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
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
when they proceeded with censure against those who deserved it and are dispraysed when they held in the sword of excommunication and did not cast out Hereticks and prophane Persons Answ Both the Propositions are vitious The Major because the Churches in Asia were Presbyteriall not Congregationall This we proved of Ephesus and we know no reason why the rest should not be of that same condition Secondly Albeit the Churches of Asia at that time in the first preaching of the Gospell and so in the great paucity of Churches should have had no Neighbours with whom commodiously and ordinarily they could keepe society what is that unto the Churches of our dayes who live in the midst of many Sisters The Minor also may not be granted for that which the Text ascribeth to the Angell may not by and by be applyed to every Member of the Church We grant that great reason and many authorities doe prove and evince that the Angells in those places cannot be expounded of the single persons of Bishops but of the whole Body of the Presbytery in the which there was one man chosen by the Suffrages of the rest President for a time but that by the name of Angell should be understood every Member of the Church no reason will carry it Beside there is no consequence from one act of reproofe to the whole right of Ecclesiasticke government even in every case for a common cause and an appearance of errour and many other things will inforce a necessity of subordination Their fourth argument The right of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse belongs to every Church But the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse had right to exercise every part of Ecclesiasticke discipline within their owne bounds Of the first see 2 Thessalonians 3.6 Withdraw your selves from every Brother which walketh disorderly and ver 24. Note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Of the second see Col. 2.5 Joying and beholding your Order Ans Let the Maior be true of all the Churches of the same Species and Nature with these of Thessalonica and Colosse that is of all Presbyteriall That the Church of Thessalonica was such that it had moe Pastors it is proved from the 1 to the Thessalonians 5.12 Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you that these were Pastors it is the minde of the best Interpreters Also that in Colosse beside others Epaphras and Archippus did labour in the word and doctrine is manifest from chap. 1. ver 7. and chap. 4.17 Further let the Maior be true of all Churches of that same state and condition with those named to wit when it falls out that few or no Neighbour Churches can be had with which such a society may be kept Concerning the Minor suppose that both the right and the exercise of all Ecclesiasticke acts were granted to the foresaid Churches yet the question is not touched except you adde independently and in every cause and case even of aberration and that without all remedy of appeale to any Synode Vpon this hinge the Question depends and of this the argument hath nothing Their fifth argument That which abolishes our liberty purchased by Christs blood and puts upon out necke a yoke equall to the Antichristian tyranny of Bishops is intolerable But the dependence of Congregations upon Presbyteries and Synods doth so Ans The Minor is false for the subordination of Churches imports no slavery taketh away no liberty which God hath granted it is Gods Discipline and Order it is the easie yoake of Christ not to be compared with the cruell bands of Bishops since the one is humane the other divine by the meanes of the one one man commandeth either according to his free will or according to the Canon-Law of the Pope but by the meanes of the other moe men advise in common according to the acts of the Reformed Churches grounded upon the Word of God The judgement seates of Bishops are meerely externall to the Church which they governe But Presbyteries and Synods are Courts internall for the onely members whereof they consist are the Comissioners of the Churches which they govern these Churches they represent the minde and desire of these Churches they doe propose unto these Churches they give account of all their administration they confirme and establish the rights of Congregations they doe not abolish nor labefactate any of them Sixthly These who have power to chuse the Pastor have also the right of the whole Ecclesiastick Discipline But every Parish hath that power Answ The Major is not necessary for there is a great difference betwixt the Election of Ministers and Ministers Ordination Deposition Excommunication and many other acts of Discipline Election is no act of Authority or Jurisdiction The Minor also is not true if you understand it of all the members of the Congregation for it is not needfull that Ministers should be chosen by the expresse voyce of every man muchlesse of every woman of the flocke Yea that Election doth not alwayes belong to the whole flocke except yee take election as many seeme to doe for a consent with reason to the which is opposed not every but a rationall dissent grounded upon cleare equity and justice certainely it is needfull at sometimes to misregard the peoples consent in chusing of a Pastor for why should not a flocke infected with heresie be set under an wholesome and Orthodox Shepheard whether it will or not and be rent from under the Ministrie of an hereticall Shepheard how much soever against its owne minde Their seventh argument That is not of God which maketh Pastors Bishops of other mens Diocesses and layes upon them the care of other Congregations then those to which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers But the subordination of Parishes to Presbyteries and Synods doth this Answ The Minor is false for neither doth every member of a Presbytery become a Pastor to every Congregation subordinate to that Presbytery neither are Congregations consociated and conjoyned in a Presbytery altogether without the reach of the care and inspection of neighbour Pastors This is cleare not onely by the arguments formerly deduced from Scripture but by the daily practice of the Adversaries for themselves professe their care to oversee and admonish and rebuke and to use many other gracious actions as they have occasion towards neighbouring Churches without any blame of busie Bishops There is almost no difference at all of their acts and ours toward neighbouring Churches so farre as concernes the matter the onely question is concerning the fountaines and grounds of these acts they ascribing their actions onely to charity we not to charity alone but to authority grounded upon the former reasons This difference belongs not to the present plea. Their eight argument Onely Christ hath authority over the Kingdome of God the House of God the holy Jerusalem his owne Spouse his owne
to a beleever Ans not so but as to an Apostle and Elder of the Church 2. Till the Church replies that the people have power of Excommunication Anser The Church here to be told is the Presbytery and not the people according to our Brethrens own grounds 3. The people of Corinth did Judge and Excommunicate the incestuous man Answer Tbe Text will prove no such matter 4. The people of Colosse might censure Archippus their Minister Answer there is no Word in this Text of the peoples censure 5. The whole Church of Pergamus is rebuked for not censuring the Hereticks Answer The power of Censure was in the Angells but the whole Church might be faulty in not incouraging the Angels to doe their duty 6. The twenty foure Elders sit on Thrones with Crownes on their heads Answer This will not prove a regall power of judging in every one of the people 7. The Galatians must stand fast to their Liberty Anser By Liberty hereinothing lesse is understood then a power of presence and concurrence in judgement without all power of Authority 8. The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish malefactors Answer What the people under the Law did in the State is not a warrant for the people under the Gospell to doe the same in the Church 9. The people elects their Officers Ergo. they may depose and Excommunicate them Answer Election is no act of power or of Jurisdiction 10. The people must be present and consent to every act of Judgement Answer It is not so and if it were yet it inferres not their power of Jurisdiction God is the Author of the union and dependencie of particular Churches From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet Laying aside all prejudice we will reason the matter The state of the Question cleared That single Congregations are not Independent is proved first from the 1 Tim 4.14 because they have not the right of Ordination Ordination belongs to the Presbytery No Congregation is a Presbytery No Congretion hath within it selfe necessarily a Presbytery No single Congregation ought to have within it selfe Pauls Presbytery Onely Pastors lay hands on Pastors The second Argument from the Apostolicke Churches which exercised full jurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall Such was the Church at Jerusalem How the Church commeth together The Church of Samaria also was Presbyteriall So that of Rome And of Corinth And of Ephesus Also of Antioch and the rest Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Answer to the Replies The meeting of Jerusalem was a true Synod It doth not onely advise but command The Decrees of that Synod at their first making had onely Ecclesiastick authority Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to moe appointed by Christ Matth. 18. Christs subordination is to be extended to the utmost bounds of the Church universall Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally Neither the duties of charity nor the authority of the Magistrate can remedy these evills Our last Argument Independency is contrary to all the discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabapâ—ists The first Objection or Argument for Independency from Matth. 18. The second Objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man The third Objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia Their fourth Objection from the practise of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse Their fifth objection from the Episcopall tyranny of the Presbyterie Their sixt Objection from the Congregations right to elect their Pastor Their seventh Objection from pluralitie of cures cast upon one Pastor Their eight Objection from Christs immediate government of his Church The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme The minde of the Independent Chiliasts Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his ascention to the last judgement abides in the heaven Our second reason is builded on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of judgement Our third reason is grounded on the resurrection of the dead the godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is Spirituall and not earthly Our fift reason is taken from the nature of the Church Which ever on earth is mixt of good and evill And subject to crosses Having neede of Ordinances Because of her sinfull infirmities A Sixt reason from the secresie of the time of Christs comming A Seventh from the heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs An eight reason the restoration of an earthly Jerusalem brings backe the abolisht figures of the Lgw. A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Judgement The Chiliasts first reason is from Reâ—â—l 20.4 Answer Our new Chiliasts are inventors of a new heaven and of a new hâ—ll Their second reason from Daniel 12. We Answer Their third argument Answer Their fourth place Answer Their fifth place Answer Their sixth place Answer Their seventh place Answer Their eight place Answer The ninth place Answer Their tenth place Answer Their eleventh place Answer The twelfth place Answer Their last place Answer
