Master Cartwrights as his was beyond that of the Bishops Master Williams Examination of Master Cottons Letter p. 47. Some of the most eminent amongst them have affirmed that even the Apostles Churches were not so pure as the new English Churches I Vide supra F. K Antap. p. 40. He hath had his Errours and I refer you for proof to his discourse about cleering the Doctrine of Reprobation See the Preface of Doctor Twisse his Answer L The short Story in the Preface par 10. What men they saw Eminent in the Countrey and of most
erect their Congregation the successe was no better their Ship scarce well set out was quickly splitupon the Rocks was soone dissipate and vanished When Johnstoun Ainsworth would make the third assay and try if that tree which neither in England nor Zealand could take roote might thrive in Holland at Amsterdam where plants of all sorts are so cherished that few of the most maligne qualite doe miscarry yet so singular a malignity is innate in that seede of Independency that in that very ground where all weedes grow ranke it did wither within a few yeares new Schismes burst that small Church asunder Johnstoun with his halfe and Ainsworth with his made severall Congregations neither whereof did long continnue without further ruptures Behold who please with an observant Eye these Congregations which have embraced Independency they shall finde that never any Churches in so short a time have beene disgraced with so many so unreasonable and so irreconcileable Schismes Against these inconveniences they tell us of two remedies the duties of charity and the authority of the Magistrate but the one is unsufficient and the other improper The duties of charitie are but mocked by obstinate Hereticks and heady Schismaticks to what purpose are counsells rebukes intreaties imployed towards him who is blowne up with the certaine perswasion that all his errors are divine truthes that all who deale with him to the contrary are in a cleare error that all the advices given to him are but the words of Satan from the mouthes of men tempting him to sinne against God As for the Magistrate oft he is not a Christian oft though a Christian he is not Orthodoxe and though both a Christian and Orthodoxe yet oft either ignorant or carelesse of Ecclesiasticke affaires and however his helpe is never so proper and intrinsecall to the Church that absolutely and necessarily she must depend thereupon Now all our Question is about the ordinary the internall the necessary remedies which Scripture ascribes to the Church within it selfe as it is a Church even when the outward hand of the Magistrate is deficient or opposite Our sixth and last Argument That which everteth from the very foundation the most essentiall parts of discipline not only of all the reformed but of all the Churches knowne at any time in any part of the world till the birth of Anabaptisme it can not be very gracious But this doth Independency The Minor is cleare by induction That the Government of the Scottish Church by Synods Presbyteries and Sessions sworne and subscribed of old and late by that Nation in their solemne Covenant that the same discipline of the Churches of France Holland Swiiz Geneva as also the Politie of the High Dutch and English and all the rest who are called Reformed is turned upside downe by Independency no man doubts for this is our Adversaries gloriation that they will be tied by no Oathes Covenants Subscriptions they will be hindred by no authority of any man no reverence of any Churches on earth to seperate from all the reformed that so alone they may injoy their divine and beloved Independency If you speake of more ancient times either the purer which followed the Apostles at the backe or the posterior impurer ages that the Politie of these times in all Churches Greeke and Latine is trodden under foote by Independency all likewise doe grant and how well that new conceit agreeth with the discipline practised in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles or in the dayes of Moses and the Prophets the preceding arguments will shew I confesse such is the boldnesse of the men against whom we now dispute that although they glory in their contempt of the authoritie of all men dead and living yet they offer to overwhelme us with testimonies of a number as well ancient as late Divines But who desire to see all that dust blowne back in their own eyes who raised it and the detorted words against the knowne mind and constant practise of the Authors clearely vindicated and retorted let them be pleased to take a view of Mr. Pagets Posthume Apologie where they will finde abundant satisfaction in this kinde For the other side a great bundle of arguments are also brought we shall consider the principall First To whom Christ hath given the right of excommunication the greatest of all censures they in all other acts of Jurisdiction and in all acts of Ecclesiastick discipline are Independent But Christ hath given the right of excommunication to every Congregation and to these alone Ergo c. They prove the Minor Unto the Church Christ hath given the right of excommunication Mat. 18. Goe tell the Church if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnicke But every Congregation and it onely is the Church because in the whole Scripture the word Church where ever it is not taken for the Church universall or invisible is ever understood of a single Congregation which in one place with one Pastor serveth God Answer Passing the Majors we deny the Minors and affirme that no where in Scripture the word Church may be expounded of their Independent Congregation and least of all in the alledged place If we will advise either with the old or late Interpreters or with the best and most learned of the Adversaryes themselves who affirme with us that by the Church Math. 18. no Congregation can be understood unlesse we would bring in among Christians most grosse anarchy except we would set down on the Judgment seates of the Church every member of the Congregation men women young old the meanest and weakest part of the people to decide by the number not the weight of their voyces the greatest causes of the Church to determine finally of the excommunication of Pastors of the nature of haeresie and all doctrine and that with a decree irrevocable from which there may be no appeal no not to an Oecumenicke Synod Wherfore beside the rest of the Interpreters a great part of the Adversaries by the Church in this place understand no whole Congregation nor the most part of any Congregation but a select number thereof the Senate or Officers who cognose and discerne according to the Scriptures This is enough for answer to the argument but if further it be inquired the Senate of which Church is pointed at in this place whether of a Parochiall Church or Presbyteriall or Nationall or Oecumenicke or of all these Ans It seemeth that the Senate of all the Churches must here be understood and especially of a Presbyteriall Church at least not of a Parochiall onely and independently as our Adversaries would have it By no meanes will we have the Session of a Parish prejudged and are well content that the authority of Parochiall Sessions to handle their own proper affaires should be grounded upon this place onely we deny that from this place a Church-Session hath any warrant to take the cognition of things common to it selfe
draw on such seditious practises as did well neer overturn both their Church and State Their proud obstinacy against all admonitions was marvellous In the midst of their profession of eminent piety the profanity of many of them was great Notwithstanding all this we desire from our heart to honour and imitate all and every degree of Truth or Piety which did ever appear in any New-English Christian Independency no fruitful Tree in Holland Master Peterâ— the first Planter of that Weed at Roterdam Their Ministers Master Bridge Master Simpson and Master Ward renounced their English Ordination and as meer private men took new Ordination from the people Incontinent they did fall into shameful divisions and subdivisions The people without any just cause deposed their Minister The Commissioners from Arnhem durst not come neer the bottom of the businesse The Schisms at Roterdam were more irreconcileable then those at Amsterdam Anabaptism is like to spoil that Church They of the Church of Arnhem admire and praise themselves above all measure The easinesse of their banishment and afflictions The new light at Arnhem broke out into a number of strange Errours First Grosse Chiliasm Secondly The grossest blasphemy of the Libertines that God is the Author of the very sinfulnesse of sin Thirdly the fancy of the Enthusiasts in knowing God as God abstracted from Scripture from Christ from Grace and from all his attributes Fourthly The old Popish Ceremonies of extreme Unction and the holy kisse of Peace Fifthly The discharging of the Psalms the appointing of a singing Prophet to chant the Songs made by himself in the silence of all others Sixthly The mortality of the soul Seventhly the conveniency for Ministers to Preach covered and celebrate the Sacraments discovered but for the people to hear discovered and to participate the Sacraments covered Their publike contentions were shameful The work of the prime Independents of New England Arnheim and Roterdam these five yeers at London They did hinder with all their power so long as they were able the calling of the Assembly When it was called they retarded its proceedings That the Churches of England and Ireland lie so long in confuon neither Papists nor Prelates nor Malignants have been the cause But the Independents working according to their principles The great mischief of that Anarchy wherin they have kept the Churches of England and Ireland for so long a time Independency is the mother of more Hereresies and Schisms at London then Amsterdam ever knew Independency at London doth not onely bring forth but nourish and patronize Heresies and Schisms contrary to its custom either in New-England or Amsterdam How hazardous it may prove to the State of England Why it is hard to set downe the Independents positions They have declined to declare their Tenets more then has ever been the custome of any Orthodox Divines When they shal bee pleased to declare themselves to the full their principle of change will hinder theÌ„ to assure us that any thing is their settled and firm Tenet wherein they will bee constant The chief Tenets which hitherto they have given out and not yet recalâ—ed are these following They reject the name of Independents unreasonably and for their own disadvantage When it is laid aside the more infamous name of Brownists and Separatists wil justly fall upon them They avow a Semi-Separation but a Sesqui-Separation will bee proved upon them The Independents doe separate from all the Reformed Churches upon farre worse grounds then the Brownists were wont to separate Their acknowledgment of the Reformed for true Churches doth not diminish but encrease their Shisme They refuse all Church communion and membership in all the Reformed Churches they preach and pray in them as they would doe among Pâ—gans only as gâ—ftâ—d men to gather new Churches About the matter of the Church and qualification of members they are large as strict as the Brownists admitting none but who convinces the whole Congregation of their reall regeneration Besides true grace they require a sutablenesse of spirit But in this they are laxer then the Brownists that they can take in without scruple Anabaptists Antinomians others who both in life doctrine have evident blots if so they bee zealous and serviceable for their way About the forme of the Church a Church Covenant they are more punctuall then the Brownists They take the power of gathering and erecting of Churches both from Magistrates and Ministers placing it only in the hands of a few private Christians who are willing to make among themselves a Church covenant This power of erecting themselves into a compleat and perfect church they give to any seven persons neither admit they more into a Church then can altogether in one place commodiously administer the Sacraments Discipline The Independents will have all the standing Churches in England dissolved and all their Ministers to become meerly private men and any three persons of their way to bee a full Church Vnto this Church of seven persons they give all and the whole Church power and that independently Vnto this congregationall Church alone they give the full power of election and ordination of deposition and excommunication even of all their officers and of the finall determination of all Ecclesiastick causes The difference of Iohnson and Ainsworth about the power of the people and presbytery distinct one from the other is not yet composed among the Independents The common Doctrine of New England is Ainsworths Tenet that the people aâ—one have all the power may excommunicate when there is cause all their officers Mr Cotton the other year did fall much from them and himselfe towards Iohnson that the whole power of authority is only in the Officers and the people have noâ—hing but the power of liberty to concurre that the Officers can doe nothing without the people nor the people any thing but by the Officers Yet that both officers people or any one of them have power to separate themselvs from all the rest when they find cause The London Independents give more power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction then the Brownists unto women Some of them permit private men to celebrate the Sacraments Brownists and Independents do perfectly agree in the point of Independency If a corrupt or negligent Presbytery doe not censure their own members all the Assemblies in the world may not attempt to censure any of them though most apparently they did corrupt a whole Nation with the grossest Heresies or most scandalous vices The point of Independency is either the root or the fruit of many errors To temper the crudity of this Tenet they adde to it three moderating positions but for little purpose They grant the being of Synods but not of Classicall Presbyteries Their Synods are meerely Brownisticall without all Iurisdiction wherein every one of the people may vote also meerely elective and only occasionall The sentence of Non-Communion is Mr Cottons invention to supply that defect which themselves make in the
