but if the whole Word of God be holy pure and true then is this deep learning of theirs devillish and blasphemous Ibid. They thus to colour their wickednesse make some part of Gods Word Fundamental Substantial necessary other Accidental Superficial needlesse which makes some sins openly and manifestly convinced yet obstinately persisted in without any repentance in this life not to be mortal as the Papists do Barrows refut p. 24. We have learned to put difference betwixt Errour and Heresie Obstinacy joyned to Errour after it is duely convinced maketh Heresie And further we say that any Errour being obstinately holden and taught after it is duely convinced and reproved maketh an Heretike and Heresie in that party and in that Congregation that so holdeth and teacheth doth separate from the Faith and Communion of Christ Ibid. p. 27. It is his Scholastical or rather Sophistical distinction of Errours Fundamental c. They who obstinately hold any Errour or Transgression and will not by repentance be purged there from lose Christ and so hold not the Foundation BB Bar. dis p. 33. Such like detestable stuff hath Master Calvin in his ignorance partly to confute that damnable sect of Anabaptists which fantastically dream to themselves of a Church in this life without spot and for every Transgression that ariseth are ready to forsake the fellowship of the Church without due and orderly reproof CC Rob. Apol. p. 81. Formalis ecclesiae constitutio est ex fidei resipiscentiae confessione orali per adultos facta consociatio in particulares coetus DD Confession of faith p. 34. Being come forth of this Antichristian estate to the true profession of Christ beside the instructing of their own Families they are willingly to come together in Christian communion and orderly to Covenant and unite themselves in visible Congregations A light for the ignorant p. 12. This voluntary uniting is the form and being of the politick and visible Vnion and Communion EE Robins Just p. 107. This we hold and affirm that a company consisting though but of two or three gathered by a covenant made to walk in all the ways of God known unto them is a Church and so hath the whole power of Christ Ibid. p. 111. Two or three thus gathered together have the same right with two or three thousand neither the smallnesse of the number nor meanesse of the persons can prejudice their rights FF Johns plea. p. 250. The constitution of every particular Church should be such that each of them may ordinarily come together in one place for the worship of God and all other duties belonging to them by the Word of God Rob. Apol. p. 12. Statuâ—mus non debere ecclesias particulares ambitu suo plura membra complecti quam quae in unum locum simul coire possunt GG Vide supra X Y. HH Bar. dis p. 190. They suite to bring Christ in by the Arm of Flesh by suiting and supplicating to his vassals and servants If so be they can imagine them Christians that will not suffer Christ to reign over them by his Laws and Ordinances If they judge them no Christians then they suite and stay on his enemies till they will suffer Christ to reign and rule over his own Church II Confession p. 34. Beside the instruction of their Families they are willingly to come together and unite themselves in visible Congregations Then such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures may and ought by the appointment of the Congregation to prophecy and so to teach publikely the Word of God untill such time as God manifest men with able gifts to such Offices as Christ hath appointed for the publike Ministery of the Church but no Sacrament to be administred untill the Pastors or Teachers be chosen and ordained to their Office KK Barr. dis pag. 34. Which people thus gathered are to be esteemed an holy Church and hath power to receive into and cast out of their fellowship although they have attained to have yet among them neither a Ministery nor Sacraments providing it be not by any default in them that they be wanting Ibid. It is manifest that all the Members of the Church have alike interest in Christ in his Word in the Faith That all the affairs of the Church belong to the Body together That all the actions of the Church Prayers Sacraments Censures Faith be the action of them all joyntly and of every one severally although the Body to divers actions uses divers Members which it knows most fit for the same all the charged to watch admonish reprove and hereunto have the power of the Lord the Keyes of the Kingdom even the Word of the most High whereby to binde the Rulers in chains and their Nobles in fetters to admonish the greatest even Archippus to look to his Ministery and if need be to plead with their Mother LL Canns Necessity of Sep p. 29. None may hear or joyn in spiritual Communion with that Ministery which hath not a true Vocation and Calling by Election Approbation and Ordination of that faithful People whereto he is a Minister Ibid. p. 46. So necessary is a right election and calling to every Ecclesiastike Office that without the same it cannot possibly be true or lawful Barr. Refut p. 30. The Minister must not onely be called to a true Office but must have a lawful calling to that Office otherwise he is but an intruder a theef and a murderer Every particular Congregation ought to make choice of their own Pastors MM A Light for p. 17. In the false Church the particular Congregations have no Authority to produce or raise Officers out of themselves for the Clergy is a distinct Body and sent by their Ecclesiastical Heads and bring their Office and Authority with them NN Bar. Refut p. 19. This power of Ordination is not as the unruly Clergy of these dayes suppose derived from the Apostles and Evangelists under the permanent ministery of Pastors and Elders Ibid. p. 130. Ordination is but a publishing of that former contract and agreement betwixt the whole Church and these elected Officers the Church giving and the Elect receiving their Offices as by the Commandment of God with mutual vow to each other in all duties Canns Necessity of Separ p. 29. None may joyn with that Ministery which hath not a true calling by Election and Ordination of that faithful people to whom he is to administer OO Johns Plea p. 316. It is to be understood according to Ainsworth Robinson and Smith of men women and children in their own persons who are boâ—â—d in their own persons to be present to hear and judge controversies PP Rob. Justifi p. 9. also p. 111. QQ Light for the ignorant p. 17. These Officers have not onely their Authority from particular Congregations but do arise originally and naturally out of the same RR Vide supra KK Also Bar. Dis p. 125. The least of the Church hath as much power by the
Cotton if not the Author yet the greatest promoter and patron of Independency we will go on with the way it self What Master Cotton and the Apologists his followers have testified of Gods displeasure and judgements upon the way of the Brownists O is as evidently true of the way of the Independents not onely because as it will appear hereafter both wayes really are one and the same But also because in the comparison of the events which have befaln to both wayes it will be seen that the miscarriages and because of them the marks of Gods anger have been more manifest upon this latter way then upon the former Independency brought to the utmost pitch of perfection which the wit and industry of its best patrons were able to attain having the advantage of the Brownists fatal miscarriages to be exemplary documents of wisedom being also assisted and fenced with all the security that Civil Laws of its friends own framing and gracious Magistrates at their absolute devotion could afford notwithstanding in a very few lesse then one week of yeers hath flown out in more shameful absurdities then the Brownists to this day in all the fifty yeers of their trial have stumbled upon The verity of this broad assertion shall be palpable to any who will be at the pains a little to consider their proceedings in any of the places wherever yet they had any setled abode for however much of their way be yet in the dark and in this also their advantage above the Brownists is great that in their Discords none of themselves have proclaimed their own shame none that have fallen from them have of purpose put pen to paper to inform the world of their ways neither have any of them been willing to reply to any of the Books written against them that did put a necessity upon them to speak out the truth of many heavie imputations which with a loud voice by many a tongue are laid on them chusing rather to lie under the hazard of all the reproach which their unfriendly reports could bring upon them then to make an Apologie wherein their denial might bring upon them the infamy of lying or their grant the fastening by their own testimony upon the back of their party the Crimes alleadged against them Notwithstanding so much is broken out from under all their coverings as will make good what hath been said Hitherto they have had but three places of abode New-England Holland London That any where else they have erected Congregations I do not know Of their adventures in these three places we will speak a little In New-England when Master Cotton had gotten the assistance of Master Hooker Master Davenport and sundry other very worthy Ministers beside many thousands of people whom God in his mercy did send over to that new world to be freed from suffering and danger in the day of their Countreys most grievous calamities being there alone without the disturbance of any enemy either within or without What were the fruits of their Church-way First it forced them to hold out of all Churches and Christian Congregations many thousands of people who in former times had been reputed in Old-England very good Christians I have heard sundry esteem the number of the English in that Plantation to exceed Fourty thousand men and women when Master Cotton is put to it he dares hardly avow the one half of these to be members of any Church P But if we do beleeve others who were eye-witnesses also they do avow That of all who are there Three parts of Four will not be in any Church Q 1. To us it seemeth a grievous absurdity a great dishonour to God and cruelty against men to spoil so many thousand Christians whom they dare not deny to be truely religious of all the priviledges of the Church of all the benefits of Discipline of all the comfort of any Sacrament either to themselves or to their children to put them in the condition of Pagans such as some of them professe all Protestants to be who are not of their way Q 2. A second evil of their Way is That it hath exceedingly hindred the conversion of the poor Pagans God in great mercy having opened a door in these last times to a new world of reasonable creatures for that end above all that the Gospel might be preached to them for the enlargement of the Kingdom of Christ The principles and practice of Independents doth crosse this blessed hope What have they to do with those that are without Their Pastors preach not for conversion their relation is to their Flock who are Church-members converted already to their hand by the labours of other men before they can be admitted into their Church Of all that ever crossed the American Seas they are noted as most neglectful of the work of Conversion I have read of none of them that seem to have minded this matter Q 3. onely Master Williams in the time of his banishment from among them did assay what could be done with those desolate souls and by a little experience quickly did finde a wonderful great facility to gain thousands of them to so much and more Christianity both in profession and practice then in the most of our people doth appear R But the unhappinesse of these principles whereof we speak did keep him as he professeth from making use of that great opportunity and large door which the Lord there hath opened to all who will be zealous for propagating of the Gospel S Thirdly the fruits of Independency may be seen in the profession and practices of the most who have been admitted as very fit if not the fittest members of their Churches These have much exceeded any of the Brownists that yet we have heard of first in the vilenesse of their Errours secondly in the multitude of the erring persons thirdly in the hypocrisie joyned with their errours fourthly in malice against their neighbours and contempt of their Superiours Magistrates and Ministers for their opposition to them in their evil ways and lastly in their singular obstinacie stiffly sticking unto their errours in defiance of all that any upon earth could do for their reclaiming or that God from heaven almost miraculously had declared against them All this I will make good by the unquestionable Testimonies of their loving friends For the vilenesse of their Errours They did avow openly the personal inhabitation of the Spirit in all the godly his immediate revelations without the Word and these as infallible as Scripture it self T This is the vilest Montanism They avowed further with the grossest Antinomians That no sin must trouble any childe of God That all trouble of conscience for any sin demonstrates a man subject to the Covenant of Works but a stranger to the Covenant of Grace V That no Christian is bound to look upon the Law as a rule of his conversation X That no Christian should be prest to any
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