A DISSVASIVE FROM THE ERROURS Of the TIME Wherein the Tenets of the principall Sects especially of the Independents are drawn together in one Map for the most part in the words of their own Authours and their maine principles are examined by the Touch-stone of the Holy Scriptures By ROBERT BAYLIE Minister at Glasgow JER 9.3 They are not valiant for the Truth upon the earth JUDE ver 3. It was needfull for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints for there are certaine men crept in unawares c. Published by Authority LONDON Printed for SAMUEL GELLIBRAND at the Brasen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1645. FOR The Right Honourable the Earle of Lauderdaile Lord Metellane YOur Lordship I trust will not bee displeased that your name is set before these Truths which your heart does love and whereunto in the best companies of the whole Isle you have given at many occasions your chearfull countenance and zealous patrociny in the study whereof I have been oft both encouraged and assisted by your Lordships pious wise and learned informations It has been of a long time the wish of my heart to have had nothing to do with Polemick writings the bodies of sojours are no more subject to wounds and manifold hardships then the minds and names of disputant Divines do lie open to various vexations The weary starved bleeding souldâ—er longs no more for a safe peace then a spirit harassed in the toylsome labyrinth of thorny debates pants for that quietnesse which only the finall overthrow and full subjugation of errour can produce How pleasant will that day be to the sonnes of peace when the Lord shall make good that word which by the mouth of two of his ancient witnesses he has established when according to the Testimony of Isaiah syllabically repeated by Michah we shall beat our swords into plow-sheares and our speares into pruning hooks that we may walk together in the light of the Lord But so long as Divine Dispensation besets our habitations both spirituall and temporall the Church no lesse then the State with great numbers of daring and dangerous adversaries we must be content according to the call of the Prophet Ioel in another case to prepare warre to beat our plow shears into swords and our pruning hooks into speares in this juncture of time the faint must take courage and the weak say I am strong It seems that yet for some time the servants of God must earnestly contend for many pretious truths which erroneous spirits do mightily impugne for the help and encouragement of others in that warfare I though among the weakest of Christs souldiers doe offer these my endeavours It was my purpose to have made a farther progresse and to have handled all I mention in my Preface but being cald away from my present station by these who set me therein upon the occasion your Lordship knowes my studies in this kinde are broken off so that this essay in Brownisme and Independency must go forth alone or nothing at all My ayâ— in these two is and was in all the rest First in an historick way to set down the originall and progresse of the errour next its compleat parts together in one table that at one view the whole face of the way may be represented for I conceived it many wayes advantageous and very satisfactory in debating either a truth or an error to be brought to see the fountain and originall whence it hath sprung the streams and issues whither the Tenet tends of it selfe or is drawn by its followers to behold a way not in its pieces but the whole together from the head to the feet the begining midst and end without any concealment or disguise Thirdly my purpose was to have examined the principall parts of every errour in a short cleare and popular method considering the maine Scriptures that use to be alledged in the point either pro or contra I beleeve this my method will not be displeasing to any I know it was acceptable enough to many of the Congregationall way when lately I did use it against the Canterburian Faction but possibly some of the matter of my historick part may fall out to be fashions to the followers of the Tenets which I labour to lay open for it is inavoydable to make a true and a full narration of any erroneous way but such things must be told which will be displeasing to some yet I hope I have given as little offence in this kinde as any other could have done in such a way of â—reatising for all the passages that may be pungent of the tenderest skin are such as not only I conceive to bee very true but such also which I ever make presently good by sufficient Testimonies set downe fully at the end of every Chapter in the expresse words of the Authors Secondly the opinions or practises I alledge are such as the parties themselves to this day do openly avow or else have beene objected to them by very honest men long ago in print and to this day so farre as I know are not taken off by any tolerable answer in all that is over and above I will undertake to give ample satisfaction wherein soever I give the least offence to any I date appeale to your Lordships knowledge and to many others who have beene acquainted with all my by-gone walking how averse I have ever been from causing griefe to any especially good men so farre as I am conscious to my most secret intentions it is my hearts desire that all our present controversies might quickly either be ended or composed by calme meek and peaceable meanes and these alone That lately renewed Committee for Accommodation Oh if it might please the Lord to shine upon it however I may not stay to see its successe yet wherever I am my best wishes shall be poured upon it especially when I shall heare as I have great reason to beleeve is only intended that it abides circumscribed within the bounds of that prudent Order whereby it is renewed For first that Order is so farre from holding out an Accommodation for all the sects of the Land that it speaks only of the differences that are among the members of the Assembly Liberty of Conscience and Toleration of all or any Religion is so prodigious an impiety that this religious Parliament cannot but abhorre the very nameing of it Whatever may be the opinion of Io. Goodwin of Mr Williams and some of their stamp yet Mr Burrowes in his late Irenicon upon many unanswerable arguments explodes that abomination Likewise our Brethren who seek to be accommodate will be willing I hope to professe their going along with us without any considerable dâ—ssent as in the Directory for all the parts of divine worship so in the confession of Faith and Catechism Secondly the Order expresses only the differences in Church-government what
God alone for any tollerable subsistence and their very being albeit we are hopefull the Lord is reserving good things for them who had so much Faith charity and Courage as to venture all for the cause of God and their Brethren the more unkind men have proved unto them The Lord who hath been witnesse to all their intentions actions and sufferings will in his owne time accordingly reward them and will not let them be ashamed of their first hopes and constant desires upon the which himselfe for a long time did shine so evidently from the Heaven as ever upon any enterprise on the Earth Though now that brightnesse be much ecclipsed and overclouded yet we are expecting with passionate desires and confident hopes the dissolution of these clouds and the dispelling of the present darkenesse by the strength of the Beames of his ancient and undeserved kindnesse towards that now suffering and much distressed Nation But insensibly my pen hath runne beyond the bounds of a short Epistle albeit my experience of your Lordships readinesse to dispence with your friends indiscretion makes me secure of my pardon I will detaine your Lordship no longer I lay downe my Booke at your Lordships feet to be given to the world by your Lordships hand If it be received with so much candor and charity by every Reader as I know it is offered it may possibly prove serviceable Thus wishing to your Lordship in these dayes of deepe and dangerous tryalls and too great defection of many constancy and daily increase of affection to all truth Piety Iustice and every Vertue I remaine Your Lordships in all Christian duty to be commanded R. Baylie London Novemb. 19. 1645. The Principall Authors whose Testimonies are cited in the case of the Brownists 1 THe Brownists confession of Faith printed by themselves 160â— 2 The Brownists Apoâ—ogy printed 1604 3 Robert Brownes Life and manners of true Christians printed 1582 4 Henry Barrow his briefe discovery of the false Church 1590 5 Henry Barrow his plaine refutation of Mr Gifford 1590. 6 Francis Iohnsons enquiry and answer to Thomas Whites Discovery of Brownism 1606 7 Francis Iohnsons Christian plea 1617. 8 Iohn Cann his guide to Sion 1638 9 Iohn Cann his necessity of Separation 1638. 10 Apologia Iusta quorundam Christianorum c. per Iohannem Robinsorum 1619 11 Robinsons justification against Bernard reprinted at London 1640 12 Syons royall prerogative 1641. 13 A Light for the Ignorant 1638. The Principall Authors whose Testimonies are cited in the case of the Independents 1. An Apologeticall Narration by Thomas Goodwin c. 1643 2 Iohn Cottons Keyes published by Thom Goodwin and Philip Nye 1644. 3 Iohn Cottons way of the Churches in New-England 1645. 4 Iohn Cottons Sermons upon the seven Vialls 1642. 5 Iohn Cottons Catechisme or the Doctrine of the Church 1644. 6 An Answer to thirty two Questions by the Elders of the Churches in New-England published by Mr. Peters 1643. 7 An Apology of the Churches in New-England for Church-Covenant or a discourse touching Church-Covenant 1643. 8 A glimpse of Syons glory in a Sermon at a generall Fast-day in Holland by T. G. printed at London 1641. 9 Ieremy Burrowes Sermons upon Hosea 1644. 10 The personall raigne of Christ by Io Archer Pastor of the Church at Arnheim 164â— 11 Io Archers comfort for Beleevers 1645. 12 Mr. Burtons vindication of the Independent Churches 1645. 13 Iohn Goodwins Theo-machia 1644. 14 A short story of the rise reigne and ruine c. published with Mr. Welds large Preface 1644. 15 Mr Welds answer to Rathbans narration 1644. 16 Mr Cottons Letter to Mr. Williams 1643. 17 The Anatomist anatomised by Mr Simson 1644. We cite also for some matters of fact to which no satisfactory Answer hath been made hitherto by the Parties 1 Mr Edwards Antapologie 1644. 2 Mr Williams examination of Cottons Letter 1644. 3 Mr Williams bloody Tenet 1644. 4 Plaine-dealing or Newes from New-England by Thomas Lechford 1642. 5 The Anatomy of Independency by a Learned Minister of Holland 1644. 6 Doctor Bastwicks Postscript 1645. 7 Mr. Prinns fresh discovery 1645. The CONTENTS of the following Treatise The Preface THe chiefe and first meane to extinguish the flames of our warre is the waters of our heart poured out in prayers to God pag. 1 Reformation after mourning is the second step to a solid peace p. 2 The corruption of the Church is the fountaine of our present misery ibid. The State cannot be setled till the Church be first reformed 3 Every man would help what hee can to recover the languishing Church from her desperate disease ibid. The offer of a strange and easie remedy of a Looking-glasse 4 The malignity of Errour ibid. The Authors intention is to set down in a Table for the cleare view of all the errours which trouble us ibid. And that with Iustice and Love toward all persons 5 The partition of the ensuing Treatise 6 Episcopacy was the mother of all our present Sects ibid. Presbytery will be their grave 7 The Presbyteriall way of proceeding ibid. What England rationally may expect from Presbyteries and Synods 8 Chap. 1. The originall and progresse of the Brownists Satan is the great enemy of the Churches Reformation 9 His chiefe instruments alwayes have been professed friends to Religion ibid. Reformation at the begining did run with one impetuous current ibid. What was its first stop 10 The fountaine of Protestant discord ibid. The unhappy principle of the Lutherans ibid. And the more unhappy principle of the Anabaptists 11 Somewhat of both these wayes was entertained in England ibid. The originall of the English Bishops and Ceremonies ibid. The originall of the Separatists 12 Brownism is a daughter of Anabaptism 13 Bolton the first known Separatist in England hanged himselfe ibid. Brown the second leader of that way recanted his schism and to his death was a very scandalous person ibid. The humour of Barrow the third master of this Sect 14 The strange carriage of Iohnson and Ainsworth the next two leaders of the Brownists ibid. The horrible wayes of Smith their sixth master 15 The fearfull end of Smith his wandrings 16 Robinson the last grave and learned Doctor of the Brownists did in the end undermine his party 17 Robinson the authour of Independency ibid. Chap. 2. The Doctrine of the Brownists They hold that all Churches in the world but their own are so polluted that they must be separate from 20 Their injurious slanders of the Church of England ibid. Yet sometimes they say that communion maybe kept with her both in preaching and prayer ibid. Their like dealing with all the other Reformed 21 Their flattering of forraign Churches is not to be regarded ibid. The matter of a Church they make to be reall Saints only 22 Their unreasonable strictnesse in this one point is the great cause of their Schism ibid. They place the forme of their Church in an expresse Covenant 23 Seven may make a perfect Church
