Heaven that it rain not is the power to hold all tidings of forgiveness mercy and peace from the Antichristian Gentiles i. e. such as We while they continue such and declaring them a people to whom no Heaven no Forgiveness belongs while in that condition i. e. while we oppose your desires You may read this p. 70. p. 73. N. C. Enough of this I see their Vanity plainly C. Nay let me tell you a little more for fear you should forget all this and shut your eyes again About two year after this Prophet another who will not name himself arose and dedicated a Book to the parliament with this Title The great Mystery of God or the Vision of the Evening and the Morning Opened Printed 1645. In which he tells us the two Houses of the Lords and Commons are the two Witnesses which the Spirit of Christ foretold should be raised up to Heaven the high place of Justice and Judicature For though all the people of God were Witnesses for 1260 years yet they in a more especial manner because they were not only to protest against Antichrist but were that judgment which should sit and take his Kingdom and Dominion from him raised to Heaven by the power of Christ for that end 7. Dan. 26. * For the Ruin of mystical Babilon he tells you in his Title page and erecting the Spiritual Jerusalem were the ground of our Commotions which were not to cease till by that Parliament the work was so compleated that Christ in and by his Sts. should raign on earth a 1000. years And therefore he is very confident that our Lord reckoned the 1260. years from the year 375. So that the time of the Witnesses prophesying in Sackcloth ended 1635. Then they were slain i. e. deprived of their civil power if they spoke any thing against the Pope and Prelates and those three Gentlemen mention'd before he tells us were a lively Emblem of the rest But then between 1638. and 1639. the Spirit of God entred into the hearts and Spirits of the Godly party both in England and Scotland as he did into Cyrus and they took all the power and strength they had to free themselves from that dead and slavish condition whereinto Antichrist had brought them And a great fear fell upon all the Antichristian party both in England and Scotland yea such if you will believe him was the terror of their appearance at Rome it self And then presently they heard a voice from Heaven i e. the place of Judicature saying come up hither i.e. that Wise Godly men would ascend now to those places to do justice upon Antichrist This Voice was heard first from the whole Commons in Scotland in whom mind it well for it's rare Doctrine all the power that is in Heaven did originally reside ☜ and afterwards in England both from the whole Common-wealth likewise from the King himself who sate in Heaven And they ascended to Heaven i.e. to the high places of Judicature the same time 1639. in Scotland and afterward here in this Kingdom For the rest of the godly were with Child with this great Truth that the Lord Jesus in and by his Saints was to rule all nations with a rod of Iron Which is spoken of he saith 12. Rev. 1. c. And they cryed and travail'd in pain to God by humble and servent Prayers and to his Witnesses which sate in Heaven by humble petitions from the year of Christ 1639. to 1641. That the Lord Christ that man-child v.p. 5. p. 26. might in and by his Saints rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron Whereupon the great Red Dragon i. e. the Popish Lords and Prelates bestirred themselves to devour this man-child as soon as it was born but the people of God bestirr'd themselves both to God by Prayer and to the godly party in Parliament that these Popish Lords and Prelates might be cast out And these Petitions and prayers were heard of Christ and his Witnesses 12. Rev. 5. And so the Church did not only bring forth the Man-child of Government mark that for it tells you some Presbyterians taught that all power was originally in the People but it was likewise received up to God and his Throne into the high place of Judicature But the Dragon with his tail drew a third part of the Parliament to fall off at the same time and likewise a war was raised between the Dragon and his Angels i. e. the King and his Followers and the Lord Jesus and his Witnesses sitting in Parliament In short he tells you that what was done here should be done in all other Kingdoms in the year 1655. When Christ and his Witnesses should take the power of all the Ten Kingdoms which Antichrist had into their hands and should raign Yet so that there should be some little reliques of Antichrist in the hearts of men till the year 1700. Then the New Jerusalem he assures you shall be built and the Lamb be married to his Church and Antichrist cast not only out of the World but out of the hearts of men These are some of the goodly Dreams or Visions call them which you please of your Divines heretofore And no doubt they were then as much believed as Mr. B's Predictions are now Who if he live to see himself deceived will be able it 's like to invent some new beginning for the 1260. years and you will still be so foolish as to give him credit unless these things convince you of the madness of the Prophet But if he be at a loss and think such a blind creature as I can give him notice of any thing he sees not already I may help him at a dead lift and direct him to a Book where he shall find relief All my fear is that he will give me little thanks for my pains because it will make his heart sick to hear his hope is like to be so long deferr'd For after these Writers I have mention'd Mr. Tho. Parker of New-England printed a Book about these things The Visions and Prophec of Dan. opened 1646. in which he layes down two wayes of accommodating the years If they begin when there were but dark and weak beginnings of the signs mentioned that was he thinks in the year 390. and so the 1260. years end with 1649. Then the Turks will cease to be loosed and the next year after they may begin to fall together with the Pope if this way of accommodation hold If it do not then we must stay a great while For the more evident open and perfect state of the things foregoing was not till the year 600. and so no shutting of the Heavens no turning the water into bloud at least no putting off their sackcloth which Mr. B. now expects till the year 1859. N. C. Stop Sir I beseech you once more For I think you have told me too much of this stuff C. The last man speaks modestly and
