antiquity as our Brethren It is marvellous if in earnest they should encourage themselves in their Tenet by such testimonies of the Fathers as by the Catholick consent of all posterior antiquity and the unanimous profession both of Protestants and Papists this day are censured of error Who pleases to know the minde of antiquity in this subject Let him consult especially with Augustin de civitate dei Booke 20. almost through the whole and the Commentaries of Vives and Coqueus thereupon If humane authorities either ancient or moderne could give our Brethren any satisfaction in this question it were easie to present them with great store thereof Thus farre had I proceeded when by my Superiours I was called away from these Studies to an other imployment so what I intended to have spoken to the Anabaptists the Antinomians the Erastians and especially to the remainder of the Popish and Prelaticall Malignants I must remit it to another Season FINIS Isa 2. â— Mic. 4.3 Ioel 3. â— The first and chief Mean to extinguish the flames of our War is the waters of the heart poured out in prayers to God Lam. 2.3 Reformation after mourning is the second step to a solid peace Prov. 16.7 Psal 81.15 2 King 9.22 The corruption of the Church is the fountain of our present Misery The State cannot be 〈◊〉 til the Church be sâ—â—â— reformed Every man must help what he can to recover the languishing Church from her desperate Disease The offer of a strange and easie remedy of a â—ooking-glass The malignity of Errour 2 Tim. 2.17 â— Pet. 2.1 2 3 4 The Authors intention is to set down in a Table for the clear view of all the Errors which trouble us And that with justice loâ—â— towards all persons Onely forth is râ—gaâ—nâ—ng to the Truth The partition of the ensuing â—reatise Episcopacy was the Mother of all our present Sects Presbytery will be their Grave The Presbyteriall way of proceeding What England 〈◊〉 may expect from Presbyteries and Synods Satan is the great enemy of the Churches Reformation His chief instruments always have been professed friends to Religion Reformation at the beginning did run with an impetuous current What was its first stop The fountain of Protestant Dâ—scord The unhappy Principle of the Lutâ—eranes And the more unhappy Principle of the Anabaptists Somewhat of both these ways was entertained in England The original of the English Ceremonies and Episcopacy The original of the Separatists Brownism is a daughter of Anabaptism Bolton the first known Separatist in England hanged himself Brown the second Lâ—ader of that way â—ecanted his Schism and to his death was a very scandalous person The humour of Barrow the third Master of this Sect. The strange carriage of Johnson and Ainsworth the next two Leaders of the Brownists The horrible ways of Smiâ—â— their sixth Master The fearful end of Smith his wandrings A remarkable vengeance upon an erring spirit Robinson the last grave and learned Doctor of the Brownists did in the end undermine his Party Robinson the author of Independency They hold that all Churches in the world but their own are so polluted that they must be separate from Their injurious slanders of the Church of England Yet sometimes they say that communion may be kept therewith both in preaching and prayer Their like dealing with all the other reformed Their stâ—ing of 〈◊〉 Chu◠〈…〉 The matter of a Church they make to be real Saints onely Their unreasonable stricknesse in this one point is the great cause of their Schism The least sin of any Member of a Church defended is a just cause of Separation They place the Form of their Church in an expresse Covenant Seven may make a perfect Church yea two or three The erecting of a Church requireth neither the Magistrates nor Ministers assistance They put all Church power in a handful of people without any Pastor The Election Ordination Deposition and Excommunication of the Minister belongs to the flock and to it alone Every man of the Congregation may Preach and publikely rebuke not onely the Pastor but the whole flock yea and sâ—parate from it Some of them give the power of the Sacraments also to priâ—ate persons The solemnizing of marriage they give to parents but divorces they commit to the parties themselves They make every Congregation Independent and of soveraign Authority Their Judgement of Synods Their high conceit of their own way and injurious depressing of all others Churches Bells Pulpits Tithes Glebes Manses and all set maintenance of Ministers are unlawful Not so much as a Church-yard must be kept up for burial but all must bury in the fields They drive the abolishing of Church-rents so high as to make all goods common The days of the weâ—k the moneths the yeer of God they will not name No pulpits no hour-glâ—sses no Churches no Gowns All set prayer even the Lords prayer and all Psalms in meeter yea in prose if used as praises are unlawful Their opinion of preaching Sacraments Their straâ—ge way of celebrating the Lords Supper They reject catechisms the Apostles Creed and all reading of Scripture without exposition After preaching they prophesie Then comes the conference Brown for liberty of conscience His followers against it Their carriage towards the Magistrate They spoil Kings and Parliaments of their Legislative power They obliege the Magistrate to kill all Idolaters But to spâ—re all theeves They wil have the Universities destroyed Secular authors and learning must be abolished Preachers must studie no book but the Scriptures Independency the smallest of all the Sects of the time for number but greatest for worth of its followers The division of the following matter Independents the Separatistâ— off-spring When the fire of Brownism was dying out in Holland a little of its ashes carried to New England broke out there into a lasting flame By what means these ashes were kindled Master Cotton at first a great opposite to that way Master Cotton with little ado became the great patron of that Errour Master Cotton the misleader of Master Goodwin and others Master Cotton often deceived hath given his patrociny to divers grosse Errours Why God permits great men to fall in evident Errours His Prelatical Arminian and Montanistick Tenents His Antinomy and Familism Independency large as unhappy as Brownism Wherefore so much of the Independent way lies yet in darknesse The fruits of Independency in New England 1. It put thousands of Christians in the condition of Pagans 2. It marrs the conversion of Pagans to the Christian Religion 3. It did bring forth the foulest Heresies that ever yet were heard of in any Protestant Church A few examples of the many abominable Heresies of the New-English Independents The greatest part of thâ—ir chief Churches were infected with these errours Thâ— piâ—â—ty of these Hereticks seemâ—d to be singular Their malice against all who opposed them was singular especially against all their Orthodox Ministers and Magistrates Their Errours in opinion did
yea two or three ibid. The erecting of a Church requires neither the Magistrates nor Ministers assistance ibid. They put all Church power in a handfull of people without any Pastor 24 The election ordination deposition and excommunication of the Minister belongs to his flock and to it alone ibid. Every man of the Congragation may preach and publikely rebuke not only the Pastor but the whole flock yea and separate from it 25 Some of them give the celebration of the Sacraments also to private persons ibid. The solemnizing of marriage they give to Parents but Divorces they commit to the parties themselves 26 They make every Congregation independent and of Soveraigne Authority ibid. Their judgement of Synods 27 Their high conceit of their own way and injurious depressing of all others ibid. Churches Bels Tythes Glebes Manses and all set maintenance of Ministers are unlawfull not so much as a Church yard must be kept up for buriall but all must bury in the fields ibid. The dayes of the week the months the yeare of God they will not name 28 No Pulpits no Sand-glasses in Churches no Gowns ibid. All set prayer even the Lords prayer and all Psalms in meeter yea in prose if used as praises are unlawfull 29 Their opinion of preaching and Sacraments ibid. Their strange way of celebrating the Lords Supper ibid. They reject Catechismes the Apostles Creed and all reading of Scripture without exposition 30 After preaching they prophecy ibid. Then come their Questions ibid. After all they attend a very tedious discipline ibid. Brown is for liberty of Conscience ibid. His followers are against it 31 Their carriage towards the Magistrate ibid. They spoyle Kings and Parliaments of their Legislative power ibid. They oblige the Magistrate to kill all Idolaters ibid. But to spare all theeves 32 They will have the Vniversities destroyed ibid. Secular Authors and Learning must be abolished ibid. Preachers must study no other books but the Bible ibid. Chap. 3. The originall and progresse of the Independents and of their carriage in New-England Independency is the smallest of all the Sects of the time for number but greatest for worth of its followers 53 Independents are the Separatists off-spring ibid. When the spark of Brownism was dying out in Holland a little of