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
alone 177 Seventhly the Apostles appointed none to preach but â—ders ibid. Eigthly the preaching of men out of office is a meanes of confusion and errour ibid. The contrary arguments which Mr Cotton in his Catechism and Answer to the 32 Questions borrowes from Robinson answered 178 Chap. 9. Whether the power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction belongs to the people or to the Presbytery What is meant by Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction 181 The state of the Question ibid. For the Negative that the people have no power of Iurisdiction we reason First The Officers alone are Governours and the people are to be governed p. 183 Secondly the people have not the Keyes of heaven to binde and loose p. 184 Thirdly the people are not the eyes and eares in Christs body for so all the body should be eyes and eares ibid. Fourthly the people have not any promise of gifts sufficient for government ibid. Fifthly the popular government brings in confusion making the feet above the head p. 185 Sixthly the people have not the power of Ordination p. 186 Seventhly this power in the people would disable them in their Callings p. 187 Eigthly this power of the people would bring in Morellius Democracy and Anarchy in the Church ibid. Ninthly this power of the people will draw upon them the power of the Word and Sacraments p. 188 Mr Cottons ten contrary arguments answered p. 189 Chap. 10. Independency is contrary to Gods Word God is the Authour of the union and dependency of particular Churches p. 196 Separation and Independency were the Anabaptists inventions ibid. From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet p. 197 The state of the Question cleared ibid. That single Congregations are not independent is proved First from 1 Tim. 4.14 p. 199 The second argument from the Apostolick Churches which exercised full Iurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall p. 202 Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Ierusalem Acts 15. p. 205 Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to more appointed by Christ Matth. 8. p. 209 Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally p. 212 Our last argument Independency is contrary to all the Discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabaptists p. 215 The first objection or argument for Independency from Matth. 18. p. 216 The second objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man p. 218 The third objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia p. 220 Their fourth objection from the practise of the Churchâ—s Thessalonica and Colosse ibid. The fifth sixth seventh and eigth objection p. 223 Chap. 11. The thousand yeares of Christ his visible Raigne upon Earth is against Scripture The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme ibid. The mind of the Indepâ—ndent Chiliasts ibid. Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his Ascention to the last Iudgement abides in Heaven p. 225 Our second reason is built on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of Iudgement p. 227 Our third reason is grounded on the Resurrection of the dead the Godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day p. 228 Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is spirituall and not earthly p. 229 Our fifth reason is taken from the nature of the Church p. 230 A sixth reason from the secrecy of the time of Christs comming p. 231 A seventh reason from the Heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs p. 232 An eigth reason the restoration of an Earthly Ierusalem brings backe the abolished figures of the Law p. 233 A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Iudgement ibid. The Chiliasts first reason is from Revel 20. 4. p. 234 Our new Chiâ—iasts are Inventors of a new Heaven and of a new Hell p. 236 Twelve other reasons of the Chiliasts answered p. 237 The PREFACE WHile the fire of War continues to scorch every one of these miserable Dominions it is the duty of all compassionate Countrey-men to contribute the uttermost of their best endeavours for the extinguishing of these unhappie Flames before the remainder of all our Churches and States be burnt down to ashes Too much Oil already hath dropped from many unhallowed Pens the times now do passionately call for Waters and them the more cold and clear the better for quenching the thirst of this devouring Beast Vinegar and Gall though in the largest measures whole rivers of Blood will not allay but augment the heat of a Civil War The most hopeful Peace-makers from whose intermedling the greatest successe is to be expected are they whose vessels are filled most plentifully with tears to be poured out before the Throne of God The fire which this day prevails against us which burns up not the flesh onely but the very bones of our Kingdoms is from above it is the Lord who burns against Iacob like a flaming fire which devours round about When the scorching heat of the Sun dries up the moisture from the grasse and corn there is no remedy for the languishing fields till the vapours ascend from below and thicken in a cloud then incontinent the burning beams are intercepted the showres descend from above to refresh and renew the withered face of the parched ground The most seasonable exercise of al who love the peace of Ierusalem is to fill the air with the exhalations of their Spirits with the perfumes arising from the kindled Incense of their Prayers much of these holy vapours will hardly make up one cloud wherefore many hearts would daily be breathing up together some store of that heavenly smoke However for a time all our endeavours may seem to be quite evanished and when we have gone out to behold much ofter then seven times there may appear to our eye not so much as the smallest beginning of the least cloud yet when the period of Gods appointed season is come when the three yeers and six moneths are past over and gone there will certainly arise a cloud which however at first very small and no broader then a hand yet will quickly become so big as to fill the heavens with voices and send down to the wearied earth such plenty of rain as could be wished But to the end the waters of our Prayers may be the more acceptable in the sight of our Prince of Peace who alone dispenses at his pleasure to persons and Nations that very desirable and much longed-for blessing of quietnesse we must cleanse our hands of those crimes which have drawn down from the Throne of Justice that plague of War which so much this day doth vex and well-neer undo us If once our ways did please the Lord he would quickly make our enemies to be at peace with us If Israel did walk in his ways their enemies should soon
if so it fall out that his insuperable obstinacy â—orce them to draw out the terrible Sword their proceeding here also is so exceeding leasurely and full of sensible grief and love to the party of fear and Religion towards God that it is a singular raâ—â—ty among them to see any heart so hard as not to be mollified and yeeld before that stroke be given Excommunications are so strange in all the Reformed Churches that in a whole Province a man in all his life will scarceâ—e witnesse to one and among them who are cut off by that dreadful Sword very few do fall in the States hand to be troubled with any civil inconvenience By this kinde of Government other Reformed Churches with ease have kept themselves pure and clean of all our Heresies and Schisms not onely Scotland Switzerland and divers parts of Germany but France it self which to this day was never blessed with any assistance from the secular Arm by this spiritual and divine adminicle alone have kept themselves safe from the irruption of all erroneous Spirits I confesse that Holland hath been a cage to these unclean birds but the reason is evident the civil State there walking in the corrupt principles of carnal Policy which cannot be blessed with final successe doth imped the exercise of Church-Discipline in its most principal parts these last fourty yeers that Land hath not been permitted to enjoy more General Assemblies then one and how great Service that one did towards the purging of the much corrupted Church and calming the greatly disturbed State all their Friends in Europe did see and congratulate while their foes did grieve and envy it It is not prophecy but a rational prediction bottomed upon reasons and multiplied experience Let England once be countenanced by her superior powers to enjoy the just and necessary Liberty of Consistories for Congregations of Presbyteries for Counties of Synods for larger Shires and National Assemblies for the whole Land as Scotland hath long possessed these by the unanimous consent of King and Parliament without the least prejudice to the civil State but to the evident and confessed benefit thereof or as the very Protestants in France by the concession of a Popish State and King have enjoyed all these four spiritual Courts the last fourscore yeers and above Put these holy and divine Instruments in the hand of the Church of England by the blessing of God thereupon the sore and great evil of so many Heresies and Schisms shall quicly be cured which now not onely troubles the Peace and welfare but hazards the very subsistance both of Church and Kingdom without this mean the State will toile it self in vain about the cure of such spiritual diseases CHAP. I. The Original and Progresse of the BROWNISTS THe greatest without comparison and most admirable work which the hand of God hath brought to passe upon earth in these later Ages is the Reformation of Religion from Antichristian pollution and tyranny No other could have been expected from the Prince of Darknesse but extreme opposition to this so high a prejudice to his Kingdom Incredible is the help which this unclean spirit hath made to Antichrist his chief servant for the upholding of his tottering Throne How many Princes and States hath he stirred up to persecute with Fire and Sword to the cruellest deaths the innocent Witnesses of the Truth How many learned Divines hath he bewitched with his Enchantments to spend their spirits and time in maintaining by Word and Writings the grossest abominations of that Romish Idol But the chief Artifice whereby this crafty Serpent hath most impeded the progresse of the Gospel and kept the Triple-Crown upon the Popes head is his powerful working in the midst of the Children of Light So cunningly hath he insinuated himself into the counsels and actions not onely of the Children of this World but of the Sons of Sion themselves that by their hands more then any other he hath laid in the way of Christs running Chariot scandals insuperable impediments irremovable by any humane might till the Lord from heaven put them out of the way The Light of the Gospel broke out so clear the heat of Zeal the truely heroick and more then humane wisdom and courage of the first Reformers were so irresistable that all the power of Papal Princes and all the learning of their Clergie were not sufficient obstacles unto the Torrent of their spirit all these humane Bulwarks were overflowed with the Flood of the Gifts of Gods Spirit in his Servants The whole Kingdoms of England and Scotland Denmark and Sweden Ireland and Navar were subdued to the Scepter of Christ much of France and Pole the most of Germany both above and below the most of Hungary and Switze were pulled out of the Popes mouth Italy and Spain were entred and fair beginnings of a gracious day did appear to both But behold in the midst of our Conquests and Triumphs while all our enemies without were upon the point of fainting and despair the Dragon and his angels got entresse in the heads of our friends and by their hands drew us back from the pursuing of our foes who were ready to have given over and submitted but remarking our unexpected halt and turning from them one upon another they got a time to breathe and to gather such strength that ever since they have been the pursuers and as long ago they have regained much of their losse so doubtlesse had it not been for the invincible strength of our Captain before this day they had totally ruined us To passe a number of stratagems whereby Satan hath diverted Protestants from carrying on their work against the Popish party I touch but upon two a double erroneous Principle whereby he hath infatuated many a thousand of men otherwise not irrational nor ungracious and brought divers whole Churches to such perplexities and confusions that they lie to this day entangled unable to disengage themselves of those snares and fetters that as all piety and reason do command they may joyn cordially their whole strength with their Brethren against the common enemy In our flight from Rome he got some perswaded to stand too soon before they had past the Territories of the Whore and the Line of her Communication Others he wrought to the contrary perswasion he made them run on too long not onely to the utmost Line of Errour but also far beyond all the bounds both of Charity and Truth Hence our greatest Woes all our Discords and mutual Wounds have sprung from these two Fountains This is the true original of our diversion from following the enemy to attend the worst of Wars our Civil and Domestike Combats By a very evil advice Luther and his followers stuck at the later parts of Reformation they could not down with the whole Body and in this their sensible infirmity they became utterly impatient of all contradiction That Calvin and his Brethren should