Of their Canting phrases as Generation-work witnessing time from pag. 81. to 91 Dr. Wilkinsons confidence noted pag. 85 86 How they have shifted and changed phrases to serve their turn Ib. Of the power of phrases to hinder men from observing how they have been cheated pag. 88 The power they fancy they have to destroy us pag. 90 Their opinion of their knowledge and worth pag. 93 c. Of their practice and skill in expounding works of providence pag. 94 c. Their people not more knowing than ours pag. 99 Many know not what that is which they cry out against pag. 101 Instances in Popery superstition Will-worship pag. 102 103 c. About forms of prayer pag. 106 Their forms of railing which they use even in prayer c. pag. 107 Their small skill save only in phrases pag. 110 As appears by their easie turning to the wildest Sects pag. 111 A famous instance of this in New England pag. 112 Mistakes about the Spirits teaching and inspirations c. pag. 113 This together with the obscurity of their Doctrine a great cause of peoples doubts and desertions pag. 114 An instance of the intricate way of Mr. Hooker to satisfie a doubting Christian pag. 115 And to bring it to the promise as he speaks pag. 116 Hence the New England whimseyes pag. 117 Mr. J. Durants way of comforting believers and opening Scriptures pag. 118 119 They are no better at resolving doubts about particular actions pag. 120 How Religion hath been spoiled of late and exposed to contempt pag. 123 Non-conformists great want of Modesty pag. 126 c. Concerning eminent men pag. 129 Of judging others in what things we may in what not pag. 130 Charity covers a Multitude but cannot or may not cover all sins pag. 131 By what means prophaness came to abound pag. 133 Publicans and Harlots or Scribes and Pharisees which the worse pag. 135 136 The danger of Schism and separated Congregations pag. 138 139 Mr. Bridge his vain conceit that we are angry because they withdraw from us and slight us pag. 140 c. How 2 Cor. 6.17 is abused by him to countenance the separation pag. 144 By which and such like the old Brownists and more ancient Donatists justified their Schism pag. 145 The wise and charitable courses to which St. Austin directs us when men are generally bad pag. 146 147 Mr. Calvins judgment of a true Church and separation from it pag. 149 And Presbyterian Ministers judgment pag. 151 Act. 19.9 doth not countenance the separation pag. 152 The impertinent allegation of that place Rev. 14.4 by Mr. Bridg pag. 153 How the people have been cheated with the noise of such words as Babylon c. pag. 154 And by other means pag. 155 156 c. Of Idol Ministers pag. 158 c. The folly of those who think our Ministers out of respect to themselves are troubled to see people go to meetings pag. 161 The true reason of their trouble and the great danger of separation pag. 162 Not only to those who are of it but to others pag. 163 The great extremities it hurries men into pag. 165 The Presbyterian excuse that they separate not from us as Antichristian considered pag. 166 c. It makes their cause the worse if it be true pag. 168 Which tender conscienc'd men should consider especially remembring the issue pag. 169 170 The disorders among the Independents when in Holland pag. 171 And more anciently among the old Separatists pag. 172 173 c. No security against the like or worse again pag. 175 In vain to bewail these Divisions unless we take a course to amend them pag. 177 What belongs to private persons to do in order to it pag. 178 c. Not study so much their Governors duty as their own and what that is pag. 180 181 Of yielding on both sides pag. 182 The ancient Non-conformists did not think they still ought to preach when they were deprived but the contrary that they ought not pag. 183 The idle pretence of some from that place Wo be to me if I preach not confuted pag. 185 186 And of not consulting with flesh and blood pag. 187 Non-conformists do it too much Ib. Else why do they not teach as the old Non-conformists did how lawful set forms are c. pag. 188 189 And teach this with great earnestness pag. 190 Especially considering how miserably some are prejudiced against them pag. 191 That exception answered though a form be lawful yet useless pag. 192 Some reflections on a Book called Common-prayer Book Dovotions Episcopal Delusions c. pag. 193 The prophaness and chollerick scurrility of it pag. 194 c. The Ignorance and boldness of the Prefacer pag. 197 Mr. Cartwright not against a set form of Prayer c. pag. 199 How vainly he vapours with the name of Mr. Parker Ib. And abuses Mr. Greenham pag. 200 But above all Dr. J. Reynolds who lived and dyed conformable in all things to the orders of the Church of England pag. 201 Some of the little reasonings in the book answered pag. 203 204 The abuse of a place of Scripture noted pag. 205 The Liturgy smels not of the Mass-book pag. 206 Antiquity of Liturgies by their own confession pag. 207 The presumption and uncharitableness of this Writer pag. 208 209 His main Argument answered pag. 210 After all his blustering he allows a prescribed form to be lawful pag. 211 And is fain to wrest some Scriptures in favour of conceived prayers pag. 213 His false arguing from Jer. 7.31 and such like places pag. 214 How that place Deut. 12.32 is wont to be misinterpreted pag. 215 It was the manner of Mr. J. G. to speak confidently be the cause never so bad pag. 217 218 Non-conformists generally guilty of too much confidence pag. 219 A gross corruption of Dr. Sibbs his souls conflict after his death noted Ib. 220 c. Of Forms of Prayer and of imposing them pag. 222 Smectymnuus allowed impositions in some cases pag. 223 The Presbyterians were against a Tolleration of the Independent way pag. 224 The Independents also impose their own devices have forms also c. pag. 226 c. Of Christian Liberty pag. 229 The opinion of Mr. Dury and Mr. Cotton c. about this pag. 230 231 Of Penalties pag. 232 The opinion of Presbyterians and Independents formerly about them pag. 233 How the King himself was abridg'd of his Liberty pag. 234 The Independents for punishments pag. 236 Some good Counsels out of Mr. Bernard pag. 239 How to behave our selves in doubts pag. 241 Some good Rules to guide our selves by pag. 242 What to do if we think that is sinful which Authority commands pag. 243 Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin opened Ib. Of fear to offend others pag. 244 The great want of charity and such like graces pag. 245 How these good Counsels were contemned by the separatists pag. 246 A description of them Ib. The Resolution of the
than those who have some sense in them from your great Champion Mr. Cartwright He tells you expresly that by offence the Apostle doth not intend that which displeaseth or discontents but that whereby occasion is given to any of transgressing against the Laws of God For he is treating of eating things offered to Idols even in the Temples of Idols or in the presence of such as were indangered thereby The Gentiles being hardned in their Idolatry the Jews provoked against Christianity and some Christians drawn by such examples to follow them doubtingly Take now the Word in this proper sense and I shall be cleared from this imputation and you your selves condemned for looking no better to your feet that they go not awry N. C. How so C. It is the very design of my Book to keep you from falling into sin any more and to direct you to such a Course that you may not break the Laws of God again your selves nor cast such a stumbling-block before others that they take occasion to break them too If any have misinterpreted my meaning or out of anger and vexation grown worse and more audaciously violent by my writing they must bear the blame which they would throw upon me Nay a far greater blame for they both take Offence when none was given and they notoriously give Offence to others whom I would have kept from offending N. C. They will believe both alike that you meant to take away Offences and that they lay any in the peoples way C. That is they seldom believe any good of others or any ill of themselves But I do not beg your belief for it is manifest to any unprejudiced