of the Churches infancy they were Idolatry false doctrine open profanenesse were then most abominable and more terribly punished then now by the totall destruction of whole Cities and Countries wherein they were entertained also the duty of mutuall inspection and admonition the contempt whereof is made the grand cause of separation was most clearly enjoyned in the Old Testament What here is replyed that all separation from the Iewish Church was simply impossible because then there was no other Church in the whole earth to goe to We answer that the Replyers themselves will say that a separation must be where there is just cause and where a person cannot abide without pollution and sin although there be no other Church for him to go to for they make it better for men to live alone separate from all then to abide in any Church where they cannot live without the participation of their neighbours sinnes We answer further That it was easie for the godly under the Law to have joyned together in the service of God and to have excluded the wicked thence and whereas it is said that this could not bee done because the Censure of Excommunication was not then in being We answer the Gospel makes it cleare That casting out of the Synagogue which was reall Excommunication was frequent in the Old Testament as also the keeping off from the service with a great deale of circumspection all who were unfit by any legall pollution much more by any known morall uncleannesse Kings themselves when polluted were removed from the Altar and put out of the Sanctuary Again I reason thus That which moved not Christ and his Apostles to separate from the Church of their time is no cause to us of separation but want of satisfaction by convincing signes of the true grace of every member of the Church was to them no cause of separation from the Churches of their times Ergo. The major is cleare except we desire a better pattern for our practices then Christ and his Apostles what ever carrieth us beyond their line must be high presumption and deep hypocrisie The minor is cleare by many Scriptures the Scribes and Pharisees were a generation of vipers Ierusalem worse then Sodom and Gomorrah Corasin and Bethsaida was worse then Tyrus and Sidon and to be cast lower in Hell then these yet the Lord did not give over to preach to pray to go to the Temple with them Iudas when a declared Traytor did not scarre him nor any of his company from the Sacrament After he went from the Table when his wickednesse was revealed that a Devill was in him yet none of the Apostles offered to cast themselves out of the body because this wicked member was not cut off Many members of the Apostolick Churches were so farre from convincing signes of true grace that the works of the flesh were most evident in their life In the Corinthians fundamentall errours open Idolaty grievous scandall bitter contentions profanation of the Lords Table In the Galatians such errours as destroyed grace and made Christ of none effect In the Church of Ephesus of Laodicea and the other golden Candlesticks divers members were so evidently faulty that the Candlestick is threatned to be removed yet from none of these Churches did any of the Apostles ever separate nor gave they the least warrant to any of their Disciples to make a separation from any of them A third Argument The want of that which never was to bee found in any Church is no just cause of separation But satisfaction by convincing Arguments of the true grace of every member was never to be found in any Church The major is unquestionable for what is not cannot have any operation non entis nulla sunt accidentia The minor is demonstrable from the nature of a visible Church it is such a body whose members are never all gracious if we believe Scripture It is not like the Church invisible the Church of the Elect. It is an heterogeneous body the parts of it are very dissimilar some chaffe some corne some wheat some tares a net of fishes good and bad a house wherein are vessels of honour and dishonour a fold of sheep and goats a tree of green and withered branches a table of guests some with some without a wedding garment in a word every visible Church is a society wherein many are called few chosen except therefore we will alter the nature of all visible Churches whereof Scripture speaks we must grant that in every Church there are some members which have no true grace and if so how can they give convincing and satisfactory signes of that which is not to be found Hypocrites may make a shew without of that which is not within but shall we lay an obligation upon every hypocriticall member of a Church to be so eminently skilfull in the art of counterfeiting as to produce in the midst of his gracelesnesse so cleare so evident and satisfactory signes of his true grace as may convince the hearts of every one of the Church that the thing is within the mans breast which certainly is not there The fourth Argument The want of that which cannot reasonably be supposed of every member of a Congregation is no just cause of separation from any Church but satisfaction c. Ergo. The major is cleare for if the want of such satisfaction be a just cause of separation from the Church Then the presence of such a satisfaction is very requisite to be in every member as a necessary meane to keep it in union with that Church The minor that such a satisfaction may not justly be supposed