their duty only in this counsel there lurks a dangerous evil which they in retaliation of courâ—esies are to be admonished of viz. they forget that the cause evermore alters the quality of the action nor was it ever thought by any of a â—ound minde that justice should not be administred upon offenders lest others by misapplication should thence take occasion to wrong the innocent and the Honourable Governours in New-England have learned and are perswaded that if they should sin by omitting duty for mans sake they should both dishonour God and grieve their Brethren To scare us the more with this they tell us how Dr. Stillingfleet improved it to the same purpose against us all I shall say to this is we cannot confess guilty for the censure of those who neither knowing what we do nor weighing the difference of cases which they would make parallels rashly conclude against us we humbly conceive men that are not prejudiced will easily discern that suppressing with all gentleness and tenderness a dangerous error and of bad tendency such as Anabaptism especially so circumstanced as in New-England it hath been and the enforcing of Ceremonies in Religion which are neither directly nor by any good consequence required in or by the word of God do differ toâ—o coelo For the concluding Prayer we can heartily put it up to God and might have joyned with them in it too had they not added it as a cloak to the slander of their Epistle SECT IV. Now follows the Narrative it self in which the first thing that accosts us is indeed a brief account of their congregating or that act of theirs in gathering a Church where we have the moving cause the manner and the materials of it 1. The moving cause of it is brief and pithy It pleased God to move their hearts and if this be indeed so then those that opposed them in it and endeavoured to suppress them will be found fighters against God and to act in vain for the Will of God shall be accomplished and no weapon formed against it shall prosper and this Argument we shall finde them making use of page 2. But who knows not that all Hereticks pretend to the Spirit and Direction of God though it 's certain that in so doing they take the Name of God in vain and it 's little less then Blasphemy to bring God in to patronize their sinful Actions For 1. God doth not graciously move the hearts of any to irregular and unlawful Actions and though men are very prone to entitle Him to it yet He utterly disclaims it Jam. 1. 13 14. 2. And it is certain that when men grow wanton and despise the Ordinances God many times judicially gives them strong delusion to believe a lye 2 Thess 2. 10 11. and that is none of the least to misjudge a seducing spirit to be the spirit of God 3. To follow an erring Conscience which verily believes his error to be the truth is not to follow the direction of the Spirit of God If what God forbids Conscience perswades this is not of Gods approbation for so he should be against himself It is a snare and a judgement to be under such a Conscience so that they must pardon us if we suspect the moving cause 2. The persons thus moved are described from their former experience of his teaching such whom by his Word and Spirit he had instructed and taught in the way e. Thus one error begets another what have we to do with the Anabaptists Kúria dóxa do none but the Orthodox bring this plea we expected he should have given us some Rules by which we might have known it It is a piece of arrogancy for men to beg the principle or forcibly impose upon our belief that which is the very Dispute and Controversie between us i. e. whither it be an error or no and they tell us God taught them therefore it is no error true but if we reply it is an error therefore God taught them not where are we now are Anabaptists only Masters of Rules and Canons may not we as easily deny as they affirm without proof 3. They entred into solemn Covenant to walk in Communion in the practice of all the holy appointments of Christ c. and so became a Church of Christ This alone will not make them a Church of Christ for if so then every combination of Enthusiasts Ranters Socinians c. may become Churches of Christ for they do pretend and promise each other in words as much as these or any other Churches in the World can do but there are Synagogues of Satan too in the World If they who are fit to be cast out of Churches and are so actually combine and covenant doth that make them a Church 4. They are men of holy and exact walking viz. In the practice and performance of the holy Ordinances of Christ according to Divine Institution If men were not proud and confident they would never impose their assertions upon us with an ipse dixit grant but an Anabaptist that his Opinion is true and he can easily prove that ours is false but if you question that he hath no more to say to you It is certain they have exploded Infant Baptisme which hath been acknowledged by the body of the Church Christian in all ages not only for an Institution but a principal Institution of Christ but if these deny it then we are mistaken How like holy men they have walked will appear afterwards 5. He gives us the names of the men who laid this precious Foundation and if they had been such men as had done this to begin right Church Order in New-England they ought not to be forgotten