reason that the Book was sent abroad on no other Errand than to remove stumbling blocks out of every bodies way especially your Shism which is the greatest of all And if notwithstanding you be scandalized and confidently affirm it were better to forbear such writings you shall be judged out of the mouths of some of the old and better Nonconformists Who tell their Brethren of new-New-England and I say the same to you when they would have had them forbear to read the Common-Prayer because of the scandal it gave to some It is a scandal taken and not given and by forbearing we shall offend you the more if to confirm men in error be to scandalize them yea we shall prejudice the Truth and it might be an occasion to beget needless scruples in others and draw men ignorantly from the fellowship of the Saints and the holy Ordinances of God and strengthen them who by your own confession are run too far into Schism already N. C. Whose words are these C. You may find them p. 16. in the Reply made 1640. by many Ministers in Old-England to the Answer which their N. E. Brethren gave to their enquiry about 9. positions in the year 1637. And I would to God your Ministers would lay them to heart and no longer continue to harden their Followers in Schism by forbearing the use of that which they know is lawful Remember I beseech you the famous observation of a great Author * Lord Bacon Essay of Unity in Religion that Heresies and Schisms are of all other the greatest scandals yea more than the corruption of manners For as in the natural Body a Wound or Solution of continuity is worse than a corrupt Humour so it is in the Spiritual Nothing doth so much keep men from the Church and drive men out of it as breach of Vnity One of his Reasons is because every Sect hath a divers posture or cringe by themselves which cannot but move derision in worldlings and depraved Politicks who are apt to contemn holy things It is possible you may thinks for you are very censorious that he was no better than one of those depraved persons and so take no heed to his words Let me remember your therefore that there was a time when the Presbyterians applauded this observation and laboured to serve themselves of it For I find it cited in a Book call's wholsome Severity reconciled with Christian Liberty licensed by Mr. Cranford 1644. where the Author likewise sayes that the experience of former times makes us so wise as to foresee that Heresie and Schism tend to the breach of the Civil peace and to a rupture in the State as well as the Church Of which he gives many instances especially the Donatists in Africk and the Anabaptists in Germany But now it seems you are grown stark blind and whereas you had a foresight in times past at present you cannot or will not see what is before your eyes N. C. I told you I would not enter into long disputes with you But I am heartily sorry that your have so much grieved all the Godly C. You still persist in your old Uncharitableness Pride and high esteem of your selves above all others Or if you mean only all the Godly of your way yet you are guilty of great partiality in taking a liberty which you will not give For you say what you list against that way wherein so many good people among us truly serve God and make it ungodliness in us to say any thing against yours Pray give me a reason when you have duly consider'd it of this unequal dealing You speak and write against the Bishops Common-Prayer the Ceremonies nay many of you openly revile them to the just grief of our People and all this with a reputation of great Godliness But we must sow up our mouths and not say a word against you and your devices or else be accounted ungodly and prophane nay it is well if we escape the brand of Atheism What is this but to imitate those Hucksters who have double weights and ballances one for buying another for selling To have one measure for your selves and another for all other folk N. C. I do not approve of this C. But you side with those that play these tricks And besides you that are so loth to be grieved in the vulgar meaning of the words make light of grieving others in the proper sense of it For you have so sorely galled and wounded many by your practices that the Anguish hath been such as according to the Observation now named to thrust some back who were coming to us and drive others out who were among us The Reproaches I mean which you have cast upon our Church the divisions you have made the confusion you have been Authors of have been such thorns in some mens way that when they were just at the door of our Church they have drawn back their foot and faln back to the Popish Religion Of this I have good evidence and such as you dare not question of the other that some have taken such distast at the state of things among us as to turn aside out of the right way into the by-paths of Romish Superstition and Idolatry Witness the Seasonable Exhortation of a great number of the London-Ministers who
the End of the World * P. 62. of that Book N. C. Strange Presumption C. I suppose he could have found a text for it in the Revelation if you had presumed then to question his humble confidence For I observe the General Assembly tell his Majesty that if they may but have that Unity in Religion and Uniformity of Church-Government in the two Kingdoms which they petition him for it will appear then that the unhappy Commotions and Divisions among us were but the * Letter to his Majesty July 27. 1642. Noise of many Waters and the Voice of a great Thunder before the voice of Harpers harping with their harps which shall fill the whole Land with Melody and mirth and the name of it shall be the Lord is there The place to which they refer you know is 14. Rev. 2. Now immediately after this joy and Melody there follows as you may see v. 6. an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto every Nation kindred tongue and people That is as Mr. Case perhaps might have expounded it this Gospel-Covenant St. John saw upon the wing about to fly to the end of the World N. C. No man could be so absurd C. What greater absurdity is there in this than in the application which the general Assembly make of the foregoing words to the same purpose N. C. I approve of neither C. But then possibly they might have perswaded you it was a good exposition when Mr. Case made you believe the Covenant was an Ordinance of God and Holy Ordinance * V.P. 8. and other place of the fore-cited Book a pure and Heavenly Ordinance yea one of the most special and solemn being a joyning Ordinance which strikes the main stroke between God and us the Marriage knot whereby God and a people are made one a piece of Divine Worship and as far as I can discern a more holy or higher Ordinance in his esteem than the Sacrament of Christs Body and Bloud N. C. For shame do not abuse men C. I am far from it as you may see if you will but consult his Answer to this Objection which some made against it It is needless say they to take the Covenant or rather a prophanation of so holy an Ordinance since we have done it over and over again in our former Protestations and Covenants To which he replies * Pag. 40. You receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper once a month that is but a Seal of the Covenant Consider it be convinced N. C. I am