in every member of a Congregation for this would import these foure things all which are unreasonable First that every member of a Congregation is to have power to try all its fellow-members to let them in or hold them out according as in this triall he is satisfied This is a large limb of the Brownistick Anarchy putting the key of Authority and Iurisdiction into the hand of every Church-member if all the Independents will defend this let them speak it out plainly Secondly it requires a great deale of more ability in every member of every Church then can be found in any mortall man for not to speak of the impossibility of a grounded and certaine perswasion of true grace in the heart of an Hypocrite who hath no grace at all how is it possible to attaine unto any grounded certainty of true grace in the heart of any other man for the hid man of the heart and the new name are not certainly known to any but to such as have them The grounds of a mans own certain perswasion the act of his faith either direct or reflex the witnesse of his conscience or the seale of the spirit cannot go without his own breast all the demonstrations which can be made to another are so oft found false that in understanding men they
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
forgive and cohabit any longer with the party nocent albeit they professe their retractation hereof making it now frâ—e for the innocent party either to depart or abide with the nocent as they finde it expedient and all this without any legal processe DDD The power which they grant to their smallest Congregations is very great but they adde one circumstance to it that makes it high above measure All the power of their smallest Congregations must be Independent and Soveraign that is absolutely Supreme upon Earth depending immediately upon Christ and none else for they deny all Ecclesiastick Authority above a particular Congregation which goes beyond a meer advice and councell EEE So that if the most part of a people in a Congregation should turn Heretical and extremely wicked excommunicating their Pastor their Doctor their Elders and whole Consistory onely for truth and righteousnesse For all this no persons on Earth not an Oecumenick Synod shall have any more power to controle them then the meanest of their own servants for to the meanest servant they give power to admonish reprove rebuke and to separate from the whole Church when it is obstinate in any evil and more power then this they will not give to the greatest and best Synods over a Congregation of a very few sometimes very ignorant and weak persons FFF They do not deny that Presbyteries and Synods are the Ordinances of God which have many profitable uses G G G but the Synods they allow of must have these conditions First They will have them onely occasional and elective not set or ordinary but as any Church shall have need to call together whom they think meet for their help and advice in what matters they think good to propound H H H Secondly The Members of their Synod must not be onely Ministers and Elders and men cloathed with Commissions but all who please to come without exclusion of any III Thirdly All who come as well People as Officers must have free liberty both of debate and voting decisively KKK Fourthly Nothing must go by number or pluralitie of voices LLL Fifthly In their Synods there must be no Moderator no Prolocutor for the ordering of the Action MMM Sixthly They will not be content that any Synod should have the least power of jurisdiction to censure the wickedest Heretike who is infecting all about him far and neer with the vilest Errors NNN In these their fancies they please themselves so well that they avow the very Crown Scepter and Throne of Christs Kingdom to consist in them OOO That the Churches so constituted and governed are nothing lesse then the new Jerusalem coming down from Heaven PPP That all the Reformed Churches for their aberration from this Constitution and Government are either no Churches at all or but Babylonish and Adulterous Churches or at best but corrupt Societies from which a Separation is necessary In things concerning the Worship they have crotchets not a few upon the Maxime that all Monuments of Idolatry must be abolished precisely according to the Laws of the old Testament they will have all Churches that were builded in the time of Popery made level with the ground QQQ their Bells to be broken yea all Bells to be unlawfull being Humane and Popish inventions RRR Not so much as a Church-yard must be kept up for Burial but all must bury in the fields SSS What ever of old was dedicated to the maintenance of the Worship of God they will have it all rejected as an Instrument of Idolatry But herein they seem to deal scarce fairly with the Law for howsoever they presse the casting down of the Churches the breaking of the Bells the abolishing of the Idols and all that belonged thereunto TTT yet they do leave to the Magistrate or to any who in this are serviceable to their humour the rich rewards of the Gold Silver Brasse Vestments Timber Stone Lands and Rents which belonged to these Churches to be possessed by them with a very good Conscience and without the least scruple of any Sacriledge VVV However they do maintain that all the Officers of their Church not onely Pastors and Doctors but every one of their other four sorts of Ministers Elders Deacons Helpers Widows XXX ought