but had in honourable remembrance but if they were and I am afraid the great day will discover that they were the Heads and Ring-leaders of a Schisme and culpable cause of great troubles in the Churches of Christ in New-England they had better been forgotten SECT V. And now we have a Church gathered of such excellent materials and in so regular a way what reception is it they finde in New-England one would think that such a Church and in such a place should have been highly esteemed strenuously defended by the civil Magistrate and imitated by all the Churches who came into the Wilderness on very purpose to serve God in his own way but unhappily missed of it till the Anabaptists found it out but lo they meet the quite contrary they are assailed with troubles and afflictions and from whom certainly a vile Generation but it must be born they are not the first sufferers for the truth nor for falshood neither it hath alwayes befallen those whom God hath singled out from others to bear witness to the truth true the World eâ—er persecuted the Church But have not the People of God also had their zeal to maintain the wayes of God and counted it their duty to use means to suppress such as upon what pretence
Ne Sutor ultra Crepidam OR BRIEF ANIMADVERSIONS Upon the NEW-ENGLAND Anabaptists LATE FALLACIOUS NARRATIVE Wherein the Notorious Mistakes and Falshoods by them Published are Detected By 〈◊〉 Willard Teacher of a Church in Boston in New-England Prov. 18. 17. He that is â—â—rst in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him Rom. 16. 17. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them 18. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple BOSTON IN NEW-ENGLAND Printed by S. Green upon Assignment of S. Sewall And are to be Sold by Sam. Philips at the West end of the Exchange 1681. To the READER THe Anabaptists in New-England have in their Narrative lately published endeavoured to make Candida de nigris de candentibâ—s atra themselves the Innocent persons and the Lords servants here no better than Persecutors In which respect it hath been judged necessary that some one should Animadvert upon what they have done that so such persons as have been imposed upon by their untrue Relations may be disabused Many are of the mind that it is not worth the while to take notice of what is emitted by men so obscure and inconsiderable And I confess I have thought so my self so far as I am personally concerned in any of their reflections and therefore shall not lose precious time in a needless defence Ita concurrimus utrinque illiextremo furore ego summo contemptu vincit mea audacia in Christo It seems to me that the Reverend Author of the following Animadversions hath shewed much humility in condescending to take persons in hand between whom and himself there is such an Impar congressus and let it be that for this once He hath contradicted that proverbial saying Aquila non capit Musâ—â—s Had he not been sensible that by good words and fair speeches the hearts of the simple are deceived this pains would have been spared I verily believe that the Anabaptists by their fallacious Narrative have grievously offended God inasmuch as the things by them misrepresented were not done a far off for then mistakes about them would have been excusable but at home where right Information was easie to have been obtained had they been willing to have known and that others should have known the truth And by this means have they done ill for themselves forcing others to discover the enormities of some whose nakednâ—ss and shame should not have been divulged to the World and to posterity forever but slept in a grave of silence had not their own Narrative brought them forth They have also by Letters misrepresented worthy and honourable persons as well as things and their reports have been received elsewhere with too much readiness and credulity as I perceive by certain Complainants whosay they understand that the present Honourable Governour of this Colony had threatned thâ—â— poor people their Christian friends as they stile them with death which re-report of theirs is like too many particulars in their vindication an utter mistake ne quiâ— gravius dicam The Governour whose integrity wisdome and moderation is well known hath sometimes moved that an old severe Law made against those that should manifest any publick contempt of that ordinance of Infant Baptisme might be lenifyed So far is the scandalous report which they have raised upon the Governour and caused it to fly three thousand miles from being true As for the Brethren that have thought good to prefix an Epistle to such a Narrative and therein to declare that Molestation is given and severity is exercised 〈◊〉 Antipaedobaptists in New-England meerly for a supposed Error about the subject of Baptisme controverted amongst learned and holy men they are marvelously deceived in that their supposition possibly I do not fully cape their meaning when they say that for one Protestant Congregation to persecute another is more unreasonable than all the cruelties of the Romish Church Some are ready to take it for an intimation that the Churches of Christ in New-England are more cruel and unreasonable than the Romish Synagogue like as the Anabaptists in Germany look d upon such Men as Luther Bullinger Calvin