the Graces of Hypocrites and Believers in the kinds of them Confutation 16. If this be true then Hypocrites are wise humble merciful pure c. and so shall see God Mat. 5. 8. but they are called fools Mat. 7. 26. Mat. 25. 1 2 3. neither shall they see God Mat. 24. 51. Mat. 13. 20 21 22 23. Heb. 6. 7 8 9. the difference of the grounds argueth the difference in the kinds of Graces Error 17. True poverty of spirit doth kill and take away the sight of Grace Confutation 17. This is contrary to Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help my unbelief if this were so then poverty of spirit should binder Thankfulness and so one Grace should hinder another and the Graces of the Spirit should hinder the work of the Spirit and cross the end why he is given to us 1 Cor. 2. 12. Error 18. The Spirit doth work in Hypocrites by Gifts and Graces but in Gods Children immediately Confutation 18. This is contrary to Nehem. 5. 15. So did I because of the fear of the Lord Heb. 11. 17. Noah moved with fear prepared an Ark. Error 19. That all Graces even in the truly regenerate are mortal and fading Confutation 19. This is contrary to Ioh. 4. 14. they are Graces which flow from a Fountain which springeth up to Eternal Life and therefore not fading Ier. 31. 39 40. Error 20. That to call into question whether God be my dear Father after or upon the commission of some hainous sins as Murther Incest c. doth prove a man to be in the Covenant of works Confutation 20. It being supposed that the doubting here spoken of is not that of final despair or the like but only that the Position denieth a possibility of all doubting to a man under a Covenant of Grace this is contrary to Scripture which speaketh of God's people under a Covenant of Grace in these or other Cases exercised with sweet Doubtings and Questions David was a justifi'd man for his sins were pardoned 2 Sam. 12. 12 13. yet his Bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long and the heaviness of Gods hand was upon him night and day and the turning of his moisture into the drought of Summer Psal. 32. 3 4. and Gods breaking his Bones by with-holding from him the joy of his Salvation Psal 51 8. shew that he was exercised with sweet Doubts and Questions at least as this Position speaketh of and the like may be gathered out of Psal. 77. 3 4. where the holy Man Asaph mentioneth himself being troubled when he remembred God and that he was so troubled he could not speak nor sleep and expostulateth with God Will the Lord cast off for ever And will he be favourable no more And ver 6 7 8 9. These shew that he had at least sweet doubts as the Position mentioneth and yet he was not thereby proved to be under a Covenant of works for he doth afterward confess this to be his infirmity vers 10. and receiveth the Comfort of former Experiences in former days and his songs in the nights and of Gods former works vers 5 6. 10 11 12. and he resumeth his claim of his right in God by vertue of his Covenant verse 13. Error 21. To be justified by Faith is to be justified by Works Confutation 21. If Faith in this position be considered not simply as a work but in relation to its Object this is contrary to the Scripture that so appropriateth Justification to Faith as it denieth it to Works setting Faith and Works in opposition one against another in the point of Justification as Rom. 3. 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law By the Law of works No but by the Law of Faith and ver 28. We conclude that a man is justified by Faith without the works of the Law and chap. 4. 16. Therefore it is by Faith that it may be by grace compared with vers 4. To him that worketh is the Reward reckoned not of grace but of debt Error 22. None are to be exhorted to believe but such whom we know to be the Elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually Confutation 22. This is contrary to the Scriptures which maketh the Commission which Christ gave his Disciples in these words Go Preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 15 16. where the latter words imply an Exhortation to believe and the former words direct that this should not only be spoken to men known to be Elected or only to men effectually called but to every creature The Scripture also telleth us that the Apostles in all places called upon men to repent and believe the Gospel which they might not have done had this position been true Error 23. We must not pray for gifts and graces but only for Christ. Confutation 23. This is contrary to Scripture which teacheth us to pray for Wisdom Iam. 1. 5. and for every grace bestowed by vertue of the new Covenant Ezek. 36. 37. as acknowledging every good gift and every perfect giving is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights The whole 119. Psalm besides innumerable Texts of Scripture doth abundantly confute this by shewing that the servants of God have been taught by the spirit of God to pray for every gift and grace needful for them and not only for Christ. Error 24. He that hath the Seal of the Spirit may certainly judge of any person whether he be Elected or no. Confutation 24. This is contrary to Deut. 29 29. Secret things belong to God and such is Election of men not yet called Error 25. A man may have all graces and poverty of spirit and yet want Christ. Confutation 25. This is contrary to Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit but without Christ none can be blessed Ephes. 4. 