its ashes carried to New-England broke out there into a lasting flame 54 By what meanes these ashes were kindled ibid. Mr Cotton at first a great Opposite to that way 55 Mr Cotton with little adoe became the great Patron of that Errour ibid Mr Cotton was the mis-leader of Mr Goodwin and others 56 Mr Cotton often deceived hath given his patrociny to divers grosse errours ibid. Why God permits great men to fall in evident errours ibid. His Prelaticall Arminian and Montanistick tenets 57 His Antinomy and Familism ibid. Independency full as unhappy as Brownisme 58 Wherefore so much of the Independent way lies yet in darknesse 59 The fruits of Independency in New-England ibid. First it hath put thousands of Christians in the condition of Pagans ibid. Secondly it hath marred the conversion of Pagans to Christian Religion 60 Thirdly it did bring forth the foulest heresies that ever yet were heard of in any Protestant Church ibid. A few examples of the many abominable heresies of the New-English Independents 61 The greatest part of their Churches were infected with these errours ibid. The piety of these Hereticks seemed to be singular ibid. Their malice against all who opposed them was singular especially against all their orthodox Ministers and Magistrates 62 Their errours in opinion did draw on such seditious practises as did well neare overturne both their Church and State ibid. Their proud obstinacy against all admonitions was marvelous p. 63 In the midst of their profession of eminent Piety the profanenesse of many of them was great p. 64 Notwithstanding of all this we desire from our heart to honour and imitate all and every degree of truth and Piety which did ever appeare in any New-English Christian p. 65 Chap. 4. The carriage of the Independents in Holland at Rotâ—rdam and Arnheim p. 75. Independency was no fruitfull tree in Holland p. 75 Mr Peters the first planter thereof at Roterdam ibid. Their Ministers Mr. Bridge Mr Simpson and Mr Ward renounced their English Ordination and as meere private men tooke new Ordination from the people ibid. They did quickly fall into shamefull divisions and subdivisions p. 76 The people without any just cause deposed their Minister ibid. The Schismes at Roterdam were more irreconcileable then those at Amsterdam p. 77 Anabaptisme is like to spoile that Church p. 78 These of Arnheim admire and praise themselves above all measure ibid. The easinesse of their banishment and afflictions p. 79 The new Light at Arnheim brok out in a number of strange errors ib. First grosse Chiliasme ibid. Secondly the grossest blasphemy of the Libertines that God is the Author of the very sinfulnesse of sinne p. 80 Thirdly the fancy of the Euthusiasts in contemplating God as God abstracted from Scripture from Christ from grace and from all his attributes ibid. Fourthly the old Popish Ceremonies of extreme Unction and the holy Kisse of peace p. 81 Fifthly the discharging of the Psalmes and the apointing of a singing Prophet to chant the Songs made by himselfe in the silence of all others ibid. Sixthly the mortality of the soule ibid. Seventhly the conveniency for Ministers to preach covered and celebrate the Sacraments uncovered but for the people to heare uncovered and to participate the Sacraments covered p. 82. Their publick contentions were shamefull ibid. Cap. 5. The Carriage of the Independents at London p. 90 The worke of the prime Independents of New-England Arnheim and Roterdam these five yeares at London p. 90 They did hinder with all their power so long as they were able the calling of the Assembly ibid. When it was called they retarded its proceedings p. 91 That the Churches of England and Ireland lye so long in confusion neither Papists nor Prelates nor Malignants have been the cause ibid. But the Independents working according to their Principles p. 92 The great mischiefe of that Anarchy wherein they have kept the Churches of England and Ireland for so long a time ibid. Independency is the mother of more Heresies and Schismes at London then Amsterdam ever knew ibid. Independency at London doth not only bring forth but nourish and patronize Heresies and Schismes contrary to its custome either in New-England or Amsterdam p. 93 How hazardous it may prove to the State of England p. 94 Chap. 6. An Enumeration of the Common Tenets of the Independents p. 101 Why it is hard to set downe the Independents Positions p. 101 They have declined to declare their Tenets more then hath ever been the custome of any Orthodox Divines ibid. When they shall be pleased to declare themselves to the full their principle of change will hinder them to assure us that any thing is their setled and firme
state of Pagans turning them all out of the Christian Church denying to them Sacraments Discipline Church-Officers and all that they would deny to the Pagans of America ibid. They open a doore to Anabaptisme by three farther Positions First they require in all to be baptised a reall holinesse above a foederall which in no Infant with any certainty can be found ibid. Secondly they esteeme none for their Baptisme and Christian education a Member of their Church till they have entred themselves in their Church Covenant p. 120 Thirdly they call none of their Members to any accompt before their Presbytery for obstinate rejecting of Paedo-baptisme although the Brownists doe excommunicate for that sinne ibid. They participate with none of the reformed Churches in the Lords Supper yet they scruple not to communicate with Brownists and Anabaptists ibid. Their way of celebrating the Lords Supper is more dead and comfortlesse then anywhere else p. 121 They have no catechising no preparation nor thanks-giving-Sermons ordinarily they speake no word of the Sacrament in their Sermons and prayers either before or after ibid. They have onely a little discourse and short prayer in the consecration of both the Elements thereafter in the action nothing but dumb silence no exhortation no reading no Psalme ibid. They require none of their Members to come out of their Pewes to the Table and they acknowledge no more use of a Table then the Brownists at Amsterdam which have none at all ibid. They teach the expediency of covering the head at the Lords Table p. 122 They are as much for the popular Government as the Brownists ibid. All Discipline must be executed in the presence and with the consent of the whole people and all must passe by the expresse suffrage of every one p. 123 Dissenters not onely loose their right of Suffrage for the time but are subjected to censure if they continue in their dissent ibid. They are much for private meetings for it is in them that they usually frame the Members of other mens Congregations into their new mould but the Brownists and they of New-England having felt the bitter fruits of such meetings have relinquished if not discarged them ibid. They flatter the Magistrate and slander the reformed Churches without cause p. 124 Some of them are for the abolishing of all Magistracy ibid. All of them are for the casting out and keeping out of the Christian Church all Princes all Members of Parliament all Magistrates of the Counties and Burrowes that now are and that ever have been and are ever like to be hereafter except a very few p. 125 These few Magistrates which they would admit have no security but by the errour or malice of a few to be quickly cast out of the Church without any possibility of remedy ibid. When they have put all who are not of their mind out of the places of Magistracy yea out of all Civill Courts the greatest Magistrates they admitt of be they Kings or Parliaments they subject them all to the free will of the promiscuous multitude ibid. When Magistrates will not follow their new errours they have been very ready to make Insurrections to the great hazard of the whole State p. 126 Many of them deny to the Magistrate any power at all in the matters of Religion ibid. Their principles doe spoile Princes and Parliaments of their whole Legislative power they abolish all humane Lawes that are made and hinder any more to be made p. 127 The Civill Lawes which Mr Cotton permits men to make binde no man any further then his owne mind is led by the reason of the Law to Obedience p. 128 They put the yoke of the Iudiciall Law of Moses on the neck of the Magistrate ibid. They give to their Ministers a power to sit in Civill Courts and to voyce in the election of the Magistrates and to draw from Scripture civill Lawes for the Government of the State ibid. They offer to perswade the Magistrate contradictory Principles according to their owne interest in New-England they perswade the Magistrate to kill Idolaters and Hereticks even whole Cities men women and children p. 129 But here they deny the Magistrate all power to lay the lost restraint upon the grossest Idolaters Apostates blasphemers Seducers or the greatest Enemies of Religion ibid. No great appearance of their respect to secular Learning and Scholes ibid. Independency much more dangerous then Brownisme ibid. Chap. 7. It is unjust scrupulosity to require satisfaction of the true grace of every Church Member The Independents prime Principles p. 154 It s unjust scrupulosity to require satisfactorie