yea two or three ibid. The erecting of a Church requires neither the Magistrates nor Ministers assistance ibid. They put all Church power in a handfull of people without any Pastor 24 The election ordination deposition and excommunication of the Minister belongs to his flock and to it alone ibid. Every man of the Congragation may preach and publikely rebuke not only the Pastor but the whole flock yea and separate from it 25 Some of them give the celebration of the Sacraments also to private persons ibid. The solemnizing of marriage they give to Parents but Divorces they commit to the parties themselves 26 They make every Congregation independent and of Soveraigne Authority ibid. Their judgement of Synods 27 Their high conceit of their own way and injurious depressing of all others ibid. Churches Bels Tythes Glebes Manses and all set maintenance of Ministers are unlawfull not so much as a Church yard must be kept up for buriall but all must bury in the fields ibid. The dayes of the week the months the yeare of God they will not name 28 No Pulpits no Sand-glasses in Churches no Gowns ibid. All set prayer even the Lords prayer and all Psalms in meeter yea in prose if used as praises are unlawfull 29 Their opinion of preaching and Sacraments ibid. Their strange way of celebrating the Lords Supper ibid. They reject Catechismes the Apostles Creed and all reading of Scripture without exposition 30 After preaching they prophecy ibid. Then come their Questions ibid. After all they attend a very tedious discipline ibid. Brown is for liberty of Conscience ibid. His followers are against it 31 Their carriage towards the Magistrate ibid. They spoyle Kings and Parliaments of their Legislative power ibid. They oblige the Magistrate to kill all Idolaters ibid. But to spare all theeves 32 They will have the Vniversities destroyed ibid. Secular Authors and Learning must be abolished ibid. Preachers must study no other books but the Bible ibid. Chap. 3. The originall and progresse of the Independents and of their carriage in New-England Independency is the smallest of all the Sects of the time for number but greatest for worth of its followers 53 Independents are the Separatists off-spring ibid. When the spark of Brownism was dying out in Holland a little of its ashes carried to New-England broke out there into a lasting flame 54 By what meanes these ashes were kindled ibid. Mr Cotton at first a great Opposite to that way 55 Mr Cotton with little adoe became the great Patron of that Errour ibid Mr Cotton was the mis-leader of Mr Goodwin and others 56 Mr Cotton often deceived hath given his patrociny to divers grosse errours ibid. Why God permits great men to fall in evident errours ibid. His Prelaticall Arminian and Montanistick tenets 57 His Antinomy and Familism ibid. Independency full as unhappy as Brownisme 58 Wherefore so much of the Independent way lies yet in darknesse 59 The fruits of Independency in New-England ibid. First it hath put thousands of Christians in the condition of Pagans ibid. Secondly it hath marred the conversion of Pagans to Christian Religion 60 Thirdly it did bring forth the foulest heresies that ever yet were heard of in any Protestant Church ibid. A few examples of the many abominable heresies of the New-English Independents 61 The greatest part of their Churches were infected with these errours ibid. The piety of these Hereticks seemed to be singular ibid. Their malice against all who opposed them was singular especially against all their orthodox Ministers and Magistrates 62 Their errours in opinion did draw on such seditious practises as did well neare overturne both their Church and State ibid. Their proud obstinacy against all admonitions was marvelous p. 63 In the midst of their profession of eminent Piety the profanenesse of many of them was great p. 64 Notwithstanding of all this we desire from our heart to honour and imitate all and every degree of truth and Piety which did ever appeare in any New-English Christian p. 65 Chap. 4. The carriage of the Independents in Holland at Rotâ—rdam and Arnheim p. 75. Independency was no fruitfull tree in Holland p. 75 Mr Peters the first planter thereof at Roterdam ibid. Their Ministers Mr. Bridge Mr Simpson and Mr Ward renounced their English Ordination and as meere private men tooke new Ordination from the people ibid. They did quickly fall into shamefull divisions and subdivisions p. 76 The people without any just cause deposed their Minister ibid. The Schismes at Roterdam were more irreconcileable then those at Amsterdam p. 77 Anabaptisme is like to spoile that Church p. 78 These of Arnheim admire and praise themselves above all measure ibid. The easinesse of their banishment and afflictions p. 79 The new Light at Arnheim brok out in a number of strange errors ib. First grosse Chiliasme ibid. Secondly the grossest blasphemy of the Libertines that God is the Author of the very sinfulnesse of sinne p. 80 Thirdly the fancy of the Euthusiasts in contemplating God as God abstracted from Scripture from Christ from grace and from all his attributes ibid. Fourthly the old Popish Ceremonies of extreme Unction and the holy Kisse of peace p. 81 Fifthly the discharging of the Psalmes and the apointing of a singing Prophet to chant the Songs made by himselfe in the silence of all others ibid. Sixthly the mortality of the soule ibid. Seventhly the conveniency for Ministers to preach covered and celebrate the Sacraments uncovered but for the people to heare uncovered and to participate the Sacraments covered p. 82. Their publick contentions were shamefull ibid. Cap. 5. The Carriage of the Independents at London p. 90 The worke of the prime Independents of New-England Arnheim and Roterdam these five yeares at London p. 90 They did hinder with all their power so long as they were able the calling of the Assembly ibid. When it was called they retarded its proceedings p. 91 That the Churches of England and Ireland lye so long in confusion neither Papists nor Prelates nor Malignants have been the cause ibid. But the Independents working according to their Principles p. 92 The great mischiefe of that Anarchy wherein they have kept the Churches of England and Ireland for so long a time ibid. Independency is the mother of more Heresies and Schismes at London then Amsterdam ever knew ibid. Independency at London doth not only bring forth but nourish and patronize Heresies and Schismes contrary to its custome either in New-England or Amsterdam p. 93 How hazardous it may prove to the State of England p. 94 Chap. 6. An Enumeration of the Common Tenets of the Independents p. 101 Why it is hard to set downe the Independents Positions p. 101 They have declined to declare their Tenets more then hath ever been the custome of any Orthodox Divines ibid. When they shall be pleased to declare themselves to the full their principle of change will hinder them to assure us that any thing is their setled and firme
places upon the peoples sense of the Presbyteries encroaching and feare of their farther usurpation they have thought it expedient to have no Eldership at all as in Amsterdam the Brownists so in Rotterdam the Independents for these many yeares have had no ruling Elders and so no Presbytery xx but have governed all their affaires by the voices of the people and why might they not as well live without ruling Elders as their Brethren at Arnem for divers yeares did live without a Pastor yy the more necessary Officer Mr Cotton and some others feeling to their small contentment the great and intolerable power of the people over the Eldership have begun to fall from Ainsworth to Iohnson and to plead the Authority of the Eldership above the Brotherhood and the necessity of their subjection by divine right to the Elders as to their Superiours zz yet to salve all and to please both parties he maketh the concurrence of the Eldership and Brotherhood to be both necessary to be both sine quo non aaa whatever Authority he gives to the Eldership he maketh it all vaine and frustaneous without the consent of the people bbb and notwithstanding all the obedience and subjection he putteth upon the people yet he giveth to them such a power of Liberty that their concurrence with the Eldership in every act of power is not only necessary but authoritative ccc He goeth yet one step further in case of the obstinate and incorrigible aberration of the Presbytery he gives power to the people albeit not to execute any act of power yet to separate from the obstinate Eldership ddd and out of their own number to make new Elders who will be willing to administer cenâ—ures and do all else that they conceive to be right For all this so farre as we can learne there is yet no full agreement among them either in New or Old England in setting the merch-stones of power betwixt the Eldership and Brotherhood many Schoole distinctions they use yet by them all they cannot come to concord The Independents here confesse their agreement with Mr Cotton in the chiefe things wherein he differs from his Brethren in New England and from his owne selfe in his late Book of the way of the Churches they applaud much his new invented distinction of the power of Authority and the power of Liberty eee Yet in other things they avow their dissent from him fff what these other things may be they yet have not had leisure to informe us I hope it be not the extent of Church power unto women and the giving of a power to celebrate Sacraments unto private men which yet are said to be the Tenets of some of their friends It is true the Synod of New England maketh not only the fraternity but as they speak the sorority also to be the subject of the private power of the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven ggg also we have shewen how they have permitted women to be Leaders to their whole Churches and chiefe Pastors in Church actions of the highest nature we have good witnesses that a woman was the founder of Mr Simpsons Church at Rotterdam hhh that a woman and that none of the best led away Mr Cotton and with him great numbers of the best note in New England towards the vilest errours and to the brink of a new separation from all the Churches there iii Notwithstanding all this none of the Independents either in New England or Holland neither the Brownists of Amsterdam did ever give unto any women any publike Ecclesiastick power In this our London Independents exceed all their Brethren who of late begin to give unto women power of debating in the face of the Congregation and of determining Ecclesiastick causes by their suffrages if Doctor Bastwick be rightly informed kkk Concerning the power of the Sacraments Mistris Chidley is permitted to print in defence of the Independent cause without the reproofe of any of that party so farre as I have heard that not only Pastors but private men out of all office may lawfully celebrate both the Sacraments lll However in these and other things there may be great difference among them in the point of Church power yet that which is the principall point in this head of power the matter of Independency in it there is a full and perfect agreement among them all Whatever power whether of Liberty or Authority be in the Congregation organicall or homogeneous radically or habitually in the Brothehood or Eldership conjunctly or severally whatever power it be or wheresover it be all of them place it in the Congregation without any subjection to any other Superiour mmm The word of Independency some of them do much abominate and yet but some for there are of their chiefe Leaders this day who do not mislike it nnn but what ever wee speak of the word the matter which every man did understand by it is stifly maintayned by them all In nothing there is greater concord among them then that in the smallest Congregations even of seven persons the whole Ecclesiastick power doth reside absolutely without any dependence upon or subjection to any or all the creatures on earth ooo Whatever may be sayd of a charitable advice or friendly counsell or brotherly rebuke yet if you speak of any authoritative power to censure all of them avow that the offer of this from all assemblies of a nation or of the world is Antichristian Tyranny ppp and for any person in the smallest Congregation to receive or submit themselves to any such censure were to betray and cast away the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free qqq So that it is utterly unlawfull for all the Churches of the World to inflict the least censure or to give the smallest admonition in order to any censure not only to any Congregation but to any one man therein suppose he were never so erroneous never so scandalous although he did infect and destroy not only all the soules of that Congregation but as a common pest did corrupt the Churches of a whole Nation or if it were possible of the whole World rrr This strange Tenet seemeth to be either the root or the fruit either the mother or the daughter of all the rest of their errors the mother and root because a few persons having locked themselves up within the narrow walls of one Congregation with an Independent power having made themselves uncontroulable by any or all upon earth they open a wide doore to any erroneous spirit to mislead them towards what ever fancy can enter into any cracked braine without all possibility of any effectuall remedy the daughter and fruit because men who are conscious to themselves of singularities which they feare will not be liked nor tolerated by others upon their fond love towards these errours doe affect such a liberty which may exempt them from all danger to bee ordained by any censure to