convinced of this that you do not bely him C. Very well And therefore he exhorts the Ministers to indeavour to sanctifie the people for so holy a Service as the taking of it and tells the people they must get their hearts into an holy Ordinance frame Just as if they were going to a new mount Sinai to be entred into a new Religion and seperated from the Nations to be a peculiar people zealous of the Covenant And indeed he all along makes it of the same nature with that Covenant which the children of Israel made or renewed with God and so confidently applies all the places of Scripture which speaks of that to this holy service that one cannot tell by any thing he says but this was the Covenant which the Holy Books speak of Nay some of them when the Covenant came into England lookt upon it as the Ark of Gods presence as Mr. Feak tells us * Beam of Light upon the account of which they should certainly prosper And Mr. Case I remember tells us this was the sin of England in former times That our Fathers knew not this service it was hid from them they regarded it not and those times of Ignorance God winked at or God lightly regarded them N. C. Sure he did not imagine all our Pious Ancestors to be Heathens C. You shall judge by and by what thoughts these men have of us all when I have told you that in the strength of these high towering thoughts and lofty imaginations they taught the people to go to battle against their Soveraign and to fancy the Lord march't before them They were confident they should prevail because they were the Jacobs and we but Esau's and the Elder must serve the Younger nay we the seed of the Serpent and they the seed of the Woman and so they must wound our head i. e. give us an incurable mortal blow Thus they were taught by Mr. H. Wilkinson in an Epistle before a Sermon * Preacht before the Parliament 25. Octob. 1643. of his in which he tells the Parliament again that they have to do with a brood of Serpents p. 13. at the best that we are but a piece of Papal Christendom as his phrase is p. 8. Nay when the pride and passion boiles up to its height then they look upon us and the rest of the world but as Infidels and Pagans What other construction can you make of the letter of the Scots in Ireland to the General Assembly * Convened at St. Andrews in July 1642. In which they desire them to send over some Ministers to them God having now opened a fair door to the Gospel by the banishment of the Prelates and their followers Nay they call to them as if they made an address to so many Apostles and the Protestants in Ireland were but so many Heathens Pitty poor Macedonians crying to you that you would come and help us c. Send able men to help to lay the foundation of Gods house according to the pattern And agreeable to this Petition they returned an Answer * August 6. of the same year in the Apostolical language telling them though they are loth to stretch themselves beyond their own measure yet they dare not be wanting to the inlargement of Christs Kingdom And so they send them some men to plant and to water according to the directions of Jesus Christ and the Doctrine and Discipline of that Kirk wishing that they who are sent may come with the full blessing of the Gospel of peace and that they will with all chearfulness embrace make use of the message of Salvation Who would not think that reads this if he were a stranger to our Countrey that some few Christians in that Island had sent for some Apostolical men or Evangelists to plant the Gospel among a Pagan People And that the Prelates and Ministers under their obedience had been but so many Heathen-Priests that nurs'd up the Nation in barbarous Ignorance Such is the goodly conceit they have of themselves and their horrible contempt and scorn of all others From whence it is that they call us the Nations asking their people when they do any thing that we do Why do you imitate the Customes of the Nations And there used I remember to be no phrase more common than this when a man removed his dwelling to a place where
one of your Ministers was that he went to live under the Gospel And when they inquired of the welfare of their Friends the current Phrase was How do the Christians of such a Town According to the import of which language Mr. Bridge takes the boldness to call us Gentiles in the eares of the House of Commons * Fast Serm. Nov. 29. 1643. telling them that the Horns the Kings party may push and scatter for a time but the Carpenters viz. the Parliament shall fray them away and cast out these Gentiles And another bold Writer * Paraenetick to the Parl. and Assembly for Liberty 1644. tells them that the Army had often put the Armies of the Aliens to flight and therefore must be considered Nay he is so profane as to say take heed of resisting the Holy-Ghost for that mighty works have been done by these men you cannot deny p. 12. Miracles it seems were revived again to convince us who were either poor Legalists or Heathen Idolaters Yea God did by a continued series of Miracles and wonders if you will believe the Rump of the Parliament * Declar. of 27. Sept. 1649. exalt his name in the eyes of this and neighbor Nations by their means But alas we were the most reprobate and hard hearted of all other Aliens that could not be converted Vncircumcised Philistines in Mr. Case's language Nay Amalekites with whom the Lord would have war for ever N. C. Now you grosly abuse them C. Read the Preface to Mr. W. Bridges his Sermon * Preacht before the House of Com. Febr. 22. 1642. and judge whether I be guilty of that fault or no. N. C. What doth he say C. He tells you that the business of Christs Kingdom is lookt upon by the squint-eyed multitude under an Hexapla of considerations N. C. What 's an Hexapla C. Nay you must not trouble your self about his phrase for he tells you in the conclusion of that preface It is such as I can speak and I desire to be thankful it is no worse considering my deserts N. C. Well then let 's hear it as bad as it is C. After he hath done with the Theological the Historical and the Legal he comes to the fourth consideration which is Critical And what 's that think you N. C. You would not let me ask Questions and therefore I 'le make no answer to yours C. You would never guess if you did nor can the most Critical of you all tell why he gave it that name for it is only this My money shall never help to kill men To which he Answers well if you hinder the killing quelling of those who would both kill and quell us ours our Religion Kingdom you become friends of Gods enemies and ours and resolve to make peace with them with whom God hath resolved to have war Exod. 17. ult What think you now did not this man look upon us as Amalekites and wish the Servants of the living God to whom he addresses his Hexapla of considerations would have war with us eternally Do you not see what is like to become of us if men of this Spirit have Power again proportionable to their Will must not our name be blotted out and must not he be accursed that doth the work of the Lord negligently N. C. I pray no more Questions C. And then all your Victories will be called once more the return of prayers which you take to be as powerful as the lifting up of Moses his hands And all the Miseries which befal us the day of the Lords