assurance of the true grace of every Church-Member p. 154 Their Tenet about the qualification of Members is the great cause of their separating from all the reformed Churches though they doe dissemble it p. 155 In this they goe beyond the Brownists p. 156 The true state of the question is whether it be necessary to separate from a Church wherein we get no satisfaction of the true grace of every Member at their first admission ibid. For the negative we reason first from the practice of Moses and the Prophets who did never offer to separate for any such reason p. 157 The causes of a just separation were smaller under the Law nor under the Gospell ibid. Our second reason is from the example of Christ and his Apostles who did not separate for any such causes p. 158 The third reason It is impossible to finde true grace in every member of any visible Church that ever was or shall be in the world p. 159 The fourth This satisfaction in the true grace of all to be admitted is builded on foure errours p. 160 The fifth Argument Their Tenet is followed with diverse absurdities p. 161 Cottons reasons to the contrary answered p. 163 The first reason put in forme ibid. All the parts of it are vitious ibid His second Argument p. 168 His third Argument p. 169 His fourth Argument p. 170 His fifth p. 171 His sixth p. 172 His seventh ibid. His eigth p. 173 His ninth all his nine or twelve Reasons put in one will be too weak to beare up the weight of his most heavy conclusion Chap. 8. Concerning the right of Prophesying The state of the Question 174 The first Authors of this Question ib. The Independents difference among themselves hereabout ib. That none but Ministers may ordinarily prophesye we prove it first by Christs joyning together the power of Baptisme and the power of preaching 175 Secondly These that preach must be sent to that worke ib. Thirdly every ordinary Preacher labours in the word and Doctrine 176 Fourthly none out of Office have the gift of preaching for all that have that gift are either Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors or Doctors and all these are Officers ib. Fifthly no man out of Office might sacrifice ib. Sixthly all who have from God the gift of preaching are obliged to lay aside all other occupations and attend that work
whether natural moral or spiritual which are done in faith But herein Master Smith is wiser then his fellows telling us That all Songs in the Church out of a Book whether in Verse or Prose are Idolatry MMMM yet he admits of singing such Psalms as the Spirit dictates to any person immediately without Book NNNN It seems the Brownists at Amsterdam have recanted their error in this point for all of them sing now in strange tunes the Psalms in meeter of Ainsworths exceeding harsh Paraphrase Preaching of the Word to them is no Pastoral act but is common not onely to all the Officers but to every gifted Brother of the Flock OOOO The word Sacrament to them is traditional corrupt and not to be used PPPP The Baptism of the English Church they make to be vain and nul the seal of no grace but onely of wrath and condemnation QQQQ yet they will not have it repeated They teach that the Lords Supper should be celebrated every Lords day RRRR So preparation-Sermons before and Sermons for Thanksgiving after the Lords Table to them are needlesse They will have all to sit at the Lords Table with their Hats on uncovering of the head in the act of receiving to them is Idolatry SSSS In this the present practice at Amsterdam contradicts their Doctrine for however they sit covered in time of all the reading and discourse yet when it comes to the participation of the elements every man during the time of his eating and drinking sits uncovered They count it lawful to joyn with the Lords Table Love-feasts TTTT They reject all Catechisms being set and so unlawful forms of instruction VVVV After a member is once received amongst them they enquire no more for his knowledge having once gotten satisfaction at his admission to Membership of his sufficient knowledge The Apostles Creed they detest as an old Patchery of evil stuff XXXX Christs descent into hell they count a blasphemous Article YYYY They reject all publike reading of the Word which is not backed with present Exposition ZZZZ They do not any way scruple the Office of Readers and Expounders for they give full liberty of publike and ordinary Preaching to any gifted man of the Flock though he have no Office When the exercise of Reading Expounding Singing of Psalms Praying and Preaching by the Pastor is ended they will have one two three or four to prophesie in order AAAAA and all to have a free liberty of continuing so long as they think meet After all this is done they have yet another exercise wherein by way of conference questioning and dispuâ—ation every one of the Congregation may propound publikely and presse their Scruples Doubts and Objections against any thing which that day they have heard BBBBB And as if all these Exercises were not enough to tire out a spirit of Iron the most of them being repeated again in the afternoon for a conclusion of all they bring in the laborious and long work of their Discipline for which the whole Flock must stay till they have heard debated and discerned every cause that concerns either the Officers or any of the people whether in Doctrine or Manners CCCCC Concerning the Magistrate Master Brown teacheth that he hath no right to meddle at all with any matter of Religion but to permit the liberty and free choice of Religion to the conscience of every one of his Subjects DDDDD The most of Browns followers do leave in this their Master making it a great part of the Christian Magistrates Office to suppresse within their own Bounds Idolatry and False doctrine EEEEE To compel all their Subjects if they will not be perswaded to hear the Word preached albeit no way to enter themselves members of any Church or to hinder any to enter in any Church they will or to erect new Churches of their own framing FFFFF Further if the Magistrate be a member of any Church they will have him were he the King himself to be so far subject to their Church-Censures that a little small Congregation shall have power upon his obstinacy in any sin or errour to excommunicate him and that without all delay without any respect to his Crown more then if he were the poorest servant of the whole Flock GGGGG and which is worst of all the Prince his Excommunication by the hands of so small weak a company must be without all possible relief for he hath no liberty of appeal to any upon earth HHHHH an oecumenike Councel may not assay to loose the knot of that Censure which the hand of the Congregation hath tied But their great Tenent about the Magistracie is this That no Prince nor State on the earth hath any Legislative power That neither King nor Parliament can make any Law in any thing that concerns either Church or State That God alone is the Law-giver That the greatest Magistrate hath no other power but to execute the Laws of God set down in Scripture IIIII That the Judicial Law of Moses bindes at this day all the Nations of the world as well as ever it did the Jews KKKKK They tell us that whatever God in Scripture hath left free it may not be bound by any humane Law whether Civil or Ecclesiastike and what God hath bound by any Law in Scripture they will not have it loosed by the hand of any man They lay it upon the Magistrate to punish by death without any dispensation every Adulterer every Blasphemer every Sabbath-breaker and above all every Idolater LLLLL. And here is the great danger that by Idolaters they will have understood not onely Pagans and Papists but the far greatest part of all Protestants all absolutely who are not of their way for the using of a set Prayer were it the Lords own Prayer to them is clear Idolatry MMMMM 1. For all this they will not permit any Magistrate to hang any thâ—ef at all MMMMM 2. Against the learning of the Times they make large Invectives the Universities and all the Colledges in them they will have razed to the ground they professe them to be worse then the Monasteries that justly were abolished NNNNN whatever Arts and Sciences are taught in the Christian Schools they count them idle and vain Grammar Rhetorick Logick Philosophy are all unlawful Arts OOOOO The Heathen Writers which are used in any Faculty such as Aristotle Plato Cicero and the like they would have them all burnt as the Authors of unlawful Arts. They reject all School-Degrees such as Batchelors Masters of Art Doctors of any faculty PPPPP They wil have no Students of Divinity QQQQQ They tell us that youths mis-spend their time and exceedingly abuse themselves by studying of those things which usually are recommended unto them as preparations for the Ministery whether Common places Commentaries upon Scripture or Protestant writers of Controversies all such Books they will have laid aside RRRRR yea it is their