advice to reject all Books but the Bible alone SSSSS As for Divinity-Disputations they make large Invectives against them as Paganish and very sinful Exercises TTTTT notwithstanding all this they proclaim themselves great Patrons of all true Learning VVVVV albeit as yet they have not been pleased to let the world know what kinde of Letters and Books they will be pleased with when all that hitherto have been known are laid aside by their perswasion The Testimonies A. Barrows Discovery p. 26. In this estate what communion is to be held with the Church of England What fellowship may the children of God have with such Rebels and Apostates Can the name of a Church without blasphemy unto Christ be given unto them in these sins They then not being under Christs protection nor in the state of Grace while they continue in their sin I have often wondred how any man of sound judgement could give them the name of a Church Ibidem in the Preface Let the rest no longer tempt God or be held under the dint of this dreadful Milstone by any perswasion but let them save their souls out of this accursed false Church and joyn themselves to the faithful servants of Christ with all speed The Confession Art 31. These Assemblies standing thus in confusion cannot be said truely to have Christ their King Priest and Prophet neither in this estate can be esteemed the true visible orderly constitute Church of Christ whereof the faithful may become or stand members or have any spiritual Communion with them in their spiritual Worship and Administrations Therefore are all that would be saved bound by Gods Commandment with speed to come forth out of this Antichristian estate leaving the suppression of it to the Magistrate to whom it belongs A light for the ignorant p. 8 9. This Whorish Citie hath a Body of false Prophets whosoever heareth these or any of these breaks the first Commandment for in hearing and obeying these they hear and obey the Dragon Beast and Whore that sent them and gave them their Authority and Office they use some Divine Truths to help to set a glosse on their Inventions but both divine and invented are consecrated and dedicated by the Beast and administred by his Office B Robinsons Apologie pag. 78. Convenit nobis quatenus reformatis Ecclesiis Belgicis aliis cum Ecclesia Anglicana in Articulis fidei hujus Ecclesiae nomine scriptis idem in his Book of the lawfulnesse of the hearing of the Ministers of the Church of England Barrows Refutation of Giffard p. 21. We never doubted but the foundation of God stood firm the Lord having many thousands of his elect among you known to himself Idem in his Discovery p. 119. The errours and fauls of Baptism being purged by Repentance it pleases God in pardoning the faults to reserve and not to have repeated the outward action Their Apologie p. 93. We gladly embrace the common faith professed in this Land as most holy and sound We have a reverend estimation of sundry and good hope of many hundred thousands in the Land Their Confession p. 8. We testifie by these presents to all men That we have not forsaken any one point of the true ancient Apostolike Faith professed in our Land but hold the same grounds of Christian Religion with them C Barrows Discovery p. 26 There is no cause to doubt but any of Gods servants may avoid that Congregation which rejecteth Gods Word presumptuously as a wicked Assembly and an adulterous Church Ibid. p. 29. I deny these assemblies to be true Churches of Christ seeing they have broken the Covenant and cast off the Yoke of Christ D Barrows Refutation p 33. We further conclude from the second Commandment That whatsoever Worship is devised by man and whatsoever device of man is put in the Worship of God it is Idolatry But a great part if not the whole Worship of God in your Church is devised by man If God be not worshipped with this kinde of Worship Then to speak as the Prophets and Apostles do the devil is worshipped thereby E Apologie p. 54. None can submit unto or have any spiritual Communion with the Hierarchie aforesaid but they worship the Beast and his Image and so make themselves subject to the wrath of God Barrows Discovery p. 180. Here would not be forgotten the sweet Psalmodical harmony of the Vultures Cranes Owls Geese of the Leopards Boars Wolves Dogs Swine Foxes Goats Pordon me for thus the holy Ghost termeth the profane confused multitudes in false Churches F Barrows Discovery p. 52. Disguised Hypocrites ravening Wolves that come to us in sheeps clothing under the glorious titles of Pastors and Teachers Ministers of the Gospel men of great Learning holy Life sighers for Reformation these Pharisees these Sectaries are they that mislead the people in their crooked paths of death Ibid. p 112. No middle course can here be taken we must either make the Tree good or evil These Ministers of the Church of England are true or false if false then deliver they no true Sacraments then is all their Administration Sacraments and Sermons accursed how holy soever or neer the Truth in outward shew then are they the Ministers of Satan of Antichrist sent by God in his wrath to deceive and destroy such as are ordained to death then ought not the Prince to repair to their Sermons for comfort then is all the comfort she taketh there but delusion even the deceit of Satan then are they seducers who perswade her to go to them as whereby they draw her to the wrath of God and imminent danger and inevitable destruction except she forsake them G Vide f. also Barrows Discovery p. 154. The comfort received from their Preaching their whole Ministery being accursed is a fearful signe of the effectual working of their delusions From their Ministery in this estate no comfort is to be looked for but assured destruction they being of God in his wrath sent to deceive the children of death the Reprobates H Barrows Discovery p. 29. I deny their Sacraments to be the Ordinances of God seeing to them in this estate belong not the Sacraments and Ministery of Christ but the curse and judgement of God Ibid. p. 31. Such Sacraments can no ways be called the Ordinances of Christ but rather sure Seals of his wrath to as many as profane his holy Ordinances and joyn together in that ungodly and accursed action until they repent I Vide f. also Barrows Dis p. 43. There can be no greater allowance of joyning to them then to make them our mouth or Ministers unto God or together with such to joyn in any action concerning the Worship of God K See Master Balls Confutation of the Brownists L Barr. Dis p. 66. This Book being a publike prescript Liturgie were it the best that ever was devised by mortal man yet being brought into the Church yea into any private house would be an abominable sacrifice in the sight of
God even as a dead dog Truely I am ashamed to write of so grosse and filthy abominations so generally received even of all States of these parts of the world who of a Popish Custom and Tradition have received it one of another without any warrant from the Word Ibid. p. 75. Other more smoothe hypocrites yet as grosse idolaters use the Lords Prayer as a close of their own M Canns Necessity of Separation p. 66. It is all one whether turning on the left hand we embrace the Idolatry of Bishops or turning on the other hand we follow the new devices of mens foolish brains for utter destruction certainly follows both N Robinsons Apologie p. 89. Quae nos ad Separationem solicitant ipsam Ecclesiae materialem formalem constitutionem ejusdemque politeiae administrationem essentialem spectant O Johns Enquiry p. 25. Seeing by the mercy of God we have seen and forsaken the corruptions which remain in the French and Dutch Churches we cannot partake with them in such case without apostacie from the Truth P Johns Plea p. 231. Every particular Church with their Pastors stand immediately under Christ the Arch-Pastor without any other strange Ecclesiastical power intervening whether it be of Prelates or other unlawful usurping Synods or of any such like invented by man and brought into the Church Barrows Dis p. 261. If we would but lightly examine these secret Classes these ordinary set Synods which the Reformists would openly set up they shall no doubt be found as new strange Antichristian and prejudicial to the Rights of the Church as contrary to the Gospel of Christ as the other what shew soever of former antiquity or present necessity they can pretend Idem Refut of Giffâ—rd p. 137. These are the antient Sects of the Pharisees and Sadduces the one in precisenesse outward shew of holinesse hypocrisie vain-glory and covetousnesse resembling or rather exceeding the Pharisees the other in their whole Religion and dissolute conversation like to the Sadduces looking for no Resurrection Judgement or life to come the one removing from place to place for their advantage and best entertainment in the errour of Ba'aam for wages seduce and distract the people of the Lord from their own Churches and Pastors Sions Royal Prerogative in the Preface Whereas the Papists place the power of Christ given to the Church in the Pope the Protestants in the Bishops the Reformed Churches as they are called in the Presbytery Neither of them hath right in this thing but contrarywise Christ hath given the said power of his to all his Saints and placed it in the Body of every particular Congregation Q 1. Robinsons Apol. p 83. Personas Episcoporum vel autoritatem qua potiuntur civilem in rebus vel civilibus vel etiam Ecclesiasticis non aversamur Q 2. Vide supra F. R 1. Bar. Dis p. 33. Such like detestable stuff hath Master Calvin in his ignorance brought to defend his own rash and disorderly proceedings at Geneva whiles he at the first dash made no scruple to receive the whole State into the bosome of the Church yea that which is worse and more to be lamented it became a miserable precedent and pernicious example to all Europe to fall in the like transgression as in the confused estate of all those Regions where the Gospel is thus orderly taught is more then plain R 2. Robins Apol. p. 7. Profitemur coram Deo hominibus adeo nobis convenire cum Ecclesus reformatis Belgicis in re Religionis ut omnibus singulis earundem Ecclesiarum fidei Articulis prout habentur in harmonia Confessionum fidei paratisimus subscribere Ibid. p. 11. Ecclesias reformatas pro veris genuinis habemus cum iisdem in sacris Dei Communionem profitemur quantum in nobis est colimus conciones publicas ab illarum pastoribus habitas ex nostris qui norunt Linguam Belgicam frequentant Sacram coenam earum membris si qua forte nostris coetibus intersint nobis cognita participamus Malis illarum serio ingemiscimus Apol. for the Brownists pag. 35. We are willing and ready to subscribe those Grounds of Religion published in the Confession of Faith made by the Church of Scotland hoping in the unity of the same Faith to be saved by Jesus Christ being also like minded in points of greatest moment with all other Reformed Churches and on the contrary for Anabaptists Familists and all other Heretikes new and old we utterly reject them and all their Errours and Heresies Johns plea. p. 245. I acknowledge the Reformed Churches to be the true Churches of Christ with whom I agree both in the Faith of Christ and in many things concerning the Order and Government of the Church R 3. Johns Inquiry p. 57. Having declined to divers Errors of the Dutch the Church did excommunicate him and so still he remains Ibid. p. 59. Yet it is false that we have excommunicate any for the hearing onely the Word preached among the Dutch or French for these that yet we have cast out here it hath been partly for revolting from the truth which they professed with us to the corruptions of those Churches and partly for other sins S The Confession p. 26. The state of the Dutch Church at Amsterdam is so confused that the whole Church can never come together in one they read out of a Book certain Prayers invented and imposed by man the command of Christ Matth. 