solemn debate upon it they speak as if they were either fully or very neere accorded with us professing their utter dislike of the Brownists unreasonablenesse herein but I professe this hath alwayes seemed to me their capitall and fundamentall difference the only cause of their separation from us and wherein if wee could either agree or accommodate there would be a faire possibility of accord in all things else at least so farre as to be united in one and the same Church but this difference is the great partition wall which so long as it stands will force them to continue their intolerable practice of separating from all the Reformed Churches in the world and that for fewer and more unjust causes then any who ever did carry the name of a Separatist to this day did pretend This seemes to bee the reason why both Apollonius and Spanheim very excellent Divines have begun their dispute with this question For the stating of the controversie consider how it stands betwixt us and the Independents at this time the Brownists for their separation were wont to alledge the impurity of our worship the corruption of our Government the open prophanesse of the most in our Congregations By the mercy of God the first is fully Reformed at least so farre according to the minde of our brethren that they have entred no dissenting vote to any one passage of the Directory for worship The Government also is so farre cleared in the Assemblie that they have entered their dissent from no part of it except that alone which concerns the Iurisdiction of Presbyteries and Synods and their dissent herein might and still may well be so carried as not to occasion any breach But the third is the great cause of division wherein they much out-runne the Brownists for they did never offer to separate upon this ground alone and the matter whereupon here they stumbled was only open profanenesse and that incorrigible either through want of power or want of care to remedy it If the profanenesse was not open and visible or if the Church had her full power to execute discipline and according to her power made conscience really to censure scandalls These things as I conceive would have abundantly satisfied the Brownists and cured their separation But the Independents now doe draw them up much higher then they were wont to stand They teach them to stumble not only at open profanenesse but at the want of true grace yea at the want of convincing signes of Regeneration They teach them to require not only a power and care in the Church to censure such profanenesse but also a power in every member of the Church to keep out all others with whom they are not satisfied in the truth of their grace So the question is not as usually it is made of the quality of the members of the Church but of the necessity to separate from that Church wherein we are not satisfied by convincing signs of the true faith and grace of every member at their first admission Wee grant it is earnestly to be wished and all lawfull meanes would diligently bee used both by Pastors and people to have all the members of a Church most holy and gratious and what ever lawfull overture our Brethren can invent for this end we with all our heart will embrace it or else be content to beare much blame We grant also that it is the duty of Church-Governours to keep off every scandalous person from profaning to their own damnation the holy things of the Lord and that it is the duty of these Governours not only to suspend from the holy Table all scandalous persons but farther to cast all such out of the Church without respect of persons in the case of obstinacy when by no meanes they can bee brought to satisfactory repentance we grant also that Church-Governours deficient in these duties ought themselves to be disciplined by the rod of Church-Censures these things were never controverted But the question is whether because of the admission of some to Church-membership who have not given satisfaction to every member of the Church in the point of their reall Regeneration a Church may lawfully be separated from as vitiously constitute for that essentiall defect in its very matter Our Brethrens constant and resolute practice albeit gilded over with many faire words maketh this to be the cleare state of the question against which I reason thus First What to Moses and the Prophets was not a sufficient cause of separation from the Churches of their time is not a sufficent cause for us to separate from the Churches in our times But want of satisfaction by convincing signes of the true grace of many members of the Church was not a sufficient cause for Moses and the Prophets to separate in their times Ergo The minor is cleare and uncontroverted for Moses and the Prophets were so farre from separating from the Churches of their dayes for want of assurance of the true grace of every person in these Churches that they remained still to their dying day in the bosome of these Churches comumnicating with them in the Word Prayer Sacraments and Sacrifices though they were assured of the evident wickednesse of the most of their fellow-members Moses knew the Body of Israel to bee a crooked and perverse generation Isaiah tells the Iewes that they were another Sodom Ieremy sheweth that Israel in his dayes was uncircumcised in heart no better then Moab Ammon or Edom Micah that the godly in his time were very rare as the summer fruits as the grapes after the Vintage of this truth all the Prophets are full yet for all this none of the Prophets did ever think of a separation All the difficulty then is in the major which thus we prove The Church in the dayes of Moses and the Prophets was one and the same with the Church of our dayes The House of God the body of Christ the Elect and redeemed people the holy Nation the peculiar treasure and spouse of the Lamb The difference of the true Church in any age is at most but in accidentall circumstances and not in any essentials so what ever morall evill doth defile the Church now and is a just cause of ejection or separation that must be so at all times especially under the old Testament where all the Ceremoniall differences that are alledged betwixt the Church then and now make for the strengthning of the Argument for then the causes of separation were stricter and smaller a little Ceremoniall pollution would then have kept out of the sanctuary much more a morall uncleannesse would have made the sacrifice abominable If therefore at that time the matter in hand was no cause of separating from the Church much lesse can it be so now when God hath given a greater liberty to the Church in her majority and when Christians are not so easily infected by their neighbours sinnes as of old in the dayes
had gathered a separate Congregation and drawn up for the defence of his Way these Writings whence ever since the best Arguments for that Schism are drawn B they went over to enjoy their liberty to Middleburgh of Zeland But behold the wrath of God following them at the heels when there was no disturbance from without they fell to such jarring among themselves that soon they broke all to pieces the most turned Anabaptists Brown himself returned to England recanted his Brownism received a Parsonage at the hand of a Bishop The course of his life to his deep old age was so extremely scandalous that more then ordinary charity is needfull to perswade that ever he was led with a good spirit I have heard it from reverend Ministers that he was a common beater of his poor old wife and would not stick to defend publikely this his wicked practice also that he was an open profaner of the Sabbath and that his injustice in not paying the small pittance he was indebted to him whom lazinesse in his Calling made him to keep for the supply of the cure of his Parsonage did bring him to prison in the which for that very cause he continued till death When the wickednesse of this man is objected to Robinson his Scholar he is so far from denial that under his hand he testifieth it abundantly C The third Master of this Sect was Barrow the most bitter and clamorous Censurer of all the Reformed Churches of any that yet hath put Pen to Paper chuse whom you will of the most despiteful Jesuites let their Books which are most besprinkled with Gall be compared with Barrows Discovery this to my taste is nothing sweeter then the bitterest of them all And yet there is small reason why with so great arrogance he should have taken in his hand the Censors rod if all be true of him which his opposites object However before he could gather any formed Congregation his invectives against the Faith Baptism and Laws of England were so excessive that Queen Elizabeth impatient of his Contumelies by the evil advice of the cruel Prelates about her caused him in a morning to be hanged on the Tower-hill The fourth Leader of this Way was Master Johnson who affraid at Barrows execution got over with the Church he had gathered to Amsterdam and there for many yeers was Pastor to the first setled Congregation of Brownists we read of This man with Ainsworth his Doctor sent out to all the reformed Churches the Confession of their Faith in the yeer 1602. But long it was not till it appeared to the world that no better spirit did reign in that company then in the former Societies of this way For incontinent three shamefull Schisms one upon the neck of another broke out among them First many of them turned Anabaptists and were excommunicated Secondly Master Johnson fell to so great oddes first with his brother Master George for small matters and afterward with his father that he excommunicated them both and was cursed by both when he had rejected peremptorily the mediation of the Presbytery of Amsterdam for reconciliation Thirdly the remnant of the company a little after rent in two upon needlesle Questions Master Ainsworth the Doctor with his half did excommunicate Johnson and his half who were not long behinde for they also did quickly excommunicate Ainsworth and all his followers Hereupon the War betwixt these two handfuls of people became so sharp that Amsterdam could not keep them both for Johnson with his side of the house got away to Emden where after his death that little company as I suppose dissolved and vanished Ainsworths's company after his death remained long without all Officers very like to have dissolved yet at last after much strife they did chuse one Master Cann for their Pastor but could not agree til very lately upon any other Officer and even yet they live without an Eldership as they did before without a Pastor The most of these things are the confessions of the party D the rest are notorious and will not be denied The weight and evidence of Gods hand against Johnson and Ainsworth had so far disgraced that Sect that in the opinion of the most no man would ever more look after it Yet two other Divines of very good parts did set under their shoulders to support it for some longer time but so that in the end they did undermine and undo it though in a contrary way Master Smith a man as I have heard of right eminent parts falling to that side and writing against the use of the Lords Prayer was convinced in a publike meeting by Master Hildersham and others for the Unconformists alwayes had the one eye no lesse intent upon the Separatists then the other upon Episcopacy notwithstanding Master Smith for all his conviction and open profession upon his knees of his full satisfaction did relapse and by his perswasion moved a great company to follow him out of England to Ley in Holland There he persevered not long in concord with his Elder Brethren of the Separation but quickly accused them all of Idolatry in their worship for looking upon their Bibles in the time of Preaching and on their Psalters in the time of singing E and of Antichristianism in their Government because in their Presbytery they joyned to Pastors other two Officers Doctours and ruling Elders which to him were humane inventions Neither here did the spirit of errour permit him long to stand But as in the Preface of his Book of difference from the old Separatists he professeth a resolution of inconstancy F So accordingly he did practise falling from Brownism to Anabaptism And as ordinary Brownism when he was a Brownist did not please his taste without his own refinings so turning Anabaptist the common sorts of that way did not please him though of the Anabaptists there be more kindes then of any other Sect this day extant yet by none of them all would his conscience permit him to be Rebaptised but he needs must Rebaptise himself and so draw on the just infamy of a Sebaptist G For a recompence of this wantonnesse in erring behold how the just Lord permitted Satan to lead him yet one step further It is not onely a common report but I have heard it from the gravest and most approved Divines of the Kingdom That upon his death-bed he became a Preacher of his own perfect righteousnesse if not a professed Arrian An example full of horrour which God hath set forth if men will be so wise as to be disciplined in the persons of others to bridle the petulant wits of this age who make it if not their pastime yet their exercise and glory to impugn by their Sophisms the setled Tenents and practices of all Christians before them Master Smiths progresse and end ought to circumscribe their luxuriant spirits within the circle of some moderation lest all the glory of their new inventions be