eeeeee Secondly doe not their principles hold out of the Church and deprive of all Christian consolation which flowes from any Church priviledge the farre greater part if not absolutely all Kings and Princes that are this day in the Christian world and have been since the dayes of the Gospel or ever are likely to be upon earth to the worlds end how exceeding few of all that are or have been Members of Parliament of either House of all that have been or are Magistrates in England if their principles might be put in practice would be admitted to the Lords Table or yet their children be baptised or themselves be reputed Christians and Members of any lawfull Church Thirdly of these exceeding few Kings Princes Peeres Commoners and Magistrates of the Land which they could take into their Congregations how many could have assurance to live any long time in a Christian condition as Members of a Church according to their principles Since they tell us that they are to Excommunicate without any delay the greatest Kings for any fault either in beliefe or life which doth subject the poorest servants to censure how many and frequent these faults may be it is hard to judge but the worst is when the greatest Kings and the chiefe Members of Parliament without any respect to their dignity are cast out of the Church for themselves and their children by the peevishnesse or errour or malice of a few in a small Congregation they have no meanes under heaven to redresse themselves of their injury they and theirs must live as Pagans out of the Church till they who did cast them out be perswaded and become willing to take them in should all the Divines all the Assemblies all the Churches of their Dominions see cleerly as the light their notorious wrong yet there were no possibility to helpe it by any mortall hand till the injurious Congregation it selfe of its own accord should be pleased to repaire it Fourthly they permit none to be Magistrates where they have power not so much as to be a member of their smallest civill Courts except they be fully for their way and be admitted members of their Church as it hath ever been their practice in New-England to this day but the Magistrates they admit of who are of their minde they debase their power so low as to suspend it all on the will and pleasure of the promiscuous multitude not only to limit the Soveraignty of Princes within the bounds of their just Lawes and to confine them unto the Counsell of their Parliaments but to bring both them and Parliaments and all Magistrates to their first originall and Makers to the free will of these whom they use to stile the prophane multitude ffffff Fifthly have any of the Reformed Churches now for an hâ—ndred yeares and above given to Magistrates such occasion to feare an unjust insurrection as they in the few yeares of their being have already furnished To passe by all their threatnings in this time of confusion gggggg while their strength is yet inconsiderable and their mighty endeavours to get Armes into their hand to enable themselves with the evident hazard of the whole Isle to doe what they please by force hhhhhh Let men only look over to the fruits of their principles in New-England not many yeares agoe there upon a very small and so farre as I know very groundlesse suspition to have somewhat of their Government altered by the King contrary to their Patent they did quickly purchase and distribute Armes among all their people and exact of every one an Oath for the defence of their Patent against all impugners whosoever Mr Williams opposition to this Oath as he alledgeth was the cheife cause of his banishment iiiiii What principles could these be that moved the same people a little after to doe and say such things for which their Magistrates did disarme so many of their Church members not only elsewhere but even at Boston upon fear of an apparent insurrection for the killing of the principall Magistrates and overturning the whole state of that Countrey kkkkkk 1. Few Magistrates will hereafter confide in these principles which saved not the Governour and generall Court of New-England from extreme danger by the members of Mr Cottons Congregation at New Boston Sixthly doe the Independents principles give to the Magistrate any Ecclesiastick power at all will they submit to his civill power in any Ecclesiastick affaires will they be hindered by the Magistrates sentence unlesse it be executed with violence to erect Congregations within his Dominions at their own pleasure will their principles permit them upon the command of King and Parliament to refuse to take into their Congregations the members of other Parish Churches without a dismision or take and admit upon the Magistrates command within their number any whom they account unfit for membership or to recall for the Magistrates pleasure any of their Church censures have they not very lately declared to the Parliament that they esteem all matters of Religion free and exempt from their sword and power That all matters both of worship and doctrine that all things of the mind as they speak or matters of opinion and all matters of outward forme wherein uniformity is required according to our Covenant are so farre to be ruled by every mans own conscience his own light and reason that the Parliament is not in any such matters to interpoâ—e their power whither this bee the true sence of their openly avowed and repeated letters to the Parliament it selfe let every intelligent man consider who reads the words kkkkkk 2 Seventhly are any of the Reformed Churches or any Churches or persons of the whole world so injurious to Magistrates as their principles force them to be who â—poyl Christian Kings and Parliaments of their whole Legislative power they will have us to beleeve as good Divinity that it is not only unlawfull for Church-assemblies to make Ecclesiastick Canons but that it is alike unlawfull for any Prince or State to make a Civill Law llllll That the placing of a Legislative power in Kings or Parliaments is to usurp the property and prerogative of God mmmmmm 1 These Principles cannot be very favourable to the State which at one stroke annihilate all the Acts of Parliament that now are in force either in this or any other Kingdom and make it impossible if they were beleeved to have any more in any place of the earth to the worlds end Look back upon what I have cited from the chiefe of the Brownists writings I grant the New English polishers of Brownism doe not expresse their Tenets in tearms so hugely grosse yet see how neare they come to them in substance when they tell us that no Magistrate may make any Lawes about the Bodies Lands Goods Liberties of the Subject which are not according to the Lawes and Rules of Scripture Scripture being given to men for a perfect rule as well
in matters of Civill Iustice as of devotion and holinesse mmmmmm 2 and if so then they must make it as unlawfull and contrary to the Scriptures perfection for any man to make Lawes in matters of Righteousnesse and of the State as in matters of Holinesse and of the Church That beside things in themselves good or evill which Scripture determines by its Lawes expresly things of an indifferent nature whereupon the most of civill Laws are made must be regulated according to the Scripture rules of Piety Charity and Conscience so farre that the expediency and reason of the Law must ever carry and convince the conscience of the Subject that no man is obliged to the obedience of a civill Law in a thing never so indifferent by the authority of the Law-giver but every man whose conscience is not convinced of the piety and charity of that Law is free from all obedience and subjection thereto Thus farre Mr Cotton mmmmmm 3. Eightly what men besides them have made so bold with Kings and Parliaments as not only to break in pieces their old Lawes and to divest them of all power to make new ones but also under the pretext of a divine right to put upon their necks that unsupportable yoak of the Iudiciall Law of the â—ewes for peace and for warre without any power to dispence either in addition or substraction nnnnnn 1 I grant this principle of Barrow is limited by Mr Cotton to such Iudicials as do containe in them a morall equity nnnnnn 2 but this morall equity is extended by him to so many particulars as Williams confesses the whole Iudiciall Law to be brought back again thereby no lesse then by the plaine simple and unlimited Tenet of the rigidest Brownists nnnnnn 3. Ninthly doth any Reformed Church appoint their Ministers to be members of the highest civill Courts with power of voiceing in the election of the supream Magistrate oooooo Do any Divines but theirs since the Bishops were abolished joyne themselves as companions with the Magistrates to draw out of Scripture a body of civill Lawes for the Government of the State pppppp Tenthly did ever any Divines but theirs so evidently mock the Magistrate by instructing him according to their own interest as it were from heaven to contradictory practises in New-England where the Magistrate is in their way to perswade him the necessity under paine of sinne and judgement to kill all Idolaters and false Prophets to destroy whole Cities men women and children who are seduced by a false Prophet qqqqqq Making a path-way by this meanes to the slaughter not only of all Papists and Hereticall Sects but also of many good Protestants who to the Brownists are Idolaters for the reading of Prayer and obstinate enemies of the Kingdom of Christ for