18. they neither observe nor suffer to be observed rightly they worship God in the Idoll-Temples of Antichrist their Ministers have their set maintenance their Elders change yeerly they celebrate marriage in the Church they use a new censure of Suspension T Robins apol p. 81. Ecclesiae Anglicanae constitutio materialis est ex hominum flagitiosorum colluvie paucis si cum reliquis piis admistis conferantur V Canns necessity p. 167. He is to come himself into the publike Assembly all looking on him with love and joy as one that comes to be married and there he is to make publike Confession of his Faith to answer divers questions being found worthy by the consent of the whole he is to be taken into the Communion X Bar. dis p. 34. I have shewed that the known and suffered sin of any Member is contagious to all that communicate with them in that estate and maketh them which communicate in Prayers or Sacraments with such an obstinate offender as guilty in Gods sight as he himself is Y Bar. dis p. 34. I have shewed that the whole Church hath no power to dispence with the breach of the least Commandment and that such obstinate sin in the whole Church breaketh the Covenant with God and maketh it cease to be a Church or in Gods favour till it repent Z Vide supra X Y. AA Bar. dis p. 157. They make this part of Gods Word substantial that of Form this Fundamental that Accidental this necessary to Salvation that needlesse
men are mortal like the Beasts AA Short story p. 59. These who are united to Christ have in this life new bodies and two bodies BB Ibid. She knoweth not how Jesus Christ should be united to this our fleshly body these who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly body and that the Resurrection mentioned in 1 Cor. 15.44 is not meant of the Resurrection of the body but of our union here in this life CC Ibid. p. 60. We are united to Christ with the same union that his humanity on earth was with his Deity That she had no Scripture to warrant that Christs manhood is now is Heaven but the body of Christ is his Church DD Ibid. Preface p. 1. You shall see a Litter of ninty one of their brats hung up against the Sun besides many new ones of Mistresse Hutchinsons EE Ibid. Multitudes of men and women were infected before they were aware FF Ibid. Preface p. 7. They had some of all sorts and qualities in all places to defend and patronise them Almost in every family some were ready to defend them as the Apple of their own eye GG Vide supra N 2. HH Short story Preface pag. 4. They would appear very humble holy and spiritual Christians and full of Christ II Ibid. They would deny themselves far and speak excellently KK Ibid. They would pray with such soul ravishing affections and expressions that a stranger could not but love and admire them LL Ibid. They lifted up their opinions by guilding them over with the specious termes of Free-grace Glorious-Light Gospel-Truths holding out naked Christ MM Vide supra LL. NN Preface p. 7. O their boldnesse pride insolency the disturbances divisions contentions they raised among us both in Church and State and Families setting division betwixt Husband and Wife Ibid. p. 9. And seeing a spirit of pride subtilty malice and contempt of all men that were not of their minde breathing in them our hearts were sadded and our spirits tyred OO Ibid. p. 4. Their followers in admiration of them would tell others that since the Apostles times they were perswaded none ever received so much light from God as such and such had done naming their Leaders See also before H. PP Short story pag. 39. She said it was revealed to her long since in England That all the pack of the Ministers there were Antichristian so that she durst hear none of them after Master Cotton and Master Wheelwright were once gone for they could not preach Christ and the new Covenant QQ Preface pag. 8. The faithful Ministers of Christ must have dung cast in their faces and be no better then legal Preachers Baals Priests Popish Factors Scribes Pharisees and Opposers of Christ himself RR Vide supra N 1. SS Preface p. 9. The Magistrates were Achabs Amazia's enemies to Christ led by Satan TT Ibid. These were enemies to Christ Herods Pilates Scribes and Pharisees yea Antichrists and advised all under a Covenant of Grace to look upon them as such And with great zeal did stimulate them to deal with them as such and alleadged the story of Moses that killed the Egyptian and left it barely so VV Ibid. It was a wonder of mercy that they had not set our Common-wealth and Churches on a fire and consumed us all therein XX Preface pag. 7. They had some of all quality to defend them some of the Magistrates some Gentlemen some Schollers some of our Captains and Souldiers some in Military Trainings YY Short story p. 33. They made full accompt the day had been theirs ZZ Master Williams in his Discourse to me assured me hereof AAA Short story p. 43. Vnder their conduct the old Serpent had prepared such an Ambushment as in all reason would soon have driven Christ and the Gospel out of New-England though to the ruine of the instruments themselves as well as of others and to the repossessing of Satan in his ancient Kingdom BBB Preface p. 12. Mistresse Hutchinson being big with childe and growing towards the time of her Labour brought out not one but thirty monstrous births or thereabouts at once none at all of them of humane shape CCC Ibid. Mistresse Dyer brought forth her birth of a Woman childe a Beast a Fish and a Foul all woven together in one and without an head DDD Ibid. Though he that runs may read their sin in these judgements yet behold the desperate hardnesse of heart in these persons and all their followers they turned all from themselves upon the faithful servants of God that laboured to reclaim them saying This is for you ye Legalists that your eyes might be further blinded by Gods hand upon us in your legal wayes that you may stumble and fall and in the end break your necks in Hell if ye imbrace not the Truth EEE Ibid. p. 5. These persons with many others infected by them went altogether out of our Jurisdiction into an Iland and there they live to this day most of them hatching and multiplying new opinions and cannot agree but are miserably divided into sundry Sects and Factions FFF Mistresse Hutchinson being weary of the Iland went from thence with all her family to live under the Dutch neer a place in the Map called Hell-gate GGG There the Indians set upon them and slew her and all her family her daughter and her daughters husband and all their children save one that escaped Some write that the Indians did burn her to death withall that belonged to her I never heard that the Indians in these parts did commit the like outrage upon any other HHH Vide KKK 1. III Ibid. p. 13. They grew also many of them very loose in their practises for these opinions will certainly produce a filthy life by degrees As no Prayer in their Familes no Sabbath insufferable pride frequent and hideous lying and some of them became guilty of fouler sins then all these which I here name not Cottons third Sermon 6. Vial pag. 9. The calamities of the Countrey are from God he takes away all whether by our pride that we must have every new fashion and be like the men of the world in houses apparel and the like or daintinesse that we must have our varieties though it cost never so much and no matter what followeth though it eat up our estates The Lord hath made use of our folly and pride and daintinesse our idlenesse and covetousnesse Idem 2. Vial pag. 26. We know that in England there is no such unfaithful dealing and hollow heartednesse no such bitternesse between Christians What will befal your posterity they will degenerate out of measure by the unfaithfulnesse of your lives and the unrighteousnesse of your promises KKK 1. Short story p. 44. The Midwife one Hawkins was notorious for familiarity with the divel and now a prime Familist The most of the Women who were present at Mistresse Dyers travel were suddenly taken with such a violent vomiting and purging without eating or drinking of
grief nor can we chuse but to be covered with confusion and shame when we are forced to taste the most bitter fruits of our Brethrens principles though denied by them in words yet ingenuously avowed by their friends in Amsterdam and constantly practised in New-England to the uttermost of their power E 1. they must oppose the building of a Church any where in the world if it be not after their patern That as in New-England no Presbyterial Church on any condition may be tolerated so in Old-England no Presbyterial Church must ever be erected if all their skill and industry can hinder it Such a Reformation though expresly according to the National Covenant to them is a deformation which they cannot wish much lesse pray for or endeavour but with all their strength must crosse it as a corruption unsufferable where they have power It s plain and demonstrable that their Principles and Way have forced them to oppose the Reformation in hand and will ever force them so to do till they lay new grounds and be changed in the sence of their erroneous minde However the actions of our Brethren did proclame loud enough their intentions to delay so long as they were able the setting up of any Government yet when this evil is become so grosse and palpable that all in words do disclaim it and they who most do procure it do most in shew abominate it it seems a little strange that some of their Divines are now begun in Print expresly to own it and in Print to perswade the delay of this work E 2. It must be a heavie guiltinesse to be a powerful instrument of keeping two so great Kingdoms as England and Ireland without the Fold and Hedge of all Ecclesiastike Discipline for divers yeers together especially in the time of a devouring War How many thousand souls have perished by this means in their ignorance and profanesse who in a wel-governed Church might have been reclaimed Unto this great misery another great unhappinesse addeth much weight Beside their marring of the begun-Reformation they have occasioned the perishing of some millions of poor souls by the unheard-of multiplication of Heresies and Schisms F I believe no place in the world for this mischief is now parallel to London Amsterdam long ago is justified that City hath transmitted hither the infamy of her various Sects Now upon whom shall this blame be fastne◠〈◊〉 It is well known that the Sects at the time of the Independents return hither were inconsiderable in regard of that which now they are by their means It was their work to bring people into distaste with the way of all the Reformed Churches this by their labours was made vile in the eyes of the multitude and people once having leaped over that wall within the which all the Protestant Churches have dwelt in safety by all the skill of their first misleaders could not be holden from running farther away as in New-England Independency was a mother to Anabaptism Antinomianism Familism and many more Heresies We need not wonder to see it any where bring forth the like Brood But hereof indeed do we wonder that in so short a time this Way should change as it were its nature so farre to the worse In Holland and New-England Independency so soon as it had found and discerned the young brats of Anabaptists Antinomians or Familists in her bosom it was her custom incontinently to fling them away as Bastards But Independency at London hath