Tenet wherein they will be constant ibid. The chiefe Tenets which hitherto they have given out and not yet recalled p. 102 They reject the name of Independents unreasonably and for their owne disadvantage ibid. When it is laid aside the more infamous name of Brownists and Separatists will inevitably fall upon them ibid. They avow a Semi-Separation but a Sesqui-Separation will bee proven upon them p. 103 The Independents doe separate from all the reformed Churches upon far worse grounds then the Brownists were wont to separate of old ibid. Their acknowledgement of the reformed for true Churches doth not diminish but increase their Schisme ibid. They refuse all Church Communion and Membership in all the reformed Churches ibid. They preach and pray in them as they would doe among Pagans only as gifted men to gather materials for their new Churches p. 104. 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 p. 105 Beside true grace they require in the person to be admitted a sutablenesse of Spirit with every other Member p. 106 But in this they are laxer then the Brownists that they can take in without scruple Anabaptists Antinomians and others who both in life and Doctrine have evident blots if so they be zealous and serviceable for their way ibid. About the forme of the Church a Church-Covenant they are more punctuall then the Brownists ibid. They take the power of gathering and erecting of Churches both from Magistrates and Ministers placing it onely in the hands of a few private Christians who are willing to make among themselves a Church-Covenant p. 107 This power of erecting themselves into a compleat and perfit Church they give to any seven persons yea to any three neither admitt they more into a Church then can altogether in one place commodiously administer the Sacraments and Discipline ibid. The Independents will have all the standing Churches in England except them of the Sectaries dissolved and all their Ministers to become meerely private men and any three persons of their way to be a full Church p. 108 Vnto this Church of seven persons they give all and the whole Church power and that independently ibid. 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 Ecclesiasticall causes p. 109 The difference of Iohnson and Ainsworth about the power of the people and Presbyterie distinct one from the other is not yet composed among the Independents ibid. The common Doctrine of New-England is Ainsworths Tenet that the people alone have all the power and may excommunicate when there is cause all their Officers ibid. Mr. Cotton the other yeare did fall much from them and himselfe towards Iohnson teaching that the whole power of Authority is onely in the Officers and the people have nothing 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 p. 110 Yet that both Officers and people or any of them have power to separate themselves from all the rest when they finde cause ibid. The London Independants give more power of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction then the Brownists unto woemen p. 111 Some of them permit private men to celebrate the Sacraments ibid Brownists and Independents doe perfectly agree iâ— the point of Independency ibid If a corrupt or negligent Congregation doe not censure theâ— owne 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 grosseth Heresies or most scandalous vices p. 112 The point of Independency is either the root or the fruit of many Errours ibid. To temper the crudity thereof they adde to it three moderating Positions but for little purpose ibid. They grant the being of Synods but not of Classicall Presbyteries p. 113 Their Synods are meerely Brownisticall without all Iurisdiction wherein every one of the people may voyce also they are meerely Elective and only occasionall ibid. The Sentence of non-Communion is Mr. Cottons invention to supply that defect which themselves make in the Ordinances of God ibid. It puts in the hand of every man a power to sentence all the Churches of the World p. 114 It carries to the highest degree of Separation ibid. Their supply of the defects of Independency by the power of the Magistrate was a remedy which they learned from the Brownists but now they have cast it aside denying to the Magistrate all power in matterâ— of Religion p. 115 The Independents doe advance their fancies to as high a pitch of glory as the Brownists ibid. They are the Brownists Schollers in many more things beside the constitution and government of the Church ibid. They give to the Magistrate the celebration of Marriage ibid. Mr. Milton permits any man to put away his wife upon his meere pleasure without any fault and without the cognisance of any Iudge p. 116 Mr Gorting teaches the wife to put away her Husband if he will not follow her in any new Church-way which she is pleased to embrace ibid. They are against all determinations of the circumstances of Worship and therefore all Church Directories are against their stomacks ibid. The common names of the dayes of the week of the Months of the yeare of the yeare of God of many Churches and Cities of the Land are as unlawfull to them as to the Brownists ibid. All Tythes and set-mayntenance of Ministers they cry downe but a voluntary contribution for the maintenance of all their Officers they presse to a high proportion with the evident prejudice of the poore p. 117 In their solemne Worship oft times they make one to pray another to preach a third to Prophesie a fourth to direct the Psalme and another to blesse the people ibid. They make it a divine Institution without any word of preface to begin the publick Worship with solemn prayer for the King and Church p. 118 After the Pastors Prayer the Doctor reads and expounds ibid. In preaching they will be free to take a Text or not as they find it expedient ibid. After the Sermon any of the people whom they thinke able are permitted to prophesie ibid. All are permitted to propound in the face of the Congregation what questions upon the Sermon they thinke meet ibid. About the Psalmes they have divers strange conceits but the speciall is their new Ordinance of a singing Prophet who is place of the Psalmes singeth Hymmes of his owne making in the midst of the silent Congregation ibid. They grant the lawfulnesse of read Prayers in diverse cases p. 119 They will have none to be baptised but the children of their owne Members so at one dash they put all England except a very few of their way into the
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
these corruptions had been removed so farre as I have read in any of their writings they would no more have Separated But the Independents having no such stumbling blocks in their way Bishops and Books being abolished and a barre set up in every Congregation to keep off from the Sacrament every scandalous and ignorant person notwithstanding they will yet Separate The more unjust and lesse cause they have so to doe their separation must bee so much the worse the grosser and more inexcusable Schisme What they say for the avoyding of this challenge will not hold water while they tell us that they are not Separatists because they avow the Church of England to be a true and gracious Church That the Ministry of it is true and saving They should consider that the Brownists when the fit of charity commeth upon them say large as much as all this as before from their own words we have shown k also that some of the Independent Party have gone as farre as that which they confesse makes the Brownists to be justly called Schismaticks l but however suppose their allegation were true it doth not excuse and diminish but much encrease the fault of their separation For it is a greater sinne to depart from a Church which I professe to bee true and whose Ministry I acknowledge to be saving then from a Church which I conceive to be false and whose Ministers I take to have no calling from God nor any blessing from his hand Neither are they cleared from the blot of Schisme by their countenancing the English Assemblies by their preaching and praying therein for beside that they doe no more in this then Mr Robinson hath taught them m They should remember they teach their Schollars that Preaching Prayer Psalmes and all things they doe in the English Congregation are no acts of Church Fellowship n that none of them doth import any Church Membership nor any Ecclesiastick Communion but are such which without scruple they can dispence to very Pagans But we would intreat them to declare if they would be willing to receive any Sacrament in the English Congregations or if they will be content to bee under any part of their Discipline if they will be either Members or Officers in any of our Churches I see indeed the Apologists professe their participation of Baptisme in our Congregations but besides that the Brownists will professe so much of themselves o yet how this is consistent with the constant practice and Doctrine of the Independents I confesse my understanding is too blunt to conceive For however in New-England they give the right hand of Fellowship to the Brownists Congregations p and at London they are said to goe to the Brownists Sacraments q and we did never heare that either in England or Holland they refused any to be a Member for their beliefe of rigid separation or Anabaptisme nor censured any of their Members for falling into these errours yet in formall termes they doe deny the most gracious of their Brethren to live beside them in New-England in the Presbyteriall way of the old Non-conformists r yea in Print they avow that whoever refuseth their Tenet of Independency were they otherwise never so Orthodox and pious they ought not to be admitted to the Sacraments nor enjoy any Church Priviledge s as people who cannot be wholly but at most are in part only converted Yea as such who must be taken for anti-Anti-christian spirits for enemies to Christ and his Kingdome t Neither have I heard that any of them now for many yeares have either celebrated to others or received themselves the Sacraments in any English Church And when it was propounded that they might take charge in some of the best Reformed Congregations of England with a full assurance of a personall dispensation to them for their whole life if they would leave but that one intollerable Tenet of Separation to this day they have disregarded that kind and brotherly Accommodation shewing expresly that in this point of separate Congregations they would be tolerated or nothing else would satisfie their consciences beyond this their best friends were not able by their long and earnest endeavours for divers weeks together to draw them one haires-breadth w if this be not a more cleare and a more inexcusable Separation then was ever yet laid to the charge of any Brownists I professe my utter mistake of the nature of Schisme and desire to be rectified The next singularity of the Brownists their Doctrine of the constitution of the Church in matter and forme the Independents have borrowed to the full and not only enlarged it but when all other grounds faile upon this alone they build the necessity of their separation Concerning the matter of the Church the Independents have learned all their unjust scrupulosity from the other as the Brownists require every Church member to be a Saint really regenerate and justified who at their admission have publikely satisfied the whole Congregation by convincing signes of their true holinesse the other requires the same x. What ever indulgence here the Independents professe to give either to weak ones in whom they finde the least of Christ or to women whom they remit from the Congregation to speak more privately in the Eldership y â— this is no other then the present practise of the Brownists at Amsterdam Only we observe that the Independents here go farther from the Reformed Churches both in the strictnesse and in the loosnesse of their satisfactions The Brownists are satisfied with the signes of personall grace but the Independents require more they proceed to a triall by a long conversation of the sociable and complying disposition of the person to be admitted with the spirits of the whole Church whereof he is to be a member z without this sutablenesse of spirit they will reject them whom otherwise they finde to be Saints aa But their chiefe excesse here is in loosnesse The Brownists will not dispence with known errours and sinnes in the members they will not admit of Anabaptists of proud luxurious contentious people If they finde any such to have crept in among them they professe their judgement is for their casting out by censures But the Independents will here be more wise for the encrease of their party and however they will have nothing to do with Presbyterians bb nor with such people who can live in their confused Congregations yet they make it their rule to hold out none for any errour that is not fundamentall nor for any sinne that is not continued in against conscience cc walking according to this rule they swallow down without trouble the small gnats of Anabaptism and all other Sects who erre not fundamentally and obstinately and against conscience how many Sectaries are thus farre guilty who can determine The little spot of luxury in apparell in diet and many fleshly delights of strife of disdainfull railing and such other faults as are too