their mislike of Independency according to the open profession of the prime Independents rrrrrr Their Doctrine in Old England where the Magistrate is out of their way is diametrally opposite to this for here they make it a Theomachy ssssss a fighting with God to deny a free liberty to Papists to the worst Heresies and Schisms to Iudaism Turcism Paganism or if any errour can be imagined to bee more pernicious I beleeve that few prudent Magistrates when they have well ruminated these and the like principles of the Independents will esteem them much more conducible for their ends then the principles of the Reformed Churches In the point of Schools and Learning how farre they will follow the Brownists I cannot say divers of them have as good a share in learning as their neighbours yet whatever they have of that kinde they got it all before they entred into their new way and whatever learning all of them do possesse it is no more then what was among the Brownists when they did most cry down learning The most of their erudition this day dwels in New-England that any reall course hath ever there been taken for its entertainment and propagation I have not heard much though the Magistrate and the whole Land have beene and are at their Devotion and till of late they had no apparant hope of supplying their way from the Schools of other parts of the world Were we not weary we might go on yet farther in the paralell especially in the doctrinall Tenets of the Independents wherein already they have gone farre beyond the Brownists you had a touch of the Arminianism of some in the reall Sanctification of all baptised Infants of the enthusiasms of others in their contemplations of God without Scripture of the Libertinism of a third blaspheming God as the Authour of the sinfulnesse of sin of the Arminian reprobation the Antinomian Montanistâ—ck and Familistick Tenets of a fourth for which I doubt if to this day they have given any satisfaction The whole City hath been filled these many yeares with the noise of the Socinianism of the fifth many of them are passionate for a full liberty of all Religions in every State The Apologists declare that they will have none cast out of the Church for any errours which are not fundamentall and how farre they will extend this principle who can know only it would seem that all the named errours which do lodge or have lodged as is alledged in their prime Leaders without any censure to this day must be taken within the compasse of errours tolerable not only in the State but in the purest Churches And if Arminian Socinian Anabaptistick Antinomian Familistick Enthusiastick errours be declared not fundamentall and tolerable in a Church what shall we say of Prelaticall Cassandrian and the most of the Popish Tenets that are no wayes so grosse Spalato and others have been at great paines to prove that none of all the Popish errours are fundamentall The Remonstrant Apologists labour to free the greatest Heresies that ever were in the Church such as Arrianism of old and Vorstianism of late from that infamy Certainly though our Brethren had kept in their principle of change and not declared their full resolution to go on farther then themselves or others have yet thought what already they have positively delivered giveth to the world just reason of doubt whither they may go and where at last they will stop their very swift and volant progresse The Testimonies of the sixth Chapter a ANtap p. 243. It was agreed upon that they out of hand should bring in a Narrative of their opinions wherein they differed from us and then should joyne with us in preaching against the Brownists and Anabaptists they never brought in their Narrative untill this day and though at full meetings of the Ministers they have been spoken unto and some Ministers have been sent from the Company to some of them and the Narrative was promised at such a time and then at such a time yet it was never performed and whereas the agreement in writing for our side was left in Mr Calamies hand Mr Nye comes after some
Ordinances of God It puts in the hand of every man a power to sentence all the Churches of the world It carries to the highest degree of Separation Their supply of the defects of Independency by the power oâ— 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 matters of Religion The Independents doe advance their fancies to as high a pitch of glory as the Brownists They are the Brownists scholars in many more things beside the Constitution and Government of the Church They give to the Magistrate the Celebration of marriage Mr Milton permits any man to put away his wife upon his meer pleasure without fault and without the cognisance of any Iudge 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 They are against all determinations of the circumstances of worship and therfore all church Directories are against their stomacks The common names of the dayes of the week the months of the year of many Churches and Cities of the Land are as unlawfull to them as to the Brownists All tithes and set maintenance of Ministers they cry down but a voluntary contribution for the maintenance of all their Officers they presse to a high proportion with the evident prejudice of the poore In their solemn worship oft times they make one to pray another to preach a third to prophesie a fourth to direct the Psalm and another to bless the people They make it a divine institution without any word of preface to begin the publike worship with solemne prayer for the King and Church After the Pastors prayer the Doctor reads and expounds In preaching they will bee free to take a Text or not as they find it expedient After Sermon any of the people whom they think able are permitted to prophesie All are permitted to propound in the face of the Congregation what questions upon the Sermon they think meet About the Psalms they have divers strange conceits but the speciall is their new Ordinance of a singing Prophet who in place of the Psalms singeth Hymnes of his own making in the midst of the silent Congregation They grant the lawfulnesse of read prayer in divers cases They will have none to be baptized but the children of their owne members so at one dash they put all England except a very few of their way into the state of Pagans turning them all out of the Christian Church denying to them Sacraments Discipline Church-Officers and all that they would deny to the Pagans of America They open a door to Anabaptism by 3 farther positions 1. They require in all to bee baptised a real holiness above a foederall which in no Infant with any certainty can be found 2. They esteem none for their Baptism and Christian education a member of their Church till they have entred themselvs in their church covenant 3. They call none of their members to any account before their Presbytery for obstinate rejecting of Paedo-baptism although the Brownists doe excommunicate for that sinne They participate with none of the Reformed Churches in the Lords Supper yet they scruple not to communicate with Brownists and Anabaptists Their way of celebrating the Lords Supper is more dead and comfortlesse then any where else They have no Catechising no preparation nor thanksgiving sermoÌ„s ordinarily they speak no word of the Sacrament in their Sermons and prayers either before or after They have only a little discourse short prayer in the consecration of both the Elements there after in the action nothing but dumb silence no exhortation no reading no Psalme They require none of their members to come out of their Pewes to the Table And they acknowledge no more use of a Table then the Brownists at Amsterdam who have none at all They teach the expediency of covering the head at the Lords Table They are as much for the popular Government as the Brownists All Discipline must be executed in the presence and with the consent of the whole people all must passe by the expresse suffrage of every one Dissenters not only lose their right of suffrage for the time but are subjected to censure if they continue in their dissent They are much for private meetings for it is in them that they usually frame the members of other mens Congregations into their new mould but the Brownists and they of New-England having felt the bitter fruits of such meetings have relinquished if not discharged them They flatter the Magistrate and slander the Reformed Churches without cause Some of them are for the abolition of all Magistracy All of them are for casting out and keeping out of the Christian Church all Princes all Members of Parliament all Magistrates of the Counties Burroughes that now are and that ever have been and are ever like to be hereafter except a very few These few Magistrates whom they would admit have no security but by the errour or malice of a few to be quickly cast out of the Church without any possibility of remedy When they have put all out of the places of Magistracy yea out of all civill courts who are not of their mind the greatest Magistrates they admit of bee they Kings or Parliaments they subject them all to the free-wil of the promiscuous multitude When Magistrates wil not follow their new erroâ—â—s they have bin very ready to make insurrections