learned not onely to beget but to cherish such children when they are brought forth Not onely the Churches of New-England but the very Amsterdam-Brownists have ever been zealous to cast out of their Society the Heretikes and Schismatickes we speak of but here in London it is far otherwise We have heard that many of the Independents here so soon as they have fallen into Anabaptism or other Errours of the time have quickly of their own accord run away and separated from the Independent Congregations as polluted as false as no Churches But that ever any of the London-Independents did cast out of their Churches any man or woman for Anabaptism Antinomianism or any other Errour we never heard By the contrary Independency here is become an uniting Principle it hath kept our Brethren in the midst of all their bitter Jarrs with the Reformed Churches abroad and the Presbyterians at home in a great entirenesse and familiarity with all the Sectaries that pleased to draw neer them They have by their debates and dissents laboured to hinder the Assembly from giving the least advice to the Parliament to take any order with the most absurd of the Sectaries when complained upon for their greatest Enormities yea they have preached and printed divers Tractates for a full liberty to all Sects G That so soon they should have run thus far out we could never have believed if our own eyes and ears had not been our perswaders As for the third Apple we observed on their Tree The endangering of the State it is no lesse visible then any of the former If there were no more but the keeping of the Church-wounds so long open the health yea the life of the State might justly be feared from this ground alone by all who know the sympathy of these Twins and the inseparable interest of these two much-united Companions But beside the keeping of the Church unsetled the growth of Schisms how pregnant a cause it is of a States ruine we need no other witnesse then the declaration of their Brethren in New-England H We are made here to believe that the Anabaptists and the Antinomians are so tame and harmlesse creatures that there is no danger of any violence from their innocent hands If it be so the General Court at New-Boston hath been extremely unjust who professed their wel-grounded apprehension of a total subversion not onely of all their Churches but of their Civil State also from a far lesse number of these Sectaries then are here among us and avowed to the world their necessity to banish out of that Countrey the leaders of that dangerous Faction whether men or women whether Church or States-men and to disarm many of their followers upon much much smaller provocations and lighter grounds of suspition then by the words and deeds of their kinsfolks have been offered lately unto this State I What more might be said of the London-Independents practices upon the State readily may come to the world ere long by a much better Pen. I for causes at this time abstain totally from writing on this subject The Testimonies A Antap. p. 51. I believe upon good grounds and so do many more you never took any great content or joy in the thoughts of the Assembly but have done your utmost to delay it and to put it by God knows your hearts and men some of your speeches about the meeting of this Assembly But seeing it could not be helped and that you could
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
authority as Cosessors with him at the last Iudgement Luk. 22.27 to 30. sssss For this the Apologists did plead as much and as sharply as any ttttt I have heard some of their chiefe men discourse publikely enough to this purpose wwwww Cottons Catechism p. 10. The body of the Church hath power from Christ to enquire and heare and assist in the judgement of all publike scandals xxxxx Vide supra Chap. 4. TT yyyyy Vide supra Chap. 6. tt zzzzz Answer to the 32 Quest p. 61. If it appeare they who dissent from the major part are factiously or partially carried the rest labour to convince them of their errour by the rule if they yeeld the consent of all comfortably concurreth in the matter if they still continue obstinate they are admonished and so standing under censure their vote is nullified aaaaaa Ibid. If the difference still continue the sentence is still demurred even till other Churches have beene consulted with if the Church or the Elders should refuse the Testimâ—ny of other Churches according to God they will deny them the right hand of Fellowship c. bbbbbb Short story p. 32. Then Mâ—stris Hutchinson kept open house for all commers and set up two Lecture dayes in the week when they usually met at her house three or fourscore persons the pretence was to repeat Sermons but when that was done she would comment upon the Doctrines and interpret all passages at her pleasure she did lay all that opposed her being neare all the Elders and most of the faithfull Christians in this Countrey under a Covenant of works to advance her Master-piece of immediate revelations wherin she had not failed of her aime to the utter subversion both of Churches and civill State if the Lord had not prevented it Ibid. p. 34. What say you to your weekly publike meetings Answ There were such meetings in use before I came we began it with five or six and though it grew to more in future time yet being tolerated at the first I knew not why it might not continue The Courts reply There were private meetings indeed and are still in many places of some few neâ—ghbours we allow you to teach younger women privately and upon occasion but that gives no warrant for such set meetings for that purpose neither do yee teach them that which the Apostle commands to keep at home cccccc Apologet. Nar. p. 19. To the Magistrate we give as much and aâ— we think more then the principles of the Presbyteriall Government will suffer them to yeeld dddddd Williams paper Prop. 2. That the Saints are not to submit to the powers of the world or worldly powers and that the powers and governments of the world have nothing to doe with them for civill misdemeanors these Governours must keep in their owne spheare as Whales not to govern Whales but other fishes Lions not to governe Lions but the beasts of the forrest Eagles not to governe Eagles but the other foules of the ayre eeeeee Mr Williams related to me that Mistris Hutchinson with whom he was familiarly acquainted and of whom he spake much good after she had come to Rid Island and her husband had beene made Governour there she perswaded him to lay downe his Office upon the opinion which newly she had taken up of the unlawfulnesse of Magistracy ffffff Bloody Tenet p. 135. Williams sets down these words of Cottons modell The proper meanes whereby the civill power may and should attaine its end are only politicall and principally these five First the erecting and establishing what forme of civill Government may seem in wisedome most meet according to the generall rules of the Word and state of the people upon these words Williams comments thus from this grant I inferre that the Soveraign originall and foundation of civill power lies in the people whom they must needs meane by the civill power distinct from the Government set up and if so that a people may erect and establish what forme of Government seems to them most meet for their civill condition it is evident that such Governments as are by them erected and established have no more power nor for no longer time then the civill power or people consenting and agreeing shall betrust them with This is cleare not only in reason but in the experience of all Common-weals where the people are not deprived of their naturall freedome by the power of Tyrants How right this Commentary is Mr Cottons own words will declare set downe p. 140. In a free State no Magistrate hath power over the Bodies Goods Lands Liberties of a free people but by their free consent and because free men are not free Lords of their owne estates but are only stewards under God therefore they may not give their free consents to any Magistrate to dispose upon their Bodies Lands and Liberties at large as themselves please but as God the Soveraigne Lord of all pleases and because the Word is a perfect rule as well of righteousnesse as of holinesse it will be therefore necessary that neither the people give consent nor that the Magistrate take power but according to the lawes of the Word gggggg Vide supra Chap. 5. E. hhhhhh Bastwicks Independency second part Postscript p. 65. It may evidently appeare that all the projects of the Independents in getting prime places by Sea and Land and in the Armies and in the Townes Cities Forts and Castles and all other places and in all Committees is only for the advancement and fomenting of their Faction and this I conceive to be the only cause of all the linsie-woolsie Committees through the Kingdom iiiiii Williams Examination pag. 4. After my publike triall one of the most eminent Magistrates stood up and spoke Mr Williams said he holds forth that it is not lawfull to call a wicked person to sweare to pray as being actions of Gods worship kkkkkk Vide supra Chap. 3. TT WW AAA kkkkkk 2 Lieutenant Generall Cromwells Letter to the Parliament from Bristoll As for being united in formes commonly called uniformity every Christian for peace sake would study and doe as farre as Conscience would permit and from Brethren in things of the minde we look for no compulsion but that of Light and Reason in other things God has put the sword into the Parliaments hands for the terrour of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well if any plead exemption from it he knowes not the Gospell llllll Vide supra Chap. 2. HHHHH IIIII KKKKK mmmmmm 1 Vide supra ibid. mmmmmm 2 Vide infra mmmmmm 3. mmmmmm 3 Cottons Modell of power in the Bloody Tenet p. 140. The Magistrate in making Lawes about civill and indifferent things in the Common-wealth First he hath no power given him of God to make what Lawes he pleases either in restraining from or constraining to the use of indifferent things because that which is indifferent in its nature may sometimes be inexpedient in its use and consequently
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
minor and conclusion are vitious First the conclusion commeth not neare the question for were it granted it concludes no more but a duty of the Church-officers and members to try and be satisfied about the state of these who are to bee received into the Church but it hath no word of an other duty which is the point in question It speaks nothing of a necessity to separate from a Church upon the neglect of the former duty this alone is the state of the present controversie which neither is expressed nor by any consequence doth follow from any thing that is expressed in this conclusion for suppose it were a duty laid by God upon every Church-Officer and member to enquire accurately after the Faith and Sanctification of all to be received among them and to expect satisfaction in their tryall yet I hope that every neglect of duty in the Church-Officers much lesse in every Church-member and least of all the want of successe of a duty truly performed will not be found a just and necessary cause for every one to separate from a Church if all this be not expersly concluded this arrow misseth the marke Secondly That which is expressed in the conclusion pitcheth only upon one particular case which the Reformed Churches neither do nor may acknowledge for it speaks only of admission of members upon their confession of sins This fits well the practice of the Brownists who suppose a necessity to dissolve the Reformed Churches that now are as vitiously constituted from their first beginning They may seeme to have reason in their gathering of new Churches to put their members to tryall before admission but the Reformed Churches who take themselves to be so farre true that they need no dissolution or new erection are not concerned in this case of admission for their members were borne in the Church and had the Covenant sealed to them in Baptisme what tryall they take of their children when they admit them to the Lords Table is no wayes for their admission to be members for this practice is a maine pillar of Anabaptisme and our brethrens engagement therein is the ground of all their sympathy and symbolising with that Sect So then the conclusion commeth short of the question and toucheth not the Reformed Churches but is builded on the pillars of rigid Separation and Anabaptisme taking that for