common in their members are of easy disgestion dd Concerning the other part of the Church essence its forme their Covenant in this the Disciples go much above their Master Mr Cotton hath perfected by an expresse Treatise this part of Brownism ee as many others The Covenants of New â—ngland are much straiter then any that ever we heard of at Amsterdam It is true that of late both in Old and New England the Independents seem much to modify the rigour of their Covenant ff but whatever may be said of their profession I never could learne of their practice to admit any into their society who gave not full assurance of embracing their whole way and all their differences from the Reformed Churches Sure I am they did never admit any upon easier tearms then lately I my self did hear Mr Can admit a member into his Church at Amsterdam yet if Mr Prynnes information be well grounded they are become at London more rigid in their Covenant then ever he tells us that now it is their custome to make it a part of their Oath to oppugne the Government of the Reformed Churches and to defend Independency with armes and violence ff 2. Unto the constitution we may referre the efficient of a Church and the number of its members in both the Schollars follow punctually their Masters As for the efficient it is not only the Brownists but the Independents also who put the power of gathering Churches and joyning together by Covenant in a Church way in the hand of private Christians alone without any Officer or the authority of any Magistrate It is presumption in any Minister if he assay to make up a Church only people must associate themselves into a Church and then create their Ministers and other Officers gg In New England at the erection of a new Church they are content with the presence both of the Magistrate and Ministers of the neighbour Churches but they declare that neither is necessary and that the presence of either gives no authority to the action and the absence of both detracts no authority from it hh That the whole power to gather a Congregation and to erect a Church is alone in the covenanting persons ii As for the number of the members the Independents go as low as the Brownists avowing that seven persons make a full ministeriall and compleatly organized Church kk nor do they extend the number any farther then the Brownists avowing that no Church except the universall may have any more members then conveniently can meet and be accommodated in one place for the exercise of all holy duties ll not only preaching of the Word whereat thousands may be present but celebration of the Sacraments and administring all parts of Discipline to which acts a few hundreds cannot commodiously meet The Independents minde about the gathering and erecting of Congregations may be clearly perceived by their late practice in the Sommer Islands wherein they are applauded by the Churches of New England and defended by Master White against Master Prynnes Fresh Discovery with a great deale of confidence and high language there hee justifies the necessity of the dissolution of all the Churches in the Barmudaes which yet he professes were among the best of all the English Plantations there were above 3000 people in the Isle who had lived without all controversie with any of their Ministers from their first planting till the yeare 1641 when their Ministers perswaded by some writs of the Brethren of New England found it necessary to lay down their charges and become meere private men denying to administer to their old flocks any Ordinance till three of them entring in a Covenant and thereby becomming a new Church did perswade of the 3000 Islanders some thirty or forty at most to joyn with them in their new Church Covenant these covenanted persons did chuse one of their old Ministers for their Pastor and two others of them for Ruling Elders who as gifted men were content to joyne with the Pastor in preaching not only to the Church members but to the whole Isle to fit them to be Church members but all the three refused absolutely to celebrate any Sacrament or administer any Discipline or do any act of a Pastor to any but to the forty named only All this Mr White maintains as just and necessary and petitions the Parliament in print for their countenance and approbation whereby it seems it is the Independents avowed and cleare intention when they have power to dissolve and annull all the Churches of England yea of the world to spoile all Ministers living of their pastorall charge and all people of all Church priviledges and to erect new Churches of their own framing into which they are to admit at most not one of an hundred of those who now do count themselves Christians all this you may see at length in Mr Whites very peremptory Reply to Mr Prynnes Fresh Discovery Leaving the constitution their chiefe Tenets concerne the power of the Congregation so constitute as is said in this they come up fully to their Masters side for they give unto their Church that is their seven covenanted persons the whole Ecclesiastick power and that independently upon any person under heaven First they put it in their hands to create all the Officers they not only give them suffrages in their election mm but the whole power of Ordination also nn the examination of their Pastor in all the abilities requisite for his charge oo the laying all the parts of his Office upon him publique prayer imposition of hands and what other acts are requisite for a regular Ordination are all performed by one of the people whom the rest have appointed for that end pp As they have power to make all their Officers so they have power to unmake them to depose and excommunicate all their Ministers qq to cognosce and finally to determine without any appeal in all cases both in life and doctrine of all Heresies and Scismes of all Truths and Errours to order all things belonging to the worship of God and to do all things else rr which other Churches ascribe to the most Generall Assemblies of the most learned Divines Upon this passage of Power come in the differences which divided the Brownists among themselves whilst Iohnson would give all these acts of power to the Eldership and Ainsworth would keep them for the Congregation these same questions vex the Independents to this day and are likely to divide the Children as they did the Fathers The most of the New English Divines with Ainsworth attribute the whole Ecclesiastick power to the body of the people unto the Eldership they give the preparation of affaires ss but the judgement and determination of all doth passe by the plurality of the peoples voices tt the power of the keyes they put in the hand not of the Presbytery but of the fraternity ww as they speak And in some
vehemently contend for the needlesnesse of any to come to the Table what ever be the practice of all the rest of the Reformed Churches But they will have the holy Seales carried from the place where the Minister preaches to the people in their Pews or where ever else they have their ordinary places for hearing of the Word although most easily in their small Congregations without any disturbance all might bee brought to the Table sssss But their maine difference from all the Reformed and greatest consonancy with the Brownists is in this that as they teach all outward signes of Worship in the time of the Celebration to be Idolatry and hereupon declare the necessity of all men who will follow the example of the first Communicants to keep on their Hats all the time of this holy action so likewise the Independents begin to teach their disciples for however at Amsterdam this day the named Doctrine bee not fully practised the men there covering their heads in the time of the Celebration but every one uncovering during the time of their own personall participation of the Elements yet we are now taught at London that covering is most requisite at the time of participation That this act is a Rite significant to the Communicants of their Table-honor and fellowship with Christ also that the Minister in all his Celebration must be uncovered and that in sign of his service to the Communicants as the Lords much honoured children sitting covered when they eat of their Fathers meat ttttt After all the Worship is ended the Congregation may not yet be dismissed but one ordinance more in the end of the day must be attended the exercise of Discipline in this the Independents come up fully to their masters the whole people must be present to heare judge and voyce at every act of Discipline wwwww In any Congregation the acts of discipline when best managed are very tedious and long but with them more then anywhere else for their contentions are more and more tough as we may see in the best ruled Congregations that ever they had That of Arnheim and Roterdam if the praise given by the Apologists to them be just there the exercise of discipline hath bin very tedious the whole Congregation to their extreme wearinesse and fretting have been forced to lay aside the works of their ordinary calling for many dayes of the week to attend the Iudging of these causes which on the Sabbath dayes could not be ended xxxxx In the Cognition of these causes every member of the Congregation must be satisfied in his own minde concerning every passage of every action for they doe not proceed by the plurality of numbred voyces but with the harmonious consent of all who have right to voyce yyyyy And if it fall out that any doe dissent from the most they appoint in that case paines to be taken for the information of the dissenters that they may consent but if these paines prove fruitlesse and the Dissenters refuse to joyn with their brethren they are declared obstinate and to have lost the right of voycing for that time zzzzz Yea which is worst of all and which puts these Congregations upon the smallest occasions upon unavoydable and remedilesse divisions they appoint all who continue in their dissent in any matter of weight to be farther proceeded with for their contumacy aaaaaa The publike meetings of the Brownists are so long and tedious that we doe not heare of their stomack for any private but the Independents are yet for private meetings how long they will be in love with them we cannot say for in New-England where they were most in request their fruits have been very bitter these meetings of a middle sort betwixt Congregationall and Domestick were the occasion very neere to ruine both that Church and State for in these it was where under the pretence of religious conference and re-petition of Sermons false doctrine and wicked calumnies against the most Orthodox of the Ministers and Magistrates were spread for the renting and had not God prevented it the destroying of the State both Civill and Ecclesiastick bbbbbb For the present where they are in gathering of their Congregations these meetings in private houses of all who will are a very pregnant meanes to steale away men and women from their own Pastors but if once their gathering of Churches were at an end and their greatest care were for the keeping and edifying of what they had gotten it is like that then they would be as cautious as now all other Churches are even the Brownists and these of New-England of such meetings which except well moderated and limited under faire pretences are exceeding fit to make new divisions and ever to frame new Societies of some as it were more select and eminent Christians out of the common Congregation Concerning the Magistrate the Tenets of the Independents would bee well considered because of their open proclamation of their loyalty beyond and above all which the principles of any Reformed Church will permit them cccccc Had they magnified never so much their own vertues without the expresse disparagement of others had they put in the ballance with themselves an equall or a double number of the greatest men in any of the Reformed Churches who yet would be very ponderous when they lie in the Scales against five particular men the Authors of that comparison had they preferred themselves before all the Reformed Churches in a casuall contingent action not in a maine duty which their very principles are alledged to diminish had they whispered all this in the eares of their friends and not made a Proclamation of it to both the Houses of Parliament and that in print to be trumpeted out in the eares of all the world it might have been past over with the lesse either observation or offence But since in so publike a manner they have required the Magistrate to believe their great deferences to him and the smaller respect he can expect from any out of their way it seemeth very necessary to produce not these particular respects which the Reformed Churches professe according to their principles to give unto the Magistrate continually have given according to their professions for these are well known to the world long before any of our new Censors were in being but what these singular duties may be which the Independents above all other men by their principles are forced to performe to Magistrates while they may be at leisure to publish them to the world I will here present unto them the materialls of some few short observations for that purpose First that divers of their party and those of very eminent note though miscarrying in other things yet keeping fast to the way of Independency have denyed to the Magistrate all power over any of the Godly dddddd And others of them with the grossest Anabaptists have denyed the lawfulnesse of any Magistrate at all
time to Mr Calamy and pretends some reasons to borrow it for awhile but after he had it he carries it away into Yorkshire that so upon occasion of complaints of the breach of the agreement when we would have consulted with that paper it was gone and Mr Nye keeps it to this day and having been moved to restore it His answer is it is at Hull amongst other papers b Apollonius Letter to the 5 Apologists the 3 of May 1644. Hasce quaestiones ad vos reverendi viri transmitto de iisdem sententias vestras quaerens ob mutuam nostram fidem charitatem serio vos oro ut non detrectetis sincere dilucide accurate absque Rhetorici apparatus diverticulis declarare quid vos fratres illi quibuscum societatem vestram Ecclesiasticam colitis de hisce sentiant quoniam meae fidei ab Ecclesiis Christi id commissum est Spero vos ex timore dei charitate erga nos fratres vestros absque ullo pretextu sententias vestras hac de re declaraturos idque quam cito fieri potest urgent enim Ecclesiae nostrae ut opus hoc maturem This zealous adjuration hath not to this day drawn from any of them any declaration c Apol. Nar. p 30. A relation of our judgments in the points of difference about Church-Government we reserve unto the more proper season d Keyes Preface p. 6. Only we crave leave of the reverend Author to declare that we assent not to all expressions scattered up and down or to all and every assertion interwoven in it yea nor to all the grounds or allegations of Scriptures nor should we in all things perhaps have used the same termes to expresse the same materialls by e Apol. Nar. p. 10. A second principle we carried along with us in all our resolution was not to make our present judgement and practice a binding law unto our selves for the future and therefore in a jealousie of our selves wee kept this reseâ—ve to alâ—er and retract though not lightly what ever should be discovered to be taken up out of a misunderstanding of the rule which principle we wish were next to that most supreame enacted as the most sacred Law of all others f Cottons Keyes published by Goodwin and Nye p. 49. In what sence the Church of a particular Congregation is the first subject of the power of the Keyes in the same sence it is Independent and none other we taking the first subject and the Independent subject to be all one Answer to the 32 questions p. 46. For the matter of Independency we confesse the Church is not so Independent but it ought to depend upon â—hrist