vengeance for the blood of his faithful servants For I must tell you another effect of your Pride is N. C. Do not put me among that number C. Their pride then is to think every favour that is done them to be their due and so they are bound to thank no body for it God they fancy makes the wicked serve them and causes them to do that for their sake which they had no intention to do And on the contrary if any justice be done upon any of themselves presently it is voted persecution cruelty enmity to the People of God and hatred of his Truth and Ways But let them exercise never so great oppression tyranny and cruelty upon their Neighbors it shall be cryed up as zeal for God and his cause Love to justice and pure Religion at least excused as a fulfilling the Decrees of the Almighty spoiling the Egyptians and acting for the Lord in the day of Vengeance N. C. This is your time and so you may say what you will against Christ's witness-bearing people while they are in their sackcloth condition It is now only their witnessing time but C. But what Why do you make a stop N. C. The times will mend and the Witnessing time they say will be over C. You would have me think then that you speak their sense not your own But I perceive you are a little taken with those new Phrases of the Witnessing time and witnessing work As indeed it was alway the humor of your party if a noted man invented an unusual Phrase presently to form their mouths to that new mode of speaking Just like a pack of Hounds that when one begins to open immediately all sollow and almost deafen one with the noise When a Preacher for instance from that text David served his Generation by the will of God raised this impertinent Observation That it is our duty to mind Generation-work instantly all Pulpits sounded with this Doctrine of Generation-work That was the phrase in those days In so much that you should hear both Minister and people bewailing it in their prayers that they had not minded Generation-work more Which made some good innocent souls that were not acquainted with the secret blush when they first heard it and wonder what they meant And to say the truth that was a hard matter to tell For the Presbyterians I think meant nothing but reforming according to the Covenant the Lord having given them such an Opportunity as the General Assembly speak in their Answer * Presented 25. Aug. 1642. to the Declaration of the Parliament of England Where they tell them that when the Supreme Providence gives opportunity of the accepted time and the Day of Salvation no other work can prosper in the hands of his servants if it be not apprehended and with all reverence and faithfulness improved And withall they add This Kirk when the Lord gave them the calling considered not their own deadness nor staggered at the promise through unbelief but gave glory to God And who knows but the Lord hath now some controversie with England which will not be removed till first and before all the Worship of his name and the Government of his house be setled according to his will This was their Generation-work But others meant by this Phrase the pulling down every thing that they imagin'd Antichristian Presbytery and all And some went so far as to
you may see what thoughts the most moderate men heretofore had concerning the 0 way into which you are falling N. C. Truly I can scarce see for what end you have told me all these old stories C. That 's strange I was admonishing you of the care that you should take above all others not to run into these dangerous paths Who have not only heard all these things from those before us but also seen with your eyes and felt by dear experience the great swarms of Sects and Heresies that have come out of separate Congregations and the miserable havock they have made of all true Religion and Godliness Now what security I beseech you have any of you that the Congregations you begin to draw from us apart to your selves shall not break in time into as many little fractions and produce these bitter fruits which I have mentioned What charm what power have you to keep out this evil Spirit which alwayes haunted the separation All the Authority which your Ministers may think they have hath no foundation but the Passions of the common people It depends for the most part on the fancies of rude Artisans and Ignorant Mechanicks These will make their Divinity for them and they must still be inventing new conceits to entertain their Imaginations They are servants to such a world of Masters that it is evident they have reason to fear their own side as much as ours And when they have done all they can they are liable to be thought Impostors as oft as any man thinks he is taught of God and hath a new light shining into his mind Then shall you see again all those wild fancies fly about which are now in great measure fall'n to the ground Old England may become as mad as the New And such a woman as Mrs. Hutchinson that shall take upon her to repeat your Sermons as she did those of Mr. Cottons may be more cryed up than all the Ministers you have N. C. It is impossible C. That which hath been done more than once may be done again For the Wine of Separation as two New-England Ministers call it hath such a spirit in it as flyes up furiously into mens heads and works with a restless violence there It burries them head-long Mr. Allin and Mr. Shepherds Defence of nine Positions p 27. as they speak to strange distances that in separating from publick they separate from private in separating from corrupt Churches as no Churches they separate from the purest even those of their own in separating from pollutions in Gods Ordinances at last they fall to the storming of some if not the utter renouncing of all the Ordinances themselves For when rash and sudden men are grown Masters of their Consciences it troubles not them from whom they divide nor whither they run in separate wayes At the very next step they are under the Ministration of the Spirit as the Phrase was in the late times They live upon Pure and Naked God in themselves unclothed of Flesh and Form They are risen and caught up out of the Flesh into Spirit out of Form into Power out of Type into Truth out of Shadow into Substance out of the Sign into the thing Signified And so they drink wine new in the Kingdom even new in the Kingdom not in the Oldness of the Letter but in the Newness of the Spirit N. C. I remember how this Wine as you call it wrought in the late times and there are none figh more than we to think of the spiritual madness that then raged And I assure you we bewail and lament with many tears our present Divisions and have kept as many dayes as there are weeks in the year to seek the Lord for the healing of our sad breaches C. To what purpose is that as long as you keep them wide open by withdrawing your selves from the publick Assemblies of Gods people You had better spare all that breath for it is as ridiculous as if a man should cry and roar under the smart of a wound and yet would not keep himself from raking in it continually with his nailes Why do you not use the means of Union if you truly desire it What is the cause you follow not such Christian Counsel as I made bold the last time to leave with you That would be more effectual than all those Fasts and Prayers which in