22 24. he that hath Rightoousness and true Holiness hath learned the truth as it is in Jesus and therefore hath Christ. Error 26. The Faith that justifieth us is in Christ and never had any actual Being out of Christ. Confutation 26. This is contrary to Scripture Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Ergo Faith was in them 2 Tim. 1. 6. Faith is said to dwell in such and such persons therefore Faith was in them Isa. 64. 7. No man stirs up himself to lay hold upon thee Error 27. It is incompatible to the Covenant of Grace to joyn Faith thereunto Confutation 27. This is contrary to Mark 16. 16. Preach the Gospel He that believeth shall be saved Rom 4. 3. Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for Righteousness and Abraham is a pattern to all under the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4. 24. Error 28. To affirm there must be Faith on mans part to receive the Covenant is to undermine Christ. Confutation 28. First Faith is requir'd on mans part to receive the Covenant of Grace according to these Scriptures Ioh. 1. 12. To
as many as received him even to them that believed on his Name Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved Secondly to affirm there must be Faith on mans part to receive Christ is not to undermine Christ but to exalt him according to these Scriptures Ioh. 3. 33. He that believeth hath put to his Seal that God is True and so honours Gods Truth which cannot undermine Christ Rom. 4. 20. But was strong in the Faith giving Glory to God c. Error 29. An Hypocrite may have these two witnesses 1 Ioh. 5. 5. that is to say the Water and Blood Confutation 29. No Hypocrite can have these two witnesses Water and Blood that is true Justification and Sanctification for then he should be saved according to these Scriptures Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Acts 26 18. Error 30. If any thing may be concluded from the Water and Blood it is rather Damnation than Salvation Confutation 30. This is contrary to the Scripture last mentioned Error 31. Such as see any Grace of God in themselves before they have the assurance of Gods Love sealed to them are not to be received Members of Churches Confutation 31. This is contrary to Acts 8. 37 38. where the Eunuch saw his Faith only and yet was presently baptized and therefore by the same ground might be admitted Error 32. After the revelation of the Spirit neither Devil nor Sin can make the Soul to doubt Confutation 32. This position savours of Error else Asaph had not the revelation of the Spirit seeing he doubted Psal. 73. 13. whether he had not cleansed his heart in vain and that God had forgotten to be gracious then also Faith should be perfect which was never found no not in our Father Abraham Error 33. To act by vertue of or in obedience to a command is legal Confutation 33. So is it also Evangelical the Mystery of the Gospel is said to be revealed for the obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25. Also the Lord Jesus is said to be the author of Salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. If we love Christ we are to keep his Commandments Joh. 14. 29. Error 34. We are not to Pray against all sin because the old Man is in us and must be And why should we Pray against that which cannot be avoided Confutation 34. This is contrary to 1 Thess. 5. 23. 1 Cor. 13. 7. Error 35. The efficacy of Christ's death is to kill all activity of Graces in his Members that he might act all in all Confutation 35. This is contrary to Rom. 6. 4. Our old man is crucified witâ—… him that the body of sin might be destroyed that we should not serve sin contrary also to Heb. 4. 14. That he might through death destroy him c. and 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Whence we infer that if Christ came to destroy the body of sin to destroy the Devil to dissolve the Works of the Devil then not to kill his own graces which are the works of his own Spirit Error 36. All the activity of a Believer is to act to sin Confutation 36. Contrary to Rom. 7. 15. as also to Gal. 5. 17. The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh. Error 37. We are compleatly united to Christ before or without any Faith wrought in us by the Spirit Confutation 37. The term united being understood of that spiritual relation of men unto Christ whereby they come to have life and right to all other blessings in Christ 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life And the term compleatly implying a presence of all those bands and ligaments and means as are required in the Word or are any ways necessary to the making up of the union we now conceive this assertion to be erroneous contrary to Scripture that either expresly mentioneth Faith when it speaketh of this union Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Gal. 2. 20. Christ liveth in me by Faith or ever implyeth it in those phrases that do express union as coming to Christ Iohn 6. 35. and eating and drinking Christ vers 47. compared with v. 54. having the Son 1 Iohn 5. 12. and receiving Christ Iohn 1. 12. and Marriage unto Christ Ephes. 5. 32. if there be no dwelling of Christ in us no coming to him no receiving him no eating nor drinking him no being married to him before and without Faith but the former is true therefore also the latter Error 38. There can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Confutation 38. This opinion we conceive erroneous contrary to Esay 55 1 2. Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Revel 22. 