But for Dependency upon men or other Churches or other Subordination unto them in regard of Church-Government and power we know not of any such appointed by Christ and his Word The Churches were not Dependent and Subordinate to others but all of them absolutely free and Independent Burtons Vindication p. 42. We are not so ashamed of the Title of Independency as utterly to disclame it and that for two reasons first for distinction sake between us and that which you call Presbyteriall Government The second is because this word Independent is to signifie that wee hold all particular Churches of Christ to be of equall authority and none to have Iurisdiction over another but each Church is under Christs Goverments as the sole head King Lord Law-Giver thereof g Apol. Nar. p. 22. We doe professedly judge the Calvinian Reformed Churches of the first Reformation from out of Popery to stand in need of a further Reformation themselves h Ibid. p. 19. Wee think we give more to the Magistrate then the principles of the Presbyteriall Government will suffer them to yeeld i Ibid. p. 24. Wee doe here publikely professe we believe the truth to lie and consist in a middle way betwixt that which is falsely charged on us Brownisme and that which is the contention of these times the Authoritative Presbyteriall Government Preface to the Keyes p. 5. We are yet neither afraid nor ashamed to make profession that the substance of this briefe extract is that very middle way betwixt that which is called Brownisme and the Presbyteriall Government k Vide supra Chap. 2. B and R 2. l Prynnes Discovery p. 29. Iohn Lilbourn in his Answer to 9 Arguments p. 4. writes the Church of England is a true whoorish mother and you are one of her base begotten and bastardly children I say the Church of England neither is nor never was truly married to Christ in that espousall band which his true Churches are and ought to be but is one of Anti-christs Nationall whâ—orish Churches your Church is false and anti-Anti-christian the Ministers of the Church of England are not true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Anti-christ ibid. p. 31. This language and opinion of his concerning our English Church and Ministry is seconded by most Independents in their late Pamphlâ—ts m Mr Robinson hath written a whole Treatise upon this subject n Answer to the 32 questions p. 27. If we were in England we should willingly joyne in some parts of Gods true worship and namely in hearing the Word where it is truly preached yea though wee doe not know them to be true Churches For some worship as prayer and preaching and hearing the Word is not peculiar to Church-Assemblies but may bee performed in other meetings Cottons letter examined p. 43. The second thing which Mr Cotton himselfe hath professed concerning English Preachers is that although the Word yet not the Seales may be received from them because saith he there is no Communion in hearing and the Word is to be preached to all but the Seales c. o Vide supra Chap. 3. G. p Cottons Letter examined p. 37. Cotton here confesseth these two things first if any reproach the Church of Salem for Separation it is a sin meet to be censured secondly the Churches themselves may be separated from who tolerate their members in such causlesse reproachings which I leave to himselfe to reconcile with his former profession against Separation q Vide supra Chap. 4. R r Vide supra Chap. 5. E 1 s Burtons Vindication p. 45. We esteeme the Government of Christs Church so holy as we cannot think them fit to be admitted be they never so good that think so slightly of the way and of them that walk in it that they refuse to agree to walk in this way with the people of God Ibid. p. 62. Doe you not know that no Infants have any title to Baptisme but by vertue of their Parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith in the Parents that refuse Christ for their only King If therefore the Parents refuse thus to be in visible Covenant can the children be said to be in visible Covenant and so to have a right to baptisme If then the Parents by refusing Christ as their King doe hereby cut
themselves off from the Covenant they doe therewith cut off their children to z Ibid. p. 63. We dare not baptise the children of these Parents that refuse to professe the faith of Christ as their onely King as well as their only Priest and Prophet for Christ divided becomes no Christ to the divider this is to dissolve Christ that is to receive him onely in part and not in whole which is the spirit of Antichrist ibid. p. 55. Such a conversion as you speak of comes not home to whole Christ and such with their Converters doe deny Christs Kingly Government what kind of Converters call you these at best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs Kingly Office which they come not up to by the preaching thereof w Paper of Accommodation after the ninth proposition We having weighed our Brethrens principles doe find no probability of an Accommodation for them ordinarily to enjoy Congregations unlesse it shall happen in a Parish that the Minister cannot administer the Sacraments to all of the Parish whom possibly the neighbour Ministers or the Classis may judge fit to be admitted such persons shall have power to procure to themselves the Sacraments by the help of a neighbour Minister ibid. Whereunto our brethren adde as followeth or otherwise if in a Parish it happen that there be a considerable number of such as cannot partake in the Ordinances with the Minister and people there they shall have liberty to dispose of themselves as a distinct Church and to choose a Minister or Ministers at their own charge to be maintained to be their Pastor x Thomas Goodwin to I. G. p. 1. Indeed we that are to admit doe it upon a conviction and perswasion of the parties true grace some way made forth visible to us Welds answer to chap. 3. Hee tells us that they must be reall Saints and syncere Believers and that the Church in admitting of them doth make exact tryall by examination of their knowledge and the work of grace first in private then in publike and that they be such as can cleave together in opinion and affection and that they be such as know what belongs to Church-Covenant approve it and seek it is there any thing in all this that you can blame y Ibid. In the Churches where we have lived many years we have seen such a tender respect had to the weaker sex that we commit their tryall to the Elders and some few others in private who upon their Testimony are admitted into the Church without any more adoe z Rathbones Narration p. 11. Beside true and reall Saintship they require that the members to be admitted be such as can cleave together both in opinion and in affection and that there be sutablenesse and sweetnesse of spirit in them apt to close one with another aa Vide supra Z also Cotons Way p. 7. bb Vide supra fifth Chap. E 1. cc Apol. Nar. p. 9. Excommunication should be put in execution for no other kind of sinnes then may be evidently presumed to be perpetrated against the parties known light as whether it be a sinne in manners and conversation such as is committed against the light of nature or the common received practises of Christianity professed in all the Churches of Christ or if in opinion then such as are likewise contrary to the received principles of Christianity and the power of godlinesse professed by the party himselfe and universally acknowledged in all the rest of the Churches and no other sinnes to be the subject of that dreadfull sentence dd Bastwicks Postscript p. 58. also his Iust defence p. 39. ee An Apologie of the Churches in New-England for a Church-Covenant ff T.G. to I.G. p. First it is no more with us then this an assent and resolution professed by them that are to be admitted by us with promise to walk in all these wayes pertaining to this Fellowship so farre as they shall be revealed to them in the Gospel thus briefly indefinitly and implicitly in such like words and no more or otherwise do we apply our answers to mens consciences Church-covenant p. 36. We deny not but the Covenant in many of the English Congregations is more implicite and not so plaine as were to bee desired yet there wants not that reall and substantiall comming together or agreeing in Covenant and that substantiall profession of faith which thanks be to God hath preserved the essence of visible Churches in England unto this day gg Plaine dealing p. 2. A Church is gathered after this manner a competent number of Christians come together in some fit place in a publike manner and there confesse their sins and professe their faith and enter into Church-covenant after this they doe at this same time or some other all being together elect their own Officers as Pastor Teacher Elders Deacons if they have fit men enough to supply these places else as many of them as they can bee provided of then they set another day for the Ordination of their said Officers hh Answer to the 32 questions p. 36. If Church-communion and the exercise of such Ordinances as Christ hath appointed for his Church was lawfull and needfull when Magistrates were enemies to the Gospel and be not so when Magistrates professe the Gospel we doe not see but Christians may sometime be losers by having Christian Magistrates and in worse condition then if they had none but professed enemies ibid. p. 41. It is our practise in Ordination of Ministers as also in removing of them to have the assistance of Ministers of other Churches but for authority and power we know none that Ministers have properly so called in any Congregation save that one over which the holy Ghost hath made them Over-seers and therefore we think it not lawfull when a Church is to Ordaine Officers to call in by way of authority or power the Ministers of other Churches ii Cottons Way p. 1. The Church to which Christ hath committed the censures is a combination of faithfull godly men meeting by common consent into one Congregation ibid. 7. Then such whose hearts God teacheth often meet together about the things of God and performe some duties of prayer and spirituall conference together till a sufficient company of them be well satisfied in the spirituall good estate one of another and so have approved themselves to one anothers consciences in the sight of God as living stones fit to be laid in the Lords spiritull Temple ibid. p. 10. The Church being thus gathered as hath beene described Our next care is that it may be supplyed with all these Officers which Christ hath ordained kk Answer to the 32 Questions p. 43. We doe not finde that God doth anywhere say they must be above forty or else they cannot be a Church nay rather that speech of Christs of two or three gathered together in his name doth plainly imply that if there be a greater number then two or three
whom they being not satisfied in the answer of an offender may appeale unto and in so doing tell the Church such a small number may be a Church and may have the blessing of his presence to be among them ll Ibid. p. 8 9. When a visible Church is to be erected it is necessary that in respect of quantity it be no more in number in the dayes of the New Testament but so many as may meet in one Congregation mm Ibid. p. 15. The Church is before the Ministers seeing the power of chusing Ministers is given to the Church by Christ nn Ibid. p. 68. The Church that hath no Officers may elect Officers unto themselves therefore it may also ordaine them if it hath power from Christ for the one and that the greater it hath also for the other which is the lesser now Ordination is lesse then Election oo Ibid. p. 42. Vnto the 13 question whether you think it convenient that a company of private and illiterate persons should ordinarily examine elect ordaine and depose their Ministers a part of the answer to this question is if there were none among them who had humane learning we doe not see how this could hinder them of their Liberty to chuse Ministers purchased to them by Christs precious blood for they that are fit matter to be combined into a Church body have learned the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures in the fundamentall points thereof they have learned to know the Lord in their owne hearts therefore they may not bee reproached as illiterate or unworthy to chuse their owne Ministers nay they have the best learning without which all other learning is but madnesse and folly pp Plaine Dealing p. 3. They set a day for the Ordination of their Officers and appoint some of themselves to impose hands upon them where there are Ministers or Elders before they impose their hands upon the new Officers but where there is none there some of their chiefest men two or three of good report amongst them though not of the Ministry doe by appointment of the same Church lay hands upon them Cottons way p. 40 41. Towards the end of the day one of the Elders of the Church if they have any if not one of the graver Brethren of the Church appointed by themselves to order the work of the day standeth up and enquireth in the Church c. he advertiseth him who is chosen what duties the Lord requireth of him in that place towards the Church then with the Presbytery of that Church if they have any or if not with two or three others of the gravest Christians among the Brethren of that Church being deputed by the body he doth in the name of the Lord Jesus ordaine him to that Office with imposition of hands calling upon the Lord and so turning the speech to the person on whom their hands are imposed he as the mouth of the Presbytery expresses their Ordination of him and puts a solemne charge upon him to look well to himselfe and the flock After this the Elders of other Churches present observing the presence of God in the orderly proceeding of the Church to the Officers Election and Ordination one of them in the name of all the rest doth give unto him the right hand of Fellowship in the sight of all the Assembly qq Answer to the 32 questions p. 48. If the Church hath power by election to chuse a Minister and so power of instituting him then of destituting also Instituere destituere ejusdem est potestatis rr Ibid. p. 44. We conceive that every Church properly so called though they bee not above ten persons or the least number that you mention have right and power from Christ to transact all their owne Ecclesiasticall businesse if so be they be able and carry matters justly for the power of the Keyes Matth. 