truth serve only to continue the Division and keep our Wounds gaping For they are the very things as you use them which make the Schism and yet they perswade the people that you are not too blame but the Bishops only N. C. O Sir that you would but lay the Saddle upon the right Horse You load us with many accusations but the Bishops are in fault who will not remove the subject of these contentions If you were not partial you would admonish them as well as us And tell them they ought not to stand so precisely upon indifferent things and alter nothing This would be a short way to remedy all our evils to take away the things which are offensive to the weak and so become inconvenient if not unlawful And you know who said that Contentious retaining of Customs is a turbulent thing as Innovations Why do you not put them in mind of these things but spend your time only in telling us our Duty C. I am not so well conceited of my self as to think I am alike able to judg what is convenient and what is lawful For it requires not only great understanding in the nature of things but also in the nature and temper of men in the state of affairs at home and abroad together with diligent and long observation and indeed all the perfections of a prudent Governor to be able to determine what is most expedient for a Church or State But every Christian may soon resolve or receive satisfaction about what is sinful or permitted to him Besides were I never so skilful I should not have the confidence to which it seems you are arrived to instruct my superiours It is enough for me to deal with my equals Though modest proposals and humble desires without any noise and stir I presume would never be disliked from any of us And had you always taken that course from the beginning it had been better for you But you were ever for assertions and positions as my Lord Bacon long ago observed and filled all the Nation as much as you could with displeasure against their Governors and taught them to esteem the compounding of controversies to savour of mans Wisdom and human Policy N. C. No we are now for an Accommodation C. You do well to put in that word now for it was ever other ways heretofore and Books were written against it as I will shew you if you desire it when you hoped to carry all before you And it is a great argument of your headiness and passion to say no more that when you had power to
determine the precise antiquity of stinted Liturgies yet that they have been in use in the Christian Church for the space of 1400. years if not above no man can deny And that they could not be invented for such ends as you imagine because the chief promoters of stinted Liturgies were renowned for their constant and unwearied preaching every day in the week and sometimes twice * Ib. pag. 18. The New England Ministers would have taught you more for all they dare say against the Antiquity of Liturgies is that for about an hundred years there were none a Letter of Reply and Answer about 9. positions pag. 2. Then your Dialogue-maker b Mr. Hughes p. 42. tells you they came in but hath the impudence to add that Ministers then grew idle and weary of taking pains N. C. It is a sad thing there should be such endless disputes Surely if they that composed the Common-Prayer bad dreamt that it would create so many divisions distractions tumults confusions c. they would never have found either heart or hand to lift up toward the promoting of it pag. 8. C. An admirable Argument As if he had said The Pen-men of Holy Scripture would never have writ as they have done if they had but fore-seen what ill use would be made of their words what Wranglings and Disputes they would raise and how they would be wrested and tortured to a sense which they never thought of Must the possibility of an inconvenience that may grow hinder us from doing good things N. C. No. But there is no good comes of this For they who like this kind of Worship are generally Ignorant Prophane Superstiti us Time-Servers Fearful Vnbelievers Haters of those that are good Drunkards Adulterers c C. I know he saith so And repeats it a little after that they are generally if not universally persons much estranged from the life of God affectionate lovers of this present World But we know withal that there is a vast number of Ignorant revilers railers lyars false-accusers covenant Breakers proud censurers of their Brethren uncharitable contentious implacable self-conceited greedy scrapers of wealth c. Who love the other kind of Worship and like no Prayers but those of their own conceiving Doth not this Argument war strongly as his phrase is against such a worship and is it not a great presumption of the carnality of it that it comports with the humours fancies and Consciences of men of such an evil Spirit If you like not such Reasonings against the Prayers of your invention let them alone when you dispute against ours But I must tell you however that this man let him be who he will hath committed a most hainous sin and is presumptuously uncharitable in judging the Generality if not all of us to be ungodly We know the contrary and are assured that there are more than one of a City or two of a Tribe as he loves to speak that are truly conscientious and serve God in this way which he so scorns with much satisfaction and joy of heart And all sober men I think will look upon it as an intollerable piece of Pride in him to say that it is hardly credible any man fearing God if there be any such among us should partake at any time in this worship with any great contentment This is to measure other mens Corn by your own Bushel A piece of the old leven of the Scribes and Pharisees or if you will the Separatists here in England before he was born To whom Mr. Gyfford answered then as we do now * Answer to Mr. Greenwood pag. 72. c. 1590. It cannot be denied but that many pray fervently with sighs and groans and tears who read the Prayer upon the Book or have it as we use to say by heart N. C. But if your prayer Book were as free from blemish as Absolom nay if it had been composed by a General Council of Elect Angels the imposing of it would be imperious Blasphemy and the use of it as imposed base and wretched Idolatry C. Go and find some child to fright with your blustring Language N. C. It is more than noise For he tells you pag. 11. that it is as well or as much the incommunicable priviledge or prerogative of God to prescribe appoint and command his own worship as it is to be worshipped And therefore whosoever shall authoritatively under any penalties command any Form Model Method or Manner of Divine Worship makes himself God and whosoever submits to such Worship is an Idolater because he gives that honour to a creature which is due to God alone What have you to say against this Argument C. I say that as no body doubts but God who is above all hath a right to appoint his own Worship so it is as certain that he hath not appointed any model of Worship or form of words to be used in Prayer and none else Nor hath he told us that he will not be worshipped by a set Form or that we must vary our words and phrases and conceal what we have to say to him till we bring it forth And therefore I say he hath left it to our sober and Religious Reason to determine after what manner that worship which he