in Conscience and by Divine right to be by the Congregations which they serve YYY provided for yet they are so far from permitting any of them to enjoy the least portion of the old Rents of the Church that they avow Parsonages and Viccarages Glebes and Manses to be altogether unlawfull ZZZ That for a Minister to crave any Tithes or for any man for all that either Laws or Magistrates can command to pay any Tithes is a sin which abolishes from Christ AAAA They adde further That all set-maintenance to Church Officers is against the Gospel that it is the Will of Christ that Ministers now be provided for in that same way as himself and his Apostles were of old onely by the voluntary Contributions and meer alms of the people They dâ—ive on this point so far as to come up in termes to the Anabaptistâ— Tenent of making all goods common BBBB Their hatred of Idolatry is so great that they professe it unlawfull so much as to mention in any civil way the names of places or times that carry any footstep of any ancient Idoll Saint Andrew Saint John Peter or Pauls Church Munday Tuesday Wednesday Sunday January February March those and the like words to them are profane and unlawful CCCC The very yeer of God displeaseth them they will have it called The yeer of the Saints last patience DDDD They will have no Circumstance in the Worship determined not so much as by custom much lesse by Law there must be no limitation of Preaching either to time or place Pulpits they scorn they call them Priviledged Tubs EEEE They laugh at preaching to an Hour-glasse FFFF To preach in a Gown is to them little better then a Surplice or a Fryars Coul. That Penitents in their publike confession should stand in a peculiar place or in any habit diverse from ordinary is to them a matter of mockery GGGG As for the parts of the Worship in all of them they have some one singularity or other They make all set-prayer the very Lords Prayer it self used Prayer-wise not onely to be inconvenient and unlawful but to be Idolatry and the worship of the devil HHHH howbeit Master Robinson here corrects his companions and professeth that set-prayer in some cases is very lawful worship IIII. The singing of Psalms in meeter not being formal Scripture but a Paraphrase to them is unlawful KKKK much more the singing of any other songs in the Church which are not expresse Scripture They permit to sing Psalms in Prose not as an act of immediate praise LLLL for set-Praise would be as idolatrous as set-Prayer but as a matter of instruction and comfort whereby God is glorified as by all other actions
any thing as they were forced to go home others had their children taken with Convulsions which they had not before nor since and so were sent for home So that none were left at the birth but the Midwife and two other whereof one fell asleep at such time as the childe died which was about two hours before the birth The Bed wherein the mother lay shook so violently that all who were in the Room perceived it KKK 2. Ibid. p. 63 64. Then Master Cotton told the Assembly That whereas she had been formerly dealt with for matter of Doctrine he had according to the duty of his place being the Teacher of the Church proceeded against her unto admonition But now the case bring altered and she being questioned for maintaining of untruth which is matter of Manners he must leave the businesse to the Pastor Master Wilson to go on with her but withal declared his judgement in the case from that in the Revelation ch 22. That such as make and maintain a lie ought to be cast out of the Church and whereas two or three pleaded that she might first have a second Admonition according to that in Titus 3.10 He answered That that was onely for such as erred in point of Doctrine but such as shall notoriously offend in matter of conversation ought to be presently cast out as he proved by Ananias and Saphira and the incestuous Corinthian Ibid. p. 65. It was observed that she should now come under Admonition for many foul and fundamental Errours and after he cast out for notorious lying CHAP. IV. The Carriage of the Independents in Holland at Roterdam and Arnhem THe fruits of this way in Holland are not much sweeter then these we have tasted in New-England All the time of their abode there they were not able to conquer to their party more then two Congregations and these but very small ones of the English onely For to this day I have not heard of any one man of the Dutch French Scottish or any other Reformed Church who have become a Member of any Independent Congregation Their first Church in Holland was that of Roterdam which Master Peters A not the most settled head in the World did draw from its ancient Presbyterial Constitution to that new frame which it seemeth he also learned by Master Cottons Letters from New-England This Church became no sooner Independent then it run into the way of such shameful Divisions as their Mother at Amsterdam had gone before them Their Pastor Master Peters was soon weary of them or they of him for what causes themselves best know but sure it is he quickly left them and went for New-England The Church was not long destitute of Pastors for about that time Master Ward and Master Bridge came over to them from Norwich where they ever had lived fully conform without any contradiction either to Episcopacy or Ceremonies onely they withstood Bishop Wrens last Innovations B So soon as they came to