16.19 is committed by Christ unto the Church ss Cottons Catechism p. 10. It is committed to the Presbytery to prepare matters for the Churches hearing tt Answer to the 32 quest p. 60. In this sense matters with us are carried according to the vote of the major part that is with the joynt consent of the whole Church but yet because it is the mind of Christ ww The propositions to which almost all our Elders did agree when they were assembled together the first the Fraternity is the first subject of all Presbyteriall power radicaliter id est causatim per modum collationis non habitualiter non actualiter non formaliter xx Anatom p. 26. I heare of no ruling Elders that ever Mr Simpson had in his Church Anatomist anatomised p. 12. It is true de facto wee had none but were resolved to have them Notwithstanding this answer of Mr Simpsons that Church of Rotterdam to this day hath never had a Presbytery after more then seven yeares delay yy Antap. p. 52. Pastors are necessary Officers in your Churches and yet according to your practises your Churches are many yeares without them zz Keyes p. 10. Authority is a morall power and a superiour Order or State binding or releasing an inferiour in point of subjection Christ hath given no Iurisdiction but to whom he hath given office The Key of power in a large sense or Liberty is in the Church but the Key of authority or rule in a more strict sense is in the Elders of the Church aaa Excommunication is one of the highest acts of Rule and therfore cannot bee performed but by some Rulers now where all the Elders are culpable there be no Rulers left in that Church to censure them as therefore the Presbytery cannot excommunicate the whole Church though apostate for they must tell the Church and joyne with the Church in that censure so neither can the Church excommunicate the whole Presbytery because they have not received from Christ an Office of Rule without their Officers Ib. preface p. 4. He gives unto the Elders or Presbytery a binding power of Rule and Authority peculiar unto them and to the Brethren distinct and apart an interest of power and priviledge to concurre with them and that such affaires should not be transacted but with the joynt agreement of both though out of a different Right so that as a Church of Brethren only could not proceed to any publike censures without they have Elders over them so neither in the Church have the Elders power to censure without the concurrence of the people so as each alone have not power of excommunicating the whole of either though together they have power over any particular person or persons in each bbb Ibid. also Keyes p. 13. Else the Brethren have a power of order and the priviledge to expostulate with their brethren in case of private scandals so in case of publike scandall the whole Church of brethren have power and priviledge to joyne with the Elders in inquiring hearing judging of publike scandals so as to bind notorius offenders and impenitents under censure and
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
which they do belong neither do we know any such thing to be appointed by Christ our Lord for the maintenance of the Ministry in these dayes the bringing in of settled endowments and eminent Preferments into the Church hath been the corruption and to some the destruction of such as lived by them both Church-Officers and Church-members qqqq Cottons Way p. 38. The Deacons were elected and ordained for the serving at Tables to wit the serving of all these Tables which pertained to the Church to provide for which are the Lords Table the Tables of the Ministers or Elders of the Church and the Tables of the poore Brethren whither of their own body or strangers for the maintaining whereof we doe not appoint them to goe up and down to collect the benevolences of abler brethren but as the Apostles received the oblations of the brethren brought and laid down at their feet and thereby made distribution as the use of the Church required so the Deacons receive the oblations of the brethren every Lords day brought unto them and laid down before them and distribute the same as the need of the Church doth require rrrr Ibid. ssss Plaine-dealing p. 19. At some other places they make a rate upon every man as well within as not of the Church residing with them towards the Churches occasions and others are beholding now and then to the generall Court to study wayes to enforce the mantenance of the Ministry tttt Antap. p. 276. Have you not carried a greater port then most of the godly Ministers in the City or Countrey have not some of you the prime Lectures of the City and other good places of advantage and profit besides what some of you have from your own Churches Vide supra Chap. 4. wwww Bastwicks Independency p. 142.143 It is well known and can sufficiently be proved that godly Christians of holy conversation against whom they had no exception either for doctrine or manners and who offered themselves to be admitted members upon their own conditions and yet were not suffered to be joyned members onely because they were poore and this very reason was given them for their not-admission that they would not have their Church over-burdened with poore Ibid. It was replyed that the Congregation of which he was Pastor consisted of great Personages Knights Ladies and rich Merchants and such people as they being but poore could not walk so sutably with them wherefore he perswaded them to joyn themselves with some other Congregation among poore people where they might better walk and more confortably in fellowship with them xxxx Plaine-dealing p. 16. The Pastor begins with solemn prayer continuâ—ing about a quarter of an houre the Teacher then readeth and expoundeth a Chapter then a Psalme is sung which ever one of the ruling Elders dictates after that the Pastor preacheth a Sermon and sometimes ex tempore exhortes then the Teacher concludes with prayer and a blessing yyyy Cottons Way p. 66. First then when we come into the Church according to the Apostles direction 1 Tim. 1. We make prayers and intercessions and thanksgivings for our selves and all men zzzz I have heard the chiefe of our Brethren maintaine this publikely and I understand it is the practice of some of them in the City aaaaa Cottons Catechisme p. 6. Where there bee more Prophets besides the Elders they may Prophesie two or three if the time permit the Elders calling to them whither in the same Church or others if they have any word of exhortation to the people to say on bbbbb Ibid. And for the bettering of a mans selfe or others it may be lawfull for either young or old save only for women to aske questions from the mouth of the Prophets ccccc Answer to the 32 quest p. 78. Some think the people have a liberty to aske their questions publikely for their better satisfaction upon very urgent and weighty cause though even this is doubted of by others and all judge the ordinary practice of it not necessary but if it be not meekly and wisely carried to be inconvenient if not utterly unlawfull and therfore such asking of questions is seldom used in any Church among us and in most Churches never ddddd Anatom p. 26. In the matter of singing of Psalms they differ not only from us but are also at variance among themselves some thinking it unlawfull for any to sing but he who preacheth and this hath been the late practice at Arnheim others thinking it unlawfull for women to sing in the Congregation hence some women at Rotterdam doe not sing I heare also they think it unfit for any at all in such times of the Churches trouble as this eeeee Ibid. fffff Vide supra Chap. 4. SS 1. ggggg If the question be of joyning in some few selected prayers read by an able and faithfull Minister out of the book as of the one side we are tender of imputing sinnes to these that so joyne Vide infra hhhhh hhhhh To that part of the Directory which recommends the use of the Lords Prayer they did enter no dissent an Answer to the 32 Questions p. 55. By a Liturgie and forme of prayer we suppose you meane not a forme of private prayer composed for the help of the weaker as for a forme of prayer in generall we conceive your meaning cannot be of that for it is evident that many Preachers constantly use a set forme of prayer of their owne making before their Sermons with whom the people refuse not to joyne ibid. p. 59. Wee acknowledge the Lords Prayer and other formes set downe in Scripture may be lawfully used as prayers due cautions being observed Cottons pouring out of the spirit p. 10. Not that I would discourage any poore soule from praying on a Book for I think as we may sing Psalms on a Book so we may in some cases pray on a Book iiiii Vide supra s Also see the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Colony of the Sommer Islands p. 2. Our children die unbaptized our selves are deprived of the Lords Supper our daughters cannot be given in marriage kkkkk Plain Dealing p. 40. At New Plymouth Mr Chancey stands for dipping in Baptism only necessary lllll Cottons Catechism p. 4. What manner of men hath God appointed to be received as members of his Church Answ Such as doe willingly offer themselves first to the Lord and then to the Church by confessing of their sins c. mmmmm This wee heare is their ordinary practice at London nnnnn Vide supra Chap. 4. Q R ooooo Vide supra ibid. ppppp This is the Apologists common profession qqqqq This also they professe as a cleare consequent of the former rrrrr Cottons way p. 68. The Lords Supper we administer for the gesture to the people sitting according as Christ administred it to his Disciples sitting Matth. 20.26 who also made a symbolicall use of it to teach the Church their majority over their Ministers in some cases and their Iudiciall
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
Thus farre the most of their reasons doe carry if they have any force at all Secondly the Antecedent may well be denyed all that the Apostle speaks to the Collossians indefinitely must not be expounded of every one of the people This precept of speaking to Archippus could not be better performed then by the Presbytery whereof Archippus was a Member Thirdly the consequence is invalid They might admonish therefore excommunicate Every admonition is not in order to censure it is a morall duty incumbent to every one to admonish lovingly and zealously his Brother when there is cause it is a sinne and disobedience to God if we let sinne lye upon any whom we by our counsell and admonition can helpe but to conclude that we have power to Excommunicate every man whom in duty wee ought to admonish is an absurdity which none of the Separatists will well digest Fifthly From Revel 2.14.20 The whole Churches of Pergamus and Tâ—yatira are rebuked for suffering wicked Hereticks to live among them uncensured Ergo it was the duty of all the Church to censure them Answer First the conclusion is for a power to the people to censure which our Brethren now deny Secondly The Antecedent may be denied for the fault of that impious Toleration is not laid upon the whole Church but expresly upon the Angell Thirdly the consequence is not good The whole Church might be reproved for a neglect of their duty in not inciting and incouraging their Officers to censure these Hereticks but a reproofe for this neglect inferreth not that it was the peoples duty to execute these censures Thus much our Brethren will not avow Sixthly They reason from Revel 4.4 The foure and twenty Elders sate on Thrones in white Robes with Crownes on their heads Ergo Every one of the Church hath a power of judging as Kings with Crownes sitting on their Thrones Answer First the conclusion ever inferres the full Tenet of the Separatists Secondly the consequence is very weake except many things be supposed which will not be granted without strong proofes first that this Type is argumentative for the matter in hand secondly that this place is relative to the Church on earth rather then to that in heaven thirdly that these Elders doe typifie the people rather then the Officers fourthly that the Thrones and Crownes import a Kingly Office in every Christian to be exercised in Church censures upon their brethren more then the white robes doe inferre the Priestly Office of every Christian to be exercised in Preaching the Word and celebrating the Sacraments Seventhly They reason from Galatian 5.1.13 the Galatians were called unto Liberty whereto they behoved to stand fast as to a priviledge purchased by Christ his blood Ergo Every one of them had a power to cut off their Officers Answer This is the Scripture whereupon our Brethren have lately fallen and make more of it then of any other I confesse their reasoning from it seemes to me the most unreasonable throwing of the holy Scripture that I have readily seene in any Disputant The whole scope of the place carrying evidentty a liberty from the burthen and servitude of the Law Their fathering upon it a new and unheard of sense to wit a priviledge of Church censures without any authority or proper power therein is very strange they cannot produce any Scripture where the word Liberty hath any such sense and though they could yet to give the word that sense in this place where so clearely it is referred to a quite diverse matter it seemeth extremely unreasonable Eightly Thus they reason The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish Malefactors as in the case of Gibea in the message of Israel to the two Tribes halfe also the people had power to rescue from the hands of the Magistrates as in the case of Jonathan from Saul Answer The consequence is null for the practise of the Israelites in their civill state is no sufficient rule for the proceedings of the Church of the New Testament Our Brethren would beware of such Arguments least by them they entertaine the jealousie which some professe they have of their way fearing it be builded upon such principles as will set up the common people not onely above their Officers in the Church but also above their Magistrate in the State That it draw in a popular government