granted which no Reformed Church may admit but upon hard termes no milder then the nullity and dissolution of all their Churches that out of the rubbish a new building may bee erected after the Separatists patterne The major also is vitious for suppose the antecedent of it were true yet there is no force therein to inferre the consequent be it so that every Church-member ought to be so holy as you will yet can this inferre the peoples power to try that holinesse which is the one halfe of the consequent Such a power in the people would make every one of them a Church-Governour which none of the Reformed Churches nor the halfe of the Separatists themselves will admit and they who doe plead for it set it upon other pillars but no man I know deduceth it from any thing in the antecedent now in hand For the rest of the consequent the Officers satisfaction in the true and sincere grace of the members at their first admission if it have any truth yet it commeth too short of reason and runnes also farre beyond the most rigid Separatists If a tryall must be made of Church-members why at their first admission alone and never after Is it not an ordinary case in all Churches and as much among the Brownists and Independents as any other that many who at first have been taken for truly regenerate have thereafter fallen to such errours in judgement and such practices in life as have given just ground to conclude the irregeneration of some and to doubt the regeneration of others Now if the uncertainty of regeneration be a just cause to hold a man out of all Churches is it not as just a cause to cast a man out of a Church when by doctrine or life this uncertainty appears which at first was covered yet none of our Brethren affirm that the uncertainty of regeneration nor the certainty of irregeneration is a just ground to cast any man out of the Church who once is come in The consequent also runs wide of the rigid Separatists for the holinesse they require is expresly externall which may stand with the internall wickednesse of hypocrites but the consequent speaks of inward sincerity contradistinguished from all outward professions The Minor is the part of the Argument which they labour to fortifie knowing the greatest weight to lie upon it We do deny it as a very dangerous errour every member of a visible Church is not in truth and sincerity a Believer and Saint This is against Scripture and all experience in every visible Church all who are called are not chosen In the field of God there are tares among the wheat in his fold goats amongst the sheep in his net bad fishes among the good in his house vessels for dishonour not for honour only In the best Churches of the Scripture we have too many bad members Iudas Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus Hymeneus and Philetus Demas and the like They dare not deny but some gracelesse hypocrites are in their best Congregations and if they should deny it the frequent out-breaking of their enormities to the eyes of the world would extort their confession The proofes they bring come not up to the Question that in the first of the Corinthians first and second sanctified in Christ and called to bee Saints if yee understand it of an outward calling alone it is not pertinent if of an inward efficacious call it is true not of every member but of some onely and is attributed to the whole Church of Corinth indefinitely because of these some who truly were elected justified and sanctified but that this was not true of all and every one of that Church is cleare by the Apostles complaint of many among them of some for Incest of others for injurious defrauding of their neighbours of some for carnall Schismes of others for prophane drunkennesse at the Lords Table it selfe of others for fundamentall errours The first of the Gal. 2 v hath nothing sounding toward the present question but the fourth verse is brought by the Brownists to something neare it that Christ had dyed for the Galatians sinnes and separated them from this present evill world if this import any true grace yet it may not bee applyed to every member of that Church for in the words following the Apostle beareth witnesse that sundry of them were removed to another Gospel that they were foolish and bewitched to rebell against the truth The relation of the Church to the persons of the Trinity that it is the body and Spouse of Christ the Temple of the holy
yeelded yet how will they prove that the Scribes and Pharisees were of any other Tribe then of Levi CHAP. IX Whether the power of Ecclesiastick Iurisdiction belongs to the People or to the Presbyterie THe next Question concernes the power of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction to whom it may be due by Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction is understood the admission of Members into a Church their casting out againe by Excomunication their reconciliation after repentance the Ordination of Officers their deposition from their charge the Determining of Questions the deciding of Controversies and such other acts of Ecclesiastick authority Till of late the state of the Question here was very cleare and plaine the Reformed Churches doe put both the power and the exercise of Jurisdiction into the hand of the Presbytery that is the company of Elders and Colledge of Church Governours The Brownists and after them the Independents did ascribe all these acts to the Church as well without as with a Presbytery but of late Master Cotton in his Booke of the Keyes and his Brethren in their Synodick meetings of New-England have so subtilized and as to me it seemes involved the Question with a multitude of new distinctions that it is very hard to apprehend with any certaintie and clearenesse their meaning and more hard to reconcile any one with himselfe much lesse one with another They would seeme to differ much from the Brownists they stand not to put them in the Category of Morellius the first Patron of Democracie and popular government in the Church they professe a midway of government well ballanced with a prudent mixture of the Officers power with the peoples giving a part to both and all to neither They bring a multitude of distinctions rather to eschew the dint of our former arguments in the darkenesse of these Thickets then to give any light to this very great Question They insist most on two distinctions whereby they thinke to answer all we bring against them First they distinguish betwixt a Church Organized or Presbyterated as they speake and a Church inorganized and unpresbyterated the one is a body Heterogeneous a covenanted people with their Officers framed in a Presbitery the other a body Homogeneous a people in a Church Covenant without Officers at least without a Presbytery They would seeme to plead or else the distinction is for no purpose for the power onely of an Organized and a Presbyterated Church If they would stand to this in earnest and firmely we should be glad for so they should openly desert not onely the whole race of the Brownists but all their owne former Writings practises and enervate the best of these very arguments they still adhere unto for if ye will consider what is written by Mr. Cotton either in his Catechisme or way or answer to the thirty two Questions or the Arguments that still he insists upon in the Keyes or their generall practise in Holland and New-England to this day you will see that they maintaine the Jurisdiction of a Church as well unpresbyterated without a Presbytery without Officers as of a Church Presbiterated for the power of Ordination of Officers and of their deposition the power of admitting and casting out of Members which are the highest acts of Jurisdiction they ascribe expressely to every Church whether it have or want Officers as its proper and undeniable priviledge Their other new distinction wherein openly they applaud so much one another as it were contending who should have the glory of its invention is of a double power one of Authority and another of Liberty ascribing unto a Presbyterated Church the whole power of Jurisdiction and every part of it both to the Officers of their Presbytery and to the people in their fraternity or brotherhood but so that the interest of the Officers in every act is a power of authority which makes that their action only is valid and binding but the interest of the people is a power of liberty to concurre in these acts of Jurisdiction by an obedientiall yet a necessary and authoritative concurrence This new distinction will not serve their turne for first it s not applicable to the chiefe acts of Jurisdiction in question their Ordination of Officers their admission of Members are done ordinarily by their people alone without the concurrence of any Officers who then are not in being Secondly their arguments for the peoples interest in Excommunication Absolution and other acts of Jurisdiction inferre either nothing at all or much more then that which they call a power of Liberty or of an authoritative concurrence Thirdly this distinction involves the Authors in new unextricable difficulties it makes the Keyes Sword of Christ altogether inserviceable in common and ordinary cases wherein they have most neede and occasion to be set on worke Not onely according to their former principles they make every Congregation uncensurable for any possible crime But by this new Doctrine they confesse that every Presbytery in a Congregation becomes uncensurable and that every people of a Congregation becometh uncapable of any censure Yea farther if the most part of the Presbytery suppose two ruling Elders joyne together in the greatest heresies and crimes the whole people with the rest of the Presbitery suppose the Pastor cannot censure these two Elders also if the greatest part of the people should joyne in the greatest wickednesse yet the whole Presbytery with the rest of the people that remaine sincere and gracious cannot censure the wicked In all these and divers such ordinary cases they have no remedy but Separation and alwayes Separation upon Separation till their Church be dissolved into so small portions that it cannot by more Separations be farther divided But let us consider the Arguments upon both sides First we reason thus The people are not the Governors of the Church But the acts of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction belong to the Governors of the Church Ergo The acts of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction belong not to the people The Minor is cleare from the nature of the very termes for Jurisdiction is either all one with Government or a chiefe part of it now Government is essentially relative to Governors The Major is proved by many Scriptures which make the people so farre from being Governors that they are obliged to be subject and obedient to their Officers as to them by whom God will have them governed Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you for they watch for your soules as they who must give an account 1 Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honour 1 Thes 5.12 Know them which are over you in the Lord and esteeme them very highly in love for their workes sake God hath made them Pastors and the people their flocke them Builders the people the stones laid by them in the building them Fathers the people children begotten by their Ministry them Stewards the people domesticks under their conduct Secondly whosoever
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-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