17. Let him that is athirst come Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel if the word indefinitely be sanctified for the begetting of Faith if the Gospel it self be laid down in a conditional promise if the Apostles and Prophets and Christ himself have laid hold upon such Promisea to help to Union and closing with himself then there may be a true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Error 39. The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. Confutation 39. This is contrary to express words of Scripture Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Act. 10 43. To him give all the Prophets witness Rom. 3. 21. The righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony Act. 17. 11. The Bereans were more noble in that they searched the Scriptures daily If the Prophets give witness to Christ if his righteousness be witnessed by Law and Prophets and that they be noble that daily search the Scriptures and that Christ so far alloweth their Testimony of him that the Scripture saith there is no light but in and according to them then the due searching and knowledge of Scriptures is a safe way to search Christ but the former is true and therefore also the latter Error 40. There is a testimony of the Spirit and voice unto the Soul meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the Word Confutation 40. This immediate revelation without concurrence with the word doth not onely countenance but confirm that opinion of Enthusiasme justly refused by all the Churches as being contrary to the perfection of the Scriptures and perfection of God's wisdom therein That which is not revealed in the Scripture which is objectum adaequatum fidei is not to be believed but that there is any such revelation without concurrence with the Word is no where revealed in the Scripture Ergo. 1 Cor. 4. 16. Presume not above that which is written Again if there be any immediate
and wilfulness of their Maintainer's laid stark naked 4. Then after this mean was tried and the Magistrates saw that neither our Preaching Conference nor yet our Assembly meeting did effect the cure but that still after conference had together the Leaders put such life into the rest that they all went on in their former course not only to disturb the Churches but miserably interrupt the Civil Peace and that they threw contempt both upon Courts and Churches and began now to raise Sedition amongst us to the indangering of the Common-wealth Hereupon for these grounds named and not for their Opinions as themselves falsely reported and as our godly Magistrates have been much traduced here in England for these reasons I say being civil disturbances the Magistrate convents them as it plainly appears pag. 28 29. of this Book and censures them some were disfranchised others fined the incurable amongst them banished This was another mean of their subduing some of the Leaders being down and othâ—…rs gone the rest were weakned but yet they for all this strongly held up their heads many a day after 5. Then God himself was pleased to step in with his casting voice and bring in his own vote and suffrage from Heaven by testifying his displeasure against their opinions and practices as clearly as if he had pointed with his finger in causing the two Fomenting Women in the time of the height of the opinions to produce out of their Wombs as before they had out of their brains such Monstrous births as no Chronicle I think hardly ever recorded the like Mistriss Dier brought forth her birth of a woman child a fish a beast and a fowl all woven together in one and without an head as pag. 44 describes to which I refer the Reader Mistriss Hutchison being big with Child and growing towards the time of her labour as other women do she brought forth not one as Mistris Dier did but which was more strange to amazement thirty monstrous births or thereabouts at once some of them bigger some lesser some of one shape some of another few of any perfect shape none at all of them as far as I could ever learn of humane shape These things are so strange that I am almost loth to be the reporter of them lest I should seem to feign a new story and not to relate an old one but I have learned otherwise blessed be his name than to delude the world with untruths And these things are so well known in New-England that they have been made use of in publick by the reverend Teacher of Boston and testified by so many Letters to Friends here that the things are past Question And see how the wisdom of God sitted this judgment to her sin every way for look as she had vented mishapen opinions so she must bring forth deformed Monsters and as about thirty opinions in number so many monsters and as those were publick and not in a corner mentioned so this is now come to be known and famous over all these Churches and a great part of the World And though he that runs may read their sin in these judgments yet behold the desperate and stupendious hardness of heart in these persons and their followers who were so far from seeing the finger of God in all these dreadful passages that 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 farther blinded by God's hand upon us in your legal ways and stumble and fall and in the end break your necks into hell if ye imbrace not the Truth Now I am upon Mistris Hutchison's Story I will digress a little to give you a farther tast of her spirit viz. After she was gone from us to the Island the Church of Boston sent unto her four of their Members men of a lovely and winning spirit as most likely to prevail to see if they could convince and reduce her according to 2 Thess. 3. 