and Ochlocracie both in Church and State alike Ninthly They thus reason Who ever doe elect the Officers they have power to ordaine them and upon just cause to depose and excommunicate them But the people do elect their Officers Ergo. Answer The major is denied for first election is no act of power suppose it to be a priviledge yet there is no Jurisdiction in it at all but Ordination is an act of Jurisdiction it is an authoritative mission and putting of a man into a spirituall Office The people though they have the right and possession by Scripturall practise of the one yet they never had either the right or the possession of the other Secondly suppose the Maxime were true whereof yet I much doubt unlesse it be well limited Ejus est destituere cuius instituere that they who give authority have power to take it backe againe yet we deny that the people who elect give any authority or office at all their election is at most but an Antecedent Sine quo non it is the Presbytery onely who by their Ordination doe conferre the Office upon the elect person Finally They argue No act of Jurisdiction is vâ—lid without the peoples consent Ergo to every act of Jurisdiction the peoples presence and concurrence is necessary Answer The antecedent in many cases is false a gracious Orthodoxe Minister may be ordained a Pastor to a Hereticall people against their consent an Hereticall Pastor who hath seduced all his flocke may be removed from them against their passionate desires to keepe him but the Consequent is more vitious where ever consent is requisite their presence much lesse authoritative concurrence is not necessary all the souldiers are not present at the Counsell of War and yet the decrees of that Counsell of War can not be executed without the consent and action of the Souldiers every member of the Church of Antioch was not present at the Synod of Jerusalem diverse members of the Independent Congregations are absent from many Church determinations to the which upon their first knowledge they doe agree CHAP. X. Independencie is contrary to the Word of God THe Divine Wisedome which found it expedient for man before the Fall not to live alone hath made it much more needfull for man to live in Society after his weakning by sinne Woe to him that is alone for if he fall who shall raise him up The best wits of themselves are prone to errors and miscarriages and left alone are inclined to run on in any evill way they have once begunne But engagement in
full exercise of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction that all such were Presbyteriall and not Congregationall We prove it thus A Church which cannot all convene in one house for the publicke Service of God a Church which hath more Pastours then one is Presbyteriall not Congregationall according to the grounds of our Adversaryes But all the Churches we reade of in the New Testament to have had the full exercise of all Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction did meete in more places for divine worshippe and had more Pastors then one This we demonstrate of the cheife the Church at Jerusalem Samaria Rome Corinth Ephesus Antioch neither can a reason be given why the rest of the Scripturall Churches should not be of the same kind Beginne with the mother-Mother-Church of Jerusalem A company consisting of many thousand persons and wanting a publicke house of meeting could not convene into one place for worshippe for this very day when Christians have gotten most stately and spacious Palaces for Churches hardly one thousand can commodiously be together for solemne worshippe and if we looke to the practise of the Adversaries a few scores of men will be a large Church As for the State of the Church at Jerusalem First It is granted that for many yeares after the Apostles neither it nor any other company of Christians in any part of the world had a publicke place of meeting Secondly That this Church did consist of many thousand people the following places prove Acts. 2.41 The same day were added unto them about three thousand Also chap. 4.5 The number of the men were five thousand And where there were so many men if yee looke to the ordinary proportion there were of women and children twice or thrice so many Neither did that Church stand at the named thousands for Acts. 5.14 more multitudes both of men and women were added to the Church and the number of the Disciples was yet more multiplyed chap 6.1 Also that which we reade chap. 2.47 The Lord added to the Church daily seemeth to have continued for a long time To that which is replyed by some that a great part of the named multitudes were strangers and not Inhabitants at Jerusalem and so no Members of that Church We answer that this is said without warrant That of the three thousand mentioned in the third chapter some part were strangers we will not deny to be likely but that the most part were so or that of all the thousands named in the fourth fifth and sixt any one was a stranger it cannot be proved from the Text. As for that which they bring from the 2 chap. 44. All who beleeved were together as if the whole Church had alwayes come to one place for the publicke worshippe We say that it was simply impossible for three thousand people not to speake of twenty thousand and above to meete in one private house for they had none publicke neither did they in the streetes celebrate their Sacraments So we are necessitated to take the Churches being together one of three wayes either for the conjunction of their minds as the following words doe import they continued with one accordin the Temple or else their meeting together must be understood distributively in divers places not collectively in one as the words in hand will also beare where the celebration of the Lords Supper and breaking of bread is said to be not in any one house onely but from house to house The Church meete thin a third way together when not all the members but the Officers with a part of the people convene in a Presbytery as appeareth from the 15 and 21 chapters The case is no lesse cleare of the Church of Samaria Acts 8.6.10.12.14 verses the People of that City with one accord from the least to the greatest both men and women did beleeve in such a number that the cheife of the Apostles Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem to assist Philip in their instruction Could this whole City which was amongst the greatest of Canaan convene all to Gods worshippe in one private roome or be served with one Pastor who required for a time the attendance not onely of Philip but further of two prime Apostles Come to the rest The Roman Church was one Body Rom. 12.6 yet so great that it could not meet in one private roome For in the 16. chap. beside the Church which met in the house of Aquila v. 5. there are a number of houses set downe in which besides divers Saints named there were many others also unnamed which worshipped with them v. 14 15. So great were the multitudes of Christians then at Rome that their fame was spread over all the world chap. 1.8 and chap. 16.19 In the City of Rome were many hundred thousand men the halfe of which according to Tertullian were Christians the age after the Apostles and a little after Cornelius recordeth that more then forty preachers did attend the instruction of that people who yet had no publick place of meeting The same was the case of the Church at Corinth at its very beginning Acts. 18.8 It did consist of a multitude both Iewes and Gentiles beside all which God had much people in that City v. 10. which by the continuall labours of Paul for 18 monthes were converted v. 11 for whose instruction beside Paul Apollos Timotheus a great number of other Doctors attended 1 Cor 4.15 not to speake of a multitude of false Teachers they had also a number of idle and vaine Teachers who kept the foundation but builded upon it hay stubble and timber Could all these meete together in one private place unlesse yee would understand their meetings distributively or for the convention of their Officers with a part of the people for discipline Also at Ephesus was but one Church For Acts. 20.17 Paul called to him the Elders of that Church in the singular yet that in Ephesus there was so great a number of Christians as could not commodiously serve God in one private roome it seemes most cleare for in that most noble Mart Town Paul did preach whole two yeares Acts 19.10 yea he ceased not day nor night for full three yeares cha 20.31 The feare of God fell on all that people both Jews and Gentiles and the name of Jesus was magnified cha 19.19 So great a multitude even of Scholars was converted that the Professors of curious arts alone did make a fire of Bookes to the value of 50000 peeces of silver so mightily grew the word of God there v. 20. Further in the Church of Ephesus were many Pastors for Acts. 20.17 Paul called for the Elders not one onely That divers of these if not all were Pastors and Doctors it appeareth from v. 28. where they are appointed by the Holy Ghost to be feeders of the flocke and get a Commission to oppose false Doctors about the which they went faithfully as the Lord beareth them witnesse Revel 2.2 Now the charge
offended by a brother as well without as within the same Congregation and as well by many brethren as by one yea as well may we be offended by a whole Church as by one member thereof Now if after the minde of our adverse party the subordination of fewer to moe might not be extended without the bounds of one Congregation the Lords medecine were not meete to cure very many ordinary and daily scandals for what if a man be scandalized by the neighbour Church To whom shall he complaine When the Church offending is both the Judge and party it is likely she will misregard the complaints that are made to her of her selfe What if a man be scandalized by his owne Church or by the most or by the strongest part of it What if that Church to whom he complaineth take part against Justice and reason with him upon whom he complaines It will be impossible to remedy innumerable offences which daily fall out among brethren unlesse appeales be granted and the subordination established by Christ be extended not onely without the bounds of one Parish but as farre and wide as the utmost limits of the Church universall for upon this place is rightly grounded by the Ancients the Authority of Synods even Oecumenick of all the Churches Thirdly the subordination established by Christ Matth. 18. is so farre to be extended in the Christian Church as it was extended in the Church of the Jewes for Christ there alludeth to the Jewish practise But so it is that in the Iewish Church there was ever a subordination of fewer to moe not onely within the same Synagogue but within the whole Nation and so within the whole Church Universall for all Synagogues everywhere in the world were under the great Councell at Ierusalem No doubt of the Minor the Major is builded upon this ground that what ever Christ hath translated from the Synagogue to the Church especially if it be of naturall equity hath as great force now amongst Christians as of old among the Iewes Now that the subordination of Synagogues to the great Councell is of naturall equity it appeareth thus A Synagogue was the lowest Ecclesiasticke Court the Councell was the highest but the subordination of the lowest Court to the highest is of naturall right for Nature hath ever dictated to all Nations as well in things civill as religious a subordination of the lowest to the highest Our fifth Argument That which taketh away all possibility of any effectuall remedy against Heresie Idolatry Schisme Tyranny or any other mischiefe that wracks either one or moe Churches is not of God for God is the Author and conserver of truth purity union order liberty and of all vertue God of his goodnesse and wisedome hath provided for all and every one of his Churches meanes and remedies which if carefully made use of are sufficient to hinder the first arising of Heresie Schisme or any other evill and when they are risen to beate them downe and abolish them so that what ever cherisheth these mischiefes and is a powerfull instrument to preserve them safe that none with any power with any authority for any purpose may get them touched that must be much opposite to the Spirit of God and good of the Church But such is Independencie as both reason and experience will prove Behold first severall Churches Suppose which too oft hath falne out that the Pastor become a pernicious Hereticke let him beginne with the venome of his Doctrine to poyson the hearts of his people what shall be the remedie Independency bindes the hands of Presbyteries and Synods Pastors of Neighbouring Congregations have no power to binde or expell that ravenous wolfe in the destroyed flock there is no Pastor but the wolfe himselfe Be it so that the people in their judgement of discretion perceive well enough the wickednesse of the false doctrin whereby they are corrupted yet the office charge and authority to cure their Pastors disease lyeth not on them The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets the Pastor is not to be proceeded against with censure by the people of his flocke for so the order which God hath established in his Church should be inverted if they whom hee hath commanded to obey should rule and they whom he hath set above and over the flocke should be under it Further Suppose the Pastor to be most gracious what if the flocke or the greater part of the flocke become so wicked as to abuse their Pastor or to abuse the most godly of the Congregation What if a wicked spirit of Heresie Schisme or Tyranny set the most part of the flocke against God against their gracious Pastor and the godly of the flocke what shall be done in this pitifull and very possible yea oft contingent case Indâ—pendency closeth the doore of the troubled Congregation that no man may goe out to cry for any powerfull helpe to neighbours though their kindled house should burne them all to death within there is no remedy for all most goe there by the number of voyces and the most part oppresseth the best the most wicked go on against the Councells the intreaties the prayers of the rest and cease not till they have either corrupted or cast out their Pastor Elders and all of their fellow-members who are constant in goodnesse that so their wickednesse without controle may domineere in the whole subdued Congregation So long as Independency standeth no effectuall authoratative or powerfull helpe can possibly be found for the preservation of any single Congregation against ruine and totall subversion Further Independency hazards the being of all Churches as well as of every one For who shall hinder any member of a corrupted Congregation to infect all the neighbour Churches with the poyson of his doctrine and manners If a ramping Lyon a viperous Serpent a crafty Fox should goe and devour all the Lambs of the neighbour flocks Independency doth hinder any order to be taken with that limbe of Sathan no sword of censure can be drawne against him he must be referred absolutely to his owne Congregation other Churches may intreate advise and pray him not to make havoke of them but should he trouble infect and destroy twenty an hundred a thousand neighbour Congregations no Ecclesiastick censure may passe upon him but by his owne Church and when complaints of him come to his owne Church his misdeedes there are excused defended commended his Heresies are proclamed sound doctrine his devouring of soules is declared to be zeale and painfulnesse to win soules to CHRIST Our Argument is backed by experience as well as by reason The first Independent Church we reade of was that company which Mr. Browne brought over from England to Middleborough how long did it stand before it was destroyed by Independency when once Anabaptistick novelties and other mischiefes fell among them there was no remedy to prevent the companies dissolution When Mr. Barrow and his fellowes assaied at London to