Roterdam without any long time of adveisement they conformed themselves to the Discipline which Master Peters had planted C They renounced their English Ordination and Ministerial Office joyning themselves as meer private men to that Congregation which afterward did choose and ordain both of them to be their Ministers D It was not long before Master Simpson also came hither from London and renouncing also his Ordination E joyned himself as a private member with them Then did the Spirit of Division begin to work among them and so far to prevail that Master Simpson malecontent with Master Bridge for hindering the private members of the flock to prophesie after the Brownists way did separate himself and erect a new Congregation of his own F Betwixt these two Churches the contentions and slanders became no lesse grievous then those of Amsterdam betwixt Ainsworth and Johnsons followers and in this much worse that they of Roterdam abode not at one Schism but after Master Simpsons separation broke out again into another subdivision Master Bridges Congregation was so filled with strife so shameful slanders were laid upon his own back that displeasure did hasten the death of his wife G and did well neer kill himself making him oft professe his repentance that ever he entred into that society H As for Master Ward his Ministery became so unsavoury to that people that they did never rest till judicially by their own Authority alone for Presbytery they had none and Master Bridge did dissent from that act of unjust oppression they had deposed Master Ward from his pastoral charge I This act was much stumbled at by divers who were fully perswaded of Master Wards integrity and at last by the intercession of some from the Church of Arnhem he was restored to his place but the ground of the controversie was no wayes touched For when the four Commissioners from Arnhem Master Goodwin Master Nye Master Laurence and another had met in a Chamber of a private house in Roterdam with some Members of that faulty Congregation K and so made up their famous Assembly which the Apologists are pleased to equal if not to prefer to all the Assemblies they ever had seen L Whether that National Synod wherein Master Nye had seen the flowre of the Scottish Nation enter into the Covenant with very great devotion Or this great Assembly at Westminster where he and his Brethren oft have seen sitting the Prince Elector the most Noble Members of both Houses of Parliament the prime Divines of all England the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland That Assembly I say of Roterdam did not so much as touch the main question they drew a thin skin over the wound but durst not assay to lance it to the bottom For did they ever rebuke or so much as once speak to the people of that Congregation for usurping a Tyrannicall Authority to depose their Pastor Did they tell Master Ward of his siding with Master Simpson against Master Bridge in the matter of Prophesie did they ever attempt to cognosce on the great scandal the ground of all the rest Master Simpsons Separation did they make any hearty and solid reconciliation betwixt Master Ward and the Church It seems the Assembly was wiser then to meddle with evils which they found much above their strength to remedy Master Ward found himself after his restitution in so pittiful a condition with his new friends that he left their Company M The two Churches were irreconcileable till both Master Bridge and Mr. Simpson had removed their Stations to England and even then the concord could not be obtained till the Dutch Magistrate had interposed his authority N Neither by this means could Master Simpsons Church be perswaded to return to Master Bridges till for their meer pleasure they got that Congregation to remove one of their prime members without the alleadging of any cause but their own peremptory will and satisfaction O When by so much
of the Doctrine to try and examine false Teachers lieth principally on preachers This is alike true of the Church of Antioch The hand of the Lord was in the City and a great number beleeved Acts 11.21 Thereafter by Barnabas labour there was much people added v. 24. yea by the joyned paines of Barnabas and Paul for a yeare together there was such a multitude converted that the name of Christians was first imposed upon them Here as in the Metropolitane City not onely of Syria but all Asia beside Barnabas Paul and other Prophets v. 27. Peter also and many other Doctors had their residence Gal. 2.11 It were too long to speake of the rest of the Apostolicke Churches whose condition was not unlike the former Our third Argument No Synod hath authority to impose Decrees upon an Independent Church But some Synods have authority to impose Decrees upon particular Churches whether Presbyteriall or Congregationall Ergo Particular Churches whether Presbyteriall or Congregationall are not Independent The Maior is not controverted our adverse party acknowledgeth the lawfull use and manifold fruits of Synods They grant it is the duty of every good man and much more of every Church and most of all of a Synod consisting of the Messengers of many Churches to admonish counsell perswade and request particular Curches to doe their duty But that any company on earth even an Oecumenicke Synod should presume to injoyne with authority the smallest Congregation to leave the grossest heresies under the paine of any