to this day which were much against the currant of scripture since all this while he hath beene sitting upon the Throne of his Father David and ruling his Church as King and Monarch thereof yet it were uncomely to confine the time of his reigne to come to a thousand yeares this were too small an endurance for his Monarchy Many humane Principalities sundry States and Empires which have beene and this day are in the world might contend for a longer continuance for this cause it seemes to be that Master Archer the most resolute Doctor in this question that I have met with makes the thousand yeares we debate of to be onely the evening of Christs Personall reigne but to the morning therof wherein at leisure all the processes of the Last Judgement are gone through he ascribes a great many more yeares readily another thousand and why not two or three or more thousands It is good to be wise to sobriety arrogant curiosity and presumptuous wantonnesse of wit â—s detestable though in the best men Seventhly the place makes Satan to be bound up onely from seducing the Nations that he should not be able as before the comming of Christ he was to misleade the Nations of the whole world to Idolatry a free doore then being opened to the Gospell in every Nation for their conversion to the truth but our new Doctors extend the place much further they will have Satan bound up for a 1000 yeares not onely from seducing Nations to Idolatry but from tempting any person to any sin this is contrary to these Scriptures which makes every Saint in all ages to fight not onely with flesh and bloud but with Principalities and Powers which makes Satan always to goe about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure and that so boldly that in the very presence of Christ he doth seeke to winnow the best of his Disciples yea the place in hand gives to Satan in the very time of the thousand yeares so great power upon multitudes of men who never were sanctified but ever his vassalls led by him at his will that he makes them compasse the holy City and the Campe of the Saints to fight against God till fire from heaven did destroy them Beside this famous place Master Archer Master Mattoun and T. G. in his glimps bring a number of other scriptures for their Tenet wherewith we neede not meddle for Master Petree and Master Hayne in peculiar treatises have answered them all onely the cheife of them which Master Burrows in his treatise upon Hos 1. is pleased to chuse out we will consider He builds much upon Daniel 12. as if it did prove the resurrection of some of the godly to an earthly glory a thousand yeares before the last Judgement he borroweth from the glimpse foure arguments word by word there is a fifth also in the glimpse which the most of that party doe much insist upon the first is taken from the second verse of that 12 chap. At the last Judgement say they all shall rise but in that place many doe rise not all Answer We prove that the Prophet speakes here of the last resurrection by two grounds which our Brethren will not deny First the resurrection unto life eternall is onely at the last day but the resurrection whereof Daniel speakes is expresly to life eternall not that prior resurrection which out Brethren aime at to a temporall Kingdome of a thousand yeares Secondly the resurrection of the wicked to eternall shame is onely at the last day for according to our Brethrens Doctrine the wicked have no part of the first resurrection and rise not till the thousand yeares be ended now the resurrection whereof Daniel speakes in verse 2. is expressely of the wicked to shame and death as well as of the godly to life and glory As for their Argument from the word Many it proves not that all did not rise but onely that these that did rise were many and a great multitude Therefore Deodate Translates the words well according to the sence of the Originall The multitude of these that sleepe in the dust The Collectives omnes multi are sometimes Synonemy's according to the matter in hand as omnes must sometimes be taken for multi so multi must sometimes be taken for omnes Secondly They reason from the third verse that in the last resurrection the bodies of all the Saints shall shine as the Sunne But in the resurrection whereof the Prophet speakes no body shines as the Sunne but some as the Starres others as the Firmament Answ The preceding verse evinces unanswerably that the Prophet here is speaking of the last resurrection to life everlasting as for the argument it doth not follow that they who here are said to have so much glory may not elsewhere be said to have more for that which here the Prophet intends to expresse is not the absolute but the comparative glory of the Saints however the least disciple should shine as the Sunne yet if ye compare his glory with the greater light of an other you may expresse the glory of both in the similitude of lightsome bodies lesse glorious then the Sunne if so these bodies differ one from another in degrees of glory for all that the Prophet here aimes at is onely this difference of glory Christ in the Gospell makes all the Saints to shine as the Sunne yet the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.45 distinguishing the different degrees of glory that is among the Saints scruples not to expresse the glory of the most of them in the similitude of bodies lesse glorious then the Sunne There is one glory of the Sunne another glory of the Moone another of the Starres for one Starre differeth from another Starre in glory so also is the resurrection from the dead Further will our Brethren affirme that the bodies of the Saints on earth during the time of those thousand yeares shall be so farre changed as to shine like the Starres and yet to eate drinke and sleepe so much glory can hardly stand with so much basenesse Thirdly They reason from the fourth verse The last resurrection is no mystery nor any secret to be sealed up to the end of the vision But the resurrection here spoken of is such a mystery as must be sealed up Answer First according to Mr. Burrowes expresse profession in the same place the Argument may be inverted for the first resurrection to the thousand yeares of glory he makes a Doctrine very well knowne and much insisted upon by all the Prophets before Christ but the Generall resurrection and life everlasting he makes to be a hid and secret Doctrine which the Prophets in the old Testament doe scarcely touch Secondly Life eternall and death eternall heaven and hell are to this day very great Mysteries to the most of the world and Scriptures concerning these are hid and closed above any other Thirdly The words speake not onely of the resurrection but of the
these promises upon earth till their Ierusalem were againe builded and they put in possession of the holy land to build their houses and plant their Uineyeards therein till they saw themselves put in possession of their present carnall legall hopes Yea T. G. his literall exposition of this and the like places goes beyond the most of the Iewish apprehensions For that any of the Talmudists do dreame that at the comming of the Messias the Lyon shall eate straw that the Leoparde and the Lambe the Serpent and the sucking childe shall be brought to such a sympathy of natures as not to have the least disposition to doe harme the one to the other That the life of men shall be so much at that time prolonged as one of an hundred yeares must be taken but for an Infant and a childe that the most fabulous of the Rabbins have gone thus farre in a litterall beleefe I doe not know His eight place is Heb. 2.5 8. For unto the Angells he hath not put in subjection the world to come but now we see not yet all things put under him whence he inferres that Christ in the world to come is to reigne and to have all things put under his feet which is not now performed the Apostle saying expressely that now all things are not put under him neither is this true in the life to come for then the Kingdome of Christ is rendred up to the Father Ans The world to come is not that imaginary world of the 1000 yeares whereof the Scripture speaks no thing but the dayes of the Gospell of which the Apostle is there speaking and shewing that the Gospell was administred not by Angells as the Law had beene upon Mount Sinai but by the Sonne of God himselfe This new world under the Gospell did differ more from the old world under the Law then the earth in the dayes of Noah and the Patriarchs after the floud from the earth in the dayes of Noah before the floud This new world of the Gospell began with Christs first comming in the flesh it was demonstrated in his Resurrection When all power in heaven and in earth was given to him Math. 28.18 When all the Angells of God did worshippe him Heb. 1 6. When he was set farre above all Principalities and Powers Ephes 1.21 The accomplishment of this world is not till the Last day when Death Hell and Satan which yet are not made Christs footstoole shall fully be conquered These things cannot be verified of the thousand yeares For according to Mr. Burrowes grounds before they begin many things are annihilated and so not made subject The heavens and elements are melted with fervent heate The earth and the workes thereof are burnt up with fire Also during these thousand yeares Christs chiefe enemies are not fully subdued death still hath dominion over men the devill is onely bound but yet alive and not cast into the lake His ninth place is Ier. 3.16.17 They shall say no more the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord neither shall it come to minde neither shall they remember it at that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord and all the Nations shall be gathered unto it neither shall they walke any more after the imagination of their evill heart Hence he inferres A state of the Church in the Last dayes so glorious that all things by-past shall be forgot That Judah and Israel shall returne from their captivity to Jerusalem That all Nations shall joyne with them That they shall no more walke after their old sinnes That Jerusalem which before times was at best but the footstoole of God shall then become a throne of glory Answer There is no word here of Christs abode upon earth for a thousand yeares Secondly the old things that are to be forgotten are expressed to be the Ceremonies of the Law but no Ordinance of the Gospell The Prophet names the Arke and the Temple which by Christs first comming were removed Thirdly The walking of Iudah and Israel together and the Nations joyning with them Imports no more but the calling of Iewes and Gentiles by the Gospell to the Christian Church the heavenly Ierusalem The same which the Prophet Esay hath in his second Chap. vers 5. The establishing in the Last dayes of the House of God on the top of the mountaines the flowing of all Nations thereto for out of Sion shall goe forth a Law and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem These Last dayes were the dayes of the Apostles when they from Sion and Ierusalem did blow the Trumpet of the Gospell to all the Nations These were the times whereof Ieremy in the 15 verse of the Chapter in hand doth speake I will give you Pastors according to my heart which shall feede you with knowledge and understanding The Pastors there promised were Christ and his Apostles better Pastors then these God never sent neither ever shall send to his Church Fourthly Walking after Gods owne heart doth not import a freedome from all sinne but onely a state of grace wherein according to the new Covenant God gives his people a newheart and writes his Lawes upon the same Fifthly That whereupon the greatest weight of the argument is laid seemes to be a very groundlesse conceit That Ierusalem when it is a throne of glory must be the old Ierusalem builded againe as if Ierusalem under the Law and Ierusalem in the dayes of the Gospell the Church in the new Testament the mother of us all were but the footestoole of God This is a doctrine expresly against Scripture for in divers places Ierusalem Sion and the Arke even in the old Testament are called not onely the footstoole but the throne of God Ier. 14.21 Doe not abhorre us for thy names sake doe not disgrace the throne of thy glory Also Chap. 17.12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our Sanctuary The Lord did as it were sit upon the Mercy Seate as upon a chaire of State under the Canopy of the wings of the Cherubins within the Sanctuary the chamber of his most Majestuous presence Ierusalem under the new Testament is called not onely the throne of God but his footstoole Esay 40.13 To beautifie the place of my Sanctuary and I will make the place of my feete glorious This place our Brethren expound of the Sanctuary during the time of the thousand yeares However it is cleare it must be expounded of the Church in the same times whereof Ieremiah speakes in his third Chapter whence the Argument in hand is brought The tenth place is Dan. 2 44. And in the dayes of these Kings shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed and it shall stand for ever Whence is inferred an everlasting Kingdome of Christ a joy of Ierusalem unchangeable to any sorrow Answer Christs Everlasting Kingdome is meerely spirituall and heavenly That dominion which
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
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
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