with the Neighbouring Congregations or yet to governe her proper affaires absolutely and independently so that none may attempt to correct her when she erreth or by censure to put her in order when she beginneth by heresie schisme and tyranny to corrupt her selfe and others That in this place principally the Senate of a Presbyteriall Church is understood is cleare for of such a Church Christ here speaketh as were the Churches at Jerusalem Antioch Corinth and others in the new Testament which we proved before to have bin presbyteriall The Senate of such Churches attending on government and discipline is here called the Church as elsewhere Act. 5.20 It seemed good to the Apostles Elders and whole Church The Church met to cognosce on the questions from Antioch cannot be understood of all the thousand Christians at Jerusalem it must then be taken of the Presbytery to which the cognition of such questions doth belong In the fourth verse of the same chapter Paul is said to be received of the Church the word may well be expounded not of the whole Body but of a select number thereof even the Presbytery as in the 21 he is said to be received of the Apostles and Elders before the multitude had met together Only observe that however we affirme the Senate of a Presbyteriall Church cheifely here to be established yet we understand not this in a way independent from provinciall Nationall or Oecumenick Synods for all these meetings in their owne place and order are also grounded on this passage as before hath beene declared Their second Objection The practise of the Church of Corinth approved by the Apostles is the due right of every Parochiall Church and single Congregation But the censure of Excommunication was the practise of the Church of Corinth approved by the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.12 13. Do we not judge them that are within therefore put away from you that wicked person This judgement is authoritative and this putting away is the censure of Excommunication cutting off from the body of Christ which censure is here committed unto the Corinthians being gathered together in one vers 4. and so to them all and every one of them for to them all the Epistle is written and not to the Presbytery onely Answ The Maior must be denied for two causes First The practise of the Corinthians was grounded not onely upon the expresse command of the Apostle but also on the singular presence of the Apostles Spirit and authority with them in pronouncing the sentence of Excommunication against that incestuous person v. 3. I as present in Spirit have judged already This singular priviledge of the Corinthians is not a ground of common right to every Church who wants the authority of the Apostles expresse command and singular presence Secondly we may not argue from the Church of Corinth to every Congregation for it is proved before that the Church of Corinth was not Congregationall but Presbyteriall consisting of so many as could not meete commodiously in one private roome also it had within it selfe a Colledge or Senate of many Pastors Elders and Prophets to such a Church we grant willingly the exercise of all acts both of Ordination and Jurisdiction The Minor also cannot be admitted but with a double distinction the act of Excommunication is given to the Church of Corinth not according to its whole but acording to the select part to wit the Presbytery thereof It maketh nothing against this that the Epistle is written to the whole Church for what is written to the whole Church indefinitely must be applied according to the matter and purpose sometime onely to the Pastors excluding the people sometime onely to the people excluding the Pastors sometimes to both together to Pastors and Flock The first Epistle Chap. 1. vers 12. Every one of you saith I am of Paul I am of Apollos and I of Cephas this cannot be taken of the Pastors but of the people following Schismatically some one some another of the Pastors Likewise Chap. 4. vers 1. Let a man so count of us as of the Ministers of Christ must be taken of the people as Chap. 3. vers 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones is to be understood of the Pastors as Chap. 4. vers 2. Also it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull but the most of the other places are to be expounded of both Now that the preceding passages concerning the Church-censures are not true of the whole Congregation it appeares for beside the absurdity of confusion Anarchy it would follow that very women have right judicially to Depose and Excommunicate by their voyces their Pastors which the very Adversaries professe to reject as absurd albeit not congruously to their Tenets for it is not reasonable that the right which from these places they ascribe to every member of the Church should be taken away from women upon this onely reason that in 1 Tim. 2.11 a commandement is given to the women not to teach but in silence to learne for as the brethren of our Adversaries the Anabaptists have marked that place taketh away from women the publicke charge of Preaching but not of speaking in judgement or giving their voyce in Church-judicatories Surely nowhere absolute silence in Church-judicatories is injoyned to women we truly give the power of witnessing and of selfe-defence as well to women as to men in all Church-judicatories However that the censure of the incestuous man was not inflicted by the whole Church it appeares from the 2 Epist Chap 2. vers 6. Sufficient to such a man was the punishment which was inflicted of many Who were these many but the Officers who were set over the Church in the Lord Another distinction also would be marked that whatsoever right we ascribe to the Church of Corinth whether according to its whole or according to any of its parts whether we take it for a Presbyteriall or a Parochiall Church all that right is to be understood not absolutely nor independently which here is the onely question For the Church at Corinth had no greater priviledges then the Church of Antioch Now that in a dubious and controverted case and in a common cause the Church of Antioch was subordinate unto a Synod it was before proved Their third objection That which the Holy Ghost gives unto the seven Churches of Asia must be the right of every single Congregation But the Holy Ghost gives unto the seven Churches of Asia all Ecclesiasticke Jurisdiction within themselves Revel 2.2 Thou canst not beare with them which are evill and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and hast found them lyars And ver 14. I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam And ver 20. I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest the woman Jezabell to teach Here the Churches of Ephesus Pergamus and Thyatira are praysed
Body But every single Congregation is the Kingdome of God c. Answ Passing by the Minor The Major is false and Anabaptisticke for by the same reason the Anabaptists exempt from all authority both Ecclesiasticke and Civill not onely every Congregation but every single person who are the members of Christ and his Spouse and in whom the Kingdome of God doth dwell The high and excellent stiles of honour which the Scripture gives not onely to whole Churches but to every particular Saint exempts neither the one nor the other because of their immediate subjection to God and Christ from the bonds and yoake of any authority either Ecclesiasticke or Civill which the Lord hath appointed in holy Scripture Christs internall government of soules by his Spirit albeit never so immediate taketh not away the externall administration of men either in the Church or Common wealth Who please to see much more upon this Question let them consult with Mr. Rutherfoord his Peaceable Plea with Appolonius and Spanheim with the Author of Vindiciae Clavium especially with the Divines of the Assembly their Answers to the Reasons of the dissenting brethren of purpose I have abstained from making use of any of these Writings at this time waiting for the Independents last Reply for their Reasons and the Modell of their positive Doctrin which they have made the world to waite for too too long a time CHAP. XI The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon earth is against Scripture AMong all the Sparckles of new light wherewith our Brethren doe intertaine their owne and the peoples fancie there is none more pleasant then that of the thousand yeares a conceit of the most Ancient and grosse Hereticke Cerinthus a little purged by Papias and by him transmitted to some of the Greeke and Latine Fathers but quickly declared both by the Greek and Latine Church to be a great error if not an heresie Since the dayes of Augustine unto our time it went under no other notion and was imbraced by no Christian we heare of till some of the Anabaptists did draw it out of its grave for a long time after its resurrection it was by all Protestants contemned onely Alstedius after his long abode in Transilvania began in his last times to fall into likeing with some parts thereof pretending some passages of Piscator for his incouragement Alstedius Heterodox Writings were not long abroad when Mr. Meade at Cambridge was gained to follow him yet both these Divines were farre from dreaming of any personall raigne of Christ upon earth onely Mr. Archer and his Colleague T. G. at Arnheim were bold to set up the whole Fabricke of Chiliasme which Mr. Burrowes in his London Lectures upon Hosea doth presse as a necessary and most comfortabe ground of Christian Religion to be infused into the hearts of all children by the care of every parent at the Catechising of their family Our Brethrens mind in this point as I conceive they have Printed is this That in the yeare 1650. or at furthest 1695. Christ in his humane nature and present glory is to come from heaven unto Jerusalem where he was crucified at that time the heaven and earth and all the workes therein are to be burnt and purged by that fire of conflagration mentioned by Peter 2 Epist Chap. 3. At the same time all the Martys and many of the Saints both of the Old and New Testament are to rise in their bodies The Jewes from all the places where now they are scattered shall returne to Canaan and build Jerusalem in that City Christ is to raigne for a full thousand yeares from thence he is to goe out in person to subdue with great bloodshed by his owne hand all the disobedient Nations when all are conquered except some few lurking in corners then the Church of Jewes and Gentiles shall live without any disturbance from any enemy either without or within all Christians then shall live without sinne without the Word and Sacraments or any Ordinance they shall passe these thousand yeares in great worldly delights begetting many children eating and drinking and injoying all the lawfull pleasures which all the creatures then redeemed from their ancient slavery can afford In this Earthly happinesse shall the Church continue till the end of the thousand yeares when the relicks of the Turkish and Heathenish Nations shall besiege the new Jerusalem and Christ with fire from heaven shall destroy them afterwards followeth the second resurrection of all the dead good and bad for the last judgement Thus farre the Independent Preach and Print further Cerinthus himselfe went not if you will except the Polygamy and sacrifices of the old Israelits What truth may be in these things let the arguments which are usually brought either pro or contra declare Against the mentioned Tenet I reason first He that remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement comes not downe to the earth a thousand yeare before the last Judgement But Christ remaines in the heaven unto the last Judgement Ergo. The Maior is unquestionable the Minor is proved from the Article of our Creede From that place he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead importing that Christ from the time of his ascention doth abide in the heaven at the right hand of the Father and commeth not downe from that place to the earth till he descend in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead I know they are not moved with the authority of any humane Creed yet they would doe well to speake out their minde of this Article as they doe of some others Surely to say that Christ shall come from heaven in his humane nature to abide a thousand yeares on the earth and then to returne againe to the heaven that he may discend the third time from the heaven in the last day to judge the quicke and the dead is so evident a perverting of that Article that Mr. Mead their great Doctor and leader in this Tenet to eschew it falleth into a very strange and singular conceit wherein I doubt whether any of the Independents will be pleased to follow him with all other Orthodox Divines he makes but two commings of Christ from the heaven to the earth the first at the Incarnation the second at the day of Judgement but this day of Judgement he extends to a round thousand yeares and this day to him is the onely time of the Millenary raigne We neede not refute this fancie for the best arguments which are brought for it are some testimonies from the Talmudicke Rabbins and these as I conceive understood against the true sence of the Authors The streame of Scripture and Reason runne more against this conceit then any other part of Chiliasme as the most of the Chiliasts themselves will confesse However what I brought from the Apostolick Creed of Christ his aboade in the heaven till the last day I prove it from Scripture Acts. 3 21. Whom