to the great hazard of the whole State Many of them deny to the Magistrate any power at all in the matters of Religion Their principles do spoile Princes and Parliaments of their whole â—egislative power they abolish all humane Lawes that are made and hinder any more to be made The Civill Lawes which Mr Cotton permits men to make bind no man any further then his own minde is led by the reason of the Law to obedience They put the yoak of the judiciall Law of Moses on the neck of the Magistrate They give to their Ministers a power to sit in civill Courts to voyce in the Election of the Magistrats and to draw from Scripture Civill Lawes for the government of the State They offer â—o perswade the Magistrate contradictory principles according to their own interest In New England they perswade the Magistrats to kill all Idolaters and Hereticks even whole Cities men women and children But here they deny the Magistrate all power to lay the least restraint upon the gâ—ossest Idolaters Apostats Blasphemers Seducers or the greatest enemies of Religion No great appearance of their respect to secular learning and Schools Independency much more dangerous then Browniâ— The Independents prime principles Their Tenet about the qualification of members is the great cause of their separating from all the Reformed Churches though they doe dessemble it In this they goe beyond the Brownists The true state of the question is whether it be necessary
forgive and cohabit any longer with the party nocent albeit they professe their retractation hereof making it now frâ—e for the innocent party either to depart or abide with the nocent as they finde it expedient and all this without any legal processe DDD The power which they grant to their smallest Congregations is very great but they adde one circumstance to it that makes it high above measure All the power of their smallest Congregations must be Independent and Soveraign that is absolutely Supreme upon Earth depending immediately upon Christ and none else for they deny all Ecclesiastick Authority above a particular Congregation which goes beyond a meer advice and councell EEE So that if the most part of a people in a Congregation should turn Heretical and extremely wicked excommunicating their Pastor their Doctor their Elders and whole Consistory onely for truth and righteousnesse For all this no persons on Earth not an Oecumenick Synod shall have any more power to controle them then the meanest of their own servants for to the meanest servant they give power to admonish reprove rebuke and to separate from the whole Church when it is obstinate in any evil and more power then this they will not give to the greatest and best Synods over a Congregation of a very few sometimes very ignorant and weak persons FFF They do not deny that Presbyteries and Synods are the Ordinances of God which have many profitable uses G G G but the Synods they allow of must have these conditions First They will have them onely occasional and elective not set or ordinary but as any Church shall have need to call together whom they think meet for their help and advice in what matters they think good to propound H H H Secondly The Members of their Synod must not be onely Ministers and Elders and men cloathed with Commissions but all who please to come without exclusion of any III Thirdly All who come as well People as Officers must have free liberty both of debate and voting decisively KKK Fourthly Nothing must go by number or pluralitie of voices LLL Fifthly In their Synods there must be no Moderator no Prolocutor for the ordering of the Action MMM Sixthly They will not be content that any Synod should have the least power of jurisdiction to censure the wickedest Heretike who is infecting all about him far and neer with the vilest Errors NNN In these their fancies they please themselves so well that they avow the very Crown Scepter and Throne of Christs Kingdom to consist in them OOO That the Churches so constituted and governed are nothing lesse then the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven PPP That all the Reformed Churches for their aberration from this Constitution and Government are either no Churches at all or but Babylonish and Adulterous Churches or at best but corrupt Societies from which a Separation is necessary In things concerning the Worship they have crotchets not a few upon the Maxime that all Monuments of Idolatry must be abolished precisely according to the Laws of the old Testament they will have all Churches that were builded in the time of Popery made level with the ground QQQ their Bells to be broken yea all Bells to be unlawfull being Humane and Popish inventions RRR Not so much as a Church-yard must be kept up for Burial but all must bury in the fields SSS What ever of old was dedicated to the maintenance of the Worship of God they will have it all rejected as an Instrument of Idolatry But herein they seem to deal scarce fairly with the Law for howsoever they presse the casting down of the Churches the breaking of the Bells the abolishing of the Idols and all that belonged thereunto TTT yet they do leave to the Magistrate or to any who in this are serviceable to their humour the rich rewards of the Gold Silver Brasse Vestments Timber Stone Lands and Rents which belonged to these Churches to be possessed by them with a very good Conscience and without the least scruple of any Sacriledge VVV However they do maintain that all the Officers of their Church not onely Pastors and Doctors but every one of their other four sorts of Ministers Elders Deacons Helpers Widows XXX ought in Conscience and by Divine right to be by the Congregations which they serve YYY provided for yet they are so far from permitting any of them to enjoy the least portion of the old Rents of the Church that they avow Parsonages and Viccarages Glebes and Manses to be altogether unlawfull ZZZ That for a Minister to crave any Tithes or for any man for all that either Laws or Magistrates can command to pay any Tithes is a sin which abolishes from Christ AAAA They adde further That all set-maintenance to Church Officers is against the Gospel that it is the Will of Christ that Ministers now be provided for in that same way as himself and his Apostles were of old onely by the voluntary Contributions and meer alms of the people They dâ—ive on this point so far as to come up in termes to the Anabaptistâ— Tenent of making all goods common BBBB Their hatred of Idolatry is so great that they professe it unlawfull so much as to mention in any civil way the names of places or times that carry any footstep of any ancient Idoll Saint Andrew Saint John Peter or Pauls Church Munday Tuesday Wednesday Sunday January February March those and the like words to them are profane and unlawful CCCC The very yeer of God displeaseth them they will have it called The yeer of the Saints last patience DDDD They will have no Circumstance in the Worship determined not so much as by custom much lesse by Law there must be no limitation of Preaching either to time or place Pulpits they scorn they call them Priviledged Tubs EEEE They laugh at preaching to an Hour-glasse FFFF To preach in a Gown is to them little better then a Surplice or a Fryars Coul. That Penitents in their publike confession should stand in a peculiar place or in any habit diverse from ordinary is to them a matter of mockery GGGG As for the parts of the Worship in all of them they have some one singularity or other They make all set-prayer the very Lords Prayer it self used Prayer-wise not onely to be inconvenient and unlawful but to be Idolatry and the worship of the devil HHHH howbeit Master Robinson here corrects his companions and professeth that set-prayer in some cases is very lawful worship IIII. The singing of Psalms in meeter not being formal Scripture but a Paraphrase to them is unlawful KKKK much more the singing of any other songs in the Church which are not expresse Scripture They permit to sing Psalms in Prose not as an act of immediate praise LLLL for set-Praise would be as idolatrous as set-Prayer but as a matter of instruction and comfort whereby God is glorified as by all other actions