requires may be best performed And if not to every mans reason which would be absurd then those who govern the rest are to consider how christian Societies when they meet together may most solemnly pray in the name of our Lord Jesus for such things as are according to Gods will and give thanks also to God the Father through him And consequently it is no incommunicable prerogative to appoint a Form or Order of Divine Worship since God hath not appointed one himself and yet must not be worshipped disorderly And if it may be appointed then it may be appointed under penalties to keep men from wanton contempt of the publick Reason Mr. J. G. you remember composed a hymn to be sung on a day of Thanksgiving in his Congregation This was a form and authoritatively imposed else every one there might have brought forth his hymn and put all into confusion which if they had done they might justly have been censured by him if he had had any power Now I would fain know why the Magistrate may not prescribe the Song of St. Ambrose or any other godly Hymn to be sung by all Congregations committed to his charge as well as one Minister prescribe an hymn to his particular Congregation and why the Magistrate may not use all his power and punish as he sees cause as well as such a Minister use all his who could only reprove in case of contempt I would know also how this Author could excuse the whole Christian World from being Idolaters you Presbyterians not excepted if his Doctrine be true For the Parliament prescribed the Directory and that not without penalties as a model or manner of Divine Worship and so they usurped
perpetual in the Church as we read in Mr. Cottons Catechism Now having devised these things to name no more I observe that the Covenant in the same Church is in one and the same Form of words as well as matter and therefore put into writing and must be read by the party to be admitted or he must hear it read by some other and give his Assent to it Here is not only a Form of Holy Covenant a principal point of worship as W. R. notes invented by one or more men but imposed upon others even as many as enter into the Church and more than that to be read upon a Book What is this better or how is it more lawful than a set form of prayer especially since this Covenant is imposed as an Ordinance of God and absolutely necessary so as no Book-Prayer I think is I find also that by this Covenant the Members in some places †Church of Salem in New-Engl were restrained and tyed up from shewing their gifts in speaking or scrupling till they were called thereto that is they being allowed to prophesie publickly and so to propound questions and make objections which they call Scrupling they bound them up in this Covenant which had the force of Law from doing it uncall'd I would fain know whether this be not to limit the Spirit as you speak and to stint it to times as you say we do it to words For if a man be never so full he must have no vent without a call from the Church And how I pray you doth this differ from an Ecclesiastical Canon as to it's force and obligation but only that it hath another name and all old Canons must be lay'd aside to make way for this new Covenant They tell us also expresly that the Magistrate may compel men to keep their Covenant though not to enter into it †Ib. Narration of Church Courses cap. 15. And for spreading of infectious Doctrines Mr. Wheelwright a Minister and Mrs. Hutchinson a pretended Prophetess were banished the Countrey Several of their followers also were some imprisoned some fined some disfranchised some banished and all disarmed for petitioning the Court in behalf of Mr. Wheelwright and remonstrating with due submission so their words were that they conceived he deserved no such censure a Proceedings of the General Court holden at New-Town Oct. 2. 1637. and the Apology in defence of the proceedings holden at Boston 1636. And great many more remarkable things there are in that story which I cannot stand to recite But must proceed to tell you that as for others who are not of their way there is just no liberty at all For as they will not grant communion to members of other Churches not constituted as they are so if a company of approved godly people should sit down near them where their power reaches differing from them only in some points of Church Government some of them tell us not only that they shall not be owned as a sister Church but also be in danger of severe punishment by the Civil Magistrate b Narration c. cap. 10. N. C. What is all this to our Independents C. They extol both the Men and the wayes of New-England to the Skyes and therefore approve of them I suppose not only as good but as excelling all other The Men they say have testified their sincerity to all generations future by the greatest undertaking except that of our Father Abraham viz. leaving this Countrey to go thither meerly to worship God more purely c Apologetical Narration 1643. pag. 5. And as for their wayes and practices they are improved to a better Edition and greater refinement than those of other Reformed Churches d Ib. which makes it reasonable to believe that when they Covenanted to reform according to the example of the best Reformed Churches they had new-New-England in their eyes as their pattern For those General words as Mr. Feak e Beam of Light p. 25. rightly observes left it under suspence and undetermined which of the Reformed Churches had obtained the highest degree of Reformation The Scots and their Friends judged the Kirk of Scotland the best Reformed the Dissenting Brethren approved the Reformation of New-England to be most excellent But be this as it will we have learn't thus much from what hath been related that the Churches of a better Edition and greater refinement do not think it unlawful to use forms in Gods holy Ordinances unto which they bind those who come under their Power restraining them also from opening their mouths when perhaps they think themselves full of the Spirit and denying leave to others to set up a different way from theirs in their Neighbourhood As for our Independents I can shew from their Books that they think it necessary to be as severe in a great many Cases 〈◊〉 and I remember as heavy complaints of them as ever they made of the Presbyterians and have been told that they daily spet their renom privately and publickly against those that separated from them a Vanity of the present Churches p. 3. and 11. c. N. C. It will be too long to relate all those things But I would fain know how this will stand with Christian Liberty C. Do you think that it consists in being tyed to no Law at all N. C. None but Gods C. Take heed what you say N. C. In matters of worship I mean C. That 's absurd as I have shewn you Gods Law hath only given us the general rules whereby things to be ordered in the Church according to which our Governors are to make particular Laws and we are to obey them or else there will be nothing but confusion Yet still our Christian Liberty remains because First we are not tyed to this or that pattern or Model but our Governors have liberty to establish whatsoever being in it self indifferent shall seem to them most expedient for maintaining comliness and Order And secondly when any orders are established this is our Liberty as our Divines teach you that we do not use them as any part of Divine Worship as some of you do nor as meritorious and satisfactory nor as necessary to justification or salvation but only for discipline and good Orders sake And lastly by consequence the same Authority may alter them and hath not so tyed up it self to them but that it is at liberty to abolish those in case of inconvenience arising and establish others in the room But such a Liberty as leaves men loose from all Laws and Orders save those that they shall chuse themselves is a wild fancy which your Ministers condemn as well as ours Mr. Dury for instance a very moderate Presbyterian tells the Independent Brethren We must expect no such Liberty as shall break the Bond of Spiritual Unity which by the allowance of a publick tolleration of a different Church Government may be occasioned To keep therefore Unity intire a few must