Zuinglius c. to be worse than the Pope and his Cardinals But I â—ope theâ— are far from any such insinuation and that they design no other then to suggest unto us that for men whom God hath by his holy spirit made one through faith in Christ to be cruel to their Brethren is most unreasonable Which Aâ—â—ertion though true in Thesi if applied to the Churches of the Lord Jesus in this Wildernâ—ss it is both an erroneous conception and unâ—uâ—t reflection Protestants ought not to persecute any yet that Protesâ—ants maâ— punish Protestants and as the case may be circumstanced a Congregation of such as call themselves Protestants cannot rationally be denied Those of the Congregational way as themselves in the preface to their confession of Faith have professed fâ—lly concurre with the old puritan Non-conformists such as Cartwright Rainold Whitaker Bains Parker c. in whose writings Congregational Principles about Church Government are to be seen Now the old Nonconformists notwithstanding their sufferings from those that took delight to smite their fellowsâ—rvants did believe that disorders in whole Congregations were liable to the 〈◊〉 Magistrates censure as is evident from that excellent and judicious Book called Puâ—iâ—anismus Anglicanus composed by Mr. Bradshaw and published by Dr. Ames Affirmant si particulâ— is aliqua ecclesia erraverit Magistratus civilis debet eandem in ordinem redigere Cap. 2. Th. 6. Why then should we be rendred as men of bitter persecâ—ting rigid spirits and principles when we say nothing bâ—t what our Fathers the old Puritans worthy Confessors and sufferers for the Truth constantly affirmed Our famous Cotton was another Moses in respect of meekness and christian forbearance as to Dissenters from his judgement in matters of a lesser concernment yet would he sometimes make a zealous Protestation that if Magiâ—â—rates in New-England should tolerate Transgressors against the Rules of godliness as well as offences contrary to what the rules of honesty require he believed that God would not long tolerate them And whereas the Brethren that have subscribâ—d the Epistle pray the Honourable Governours in New-England to be careful of doing that which may give occasion of trouble to Nonconformists elsewhere I shall heartily joyn with them in the same request and I can assure them that consideration hath caused more indulgence to be exercised towards their Friends as they call them here than ever they were worthy of And I hope it will be so still so far as may consist with Scripture Rules and the safety of the interest of Christs Kingdome in this Wilderness These Churches are Tender vines and I cannot perswade my self that
Oath and betray hia Fidelity to the Civil Authority 5. That they had dealt injuriously by one of his Brethren in laying him under Admonition In justification of which act there needs no account be given here only let any judge whither it be a just ground to separate from a Church because I am not fully of their mind in every act of Administration and also it seems a thing not warrantable for a private Member of a Church in pretence of self-vindication to vilifie and asperse a Church of Christ if this be humility what is pride But yet 5. The Church still continued to labour his conviction and when they could not obtain it after much patience they called him forth in publick charged him with offensive departing and rending away from the Church denying himself a subject of Discipline and vilisying the Church by false charges he observing one ready to write his Answer refused to speak any thing unless he were forbidden and not obteining it essayed to depart yea though required by the Officer to stay and hear the Church he wilâ—ully withdrew on the following Sabbath he was for these carriages admonished and debarred Communion and not till then and after some patience used being called forth again to see if it repented him he remained obstinate and was therefore Excommunicated and now compare notes and see what will become of John Russel's consectaries As for his retaining the respect of a very Godly man where he is known which is so boasted of it must be only among men void of reason for though we will not say but he may have the root in him yet he hath blasted profession by wicked wayes impenitently persisted in and thereby wounded such mens charity who judge as they ought of the tree by the fruit SECT X. 2. Relating to John Farnum we have him confessing guilty in some things acknowledging a defect but would not have it thought wilful nor such as any Church in their imperfection may not easily fall into well they can make great faults little and small ones none at all In sober earnest we may say of this act of theirs about Farnum that if in nothing else they had been guilty yet that is enough to render them low in the hearts of any good men and a shame to Anabaptists themselves A little in so dirty a matter is enough to be said Therefore 1. They say when he walked in fellowship with the Church he was in reputation among them for a very godly man They should have leâ—t the word very out though in charity they had hopes he might have the root of the matter in him yet he was never judged eminent for his piety it was long ere he could obtain Admission into the Church at Dorchester some discerning Christians