rhyming and paraphrasing the Psalms as in your Church and against Apocrypha and Erroneous Ballads in rythme sung commonly in your Church instead of the Psalms and other Songs of holy Scripture LLLL Rob. Apoâ— p. 20. Nego eandem esse rationem precationis cantionis ipsi Psalmi quorum materia precatione aut gratulatione constat in hunc finem proprie primo formantur a prophetis in cantiones Psalmos spirituales ut nos edoceant quae vota illi in angustiis constituti ad Deum fuderint quasque liberati eidem Deo gratias retulerint ut nos eosdem Psalmos sive psallentes sive legentes institueremus nos ipsos sive publice sive privatim sive docendo sive commone faciendo sive consolando ad Dei gloriam in cordibus nostris promovendam MMMM Smiths Diff. p. 4. That the reading out of a Book is no part of spiritual worship but the invention of the man of sin that Books and writings are in the nature of Pictures and Images that it is unlawful to have the Book before the eyes in singing of a Psalm NNNN Smiths differences Vide supra cap. 1. E. OOOO Confess p. 34. Such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures ought by the appointment of the Congregation to prophecy and so to teach publikely the Word of God until such time as God manifests men with able gifts to such Offices as Christ hath appointed to the publike Ministry PPPP Bar. Disc p. 116. Shall I speak according to the times and say Be no true Sacrament or rather leave that traditional word which ingendreth strife rather then godly edifying and say Be no true Seal of the Covenant QQQQ Vide supra F. RRRR Johns Plea p. 291. Whether it be not best to celebrate the Lords Supper where it can be every Lords day this the Apostles used to do by so doing we shall return to the intire practise of the Churches in former ages SSSS How corrupt is the signe of the Crosse kneeling and uncovering of the head at the Lords Supper and such things which Scripture prescribes not but men have taken upon themselves thus breaking the second command and joyning their Posts and Thresholds with the Lords Men are thus drawn away from the simplicity of the practise used by Christ and his Apostles who sat when they ate and drank and did no more discover then before TTTT Johns Plea p. 294. To have love feasts on the dayes of the Lords Supper it is a thing indifferent to keep or leave them as they shall be used or abused or as every Church shall finde them to be most expedient for their estate VVVV Bar. Refut p. 43. Not here to mention the binding of the Faith of the Church to an Apocrypha Catechism Idem Disc p. 142. They are not ashamed to Preach and publikely Expound in their Church their fond Apocrypha Catechisms XXXX Bar. Disc p. 76. Their forged patchery commonly called The Apostles Creed YYYY His Refut p. 48. What Scripture can you bring for the blasphemous Article of Christs descent into hell ZZZZ Cans Necessity p. 44. Bare reading of the Word and single Service-saying is an English Popery and far be it from the Lords people to hear it for if they would do so they would offer to the Lord a corrupt thing and so incur that curse of Malachi AAAAA Johns Enquiry p. 7. We have in our Church the use of the exercise of Prophecie spoken of 1 Cor. 14. in which some of the Brethren which are for gifts 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 BBBBB Johns Enquiry p. 7. Then if there be occasion upon the Scriptures treated or questions propounded and answers made Bar. Disc p. 139. In that his priviledged Tub he may speak of what be list none of his auditory have power to call in question correct or refuse the same presently or publikely CCCCC Rob. Apol. p. 38. Prorsus inauditum ante haec nostra saecula sive inter gentes sive inter Judaeos sive inter Christianos ut Judicia publica aliive actus naturae publicae privatim aut seclusa plebe exercerentur Ibid. p. 51. Per plebem cujus Libertatem Jus suffragandi in negotiis vere publicis asserimus non intelligimus pueros mulieres sed solos viros eosque adultos DDDDD Browns Life and manners of all true Christians in the Preface or Treatise of Reformation without tarrying for any and of the wickednesse of those Preachers which will not reform till the Magistrate command or compel them p. 8. Know ye not that they which have their full and sufficient authority and calling are not to care for a further authority And hath not every lawful Pastor his full authority Ibid. p. 8. The Lord did not onely shew them the Tabernacle but bade them make it But these men will not make it at all because they will tarry for the Magistrate Ibid. p. 10. They could not force Religion as you would have the Magistrate to do And it was forbidden to the Apostles to preach to the unworthy or to force a planting or government in the Church The Lords Kingdom is not by force neither durst Moses nor any of the Kings of Judah force the people by Law or by power to receive the Church-Government But after they received it if then they fell away and sought not the Lord they might put them to death They do cry Discipline Discipline that is for a civil forcing to imprison the people or otherwise by violence to handle and beat them if they would not obey them Ibid. p. 11. The Lords people is of the willing sort they shall come unto Sion and inquire the way unto Jerusalem not by force nor compulsion but with their faces thitherward And p. 12. Because the Church is in a Common-wealth it is of the Magistrates charge that is concerning the outward Provision and outward Justice they are to look but to compel Religion to plant Churches by power and to force a submission to Ecclesiastical Government by Laws and Penalties belongeth not to them neither yet to the Church EEEEE Confess p. 32. Leaving the suppression of this Antichristian estate to the Magistrate to whom it belongeth FFFFF Bar. Refut In the Preface We acknowledge the Prince ought to compel all his Subjects to the hearing of Gods Word in the publike exercises of the Church yet cannot the Prince command any to be a member of the Church or the Church to receive any without assurance by their publike Profession of their own Faith or to retain any longer then they continue to walk orderly in the Faith GGGGG Bar. Disc p. 245. When Princes depart from the Faith and will not be reduced by admonition or reproof they are no longer to be held in the Faith of the Church but are to receive the censure of Christ as
added it shall begin in the 1650. but it comes not to full head till fourty five yeers more DD Ibid. In the Epistle take this rule That all Texts of Scripture are to be understood literally except they make against other Scriptures or except the very coherence of the Scripture shew it otherwise Ibid. p. 17. Indeed if we be put upon allegorical senses we may put off any Scripture but if we take them literally why should we not Ibid. p. 21. Christ is described in the 19. of the Revelation with his Garments dyed in blood when he doth appear to come and to take the Kingdom when he appears with many Crowns upon his head that notes his many victories Ibid. p. 17. The promise that is made Revel 12. He shall rule them with a Rod of Iron and as the Vessels of a Potter they shall be broken to shivers What shall we make of this EE Ibid. p. 14 15. The raigning with Christ 1000. yeers is not meant of raigning with him in Heaven but it must be meant of Jesus Christs coming and raigning here gloriously for 1000 yeers FF Ibid. p. 17. What shall we make of this except there be a glorious raign of Christ with the Saints Christ is said to make them Kings so as to have power and dominion in the world GG Ibid. p. 13. There is no reason why that of the 26. of Matth. v. 29 I will drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom may not be taken litterally HH Archers personal raign p. 5. I call this last state of his Monarchical because he will govern as earthly Monarchs have done that is universally over the world in these dayes known and esteemed and in a worldly visible earthly glory not by tyranny oppression and sensually but with honour peace riches and whatsoever in and of the world is not sinful having all Nations and Kingdoms doing homage to him as the great Monarchs of the World had II Burrows upon Hosea p. 145. These are the new Heavens and the new Earth that are to be created and this is meant of the Church plainly For the Text Verse 12. speaks of building houses and inhabiting them and of planting Vineyards and eating the fruit of them upon these new Heavens and this new Earths Creation Ibid. p. 191. And literally we are to understand many Scriptures that tend this way concerning the fruitfulnesse of the Earth and the outward external glory that then shall be in the Creatures KK Archers comfort for beleevers p. 41. God may as truely and easily have a will and hand in and be the Author of sins as of afflictions Ibid. We may safely say that God is and hath an hand in and is the Author of the sinfulnesse of his people LL Ibid. p. 36. The fear of some of these inconveniences hath made Divines not to acknowledge so much of God in sin as is in sin They have erred on the other hand and made sin more of the Creature and it self and lesse from God then it is They grant that God is willing sin should be and that he permits it and orders circumstances about its production and hath an hand in and is the Author of the Physical or Moral act in and with which sin is but the essence of sin that is the Pravity and Ataxy the Anomy and Irregularity of the act which is the sinfulnesse of it God hath no hand neither is he any Author at all thereof This opinion goes wrong another way and gives not to God enough in sin Let us imbrace and professe the truth and not fear to say that of God which he in his holy Book saith of himself namely That of him and from his hand is not onely the thing that is sinful but the pravity and sinfulnesse of it MM A short Declaration of the Assembly by way of Detestation of the abominable and blasphemous opinion The Order of the House of Lords runs thus Complaint being this day made to the Lords in Parliament by the Assembly of Divines that a certain blasphemous and heretical Book intituled Comfort for Beleevers is printed and published being written by John Archer their Lordships much abhorring