whether natural moral or spiritual which are done in faith But herein Master Smith is wiser then his fellows telling us That all Songs in the Church out of a Book whether in Verse or Prose are Idolatry MMMM yet he admits of singing such Psalms as the Spirit dictates to any person immediately without Book NNNN It seems the Brownists at Amsterdam have recanted their error in this point for all of them sing now in strange tunes the Psalms in meeter of Ainsworths exceeding harsh Paraphrase Preaching of the Word to them is no Pastoral act but is common not onely to all the Officers but to every gifted Brother of the Flock OOOO The word Sacrament to them is traditional corrupt and not to be used PPPP The Baptism of the English Church they make to be vain and nul the seal of no grace but onely of wrath and condemnation QQQQ yet they will not have it repeated They teach that the Lords Supper should be celebrated every Lords day RRRR So preparation-Sermons before and Sermons for Thanksgiving after the Lords Table to them are needlesse They will have all to sit at the Lords Table with their Hats on uncovering of the head in the act of receiving to them is Idolatry SSSS In this the present practice at Amsterdam contradicts their Doctrine for however they sit covered in time of all the reading and discourse yet when it comes to the participation of the elements every man during the time of his eating and drinking sits uncovered They count it lawful to joyn with the Lords Table Love-feasts TTTT They reject all Catechisms being set and so unlawful forms of instruction VVVV After a member is once received amongst them they enquire no more for his knowledge having once gotten satisfaction at his admission to Membership of his sufficient knowledge The Apostles Creed they detest as an old Patchery of evil stuff XXXX Christs descent into hell they count a blasphemous Article YYYY They reject all publike reading of the Word which is not backed with present Exposition ZZZZ They do not any way scruple the Office of Readers and Expounders for they give full liberty of publike and ordinary Preaching to any gifted man of the Flock though he have no Office When the exercise of Reading Expounding Singing of Psalms Praying and Preaching by the Pastor is ended they will have one two three or four to prophesie in order AAAAA and all to have a free liberty of continuing so long as they think meet After all this is done they have yet another exercise wherein by way of conference questioning and dispuâ—ation every one of the Congregation may propound publikely and presse their Scruples Doubts and Objections against any thing which that day they have heard BBBBB And as if all these Exercises were not enough to tire out a spirit of Iron the most of them being repeated again in the afternoon for a conclusion of all they bring in the laborious and long work of their Discipline for which the whole Flock must stay till they have heard debated and discerned every cause that concerns either the Officers or any of the people whether in Doctrine or Manners CCCCC Concerning the Magistrate Master Brown teacheth that he hath no right to meddle at all with any matter of Religion but to permit the liberty and free choice of Religion to the conscience of every one of his Subjects DDDDD The most of Browns followers do leave in this their Master making it a great part of the Christian Magistrates Office to suppresse within their own Bounds Idolatry and False doctrine EEEEE To compel all their Subjects if they will not be perswaded to hear the Word preached albeit no way to enter themselves members of any Church or to hinder any to enter in any Church they will or to erect new Churches of their own framing FFFFF Further if the Magistrate be a member of any Church they will have him were he the King himself to be so far subject to their Church-Censures that a little small Congregation shall have power upon his obstinacy in any sin or errour to excommunicate him and that without all delay without any respect to his Crown more then if he were the poorest servant of the whole Flock GGGGG and which is worst of all the Prince his Excommunication by the hands of so small weak a company must be without all possible relief for he hath no liberty of appeal to any upon earth HHHHH an oecumenike Councel may not assay to loose the knot of that Censure which the hand of the Congregation hath tied But their great Tenent about the Magistracie is this That no Prince nor State on the earth hath any Legislative power That neither King nor Parliament can make any Law in any thing that concerns either Church or State That God alone is the Law-giver That the greatest Magistrate hath no other power but to execute the Laws of God set down in Scripture IIIII That the Judicial Law of Moses bindes at this day all the Nations of the world as well as ever it did the Jews KKKKK They tell us that whatever God in Scripture hath left free it may not be bound by any humane Law whether Civil or Ecclesiastike and what God hath bound by any Law in Scripture they will not have it loosed by the hand of any man They lay it upon the Magistrate to punish by death without any dispensation every Adulterer every Blasphemer every Sabbath-breaker and above all every Idolater LLLLL. And here is the great danger that by Idolaters they will have understood not onely Pagans and Papists but the far greatest part of all Protestants all absolutely who are not of their way for the using of a set Prayer were it the Lords own Prayer to them is clear Idolatry MMMMM 1. For all this they will not permit any Magistrate to hang any thâ—ef at all MMMMM 2. Against the learning of the Times they make large Invectives the Universities and all the Colledges in them they will have razed to the ground they professe them to be worse then the Monasteries that justly were abolished NNNNN whatever Arts and Sciences are taught in the Christian Schools they count them idle and vain Grammar Rhetorick Logick Philosophy are all unlawful Arts OOOOO The Heathen Writers which are used in any Faculty such as Aristotle Plato Cicero and the like they would have them all burnt as the Authors of unlawful Arts. They reject all School-Degrees such as Batchelors Masters of Art Doctors of any faculty PPPPP They wil have no Students of Divinity QQQQQ They tell us that youths mis-spend their time and exceedingly abuse themselves by studying of those things which usually are recommended unto them as preparations for the Ministery whether Common places Commentaries upon Scripture or Protestant writers of Controversies all such Books they will have laid aside RRRRR yea it is their
Word of God to binde the Sin of the Pastor and upon his Repentance to pronounce comfort and peace to him as he hath to binde or loose the sins of the least SS Confess p. 23. As every Congregation hath power to elect and ordain their own Ministery so also have they power when any such default in Life Doctrine or Administration breaks out as by the rule of the Word deprives them of their Ministery by due order to depose them yea if the case so require if they remain obstinate orderly to cut them off by Excommunication Canns Necessity p. 155. If they shall sin scandalously the Congregation that chose them freely hath free power to depose them and put another in their room TT Johns Inquir p. 7. We have in our Church the use of the exercise of Prophecy spoken of 1 Cor. 14. In which some of the Brethren such as for Gifts are best able though not in Office of the Ministery deliver from some portion of Scripture Doctrine Exhortation Comfort sometimes two at a time sometimes more VV Bar. Disc p. 26. Their is no cause to doubt but any of Gods servants may censure judge and avoid that Congregation which rejecteth Gods Word breaketh Gods Law despiseth his Reproof and Mercy as a wicked Assembly and an Adulterous Church Ibid. p. 38. Who can deny but that every particular Member hath power yea and ought to examine the manner of administrating the Sacraments as also the Estate Disorder and Transgressions of the whole Church and to call them all to Repentance and if he finde them obstinate in their Sin rather to leave their Fellowship then to partake with them in wickednesse XX Vide supra MM. YY Vide supra ll ZZ Smiths Differences p. 56. It may be a question whether the Church may not administer the Sacraments before there be any Officers among them AAA Bar. Disc p. 121. I have alwayes found it the Parents office to provide marriage for their children and that the parties themselves should affiance and betroath one another in the fear of God and in the presence of such witnesses as are present and that in their Parents or other private houses without turning to the Church or to the Priest Confess pag. 45. The Dutch Church at Amsterdam celebrates marriage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiastick Administration while as it is in the nature of it meerly Civil BBB Vide supra AAA CCC Vide supra AAA DDD Johns Inqui. p. 33. These of our Members that you censure they avow that they accused themselves of adultery not for that end to be quit of their wives but being perswaded in their minde that they ought not to continue with their wives having by their adultery broken the bond of marriage Ibid. This indeed we held the most of us heretofore and some of us are so perswaded still and while we were generally so minded we thought it our duty to walk accordingly he means to excommunicate even the innocent party who was pleased to dwel with her Husband after he had sinned taking the innocent party that retained such offenders though upon repentance yet to be defiled and live in sin EEE Johns Plea p. 231. Every particular Church with the Pastor doth stand immediately under Jesus Christ the Arch-Pastor without any other strange Ecclesiastical power intervening c. Vide supra P. Also Robinsons Apol. p. 17. Non magis erat Petrus Paulus homo integer perfectus ex partibus suis essentialibus integralibus constans sine relatione ad alios homines quà m est â—oetus particularis recte institutus ordinatus tota integra perfecta ecclesia ex suis partibus constans immediate independenter quòad alias ecclesias sub solo Christo non itaque movendi sub humanae prudentiae antiquitatis unitatis aut alio ullo colore ecclesiae visibilis seu Ministerialis termini antiqui quos posuerunt Apostoli FFF Canns guide to Sion about the midst It is sure that Christ hath not subjected any Congregation of his to any superiour Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction then to that which is within it self So that if the whole Church shall erre in a matter of Faith or Religion no other Church or Church-Officer hath any warrant from the Word of God or power to censure punish or controle the same but are onely to advise them and so to leave their souls to the immediate judgement of Christ Robins Apol. p. 18. Licet imò incumbit Pastori unjus ecclesiae ut reliquis membris quod donum accepit sive spirituale sive temporale prout datur occasio id aliis ecclesiis earum membris impertiri ex charitatis vinculo quo illis adunatur non autem exequi in iis munus publicum ex authoritatis prerogativa quam in suos solos habet GGG Johns Plea pag. 251. To this end and in this manner may be had a profitable use of Synods Classes and Assemblies for mutual help and advice in cases of question controversie and difficulty about Religion so that they do not challenge or usurpe any unlawful jurisdiction or power over the particular Churches and their Governours HHH Bar. Disc p. 261. These secret Classes these ordinary set Synods which the Reformists would set up III Bar. Refut p. 81. In a Christian Synod no Christian ought to be shut out but all have equal power to speak assent or dissent without disturbing the Order of the Holy Church by presuming to speak before the Ancients or against any thing said by them without just cause who so doth is reproved of all judged of all as a disturber KKK Vide supra III. LLL Bar. Disc p. 261. In their Synods the matters being debated the greatest part prevaileth and carrieth the judgement Ibid. p. 78. This balloting by suffrage or pluralty of voices might well be a custom among the Heathen in their popular Government but it is unheard of and unsufferable in the Church of Christ MMM Ibid. p. 261. The order and manner of these Counselâ— is first to chuse a Prolocutor Moderator or Judge to govern and order the action who and when they shall speak and when cease Ibid. p. 191. Not here to speak of their solemn Order observed in these Counsels and Synods as their choice by suffrages among themselves of their Archisynagogos or Rectorchori their President as they call him NNN Vide supra FFF OOO Bar. Disc p. 38. Every Member of his Church is to pronounce upon them the judgements that are written and to throw upon them the Stone of his judgement and consent Therefore hath the Lord raised up the Thrones of David in his Church and set his Saints in seats round about his Throne A Light for the Ignorant pag. 10. The true power which Christ our King hath received of the Father and communicated to his Saints and these onely is that dominion which the Ancient of days hath given to his Saints Dan. 7.19 PPP Johns