13. When they came first unto her she asked from whom they came and what was their business They answered We are come in the name of the Lord Iesus from the Church of Christ at Boston to labour to convince you of c At that word she being filled with as much disdain in her countenance as bitterness in her spirit replied What from the Church at Boston I know no such Church neither will I own it call it the Whore and Strumpet of Boston no Church of Christ so they said no more seeing her so desperate but returned Behold the spirit of error to what a pass it drives a Man This loud-speaking Providence from heaven in the monsters did much awaken many of their followers especially the tenderer sort to attend God's meaning therein and made them at such a stand that they dared not slight so manifest a sign from heaven that from that time we found many of their ears boared as they had good cause to attend to Counsel but others yet followed them 6. The last stroke that slew the opinions was the falling away of their Leaders 1. Into more hideous and soul-destroying Delusions which rain indeed all Religion as that the Souls of men are mortal like the beasts That there is no such thing as inherent Righteousness That these Bodies of ours shall not rise again That their own revelations of particular Events were as infallible as the Scripture c. 2. They also grew many of them very loose and degenerate in their practices for these opinions will certainly produce a filthy life by degrees As no prayer in their Families no Sabbath insufferable pride frequâ—…nt and hideous lying divers of them being proved guilty some of five other of ten gross lies another falling into a lie God smote him in the very act that he sunk down into a deep swound and being by hot waters recover'd and coming to himself said Oh God thou mightst have struck me dead as Ananias and Saphira for I have maintained a lie Mistress Hutchison and others cast out of the Church for lying and some guilty of fouler sins than all these which I here name not These things exceedingly amazed their followers especially such as were led after them in the simplicity of their hearts as many were and now they began to see that they were deluded by them A great while they did not believe that Mistress Hutchison and some others did hold such things as they were taxed for but when themselves heard her defending her twenty nine cursed Opinions in Boston Church and there falling into fearful lying with an impudent fore-head in the open Assembly then they believed what before they could not and were ashamed before God and men that ever they were so led aside from the Lord and his Truth and the godly Counsel of their faithful Ministers by such an Impostor as she was Now no man could lay more upon them than they would upon themselves
the Word or Directions thereof are not the Rule whereunto Christians are bound to conform themselves to live thereafter Confutation 4 5. This is contrary to the Scriptures which direct us to the Law and to the Testimony Esa. 8. 20. which also speaks of Christians as not being without Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 22. Error 6. The Example of Christ's Life is not a pattern according to ‑ which men ought to act Confutation 6. This position those actions of Christ excepted which he did as God or as a Mediator God and man or on special occasions which concern not us is unsound being contrary to the Scripture wherein the example of Christs life is propounded to Christians as a Pattern of Imitation both by Christ and his Apostles Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek c. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ Ephes. 5. 2. Walk in love as Christ hath loved us 1 Pet. 2. 21. Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps 1 Joh. 2. 26. He that saith he abideth in him ought so to walk even as he hath walked Error 7. The new Creature or the new Man mentioned in the Gospel is not meant of Grace but of Christ. Confutation 7. The false-hood of this Proposition appeareth from the Scriptures which first propound Christ and the new Creature as distinct one from another 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new Creature Secondly The new Man is opposed to the old Man the old man is meant of Lusts and Vices and not of Adams person Ephes. 2. 22 24. Therefore the new Man is meant of graces and vertues and not of the person of Christ Col. 3. 9 10. Thirdly the new man is expresly said to consist in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4. 25. and to be renewed in Knowledge Col. 3. 10. which are Graces and not Christ. Error 8. By love 1 Corinth 13. 13. and by the armour mentioned Ephes. 6. are meant Christ. Confutation 8. This position is near of kin to the former but secondly the opposite 1 Cor. 13. meaneth that love which he exhorteth Christians to bear one towards another which if it were meant of Christ he might be said to exhort them to bear Christ one to another as well as to love one another 2. Faith and Hope there mentioned have Christ for their object and if by love be meant Christ he had put no more in the latter word than in the two former 3. And besides it may as well be said Faith in love as Faith in Christ and Hope in love as Hope in Christ if that were the meaning And by armour Ephes. 6. cannot be meant Christ. First Because two parts of that armour are Faith and Hope whereof the Scriptures make Christ the Object Col. 1. 5. Beholding the stedfastness of your Faith in Christ 1 Cor. 15. 