censure they count it absurd Upon this ground that every Congregation how small soever how corrupt soever is an Independent body and not subordinate to any society on earth how great how pure how holy soever The Minor thus is proved The Synod of Jerusalem imposed with Authority her Decrees upon the Church of Antioch Ergo Some Synod and if you please to make it universall every lawfull Synod may impose its Decrees upon particular Churches The Antecedent is to be seene Acte 15.20 It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us to lay no further burden on you then these things necessary The Consequence is good for Antioch was among the chiefe of the Apostolicke Churches in it Barnabas Paul and other Prophets inspired of God were Preachers If this Church was subject to the Authority of Synods what Church may plead a freedome from the like subjection Many things are here replied as usually it hapneth when no solid answer can be brought The chiefe heads of the Reply are three First that the meeting at Jerusalem was no Synod Secondly What ever it was that it did injoyne nothing authoritatively to any other Churches Thirdly That other Synods may not pretend to the priviledges of that meeting since its Decrees were indited by the Holy Ghost and stand now in the holy Canon as a part of Scripture To the first we say that the meeting at Jerusalem is either a true Synod or else there is no paterne in all Scripture for Synods even for counsell or advice or any other use But this were inconvenient for they acknowledge that Synods are lawfull meanes for many gracious ends in the Church Now to affirme that any Ecclesiasticke meeting is lawfull necessary or convenient for gracious ends whereof no patterne no example can be found in Scripture were dangerous But beside this argument towards our adverse party we reason from the nature of the thing it selfe A meeting consisting of the Deputies of many Presbyteriall Churches is a true Synod but the convention at Jerusalem Acts 15. was such a meeting The Maior is the essence of a Synod there are many accidentall differences of Synods for according to the quantity and number of the Churches who send their Commissioners the Synod is smaller or greater is Provinciall Nationall or Oecumenicke according to occasion the Churches sending Commissioners are sometime moe sometime fewer sometime neerer sometime further off also according to the commodity of place and necessity of affaires they come from one Church moe and from others fewer all these are but accidentalls which change not the nature of the thing Unto the essence of a Synod no more useth to be required then a meeting of Commissioners from moe Presbyteriall Churches The Minor is cleare That the Church of Antioch and Jerusalem were moe Churches no man doubts that both were Presbyteriall it was proved before that from both these Presbyteriall Churches Commissioners did sit at that meeting it is apparent from that oft cited Acts 15. Yea that from the other Churches of Syria and Cilicia besides Antioch Commissioners did come to Jerusalem may appeare by conference of the 2. vers of the 15. chap. with vers 23. for that with Paul and Barnabas Commissioners for the time from the Antiochians others also did come it is certaine that those others at least some of them were Deputed from the Churches of Syria and Cilicia it is like because the Synodick Epistle is directed expresly no lesse to those than to this of Antioch also those no lesse than this are said to be troubled with the Questions which occasioned that meeting But to passe this consideration it is cleare that in the Convention at Jerusalem were present not onely the Commissioners of some few Presbyteriall Churches but also they whom God had made constant Commissioners to all the Churches of the world to wit the Apostles their presence made all the Churches legally subject to the Decrees of that Synod though they had no other but their grand and constant Commissioners to Voyce for them in that meeting The second Answer is clearely refuted from the 28. vers where the Decrees are not proposed by way of meere advice but are injoyned and imposed as necessary burdens with Authority not onely of the Synod but of the holy Ghost Concerning the third we say that the meerely Divine and more than Ecclesiastick Authority of these Decrees in their first Formation is not made good from this that now they stand in holy Scripture and are become a part of the Bible for a world of Acts meerely indifferent and which without doubt in their Originall had no more then Ecclesiasticke Authority are Registred in Scripture Was the Presbytery of Lystraes laying on of hands on Timothy any other then an act of Ecclesiastick Ordination The Decree of the Church of Corinth for the incestuous mans Excommunication or relaxation after Repentance was it any more then an act of Jurisdiction meerely Ecclesiasticke Pauls circumcision of Timothy his Uow at Cenchrea the cutting off his haire at Jerusalem were free and indifferent actions The nature of these things and many moe of that kinde is not changed by their Registring in the Booke of God Neither also is the meerly Divine Authority of the Decrees at Jerusalem proved by this that in their first framing they were grounded on cleare Scripture and after proclamed in the name of the holy Ghost for that is the condition of the
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