they spoke in English Ibid. p. 52. They give liberty to their wits in their learning to deface strive and dispute against the holy known Truth of God tossing it as a Tenice Ball amongst them both publikely in their Schools and privately in their Colledges amongst them VVVVV Bar. Refut p. 124. I would not here that any should think we condemn any lawful Art or any necessary Science or any Holy Exercise or Schools of Institution Let their Arts and Sciences be necessary and Godly not vain curious unlawful Let them be taught not in a vain-glorious or superstitious manner but in all sobriety and the fear of God If their Vniversities were framed to these Rules it were good CHAP. III. The Original and Progresse of the Independents and of their Carriage in New-England THe Sect if so without offence it may be called which this day is the subject of the most discourse and the object of the greatest passions some pouring out upon it more of their love and hope others of their anger and fear then were convenient is that of Independency Of all the by-paths wherein the wanderers of our time are pleased to walk this is the most considerable not for the number but for the quality of the erring persons therein There be few of the noted Sects which are not a great deal more numerous but this Way what it wants in number supplies by the weight of its followers After five yeers endeavours and great industry within the Lines of the Cities Communication they are said as yet to consist much within One thousand persons men women and all who to this day have put themselves in any known Congregation of that way being reckoned But setting aside number for other respects they are of so eminent a condition that not any nor all the rest of the Sects are comparable to them for they have been so wise as to engage to their party some of chief note in both Houses of Parliament in the Assembly of Divines in the Army in the City and Countrey-Committees all whom they daily manage with such dexterity and diligence for the benefit of their Cause that the eyes of the world begin to fall upon them more then upon all their fellows It will be requisite therefore that with the greater care we give an account of them Of this our Account there shall be three parts The first An History of their Original and Progresse to that height wherein now they stand The second A Narrative of their Tenents The third A Conâ—tion of some of their prime Principles Concerning â—eir Original the Separatists were their Fathers This is demonstrable not onely by the Consanguinity of their Tenents the one having borrowed all their chief Doctrines and Practices from the other but also by deduction of their Pedigree in this clear line Master Robinson did derive his way to his separate Congregation at Leyden a part of them did carry it over to Plymouth in New-England here Master Cotton did take it up and transmit it from thence to Master Goodwin who did help to propagate it to sundry others in Old-England first and after to more in Holland till now by many hands it is sown thick in divers parts of this Kingdom But the manner how this seed did grow is not unworthy consideration When the Separatists for whole Fifty yeers had over-toil'd themselves for little purpose their horrible Divisions wheresoever they set up marring their encrease behold at the very point of time when their Spunk was dying and their little smoke both at Amsterdam and Leyden was well-neer vanished God in his secret providence permitted the tyranny of Bishops which first had begotten them to put new life in their ashes and bring them back from their grave to that vigour wherein now they appear After the death of Ainsworth the Brownists at Amsterdam came to a small unconsiderable handful and so yet they remain No other at that time in the whole world were known of that Religion but a small company at Leyden under Master Robinsons Ministery which partly by Divisions among themselves and partly by their Pastors deserting many of their Principles was well-neer brought to nought Onely about the Twenty eighth as I take it or the Thirtieth yeer of this Age some of them going over for a more commodious habitation to New-England did perswade their neighbours who sate down with them there at New-Plymouth to erect with them a Congregation after their separate way A This Congregation did incontinent leaven all the vicinity The Planters in New-England so far as their own informations give notice not minding Religion for many yeers after their first enterprise B were ready to receive without great question any pious form which might be presented by their neighbours whose minde served them to be active in such â—ers Also that way of new Plymouth beside the more then ordinary shew of devotion did hold out so much liberty and honour to the people that made it very suitable and lovely to a multitude who had lately stepped out of the Episcopal thraldom in England to the free air of a new world However it was without any noise in a few yeers the most who settled their habitations in that Land did agree to model themselves in Churches after Robinsons patern This for a time was either not known or not regarded in England The first who appeared in any displeasure at it was Mr. Cotton for this reverend man howsoever he had faln off from the practise of som but of som of the Ceremonies was distasted with Episcopal Government yet so long as he abode in England minded no more then the old non-conformity In all his opposition to the Episcopal corruptions he went not beyond Cartwright and the Presbyterians With the way of the Separatists he was then well acquainted but declared himself against it in print as in his Preface to Master Hildershams Sermons upon John may be seen to this day C Neither thus alone but a very little before his voyage to New-England so soon as he understood of the prevailing of Robinsons way there such was his zeal against it he wrote over to the Ministers who had been the chief instruments of bringing these Churches under that yoke admonishing them freely of their falling from their former judgement and that their new Reformation was no other but the old way wherein the Separatists had walked to the grief and offence of the Anti-Episcopal party in England and of the whole Protestant Churches D Notwithstanding this admonition the Brethren there went on in their way yet without any hazard to others till the 1634. as I take it or 1635. yeer of our Lord God when the yoke of Episcopal persecution in England became so heavy on the necks of the most of the godly that many thousands of them did flee away and Master Cotton among the rest to joyn themselves to these American Churches Here it was when
not Heaven It s most probable that Christs soul never went into the highest Heavens till his Body went also Ibid. None but Christ and so none before Christ ever entered the highest Heavens The way to Heaven was never opened till Christ the high Priest entered Body and Soul into it The highest Heavens never had but one man into them namely Christ nor shall have till the worlds end Ibid. p. 25. If you ask where this place of Paradise is I answer It must be below the highest Heavens therefore surely it is in the Region or Element of fire where the Sun and Stars are or in the highest Region of the Ayr. SS 5. Archers personal raign p. 35. At the day of judgement the wicked shall be sent with the Devil unto Hell which Hell shall not be that which is now called Hell but another for the Hell that now is is but a prison and not the place of execution At the last day this Hell that now is shall cease This Hell which is at present to be sure is in some of the places of the Air or the Waters and not in the Earth But the Hell which shall be the everlasting torment of all the damned shall be all this lower and visible World All the places of the Earth Water Air Sun Moon Stars and the Fire called the Heavens and the Earth The things which God immediately made out of nothing shall never change As the highest Heavens and the Angels in them and the souls of men and this Chaos called the Earth but all other things being made out of something even out of this Earth or Chaos they shall after a time change and so all this World shall come to an Earth or Chaos again God in time did make two places Heaven and Earth immediately out of nothing to be eternal places the one of Joy the other of Torment Thus you see when Hell was made but it was quickly covered and shall not be uncovered till Christ do it at the last day TT Antap. p. 36. The Gentleman censured brings an accusation against Master Nye charging him with Pride want of Charity c. And this being brought before the Church continued in debate about half a yeer three or four days in a week and sometimes more before all the Congregation divers of the Members having callings to follow they desired leave to be absent Master Goodwin oft professed publikely upon these differences If this were their Church-fellowship he would lay down his Eldership and nothing was more commonly spoke among the Members then that certainly for matter of Discipline they were not in the right way for that there was no way to bring things to an end VV Vide supra TT CHAP. V. The Carriage of the Independents at London YOu have gotten a taste of the Fruits of this Tree as it grows in New-England and Holland When it is transplanted to Old-England consider if the Grapes of it be any thing sweeter These Five last yeers the chief of that party both from Arnhem Roterdam and New-England have kept their residence at London to advance by common counsels and industry their Way in these days of their hopes A full account of their courses in that place cannot be expected so long as many passages concerning them lie in the dark and the end is not yet come But three things seem to be clear which make their Way at London no more lovely then in the places mentioned First they have been here exceeding unhappie in retarding and to their power crossing the blessed Reformation in hand Secondly they have pregnantly occasioned the multiplication of Heresies and Schisms above all that ever was heard of in any one place in any former Age. Thirdly they have occasioned such Divisions in the State that had it not been for the extraordinary mercies of God the Parliament and all that follow them had long ago been laid under the feet of their enraged enemies and the whole Isle long before this totally ruined As for the first The Reformation of Religion so much wished for by all the godly for so many yeers all know it could never have been attained without the help of an Assembly of Divines Who opposeth the necessary Mean cannot be taken for a friend of the End The Assembly the necessary means of Reformation was for a very long time hindred by the diligence of the Independent party to be called A and when to their evident grief and discontent the Parliament had voted its calling they may remember their extraordinary industry to get it modelled according to their Principles both in its members and power B to have it an elective Synod onely for advice to consist of so many of themselves and of their favourers as was possible not any known Divine of any parts in all England of their opinion being omitted How cautious they were by great slight of hand to keep off so many of the old Puritan Unconformists and how much more enclinable towards men of Episcopal and Liturgick principles themselves do know This their underhand-working before the sitting of the Assembly was seen but by few but so soon as the Synod did sit it did then appear to the whole Company who were the men who made it their work and greatest studie to keep off by their endlesse Janglings the Assembly from concluding any thing that might settle the distracted Church C so that to this day after two yeers time and above in more frequent and learned Sessions then every we read of in any Assembly since the world began D There is nothing at all set up for the comfort of the afflicted Kingdom Their aversenesse to the Assembly doth appear not onely in their opposition to its calling in their retarding of its proceedings but in their pressing of its dissolution I do not speak of the huge Contumelies which some of their party have poured out upon the face of that most Reverend Meeting in a number of very wicked Pamphlets which to this day were never so much as censured though the Authors by name and sirname are complained of in Print But that which I speak of is the expresse Article of the Independent Petition desiring the Parliament in formal terms according to Master Peters dictates to dissolve the Assembly D 2. Had either the Popish faction or the Episcopal party or the malignant Courtiers procured the continuance of our woful Anarchie our anger would have been greater then our grief or shame But when the mercies of God now for some yeers have removed the Papists Prelats and Courtiers so far from us that by word or deed they have not hindred us in the least measure to heal the diseases of our Church at our pleasure that her wounds to this day should be multiplied and all kept open to drop out her best blood alone through the obstinacy of our Brethren though we compresse our indignation yet we cannot but be oppressed with a great measure of