19. If in this life only we had hope in Christ c. Now these Graces and the Object of them cannot be the same Secondly A person armed with that Armour may be said to be a sincere righteous patient Christian but if by the armour be meant Christ such predication should have been destroyed and you might more properly say a Christified Christian. Error 9. The whole letter of the Scripture holds for a Covenant of Works Confutation 9. This position is unsound and contrary to the constant tenor of the Gospel a main part of the Scriptures which in the letter thereof holds not forth a Covenant of works but of Grace as appeareth Ioh. 3. 16. 1. Tim. 1. 15. Mat. 11. 28. Heb. 8. 10 11. 12. Error 10. That God the Father Son and Holy Ghost may give themselves to the Soul and the Soul may have true Union with Christ true Remission of sins true Marriage and Fellowship true Sanctification from the Blood of Christ and yet be an Hypocrite Confutation 10. The word true being taken in the sense of the Scriptures this also crosseth the doctrine of Ephes. 4. 24. where Righteousness and true Holiness are made proper to him that hath heard and learned the truth as it is in Jesus Error 11. As Christ was once made flesh so he is now first made flesh in us ere we be carried to perfection Confutation 11. Christ was once made flesh Ioh. 1. 14. no other incarnation is recorded and therefore not to be believed Error 12. Now in the Covenant of Works a Legalist may attain the same Righteousness for truth which Adam had in Innocency before the Fall Confutation 12. He that can attain Adams Righteousness in sincerity hath his sin truly mortified but that no Legalist can have because true Mortification is wrought by the Covenant of Grace Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace Error 13. That there is a new birth under the Covenant of Works to such a kind of Righteousness as before is mentioned from which the Soul must be again converted before it can be made partaker of Gods Kingdom Confutation 13. This is contrary to Tit. 3. 4. where the new birth is made a fruit of Gods love towards man in Christ of any new birth besides this the Scripture speaketh not It is also contrary to 2 Cor. 3. where it is made the work of the Spirit that is the Gospel opposed to the letter that is to the Law to give life the new birth brings forth the new creature and the new creature argueth our being in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is true indeed Gods Children that are born again must be converted again as Mat. 18. 3. but that conversion is not from that grace which they have received but from the corruption that still remains Error 14. That Christ works in the regenerate as in those that are dead and not as in those that are alive or the regenerate after Conversion are altogether dead to spiritual Acts. Confutation 14. This is contrary to Rom. 6. 11. Ye are alive unto God in Jesus Christ Ephes. 2. 1 5. He hath quickned us 1 Pet. 2. 5. Living stones Gal. 2. 20. The life that I now live Error 15. There is no inherent Righteousness in the Saints or Grace and Graces are not in the Souls of Believers but in Christ only Confutation 15. This is contrary to 2 Tim. 1. 5. The unfeigned Faith that dwelt in thee and dwelt first in thy Grandmoother 2 Pet. 1. 4. Partakers of the Divine Nature which cannot be but by inherent Righteousness 2 Tim. 1. 6. Stir up the Grace of God which is in thee Iohn 1. 16. Of his Fulness we all receive Grace for Grace but if there be no Grace in us we receive nothing from his Fulness 2 Cor. 4. 16. Our inward man is renewed day by day Rom. 12. 2. with Ephes. 4. 24. we are changed or renewed Error 16. There is no difference between
Court answer'd that it was apparent he was the Instrument of our Troubles he must prove them to be by such accident and till then the Blame must rest upon himself for we know Christ would not own them being out of his way After these and many other speeches had passed the Court declaring him guilty for troubling the Civil Peace both for his seditious Sermon and for his corrupt and dangerous Opinions and for his contemptuous Behaviour in divers Courts formerly and now obstinately maintaining and justifying his said Errors and Offences and for that he refused to depart voluntarily from us which the Court had now offered him and in a manner perswaded him unto Seeing it was apparent unto him from that of our Saviour Matth. that we could not continue together without the ruine of the whole he was sentenced to be disfranchised and banished our Jurisdiction and to be put in safe custody except he should give sufficient Security to depart before the end of March upon this he appealed to the King's Majesty but the Court told him an Appeal did not lie in this case for the King having given us an Authority by his Grant under his Great Seal of England to hear and determine all causes without any Reservation we were not to admit of any such Appeals for any such subordinate State either in Ireland or Scotland or other places and if an Appeal should lie in one case it might be challenged in all and then there would be no use of Government among us neither did an Appeal lie from any Court in any County or Corporation in England but if a party will remove his cause to any of the King 's higher Courts he must bring the King 's Writ for it neither did he tender any Appeal nor call any Witnesses nor desired any Act to be entred of it then he was demanded if he would give Security for his quiet departure which he refusing to do he was committed to the custody of the Marshal The next morning he bethought himself better and offered to give security alledging that he did not conceive the day before that a Sentence of Banishment was pronounced against him he also suffered to relinquish his Appeal and said