whole preceding Prophecie especially of the peoples deliverance by Michael the Prince from the oppression of Antiochus which was not much to be understood till it came to passe Fourthly They reason from the last verse Life eternall is common to all the Saints and no singular priviledge of Daniels But the resurrection here spoken of is promised to Daniel as a singular favour Answer Mr. Archer who is deepest learned in these Mysteries affirmes That all the goldly as well as Daniel had their part in the first resurrection and indeede if once you begin to distinguish it will be hard to finde satisfactory grounds to give this glory to Daniel and to deny it to David to Moses to Abraham and many others Secondly We may well say that life eternall albeit common to all the Saints yet is so divine so rare and singular a mercy to every one that gets it that it may be propounded to Daniel and every Saint as a soveraigne comfort against the bitternesse of all their troubles Thirdly The place according to the best Interpreters speakes nothing at all of any resurrection onely it imports a promise to Daniel to live in peace all his dayes that notwithstanding all the troubles of the Church which he saw in these visions as Diodate Translates it yet so farre as concerned himself he should goe on to his end and rest stand or continue in his present honours and prosperous condition to his death and 〈…〉 of his dayes Fifthly from the 11. and 12. verse they conclude peremptorily the beginning of these thousand yeares to be in the yeare 1650 or at furthest 1695 for they make the 1290 dayes to be so many yeares and the 1335 dayes to be 45 yeares more these they make to beginne in the raigne of Julian the Apostate who after Constantine's death did re-establish Paganisme in the Empire and encouraged the Jewes to build the Temple of Jerusalem till God hindred them by an Earthquake which did cast up the foundation-stones of the old Temple Beginning their account at this time the end of their first number falls on the yeere 1650 and of the second on the yeare 1695. This is Archers calculation which T. G. and others follow precisely Answer We marvell at the rashnesse of men who by the example of many before them will not learne greater wisedome if they needes must determine peremptorily of times and seasons That they doe not extend their period beyond their owne dayes That they be not as some before them laughed at before their owne Eyes when they have lived to set the vanity of their too confident Predictions however in this calculation there seemes nothing to be sound neither the beginning nor the middle nor the later end If the thousand yeares begin in the 1650 yeare if Christ then come in person to the earth what will keepe him from perfecting his Kingdome to the 1695 yeare thereafter will he spend whole 45 yeares in warres against the Nations before they be subdued to his Scepter Secondly What warrant have they to begin their account with the Empire of Julian Did he set up any abomination at all in the Church of God He opened againe in the Territories of his Empire the Pagan Temples which by Constantine had been closed by counsell and example he allured men to idolatry but he troubled not any Christians in the liberty of their profession he did not set up idolatry in any Christian Congregation The Lord did quickly kill him and so prevented his intended persecution of Christians But although it could be verified of him that he did set up the abomination of desolation in the Temple yet how made he the daily Sacrifice to cease he was so far from this that to t◠uttermost of his power he laboured to set up againe the daily Sacrifice which some hundred yeares ceased Scripture speakes onely of two times wherein the solemne sacrifice was made to cease and the abomination of desolation was set up First by Antiochus Epiphanes and then by Titus Vespasian but of Julian his making the sacrifice to cease Scripture speakes nothing That Story of the Earthquake whereupon Mr Archer builds albeit reported by some of the Ancients seemes to be a great fable Certainely the application of it to Christs Prophesie of the Gospel A stone shall not be left upon a stone as if this had not been fulfilled till that Earthquake had cast up all the foundation-stones of the ancient Temple is very temerarious As The beginning and end of their calculation is groundlesse so also the midst and the whole body of it is frivolous What necessity is there to expound dayes by yeares especially in that place where yeares are divided into dayes In the very preceding words vers 7. the dayes here mentioned are expressed by a time times and halfe a time can they shew in any place of Scripture that ever a day is put for a yeare where yeares and dayes are conjoyned and a few yeares are extended in the enumeration of all the dayes that are in these yeares The words of the Prophet Daniel are cleare if they be taken as they lie but if they be strained to a Mysticall sense they become inexplicable The Lord is comforting the Prophet and the whole Church by the short indurance of the desolations which Antiochus was to bring upon them for from the time of his scattering of the Jewes and discharging of the solemne sacrifice unto the breaking of the yoake of his Tyranny it should be but three yeares and a halfe with a few more dayes yea unto that happy time when the plague of God should fall on his person it should be but 45 dayes more The History of Josephus and the Maccabees makes the event accord with this prediction Why then should we straine the Text any further to a new sence which neither agrees with the event nor with the words Another place alleadged by Mr. Burrowes is Psalme 102.16 When the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appeare in his glory As if this did import both the building againe of Sion and also Christs glorious appearance upon the earth Answer This place speaks of no such things the ordinary Exposition of late and old Interpreters agrees so well with the contexture of the whole Psalme that to drive it farther were needlesse the place speakes of the Babylonish Captivity and of the earnest desire of the godly at that time to have Jerusalem and Sion then in the dust againe restored This desire of the Saints is granted and a promise is made to them that Sion should be againe builded and that the Lord by this act of mercy should get great glory But for any third building of Sion after the dayes of the Messias or for any personall raigne of Christ upon earth no syllable in this place doth appeare His next place is Rom. 11.12 If the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them be the riches
the Father gave to the Son at his Incarnation Luke 1.32 33. The Lord shall give unto him the throne of his Father David and he shall raigne over the House of Iacob for ever This Kingdome for the matter of it is truely everlasting being the glory which Christ and his Saints injoy for ever in the heavens albeit for the manner of the administration thereof it be rendred up by the Sonne to the Father when the worke of mediation is perfected and all enemies are fully destroyed To deny the beginning of Christs Kingdome over his Church unto the thousand yeares is many wayes absurd And because of the eternall indurance of his dominion and glory in the heavens to make the Church on earth in which he raignes to be voide of all tribulation of all changes to have a perpetuall day without any darkenesse is contrary to the Scriptures alleadged in the former arguments In the eleventh place he alledgeth Revel 19.13 And he was cloathed with a vesture dipped in blood And Ezek. 21 28. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel nor any grieving them of all that are round about them Whence they inferre That in the beginning of the thousand yeares Christ with his owne hands shall kill so many of the wicked that his garments shall be dipped in blood and not one of them left to trouble the Church Answer It is a very strange conception to make the Lord Jesus embrue his holy hands in the blood of so many men That these battells are not fought with the hands of Christ in a literall way will appeare by a paralell place Isay 63.1 Who is this that commeth from Edom with died garments from Bozra Unto Christ here are ascribed garments died in blood because of the slaughter of the Edomites a little after the Babylonish captivity at which time Christ had neither a body nor a garment in propriety of speech As these battells were fought by Christ not in his owne person nor upon the earth so neither these battells of the Revel-which so much the lesse can be literally expounded as in the 14 and 15 verses of that 19 Chapter the instrument whereby Christ is said to fight these battells is not any Sword in his hand but the two-edged Sword of his mouth and the Souldiers whom he leads out to these battells are not armed with Sword and Speare but ride upon white Horses cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane As for that of Ezechiel if you consult either with the originall or the best Interpreters it must be expounded first and principally if not solely of the Towne of Sidon which the Lord was to destroy that it might no more be a thorne in the side of Israel From this to inferre the purging of the Christian Church of all other enemies in this life and that by killing of them all as cursed Canaanites were a dangerous conclusion farre from the justice and innocence of Christians in all by-gone times the beleefe whereof would quickly renew unto us the horrible tragedies of the Anabaptists In the twelfth place he cites Rev. 21.23 24. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moone to shine in it and the Kings of the earth doe bring their glory and honour unto it also chap. 22. ver 1 2 3. and he shewed me a pure river of the water of life c. Ans The Divines who apply these two chapters to the condition of the Church upon earth after the calling of the Jewes take the most of the passages in a figurative and allegoricall sence To expound them literally and properly of any Church on earth the Text will not permit Shall ever the Church on earth be so free of sorrow and death as not to sorrow for sinne or to have none of its members mortall Shall they so immediately see the face of God as the use of Temples Tabernacles or any ordinance shall be needelesse shall ever man upon earth be without the Sunne and the Moone These things are true in a proper sence onely of the Saints of heaven What is here alleadged to the contrary That the Kings of the earth bring not their riches and honours to the Heavens we say it is but a part of the Allegorie to expresse under that similitude the glory wealth of the life to come as in the same place the Spirit of God expresses the happinesse of heaven by the Metaphors of gold and pretious stones of rivers and fountaines of trees and fruits To expound all these in a literall sence of any Church either in earth or heaven were incommodious except our Brethren would put us upon more fancies then any of them yet have spoke of In the last place they cite for the gifts of the Saints Zach. 12.8 He that is feeble among them in that day shall be like David and the house of David shall be as God and for the honour of the Saints that in the thousand yeares they shall be taken into private familiarity by Princes and great men Rev. 11.12 And they heard a great voyce from heaven saying unto them come up hither and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies beheld them Ans The gifts meant by Zachary are such as are powred upon all the Saints of the New Testament with the spirit of grace and supplication which makes the least of the Kingdome of Heaven to be like unto David to Elijah and greater then John the Baptist as Christ speakes But what is this unto the imaginary glory of the Chiliasticke Kingdome The honour they speake of cannot be fetched out of that eleventh of the Revel For who but themselves will expound heaven in that place of the Thrones of Kings of the Privie Chambers of Princes and great men The calling up of the two witnesses to heaven by none else but them will be taken for the Saints familiarity with great States-men And according to their own Tenets in the Chiliasticke Kingdome there is no such degrees of honour as in this world For there Christ in his owne Person is King and all the Saints doe shine at least as the firmament and the glory of these Saints is greatest whose grace is most eminent Familiarity with Princes and worldly States-men is then for no purpose Beside the ascention of the two witnesses to the heavens is before the fall of the tenth part of Rome and so before the thousand yeares beginne There be yet some more places cited by Master Burrowes and others for their Tenet but these which we have answered are the principall and if they be cleared there is no difficulty in the rest Besides Scriptures Master Burrowes takes from the Glimpse of T. G. sundry testimonies of antiquity all which T. G. does borrow from Alstedius To the which I answer That no Protestants build their fayth upon humane testimonies and no men in the world make so small account of
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