grief nor can we chuse but to be covered with confusion and shame when we are forced to taste the most bitter fruits of our Brethrens principles though denied by them in words yet ingenuously avowed by their friends in Amsterdam and constantly practised in New-England to the uttermost of their power E 1. they must oppose the building of a Church any where in the world if it be not after their patern That as in New-England no Presbyterial Church on any condition may be tolerated so in Old-England no Presbyterial Church must ever be erected if all their skill and industry can hinder it Such a Reformation though expresly according to the National Covenant to them is a deformation which they cannot wish much lesse pray for or endeavour but with all their strength must crosse it as a corruption unsufferable where they have power It s plain and demonstrable that their Principles and Way have forced them to oppose the Reformation in hand and will ever force them so to do till they lay new grounds and be changed in the sence of their erroneous minde However the actions of our Brethren did proclame loud enough their intentions to delay so long as they were able the setting up of any Government yet when this evil is become so grosse and palpable that all in words do disclaim it and they who most do procure it do most in shew abominate it it seems a little strange that some of their Divines are now begun in Print expresly to own it and in Print to perswade the delay of this work E 2. It must be a heavie guiltinesse to be a powerful instrument of keeping two so great Kingdoms as England and Ireland without the Fold and Hedge of all Ecclesiastike Discipline for divers yeers together especially in the time of a devouring War How many thousand souls have perished by this means in their ignorance and profanesse who in a wel-governed Church might have been reclaimed Unto this great misery another great unhappinesse addeth much weight Beside their marring of the begun-Reformation they have occasioned the perishing of some millions of poor souls by the unheard-of multiplication of Heresies and Schisms F I believe no place in the world for this mischief is now parallel to London Amsterdam long ago is justified that City hath transmitted hither the infamy of her various Sects Now upon whom shall this blame be fastne◠〈◊〉 It is well known that the Sects at the time of the Independents return hither were inconsiderable in regard of that which now they are by their means It was their work to bring people into distaste with the way of all the Reformed Churches this by their labours was made vile in the eyes of the multitude and people once having leaped over that wall within the which all the Protestant Churches have dwelt in safety by all the skill of their first misleaders could not be holden from running farther away as in New-England Independency was a mother to Anabaptism Antinomianism Familism and many more Heresies We need not wonder to see it any where bring forth the like Brood But hereof indeed do we wonder that in so short a time this Way should change as it were its nature so farre to the worse In Holland and New-England Independency so soon as it had found and discerned the young brats of Anabaptists Antinomians or Familists in her bosom it was her custom incontinently to fling them away as Bastards But Independency at London hath learned not onely to beget but to cherish such children when they are brought forth Not onely the Churches of New-England but the very Amsterdam-Brownists have ever been zealous to cast out of their Society the Heretikes and Schismatickes we speak of but here in London it is far otherwise We have heard that many of the Independents here so soon as they have fallen into Anabaptism or other Errours of the time have quickly of their own accord run away and separated from the Independent Congregations as polluted as false as no Churches But that ever any of the London-Independents did cast out of their Churches any man or woman for Anabaptism Antinomianism or any other Errour we never heard By the contrary Independency here is become an uniting Principle it hath kept our Brethren in the midst of all their bitter Jarrs with the Reformed Churches abroad and the Presbyterians at home in a great entirenesse and familiarity with all the Sectaries that pleased to draw neer them They have by their debates and dissents laboured to hinder the Assembly from giving the least advice to the Parliament to take any order with the most absurd of the Sectaries when complained upon for their greatest Enormities yea they have preached and printed divers Tractates for a full liberty to all Sects G That so soon they should have run thus far out we could never have believed if our own eyes and ears had not been our perswaders As for the third Apple we observed on their Tree The endangering of the State it is no lesse visible then any of the former If there were no more but the keeping of the Church-wounds so long open the health yea the life of the State might justly be feared from this ground alone by all who know the sympathy of these Twins and the inseparable interest of these two much-united Companions But beside the keeping of the Church unsetled the growth of Schisms how pregnant a cause it is of a States ruine we need no other witnesse then the declaration of their Brethren in New-England H We are made here to believe that the Anabaptists and the Antinomians are so tame and harmlesse creatures that there is no danger of any violence from their innocent hands If it be so the General Court at New-Boston hath been extremely unjust who professed their wel-grounded apprehension of a total subversion not onely of all their Churches but of their Civil State also from a far lesse number of these Sectaries then are here among us and avowed to the world their necessity to banish out of that Countrey the leaders of that dangerous Faction whether men or women whether Church or States-men and to disarm many of their followers upon much much smaller provocations and lighter grounds of suspition then by the words and deeds of their kinsfolks have been offered lately unto this State I What more might be said of the London-Independents practices upon the State readily may come to the world ere long by a much better Pen. I for causes at this time abstain totally from writing on this subject The Testimonies A Antap. p. 51. I believe upon good grounds and so do many more you never took any great content or joy in the thoughts of the Assembly but have done your utmost to delay it and to put it by God knows your hearts and men some of your speeches about the meeting of this Assembly But seeing it could not be helped and that you could
they declare and judge the nature of the offence bbbb 2 Antap. p. 146. I was desired by Mr Ward to be present at that meeting but when the time came neither I nor any English Ministers but them of Arnheim were called whether were the other Churches of our Nation or any of them who could not but be offended as them of Amsterdam Hague Vtâ—ick Leyden Delph called in by Arnheim or by the Church at Roterdam to joyn in the hearing and trying of that businesse or did they send Messengers or was it onely agitate by two Ministers and two Messengers of the Church of Arnheim one Church only Arnheim to Roterdam â— one to one both equall The Sub-Committee for Accommodation Prop. 8. Some of them doe desire that the effect of that which hereafter followeth may be for explanations sake inserted viz. That the Elders and Brethren of such Congregations in case they finde any thing too hard for themselves or have any controversie among themselves may have liberty to advise with any of these select Elders and others in the Province joyntly or apart or with the Elders of any other Churches for the determining and composing the controversie or resolving that difficulty cccc Bastwicks Independency second part Postscript p. 6.7 They professed that they had rather have the Government of the Prelates then the Presbyteriall and protest that before Presbyters shall rule over them they will joyn with Prelaticall Priests for the re-establishing of the Hierarchy dddd Vide supra rrr eeee Apol. Nar. p. 17. What farther Authority there is of one or many sister Churches towards another whole Church or Churches offending we doe not yet see and likewise we doe yet suppose that this principle of submission of Churches that miscarry unto other Churches offended together with this other that it is a command from Christ injoyned to Churches that are finally offended to denounce such a sentence of Non-Communion and withdrawing from them whilst impenitent as unworthy to hold forth the name of Christ these principles are mutuall duties as strictly injoynd them by Christ as any other ffff Vide supra Chap. 2. EEEEE gggg Theomachia p. 37. Concerning other civill meanes for the suppression and restraint of these spirituall evills errours heresies c. as Imprisonment Banishment Interdictions Finings c. Both reason and experience concurre in this demonstration that such fetters as these put upon the feet of errours and heresies to secure and keep them under still have proved wings whereby they raise themselves the higher in the thoughts and minds of men and gaine an opportunity of further propagation hhhh Ibid. p. 49.50 To hold that the persons so elected the members of the House of Commons chosen by men unworthy and strangers to the power of godlinesse have a power by vertue of such nomination or election to enact Lawes and Statutes in matters of Religion and to Order under mulcts and penalties how men shall worship and serve God as it is a meanes to awaken the eye of jealousie upon them and so is seven times more destructive unto and undermining not only of their power but of their honour peace and safty also then any thing that is found in the way so ill intreated so is it the settling upon the electors of such persons I meane upon the promiscuous multitude of the Land a greater power then ever Iesus Christ himselfe had at least then ever he exercised iiii Vide supra s kkkk Vide supra Chap. 4. BB llll Plaine-dealing p. 39. Marriages are solemnized and done by the Magistrates and not by the Ministers mmmm Miltons Doctrine of divorce p. 6. That indisposition unfitnesse or contrariety of mind arising from a cause in nature unchangeable hindring and ever likely to hinder the maine benefits of conjugall society which are solace and peace is a greater cause of divorce then naturall frigidity especially if there be no children and that there be mutuall consent Ibid. p. 15. God himselfe commands in his Law more then once and by his Prophet Malachy as the best Translations read That he who hates let him divorce that is he who cannot love Ibid. p. 16. He who can receive nothing of the most important helps in marriage being thereby disabled to return that duty which is his with a cleare and hearty countenance and thus continues to grieve whom hee would not and is no lesse grieved that man ought even for loves sake and peace to move divorce it is a lesse breach of wedlock to part with wise and quiet consent betimes then still to profane that mystery of joy and union with a polluting sadnesse and perpetuall distemper Ibid. p. 63. Only these persons are joyned by God whose minds are fitly disposed and enabled to mantaine a cheerfull conversation to the solace and love of each other the rest whom either disproportion or deadnesse of spirit or something distastfull and averse in the immutable bent of nature renders unconjugall errour may have joyned but God never joyned against the meaning of his own Ordinance and if he joyned them not then there is no power above their own consent to hinder them from unjoyning when they cannot reap the soberest ends of being together in any tolerable sort Ibid. p. 76. The freedome and eminence of mans creation gives him to be a Law in this matter to himselfe being the head of the other sex which was made for him whom therefore though he ought not to injure yet neither should he be forced to retaine in society to his own overthrow nor to heare any judge therein above himselfe it being also an unseemly affront to the modesty of that sex to have her unpleasingnesse and other concealements bandied up and down and aggravated in open Court by these hired masters of tongue-fence nnnn Williams Paper I thought good to let you see some particulars wherein I could not close nor goe along with them First that it is lawfull for a woman who sees into the mystery of Christ in case her husband will not goe with her to leave her husband and follow the Lords House for the Church of God is a Christians home where shee must dwell and where the Saints are there is the Lords house and in so doing she leaves not her husband but her husband forsakes her The odiousnesse of this point was further manifested unto me by the speech of Ezekiel Hollimers wife saying that she counted her selfe but a widow oooo Plaine-dealing p. 21. They call the dayes of the weeke the first second third fourth fifth sixth and seventh which is Saturday also the Moneths beginning at March by the names of the first second and so forth to the twelfth which is February because they would avoid all memory of Heathenish and Idols names pppp Ans to the 32. quest p. 77. For settled and stinted maintenance there is nothing done that way among us except from year to year because the conditions of Ministers may vary and of the Church to