he would accept of a simple Banishment The Court answer'd him that for his Appeal he might do as he pleased and for his departure he should have the liberty the Court had offered him provided he should not preach in the mean time but that he would not yield unto so in the end the Court gave him leave to go home upon his promise that if he were not departed out of this Jurisdiction within fourteen days he would render himself at the house of Mr. Stanton one of the Magistrates there to abide as a Prisoner till the Court should dispose of him Mr. Cogshall THe next who was called was Mr. Iohn Cogshall one of the Deacons of Boston upon his appearance the Court declared that the cause why they had sent for him was partly by occasion of his Speeches and Behaviour in this Court the other day and partly for some light miscarriages at other times and that they did look at him as one that had a principal Hand in all our late Disturbances of our publick Peace The first things we do charge you with is your justifying a Writing called a Remonstrance or Petition but indeed a seditious Libel and that when Mr. Asp. was questioned by the Court about it you stood up uncalled and justified the same saying to this effect that if the Court meant to dismiss him for that it was best to make but one work of all for though your self had not your Hand to the Petition yet you did approve thereof and your Hand was to the Protestation which was to the same effect whereupon you being also dismissed used clamorous and unbeseeming Speeches to the Court at your departure whereby we take you to be of the same mind with those who made the Petition and therefore liable to the same punishment upon this the Petition was openly read and liberty was granted to him to answer for himself His first answer was that what he then spake he spake as a Member of the Court to which it was answer'd again that 1. He was no Member of the Court standing upon Tryal whether to be allowed or rejected at such a time as he uttered most of those speeches 2. Admit he were yet it is no priviledge of a Member to reproach or affront the whole Court it is Licentiousness and no Liberty when a man may speak what he list for he was reminded of some words he uttered at his going forth of the Court to this effect that we had censured the Truth of Christ and that it was the greatest stroak that ever was given to Free-Grace To which he answer'd That his words were mistaken for he said that he would pray that our Eyes might be opened to see what we did for he thought it the greatest stroak that ever was given to N. E. for he did believe that Mr. Wheelwright did hold forth the Truth He was further charged that at the Court after the day of Elections he complained of Injury that the Petition which was tendered was not presently read before they went to Election To which being answer'd That it was not then seasonable and against the Order of that day but the Court were then ready to hear it if it were tendered whereupon he turned his back upon the Court and used menacing speeches to this effect That since they could not be heard then they would take another course To which he answer'd confessing he spake over hastily at that time that his words were only these Then we must do what God shall direct us He was further charged that he should say that half the people that were in Church-Covenant in N. E. were under a Covenant of Works this he did not deny but said he proved it by the Parable of the ten Virgins Mat. 15. After these and many other Speeches had passed between the Court and himself by which it plainly appeared that he had been a very busie instrument in occasioning of our publick Disturbances and his justifying of Mr. Wheelwrights Sermon and the Petition or Remonstrance being seditious Writings a Motion was made for his Banishment but he pretended that there was nothing could be laid to his Charge but matter of different opinion and that he knew not one Example in Scripture that a man was banished for his Judgment It was answer'd that if he had kept his Judgment to himself so as the publick Peace had not been troubled or endangered by it we should have left him to himself for we do not challenge power over mens Consciences but when seditious Speeches and Practices discover such a corrupt Conscience it is our duty to use Authority to reform both But though a great part of the Court did encline to a motion for his Banishment yet because his Speech
Light 4. That his party might not fear lest he should break the rule of Meekness c. he bringeth in the Example of Stephen Act. 7. 58. and the Example of Christ Ioh. 8. 44. and Mat. 23. 23. 5. To those who might fear lest this strife should cause a combustion in Church and Common-wealth he answers and tells them plainly it will do so but yet to uphold their hearts he arms them with the Prediction of Christ Luk. 12. 49. and tells them that it is the desire of the Saints that that fire were kindled and with that in Esa. 9. 5. which he interprets of Michael and the Angels and with that in Mal. 4. 