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A95895
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The picture of independency lively (yet lovingly) delineated
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Vicars, John, 1579 or 80-1652.
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1645
(1645)
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Wing V322A; ESTC R232195
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12,169
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19
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THE PICTVRE OF INDEPENDENCY Lively yet Lovingly Delineated PRO. 27. 6. Faithfull are the wounds of a Friend but the Kisses of an Enemy are deceitfull therefore PRO. 9. 8. Rebuke a wise man and he will love thee but reprove a Scorner and he will hate thee LONDON Printed by JOHN MACOCK at Adling-hill and are to be sold by MICHAEL SPARK junior in Green Arbour 1645. The Picture of INDEPENDENCY Lively yet lovingly Delineated THe most unhappy jars and intestine divisions between our most unkinde and unadvised Independent Brethren and the Presbyterian party especially in matters of Church-government having proved such a sad and sore Remora and retardation to the most blessed and glorious work of Reformation at this time in the Church of God so long and so longingly desired by us all and at the first so smoothly and sweetly begun among us have filled my soule and many thousands more with many and most various both sad and serious thoughts and conjectures both concerning the rice and root thereof the present growth and increase of them and the future fear and danger thereof even no lesse then a miserable and confused Anarchy if not seriously seen into and seasonably prevented either by a holy and humble reconciliation in them or by a just necessitated restriction by authority Now I considered with my selfe that for me to perplex my thoughts about the Dogmaticall discussion of the Controversie it self would be as endlesse as it hath been fruitlesse in respect of its proper end yet I know much good and satisfactory settlement in the Truth hath come by the labours that way taken But I conceived it a yet more near and as sure a way of satisfaction seriously and sincerely to look into the practicall-manner of managing the matter in controversie on our Dissenting-Brethrens part And truly me thought and that upon apparent and indubitable grounds as by and by I shall I hope make manifest that that of divinely inspired and most wise King Solomon Prov. 13. 10. seasonably and suitably offered it selfe unto me as a main if not sole and certain rice and ground of all the unchristianly and unbrotherly broyles and breaches in this kinde among us viz. that Only by Pride comes Contention This being then the undoubted spurious Spring of our sad and bad divisions I could not but instantly and easily apprehend Self to be one most strong streame and turbulent torrent issuing out of that foul fountaine Which that it most clearly appears so in generall we have here a sure word of Truth for it And that it is so in this particular and present speciall case what man though but meerly rationall can deny that rightly and impartially discerns any thing at all in the mannaging of the matter by our Independent or Dissenting Brethren against their Presbyterian Brethren For if it be not Spirituall-pride and Selfe-seeking that lead them on in their strange New-way but that they with us clearly intend as they seem seriously to pretend the glory of God in his own pure worship and that King Jesus alone may rule his Church and childrens consciences according to his written Word why then strive they so strenuously for such a way of worship and governement which they are not able to demonstrate make clear from the written Word unto their Presbyterian-Brethren Now if they are not able as they have oft and earnestly been moved and mildely intreated thereunto positively and plainly to set down unto us such an exact way of worship and Gubernation of Gods Church as may not without sinne be altered in the least circumstantiall particle thereof to the end of the world why rest they not content with us with so much materiality of worship and government as is set forth plainly clearly in the Word and with godly moderation piety and prudence humbly refer the rest in meer circumstantials to Christian godly Governours and Magistrates assisted with an Assembly of most learned and pious Pastours and Teachers no whit inferiour for parts and piety to the best of theirs and both these regulated and directed by the right rule of Gods Word as near as possibly in the integrity of their soules they are able herein also seeking assistance from Gods holy and un-erring Spirit by much fasting and prayer which I think they dare not deny to be Gods way Why I say must this most considerable and most Noble Body of Bereans be rather regulated and circumscribed to the unwritten New-lights and strange Enthusiasmes of our Dissenting Brethren they being also a most inconsiderable and inferiour part therefore of the Body Is there any reason much lesse religion for it And if not what then means all this most unkinde and unbrotherly writing and wrangling against your Presbyterian Brethren whom it highly concernes to contend earnestly to maintaine the faith and those truths of God Jude v. 3. delivered to them and as consonant to Gods Word and Scripturall Truth practised by all the Saints in all the Reformed Churches of Christendome yea and honoured by the speciall blessing of God himselfe on their way of godly Church-government as hath been all along for these many years most visible in those many thousands of most precious Christians and venerable Saints brought forth and bred up in the Presbyterian-way as Gods way and so highly honoured by himselfe as is aforesaid These I say are those that are most fit yea that are most deeply bound in conscience earnestly to contend for their so sound and ancient doctrine and discipline not you of the Independent-way for your meer imaginary opinions and barely conceited new-notions who have been desired againe and againe to manifest unto us out of Gods Word or from the constant practise of any setled Church in all Europe what it is ye would have and what it is ye hold as a certaine fixed and unalterable rule of Gods worship and Church Govern-ment but to this very day have not ingenuously declared it or dealt plainly with us therein witnesse even that so highly cryed up Apologeticall Narration attested by five of your most Eminent Pillars of Independency made-up mainly of many indeed fair pretences as of a strange and almost ridiculous voluntary-banishment self-praisings of your own parts and piety complainings but most untruly how ye have been slighted and contemned among us whereas ye have been equally embraced and honoured divers wayes both by the Parliament Assembly and City of London with the best of our Presbyterians boasting how ye have been approved and entertained in your Church-way in Holland c. Whereas both the Reformed Church in Holland and France also have assured us by the testimony of divers of their most pious and eminent Divines the clean contrary and that they have rejected your way as very dangerous and destructive to the Church of God and vilifying and undervaluing all the Reformed Churches in comparison of yours and to come to the point pleading a mentall reservation in the main matter of our desire untill it