of the Churches infancy they were Idolatry false doctrine open profanenesse were then most abominable and more terribly punished then now by the totall destruction of whole Cities and Countries wherein they were entertained also the duty of mutuall inspection and admonition the contempt whereof is made the grand cause of separation was most clearly enjoyned in the Old Testament What here is replyed that all separation from the Iewish Church was simply impossible because then there was no other Church in the whole earth to goe to We answer that the Replyers themselves will say that a separation must be where there is just cause and where a person cannot abide without pollution and sin although there be no other Church for him to go to for they make it better for men to live alone separate from all then to abide in any Church where they cannot live without the participation of their neighbours sinnes We answer further That it was easie for the godly under the Law to have joyned together in the service of God and to have excluded the wicked thence and whereas it is said that this could not bee done because the Censure of Excommunication was not then in being We answer the Gospel makes it cleare That casting out of the Synagogue which was reall Excommunication was frequent in the Old Testament as also the keeping off from the service with a great deale of circumspection all who were unfit by any legall pollution much more by any known morall uncleannesse Kings themselves when polluted were removed from the Altar and put out of the Sanctuary Again I reason thus That which moved not Christ and his Apostles to separate from the Church of their time is no cause to us of separation but want of satisfaction by convincing signes of the true grace of every member of the Church was to them no cause of separation from the Churches of their times Ergo. The major is cleare except we desire a better pattern for our practices then Christ and his Apostles what ever carrieth us beyond their line must be high presumption and deep hypocrisie The minor is cleare by many Scriptures the Scribes and Pharisees were a generation of vipers Ierusalem worse then Sodom and Gomorrah Corasin and Bethsaida was worse then Tyrus and Sidon and to be cast lower in Hell then these yet the Lord did not give over to preach to pray to go to the Temple with them Iudas when a declared Traytor did not scarre him nor any of his company from the Sacrament After he went from the Table when his wickednesse was revealed that a Devill was in him yet none of the Apostles offered to cast themselves out of the body because this wicked member was not cut off Many members of the Apostolick Churches were so farre from convincing signes of true grace that the works of the flesh were most evident in their life In the Corinthians fundamentall errours open Idolaty grievous scandall bitter contentions profanation of the Lords Table In the Galatians such errours as destroyed grace and made Christ of none effect In the Church of Ephesus of Laodicea and the other golden Candlesticks divers members were so evidently faulty that the Candlestick is threatned to be removed yet from none of these Churches did any of the Apostles ever separate nor gave they the least warrant to any of their Disciples to make a separation from any of them A third Argument The want of that which never was to bee found in any Church is no just cause of separation But satisfaction by convincing Arguments of the true grace of every member was never to be found in any Church The major is unquestionable for what is not cannot have any operation non entis nulla sunt accidentia The minor is demonstrable from the nature of a visible Church it is such a body whose members are never all gracious if we believe Scripture It is not like the Church invisible the Church of the Elect. It is an heterogeneous body the parts of it are very dissimilar some chaffe some corne some wheat some tares a net of fishes good and bad a house wherein are vessels of honour and dishonour a fold of sheep and goats a tree of green and withered branches a table of guests some with some without a wedding garment in a word every visible Church is a society wherein many are called few chosen except therefore we will alter the nature of all visible Churches whereof Scripture speaks we must grant that in every Church there are some members which have no true grace and if so how can they give convincing and satisfactory signes of that which is not to be found Hypocrites may make a shew without of that which is not within but shall we lay an obligation upon every hypocriticall member of a Church to be so eminently skilfull in the art of counterfeiting as to produce in the midst of his gracelesnesse so cleare so evident and satisfactory signes of his true grace as may convince the hearts of every one of the Church that the thing is within the mans breast which certainly is not there The fourth Argument The want of that which cannot reasonably be supposed of every member of a Congregation is no just cause of separation from any Church but satisfaction c. Ergo. The major is cleare for if the want of such satisfaction be a just cause of separation from the Church Then the presence of such a satisfaction is very requisite to be in every member as a necessary meane to keep it in union with that Church The minor that such a satisfaction may not justly be supposed in every member of a Congregation for this would import these foure things all which are unreasonable First that every member of a Congregation is to have power to try all its fellow-members to let them in or hold them out according as in this triall he is satisfied This is a large limb of the Brownistick Anarchy putting the key of Authority and Iurisdiction into the hand of every Church-member if all the Independents will defend this let them speak it out plainly Secondly it requires a great deale of more ability in every member of every Church then can be found in any mortall man for not to speak of the impossibility of a grounded and certaine perswasion of true grace in the heart of an Hypocrite who hath no grace at all how is it possible to attaine unto any grounded certainty of true grace in the heart of any other man for the hid man of the heart and the new name are not certainly known to any but to such as have them The grounds of a mans own certain perswasion the act of his faith either direct or reflex the witnesse of his conscience or the seale of the spirit cannot go without his own breast all the demonstrations which can be made to another are so oft found false that in understanding men they
lawfull Decrees of all gracious Synods Did not of old the Fathers of Nice and of late the Fathers of Dort through the inspiration of the holy Ghost who remaineth with the Church especially with gracious Synods to the worlds end pronounce from the holy Sctipture their Decrees of the Godhead of Christ against Arrius and of the grace of God against Arminius Shall we for this cause ascribe to the Canons of Nice or Dort any greater authority then Ecclesiastick and Humane Howsoever that the Apostles in framing the Canons at Jerusalem did proceede in a way meerely Ecclesiastick and farre different from that they used in dictating of Scripture and publishing truths meerely Divine appeareth from this first that these Canons were brought forth by much Disputation and long discourse But Divine Oracles without the proces of humane Ratiocinations are published from the immediate inditing of the Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 The Prophesie in old time came not by the will of man but the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Secondly Oracles meerely Divine are published onely in the name of God Thus saith the Lord but these Canons are proclamed not onely in the name of God but also in the name of man It seemeth good to the holy Ghost and to us Thirdly The Oracles of God are dictated to the Church by the Ministry only of the Prophets and Apostles and men inspired with an infallible Spirit Ephes 2 20. Being built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles But the Canons of that Synod Acts 15. are declared to be the worke not onely of the holy Ghost â—d the Apostles but also of the Elders and of all who Voyced to them So it is cleare that in the making of these Canons the Apostles as else-where oft did come downe from the eminent Chaire of their Apostolike and extraordinary authority to the lower place of Ordinary Pastors that in their owne persons they might give an example to ordinary Pastors in what manner holy Synods might be rightly celebrated to the worlds end Had not this been their end how easie had it beene either for Paul or Barnabas at Antioch without the toylesome voyage of a long journey to Jerusalem or for Peter or John or James or any one of the Apostles at Jerusalem without the superfluous paines of any convention or disputation as infallible Apostles to have pronounced Divine and irrefragable Decrees of all the matters in question Our fourth argument A Church subordinate is not Independent but a Parochial Church is subordinate to a Presbyteriall For a lesser Church is subordinate to a greater as a part to its whole wherein it is contained Now a Parochiall Church is lesser and the least of all Churches a Presbyteriall Church is greater Of the quantity that the one is lesser the other greater there is no doubt but of the matter it selfe there is question whether there be any such thing as a Presbyteriall Church Now this was proved before and hereafter also will be more cleare the cheife plea here is against the second major which we prove thus A smaller number of the faithfull is subordinate by Christ to a greater number of the faithfull But a lesser Church is a smaller number of the faithfull and a greater Church is a greater number of the faithfull The Major is proved from the 18 of Math. v. 15.16.17.18 If thy Brother trespasse against thee c. Here the Lord in admonitions and Church censures institutes a subordination a gradation a processe from one to two or three from two or three to moe Understand those moe not absolutely and at randoun but in a society bound togeather by the orderly ligaments of divine policy such as we suppose the Churches to be from the smallest to the greatest till you come to the very Church universall Here they distinguish the Major granting that in this place a subordination is appointed by Christ of fewer to moe within the same Church but not without it We might oppugne the application of the distinction to the Minor and prove that a Presbyteriall Church is a greater number of the faithfull within not without the same Church for a Congregationall Church may not unfitly be compared with a Presbyteriall as a part with its whole especially if you compare the meeting of the Officers which rule the Parish with the Presbytery these two are not extrinsecall the one to the other for the Sessions or Consistories or Classis are in the Presbytery which is composed of the Commissioners from Sessions as of its owne and intrinsecall Members But leaving this we oppugne the ground of the distinction as it lyeth in the Major breaking the one halfe of it upon the other The subordination of fewer to moe in the forenamed place is established say they within the same Church Ergo say we without the same Church we meane with them without the same Parochiall Church the consequence we prove by three arguments First there is a like reason for the subordination of fewer to moe without the same Church as within the same for the cheife reason why the Lord ordaines us in admonitions to proceed from one to two or three from two or three to a number sitting as Judges in the Session of one Congregation is because in the admonitions of two or three more authority gravity and wisedome are presupposed to be than in the admonitions of one alone and that a Delinquent is striken with more feare shame and reverence by the faces and mouthes of many who sit as Judges in the name of the whole Congregation than he would be by the mouth of two or three onely Doeth not this power virtue and weight of admonition increase with the number of admonishers as well without as within the same Congregation For as the admonition and censure of tenne sitting in the name of one Congregation hath greater weight then the admonition of two or three of that same Flocke who represent none but themselves so the admonition of thirty Ministers and Elders representing in a Presbytery fifteene Congregations whose commissioners they are shall have more weight then the admonition of ten which represent but one flocke for it is according to reason that those thirty Members of the Presbytery should exceede in wisedome zeale gravity and other qualities which adde weight to an admonition these ten which in a Session represent one Congregation so farre as those ten goe beyond the two or three severall persons of that Congregation Secondly unlesse in this place be established a subordination of fewer to moe as well without as within the same Congregation the remedy brought by Christ will be unable to cure the ill for which it was brought The Lords meanes will be disproportionable and unequall to its end but this were absurd to say of the wisest of all Physicians The reason of the Major is this Christ is prescribing an helpe and cure for brotherly offences now one may be