yield unto many except they can fairly perswade those many to yield to them a Epistolary Discourse pag. 22. N. C. But what if they cannot agree C. I was going to tell you If they cannot agree it is just they should forfeit their Spiritual right and liberty which Christ hath conferred upon them and fall under the Arbitriment of the Secular Power which ought to look unto its own safety lest those that make Divisions and multiply Breaches in the Church about small matters disturb also by that means the publick peace of the State b Ib. p. 24. Of this mind also was Mr. John Cotton a mild Independent Good Kings saith he c Upon the 1 Canticles v. 10. pag. 44. Use 2. ought to put upon their people wholsome Laws and straight binding to the purity of Religion and the Worship of God It is no impeachment to their Christian Liberty as the Anabaptists dote but an ornament to their beauty making their necks comely as with chains of Gold And a little after d Ib. Use 3. It is no impeachment of Christian Liberty to bow to Christian Laws Yea it is the beauty of a Christian Church to wear those chains those Laws which were made for the good of the Church and it ☜ was their prophaness and rebellion that said Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us N. C. He speaks of those purer Laws which they found out not such as yours C. It 's as much to my purpose if he did for it proves he would have the people strictly tyed to Laws and wear these chains alwayes about their necks and our Governors think theirs as good as any and so may as innocently bind men fast to them as you tye them to yours And let me tell you both Presbyterians and Independents would have their Orders so strict that their people should not be allowed the liberty of going to hear where they please Mr. Edwards a Gangraena 1 part p. 30. Error 125. I remember in his Catalogue of Errors Heresies and Blasphemies puts down this for one That it is part of mens Christian Liberty not to hear their own Ministers but to go and hear where they will and whom they think they may profit most by And the New-England Churches condemned those that said b Catalogue of the Opinions condemned by an Assembly of the Churches Aug. 30. 1637. Error 80. if a man think he may edify better in another Congregation than in his own that is ground enough to depart ordinarily from Word Seals c. notwithstanding the offence of the Church often manifested to him for so doing N. C. But why should there be any penalties C. You may as well ask me over again why any Laws which will be ridiculous without them But I wonder you are not ashamed to speak against penalties and force who pressed the Covenant with more severity than ever any body did Conformity What crosness is this as the Bishop of Down said c Visitation Speech at Lisâ—egarvy 26. August 1638. that when we press men to conform to the Orders of our Church they alledg it is contrary to Christian Liberty to inforce men to the doing of any thing against their Conscience and that a man should be fully resolved in his own mind of the Lawfulness of that which he doth and yet we urge that only under pain of suspension and excommunication and that after much patience and forbearance using all fair means to perswade them But they compel men to subscribe the Covenant against their Conscience by Pike and Pistol threatning no less than loss of life or goods and Lands in case of refusal By this we may judge of sincerity and what they would do in other things had they Power in their hands The truth is one could scarce live among you when you had power for all that would not take the Covenant were held to be Malignants and if you know not what was to be done with them an eminent person will tell you N. C. Who do you mean C. Do you not remember who it was that complemented the Parliament as the keepers of our Vineyard and commended them for being wanting in nothing to their duty N. C. What then C. You shall hear He saith they had endeavoured to fence the Vineyard with a setled Militia and then to gather out the Malignants as stones and to make a Wine-press therein for the squeezing of Delinquents a Epistle before the Sermon to the Commons 25. Jan. 1643. N. C. I know not who this was C. I 'le be so civil to his Memory as to let this pass without naming him But he was one of those you call a moderate Presbyterian by which we may know what mind the Zealots are of And as for the Independents they were for an exact and thorough Reformation too for that which they were about had cost God dear they said and he would not lay out so much for an imperfect poor and low reformation and therefore exhorted the Parliament not to spare the lash to effect it but do as Jesus Christ did when he came to purge the Temple not only chide the money changers but whip them away and overthrow the very Tables lest they should recover their Trade again b See Mr. Bridge Sermon before the Commons Nov. 29. 1643. p. 24 25. Which others delivered in this phrase Dagon is begun to fall befor the Ark his head is off but let not so much as the stump remain i. e. give no Liberty to these Church of England men let them not enjoy the least relick of their worship And accordingly you know I shew'd you the last time there was an Ordinance prohibiting the use of Common-prayer under great penalties in any private family not excepting the Kings c Page 218. Of Friendly debate 3 Edit N. C. I remember it and some say it was an unworthy Construction you make of the words there was no such intention C. They had better have held their tongues for I shall prove it to purpose When Commissioners were sent down to treat with his Majesty at the Isle of Wight he was content as he had expressed himself before May 12. that the worship of God should be performed according to the Directory for three years provided only that his Majesty and those of his judgment who could not in Conscience submit thereunto might not be obliged to it but left free to their own way a This was Septemb. 29. 1648. But this would not be granted for you must know that though the Parliament had Ordained b Ordin of March 1.4 1645. the Chappels or places in the Houses of the King and his Children should continue free for the exercise of divine duties without any Elders yet this was no more than they allowed to every Peer in the Realm and those Duties also were to be performed according to the Directory and not otherwise And