ever suspected him to be John Farnum such an one as he after proved 2. That he was deputed by them for a Deacon and yet neither the present Teacher nor any that have been added to the Church these twenty years either deputed or thought him fit for that Office and whereas there is but one surviving of the Founders of that Church he professeth there is never a syllable of truth in that report 3. That the Churches dissatisfaction was chiefly upon account of his Opinion 4. The rugged spirit in these men against Dissenters was the cause of his withdrawing 5. Other things were gathered to this having a face of Scandal A true survey of the Churches proceedings will shew the vanity of these Assertions For 1. The Church did not so much as deal with him till he had wholly withdrawn Communion from them refusing so much as to hear the Word Preached with them for many months no nor so much as declared themselves offended with him What now is this rugged spirit 2. When he alledged his Opinion the Teacher of the Church though possibly some may think he did more than the rule required declared to him that if he were so weak as not to think it lawful to see a Child Baptized his withdrawing when that Ordinance was Administred should not be imputed as an offence how is it then that his judgement was the principal thing in that process 3. His offence for which he was dealt with was many moral evils and so a complicate offence breaking forth at once viz. 1. Renouncing Communion with the Church contrary to Heb. 10. 24. 2. Holding familiarity with Excommunicate Persons contrary to Math. 18 17. 2 Thess 3. 6 14. 3. Slanders against several holy and worthy men now with Christ 4. That having been often reproved for these things he still persisted When the Elders reproved him for these slanders he replied that they might be offenced at a thousand things he cared not and that there was never an Elder in New-England was willing any should read the Scripture but themselves After this he was called before the Church tenderly dealt with and those Scripture Rules which he had transgressed were applied to his Conscience but in vain At the third Church Meeting on his account Octob. 16. 1665. the Pastor Mr. Mayo told him it wos expected that after so much patience he should manifest repentance His reply was that he desired none of their patience he was humbled for his sins The Teacher Mr. Mather saying to him we must see it by the fruits he retorted you see it you shall never see it some Brethren told him his speeches and carriage were very sinful they had never seen the like he replied I did not come hither to be snub'd and snarl'd at by every one and so he turned his back to depart the Pastor wished him to stay and hear what further they had to say and seeing him still proceed charged him in the Name of the Church and of Christ to stay he rejoyned do not use the Name of Christ to me I am not one that can how and stoop to every one exit The same day he told some of the Brethren that he wished the Church would Excommunicate him and then he should be of a better society On all these accounts was he laid under Admonition Two months after which being called before the Church he in words confesâ— the evil of some of the particulars but was observed at the same time to turn about and laugh where then was his Repentance The Church this notwithstanding waited divers months longer till he went on to that height of impiety and prophaneness that one of the Teaching Officers setting before the Church the Rule concerning Excommunication Farnum makes a lâ—g to him in the Assembly in way of â—erision and declared that except the Church would yield to four things he would have no communion with them viz 1. They must set up the Ordinance of Prophâ—sie 2 Promise to Baptize no more Infants 3. All be Baptized i. e. rebaptized themselves 4. Put away their present and still continuing Teacher from his Office Upon these things the Church concluded upon his censure only allowing
him another months patience after which no repentance appearing they proceeded Now judge 1. Whither these things have no more than a face of scandal and that too only as they are taken and construed 2. Whither their Admission of him were not more than a meer defect in those who so admitted him yea a meer scandal stinking in the nosthrils of moral men 3. Whither if it were but a defect it were not a wilful one since they either had or might have had an account of the Churches proceedings with him and ought to have inquired after the true cause of his Excommunication before they received him Well it was but a little fault and a little amendment was enough and what was that when clamors were revived and renewed and then to speak of open and notorious wickedness if it be approved by a society of Anabaptists is Clamour But it 's well a clamour roused them whom serious warnings and informations could not And now the Church in good time are dissatisfied and determine to make search But they knew before that he was Excommunicated only because he was an Anabaptist they concluded it was for his Opinion We see what harm too much credulity doth men Now they send Messengers c. procure a copy of proceedings and are convinced better late then never suspend him bring him to give them satisfaction advise him to satisfie the Church