other opinions wee have mentioned in the following Treatise I hope our Brethren will either disavow and passe from them or else be content to bury them in their owne breasts till time and better information make them die and vanish without more moyse Thirdly the intent of the Order is to bring up the dissenting Brethren â—o approve of the Government agreed upon in the Assembly and allowed by both Houses of Parliament or if that cannot be to see how in some practises they may be forborn This doth suppose that our Brethren shall not be permitted to print preach or publish any thing against the Goverment established by Parliament also that in the practice of this Government they shall be obliged to joyne so farre with their Brethren as their principles may suffer This being I doubt not but in many things they shaâ—l be much forborn for whatever be the unadvised rashnesse of some in their way yet if they may be pleased according to their frequent offers as I remember to be constant members of our Presbyteries and Synods and there to give were it but their consultative voyce I beleeve that few of them shall ever be pressed to much more for if they agree among themselves and governe well their owne Congregations no controversie that concerns them will ever come before any superiour Assembly and if any complaint of their male administration or any matter of ordination or excommunication should come from them to be cognosced in a Presbytery or Synod the result might ever be to them as a matter of advice to be executed in their owne Congregations by their owne Pastors if they did finde it right or if it appeared wrong the Generall Assembly or at least the Parliament would give them so much satisfaction as on earth can be expected Albeit I am in opinion that no case meerly Ecclesiasticall shall ever need to goe from a Generall Assembly to a Parliament these two bodies are so friendly and neare of kin that none who knowes their nature and constitution will ever feare their discord I dare say that all the jealousies which are presented to the Parliament of England of a Nationall Assembly are meere Bugbeares and childish frightments arising alone out of mis-information and unacquaintance for both reason and experience will demonstrate that the Parliament of England cannot have on earth so strong pillars and pregnant supporters of all their Priviledges as free Protestant Assemblies established by Law and kept in their full freedom from the lowest to the highest from the Congregationall Eldership to the Generall Synod of the Nation No such Barres as these are imaginable either against Tyranny or Anarchy they are the mightiest impediments both to the exorbitancy of Monarchs which has been and is our misery and to the extravagancy of the common multitude attempting to correct and subject all Parliaments to their owne foolish desires which is like to be the matter of our next exercise and trouble Protestant Assemblies examined to the bottom will be found reall and cordiall friends to all the Iust Legall and reasonable Prerogatives of a Monarch to all the equitable and profitable Liberties of the meanest subject but above all to every due priviledge of a Christian Parliament Sometimes we laugh sometimes we grieve to see men afraid out of meere ignorance with that which we know is their great good I am perswaded that after a little experience Congregationall Sessions Clâ—ssicall Presbyteries Provinciall Synods and Nationall Assemblies will be embraced and sluck to by the Parliament of England as the greatest and most usefull priviledges of their great Charter My fourth remarke upon the Order in hand is that it speakes alone of the questions of Government whereby the Assemblie was retarded but nothing of the constitution of Congregations which never came to any considerable debate much lesse did ever retard the Assemblies proceedings and albeit the words of the Order might be extended beyond the Government to the constitution yet wee may not thinke that the House doth intend to tolerate the gathering of separate Congregations in this point we hope that the desired accommodation shall satisfie our Brethren and all tolerations shall be needlesse Themselves are witnesses of our most earnest Desires of our very reall indeavours and we wish they had been much more our helperâ— and reall Assistants for purging of all Congregations so far as ever they have been in any time in any place for making them so void of ignorance and all scandalls as Scripture or any reason can require In these our earnest requests we trust the Parliament at last will shew us favour But when the Assembly and Parliament have done their uttermost to have the Churches purified so farre as is possible if notwithstanding of all that can be done our Brethren will yet separate and peremptorily refuse to communicate as Members in the best ruled Congregations either of England or of any other reformed Church wee confesse that by such a Declaration our Brethren would put us to a great deale of perplexity for such a separation as this were as we conceive the most palpable and unreasonable Schisme that ever yet was heard of in the Christian World much contrary to the word of God and evidently destructive of the necessary peace of all these Churches wherein it should bee tolerated beside its cleare contradiction in termes not onely to the Order of the House but to the solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdomes Notwiihstanding wee trust that the grace and mercy of God shall be so richly powred out upon this revived Committee as shall enable them to expedit both us and our Brethren from these otherwise unextricable Labirynths Would to God that our Controversies with them were brought to a happy period that both they and we with all our power might concurre to reduce the rest of our poore Brethren who this day are pitifully intangled in manifold heresies and Errours that so all the childrâ—n of God being delivered from the snares and chaines of darknesse might make it their great taske and only contention who should honour most the name of their Father by the fragrancy of their godly charitable humble chaste and sober conversation Your Lordship is conscious to the first designes of the Noble Patriots of that your Nation it was never their mind to have trifled so much time in jangling with their Brethren of this Isle about new and needlesse questions but expecting a facility of setling truth and Peace within these Sâ—as their hearts were farther abroad their thoughts were large for the propagation not of ther owne but of Christs Kingdome and that not so much in the Light as in the heate and life thereof They have the more to answer who here and elsewhere have been the unhappy instruments not only to frustrate these great and gracious enterprises for the Weale-publick of Christendome but also to bring the undertakers to so low a condition that they be obliged this day to
God alone for any tollerable subsistence and their very being albeit we are hopefull the Lord is reserving good things for them who had so much Faith charity and Courage as to venture all for the cause of God and their Brethren the more unkind men have proved unto them The Lord who hath been witnesse to all their intentions actions and sufferings will in his owne time accordingly reward them and will not let them be ashamed of their first hopes and constant desires upon the which himselfe for a long time did shine so evidently from the Heaven as ever upon any enterprise on the Earth Though now that brightnesse be much ecclipsed and overclouded yet we are expecting with passionate desires and confident hopes the dissolution of these clouds and the dispelling of the present darkenesse by the strength of the Beames of his ancient and undeserved kindnesse towards that now suffering and much distressed Nation But insensibly my pen hath runne beyond the bounds of a short Epistle albeit my experience of your Lordships readinesse to dispence with your friends indiscretion makes me secure of my pardon I will detaine your Lordship no longer I lay downe my Booke at your Lordships feet to be given to the world by your Lordships hand If it be received with so much candor and charity by every Reader as I know it is offered it may possibly prove serviceable Thus wishing to your Lordship in these dayes of deepe and dangerous tryalls and too great defection of many constancy and daily increase of affection to all truth Piety Iustice and every Vertue I remaine Your Lordships in all Christian duty to be commanded R. Baylie London Novemb. 19. 1645. The Principall Authors whose Testimonies are cited in the case of the Brownists 1 THe Brownists confession of Faith printed by themselves 160â— 2 The Brownists Apoâ—ogy printed 1604 3 Robert Brownes Life and manners of true Christians printed 1582 4 Henry Barrow his briefe discovery of the false Church 1590 5 Henry Barrow his plaine refutation of Mr Gifford 1590. 6 Francis Iohnsons enquiry and answer to Thomas Whites Discovery of Brownism 1606 7 Francis Iohnsons Christian plea 1617. 8 Iohn Cann his guide to Sion 1638 9 Iohn Cann his necessity of Separation 1638. 10 Apologia Iusta quorundam Christianorum c. per Iohannem Robinsorum 1619 11 Robinsons justification against Bernard reprinted at London 1640 12 Syons royall prerogative 1641. 13 A Light for the Ignorant 1638. The Principall Authors whose Testimonies are cited in the case of the Independents 1. An Apologeticall Narration by Thomas Goodwin c. 1643 2 Iohn Cottons Keyes published by Thom Goodwin and Philip Nye 1644. 3 Iohn Cottons way of the Churches in New-England 1645. 4 Iohn Cottons Sermons upon the seven Vialls 1642. 5 Iohn Cottons Catechisme or the Doctrine of the Church 1644. 6 An Answer to thirty two Questions by the Elders of the Churches in New-England published by Mr. Peters 1643. 7 An Apology of the Churches in New-England for Church-Covenant or a discourse touching Church-Covenant 1643. 8 A glimpse of Syons glory in a Sermon at a generall Fast-day in Holland by T. G. printed at London 1641. 9 Ieremy Burrowes Sermons upon Hosea 1644. 10 The personall raigne of Christ by Io Archer Pastor of the Church at Arnheim 164â— 11 Io Archers comfort for Beleevers 1645. 12 Mr. Burtons vindication of the Independent Churches 1645. 13 Iohn Goodwins Theo-machia 1644. 14 A short story of the rise reigne and ruine c. published with Mr. Welds large Preface 1644. 15 Mr Welds answer to Rathbans narration 1644. 16 Mr Cottons Letter to Mr. Williams 1643. 17 The Anatomist anatomised by Mr Simson 1644. We cite also for some matters of fact to which no satisfactory Answer hath been made hitherto by the Parties 1 Mr Edwards Antapologie 1644. 2 Mr Williams examination of Cottons Letter 1644. 3 Mr Williams bloody Tenet 1644. 4 Plaine-dealing or Newes from New-England by Thomas Lechford 1642. 5 The Anatomy of Independency by a Learned Minister of Holland 1644. 6 Doctor Bastwicks Postscript 1645. 7 Mr. Prinns fresh discovery 1645. The CONTENTS of the following Treatise The Preface THe chiefe and first meane to extinguish the flames of our warre is the waters of our heart poured out in prayers to God pag. 1 Reformation after mourning is the second step to a solid peace p. 2 The corruption of the Church is the fountaine of our present misery ibid. The State cannot be setled till the Church be first reformed 3 Every man would help what hee can to recover the languishing Church from her desperate disease ibid. The offer of a strange and easie remedy of a Looking-glasse 4 The malignity of Errour ibid. The Authors intention is to set down in a Table for the cleare view of all the errours which trouble us ibid. And that with Iustice and Love toward all persons 5 The partition of the ensuing Treatise 6 Episcopacy was the mother of all our present Sects ibid. Presbytery will be their grave 7 The Presbyteriall way of proceeding ibid. What England rationally may expect from Presbyteries and Synods 8 Chap. 1. The originall and progresse of the Brownists Satan is the great enemy of the Churches Reformation 9 His chiefe instruments alwayes have been professed friends to Religion ibid. Reformation at the begining did run with one impetuous current ibid. What was its first stop 10 The fountaine of Protestant discord ibid. The unhappy principle of the Lutherans ibid. And the more unhappy principle of the Anabaptists 11 Somewhat of both these wayes was entertained in England ibid. The originall of the English Bishops and Ceremonies ibid. The originall of the Separatists 12 Brownism is a daughter of Anabaptism 13 Bolton the first known Separatist in England hanged himselfe ibid. Brown the second leader of that way recanted his schism and to his death was a very scandalous person ibid. The humour of Barrow the third master of this Sect 14 The strange carriage of Iohnson and Ainsworth the next two leaders of the Brownists ibid. The horrible wayes of Smith their sixth master 15 The fearfull end of Smith his wandrings 16 Robinson the last grave and learned Doctor of the Brownists did in the end undermine his party 17 Robinson the authour of Independency ibid. Chap. 2. The Doctrine of the Brownists They hold that all Churches in the world but their own are so polluted that they must be separate from 20 Their injurious slanders of the Church of England ibid. Yet sometimes they say that communion maybe kept with her both in preaching and prayer ibid. Their like dealing with all the other Reformed 21 Their flattering of forraign Churches is not to be regarded ibid. The matter of a Church they make to be reall Saints only 22 Their unreasonable strictnesse in this one point is the great cause of their Schism ibid. They place the forme of their Church in an expresse Covenant 23 Seven may make a perfect Church