2. and by that in the Revelation the Whore must be burnt 6. He arms them against persecution by exhorting them not to love their lives unto the death but be willing to be killed like sheep seeing it is impossible to hold forth the Truth of God with external peace and quietness This he inforceth by the Example of Sampson who slew more at his death than in his life These passages of his Sermon being openly read Master Wheelwright did acknowledge and justifie the same and being demanded either then or before whether by those under a Covenant of works he did mean any of the Ministers and other Christians in those Churches he answer'd that if he were shewed any that walked in such a way as he had described to be a Covenant of Works them he did mean Here divers speeches passed up and down whereof there was no special notice taken as not material to the purpose in hand The Court proceeded also to examine some witnesses about another Sermon of his whereat much offence had also been taken and not without cause as appeared to the Court for in that he seemed to scare men not only from legal Righteousness but even from Faith and Repentance as if that also were a way of the Covenant of works but this being matter of doctrine the Court passed it by for the present only they and the Ministers present divers of them declared their grief to see such Opinions risen in the Countrey of so dangerous Consequence and so directly crossing the Scope of the Gospel as was conceived and it was retorted upon him which he in his Sermon chargeth his adverse party with tho' uncharitably and untruly when he saith they would take away the True Christ that to make good such a Doctrine as he held forth to common intendment must needs call for a new Christ and a new Gospel for sure the old would not own or justifie it Then the Court propounded a question to the Ministers which because they desired time of consideration to make answer unto was given them in writing upon the outside of Master Wheelwrights Sermon in these words Whether by that which you have heard concerning Mr. Wheelwrights Sermon and that which was witnessed concerning him ye do conceive that the Ministers in this Country do walk in and teach such a way of Salvation and evidencing thereof as he describeth and accounteth to be a Covenant of works To this question being again called for into the Court the next morning they returned an affirmative answer in the very words of the question adding withal that they would not be understood that their doctrine and Master VVheelwrights about Justification and Salvation and evidencing thereof did differ in all things but only in the point presented and debated now in Court and that of this their answer they were ready to give reasons when the Court should demand them and that to this they consented except their Brother the Teacher of Boston After this by leave of the Court the Ministers all spake one by one in order some more largely laying open by solid Arguments and notorious Examples the great dangers that the Churches and Civil State were fallen into by the differences which were grown amongst us in matters of Religion offering themselves withal to imploy all their studies to effect a Reconciliation shewing also their desires that Mr. VVheelwright would be with them when they should meet for this purpose and blaming his former strangeness as a possible occasion of these differences of Judgment Others spake more briefly but consented with the former and all of them as they had occasion to speak to Mr. VVheelw or to make mention of him used him with all humanity and respect what his carriage was towards them again those who were present may judge as they saw cause The matters objected against Mr. VVheel being recollected and put to the vote the opinion of the Court was that he had run into Sedition and Contempt of the Civil Authority which accordingly was recorded to the same effect and he was injoyned to appear at the next general Court to abide their further Sentence herein And whereas motion was made of injoyning him silence in the mean time the Ministers were desired to deliver their Advice what the Court might do in such a case Their Answer was that they could not give a clear resolution of the question at the present but for Mr. VVheel they desired that the Court would rather refer him to the Church of B. to deal with him for that matter which accordingly was done and so he was dismissed Such of the Magistrates and Deputies as had not concurred with the major part in the Vote some of them moved that the dissent might be recorded but it was denyed as a course never used in this or any such Court. Afterward they tendered a Protestation which was also refused because therein they had justifi'd Mr. VVheel as a faithful Minister of the Lord Jesus and condemned the Court for undue proceeding but this was offered them that if they would write down the words of the record and subscribe their dissent without laying such Aspersion upon the Court it should be received Although the simple Narration of these Proceedings might be sufficient to justifie the Court in what they have done especially with these of this Jurisdiction who have taken notice of the passages in the general Court in Decem. last yet for satisfaction of others to whom this case may be otherwise presented by Fame or Misreport we will set down some Grounds and Reasons thereof some whereof were expressed in the Court and others tho' not publickly insisted upon yet well conceived by some as further motives to lead their judgments to do as they did And 1. It is to be observed that the noted differences in point of Religion in the Churches here are about the Covenant of Works in opposition to the Covenant of Grace in clearing whereof much dispute hath been whether Sanctification be any evidence of Justification 2. That before Mr. VVheel came into this Country which is not yet two years since there was no strife at least in publick observation about that point 3. That he did know as himself confessed that divers of the Ministers here were not of his Judgment in those points and