he had offended patcht cobling work a good Shoe-maker would have scorn'd it Who appointed the Anabaptist Church to be a spiritual Court of Appeals to judge cases for and receive satisfaction on the account of another Church in respect of any of their Members Ex ungue Leonem this teacheth us what Lordly men they would be had they advantage But he did apply himself to that Church and all were well satisfied but one How did Goodman Russâ—l know this suppose all but one remained dissatisfied nay what if not so much as one was well satisfied where are we then except he know them better then they know themselves both the Elder and Brethren utterly deny the truth of this passage It is true indeed he did once and again in writing acknowledge that the Church had exercised patience towards him and that â—e had been guilty of sin and great evil both in word and action and orally before the Church he confessed he had done very wickedly and was ashamed of himself The Church then had done well But why is he not then upon this restored alas this he sought not but the very next day declared that if he should return into Communion with that Church it would be the greatest sin that ever he had been guilty of in his life which made the Brethren suspect his Confession to be insyncere and yet this satisfies the Anabaptists they still continue to hold Communion with a vile person justly cast out not seeâ—ing to be restored and therefore by the will of Christ to be counted and carried to as an Heathen and a Publican SECT XI 3. That we are disorderly and walk disorderly For all his plausible excuse and abuse of Scripture in it there needs no more but to consider whither it be not to walk disorderly to receive into their Communion persons that are under Church dealing for moral evils yea excommunicate Impenitents and not to withdraw from them after they have confessed they missed it in so doing If this be not disorder to set up a Church for a Sanctuary or City of Refuge for scandalous men who scorning to submit to the discipline of Christ presently take up Anabaptisme and know where to be made welcome we may then enquire whither there be any such thing as Disorder SECT XII 4. We are disturbers of the publick peace that this hath in terminis been charged upon them I find not but that they have made disturbance among us is true what else have been the carriages of some now theirs when of other Churches with the courses they have taken to make parties what their many complaints into England and misrepresentations of us to render us as obnoxious as might be and what this Narrative SECT XIII 5. That we are underminers of the Churches and is not this true neither alas that in all things we should so mistake But this we mean that such of these men as sometimes stood in relation to other Churches sought to draw others away with them witness Thomas Gola's private meeting in his own house for many years where living two miles distant from the publick place of Worship their Neighbours I speak things known were drawn in and there were the Churches vilified and Ministers scoffed at and means used to alienaâ—e mens hearts and not only so but they have published to the World that Infant Baptisme is a nullity that we are Churches of unbaptized men and women and have unbaptized Officers by these pleas seeking to draw men off and if this be their reduction it is in vain distinguished from destruction and is properly Seduction Adde to this their readiness to receive any discontented persons so that if any be under offence in any of our Churches though he be never so vile let him but turn Anabaptist they will take up his case if he can satisfie them and we may think a little will do let his own seek it where they can get it is not this undermining nay have they not by ther unjust clamours and false reports done more hurt to the Churches of Christ in New-England than all their Enemies in the world besides SECT XIV 6. We neglect publick Worship on the Lords Day What he brings here for justification is to us a confessing guilty that is it we mean and therefore what we say is not utterly untrue only the reasons they give for their separation are misrepresented Whereas they say we would not admit any of them to communion with us they know that our Churches have received some that were scrupulous about Infant Baptisme who were willing to carry inoffensively that we have refused such as were rebaptized among these Excommunicate Anababtists is true hypothetically viz. except they would acknowledge and repent of that act because we judge it scandalous And whereas he tells the World We have been shut out of our publick house and the doors nailed up and we forced to meet without in the open Air on a very cold day he seems to have forfeited all honesty so to relate It is true the Civil Authority here have by a very needful Law prohibited any from erecting any publick Meeting House without the consent of the Freemen of the Town where they live first orderly had and obtained at a publick Meeting assembled for that end and License of the County Court c. Without such a Law many hopeful Plantations would have come to nothing And it equally concerned all others with Anabaptists and yet these men neglecting this Law undertake such a business Report of this is made to the Civil Magistrate who