the said blasphemies do award and adjudge that the said Book shall be burnt by the hand of the common Hangman NN Doctor Stewarts Duply to M. S. second part pag. 128. Not long since I heard one of the Ringleaders of the Independents Sect deliver this doctrine in a Sermon at the Abbey of Westminster viz. That to a saving knowledge of God it sufficeth not to know him in the Book of nature or secondly as revealed in the holy Scriptures but that we must also know him as abstract from his mercy and all his attributes OO Ibid. If I know God abstracted from his mercy I know him out of Christ and out of the Gospel for God in Christ and in the Gospel is not abstract but concrete with mercy If God be considered as abstract from all his attributes it is no more a knowledge of God but some idol of the Independent brains PP Antap. p. 36. Master Good win did anoint a Gentlewoman whose name I conceal when she was sick and she recovered after it say they QQ Ibid. Anointing the sick with Oyl was held in that Church of Arnhem as a standing Ordinance for Church-Members as laying on of hands was a standing Ordinance for Church-Officers RR Ibid. p. 60. I propound it to you whether a little before your coming over into England some Members of the Church of Arnhem did not propone the Holy Kisse or the Kisse of Love to be practised by Church-Members Nay Whether by some persons in that Church was it not begun to be practised SS 1. Ibid. p. 36. A Gentleman of note in that Church did propone in the Church that singing of Hymns was an Ordinance which is that any person of the Congregation exercising their own gifts should bring an Hymn and sing it to the Congregation all the rest being silent and giving audience SS 2. Antap. p. 262. Some of Arnhem hold strange conceits Daily the Independent Churches like Affrica do breed and bring forth the Monsters of Anabaptism Antinomianism Familism nay That huge Monster and old fleeing Serpent of the Mortality of the soul of man SS 3. Ibid. p. 261. I have been told of some odde things preached by one of you five both in England and Holland and of some points Preached in the Church of Arnhem never questioned there and since Printed not very Orthodox as for instance among others That the souls of the Saints do not go to Heaven to be with Christ SS 4. Archers personal raign p. 23. This Objection supposes the souls of the dead Saints to be in the highest Heavens which is not so It is likely the souls of the dead Saints are not in the highest Heavens but in a middle place which is meant in the New Testament by paradise into this paradise went Christs soul and the theifs which was
who from this place reason against the common Tenet doe differ all of them among themselves in sundry materiall conclusions the old Chiliasts from the late and the late one from another Alstedius Mead Archer Goodwin Burrowes Matton every one of them have their proper conceits wherein they differ from the rest as will be found by any who compare their Writings Thirdly In all this Chapter there is not one syllable to prove Christs being upon the earth but that one word of the Saints reigning with Christ Suppose the Text had expressed that they who did reigne with Christ had beene upon earth themselves this would not prove that Christ because they are said to raigne with him was upon earth with them for Rom. 8.17 If children then joynt-heires with Christ if so beâ— that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together There is here in one verse three paralell phrases with that in hand Heires with Christ Suffering with Christ Glorified with Christ and a fourth Ephes 1.3 Who hath blessed us with all Spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ Will it hence follow that Christs humane nature was then upon earth with them who suffered with him were heires with him were blessed in him in heavenly places with all spirituall graces and were to be glorified with him if none of these foure phrases imply a personall presence of Christ upon earth with men much lesse will the place controverted doe it for they speak expresly of men living upon the earth but it speakes as expresly of the soules of men that were in the heaven the same that are mentioned Revel 6.9 I saw under the Altar the soules of them that were slaine for the Word of God This place then is so farre from proving Christs personall presence upon earth that it imports the contrary both because they that are said to reigne with him were not upon the earth but under the Altar in heaven and also because in vers 11. Christs Throne whereupon he judges the quicke and the dead is mentioned after the raigne of these thousand yeares Now we have proved from many Scriptures that Christ remaines in the heavens till he come downe in the last day to sit upon that Throne Fourthly We deny that there is any thing in this place which imports a bodily resurrection They can produce no scripture where the first resurrection is ever applyed to the body there be sundry places to prove a spirituall resurrection of the soule from the death and grave of sinne of errors and corruptions before the last resurrection of the body Coll. 2.12 You are risen with him through fayth also 3.1 If then ye be risen with Christ c. But a first resurrection of the body no scripture intimates for so there should be not onely a first and second but a third resurrection as they tell us of a first second and third comming of Christ to the earth Further the resurrection here spoken of is attributed to the Soules of them that were beheaded these are not capable of a bodily resurrection in propriety of speech and if to these soules men at their owne pleasure without any warrant from scripture will ascribe a body they fall into a great inconvenience for their love to this imagined first resurrection of the body they overthrow both the heaven and the hell which hitherto have beene beleeved and make no scruple to create a new heaven and a new hell of their owne invention to the dangerous scandall of all Christians Master Archer seeing well the absurdity to bring a soule from heaven backe again to an earthly condition tells us plainely That no soule at all went ever to that which we call heaven That the Soule of Christ at his death and of the good theife went onely to an Elementary Paradise a place below the Moone in the region of the ayre or at highest in the Element of the fire That Enoch and Elias are gone no higher That no soule of any of the Saints goes to the third heavens where Christ is unto the last day As for hell he tells us that all Christians but the Independent his followers have beene in an error about it he teaches that the hell whether the wicked now goes is not that fire prepared for the Divell and his Angells whether at the last Judgement they shall be sent but onely a place of prison in the Low region of the aire or in some part of the Sea where the soules of the wicked are kept till the day of Judgement but at the day of Judgement he tells us of a second hell very large and farre higher then the present heaven of the Saints the whole body of the foure Elements all the heavens of the Planets and fixed Starres and what ever else is below the third heavens the habitation of God he turnes it all into the first Chaos and makes all that confused body without any distinction to be hell In all this the man is so confident as if there were nothing in these strange novelties to be called in question Fifthly We deny that in this place there is one syllable for any earthly Kingdome They shall reigne with Christ therefore they shall reigne with him upon earth this is an addition to the Text. For suppose the words did import a reigning upon earth yet this would not inferre an earthly reigne for the Kingdome of Christ is spirituall like his Preisthood and these two are here conjoyned ver 6. They shall be Preists of God and of Christ and shall reigne with him Christians on earth are Preists but not to offer bodily sacrifice and while they are upon earth they are Kings but not to rule mens outward estates for if so then there should be all these thousand yeares many more Kings then Subjects Master Archer tells us confidently without any scruple that not the Martyres alone and some few priviledged Saints as his Colleague T. G. would have it but that all the godly without any exception shall rise and be Kings to rule and judge the Saints who shall be borne in the thousand yeares Suppose it should be no disparagement for all these who then shall be borne to be excluded while they live from all places of authority and power yet would it not be some piece of disorder to have more Kings to command then Subjects to obey for I suppose that the godly of all by-gone ages arising together will be many more then the Saints in any one age of these thousand yeares Sixthly we deny that a thousand yeares in any propriety of speech can be applyed to Christs Personall reigne for if we speak of his reigne either in his nature or Person it is eternall and not to be measured by any yeares or time and if we speake of his regall office as Mediatour it must be much longer then a thousand yeares for although we should cut off from his Monarchy all the yeares that are past since his birth