any other and to be cut off as withred branches The Church cannot neither hath in her power to defer the sentence of Excommunication any longer on hope of further tryal because they have had already that tryal which God alloweth it is a Leaden rule to proceed to the sentence of Excommunication with a Leaden-heel when the sin is ripe Ibid. p. 15. Which censures if the Prince contemn he contemneth them against his own soul and is thereupon by the power of the Church disfranchised out of the Church and to be delivered over to Satan as well as any other offender HHHHH Johns Inqui. p. 70. We hold it Antichristian to entertain or admit any appeal from one Church to another the highest ordained by the Lord for all sinners is that Church whereof the sinner is a member And therefore in urging our Church to submit to another Church they sought to draw it to Antichristian bondage IIIII Bar. Dis p. 84. I am perswaded that the Magistrate ought not to make permanent Laws of that the Lord hath left in our Liberty Ibid. p. 255. We approve all the Laws of God to be most holy and inviolable and all-sufficient both for Church and Common-wealth and the perfit instruction of every Member and Officer of the same in their several duties so that nothing is now left to any mortal man of what high dignitie and calling so ever but to execute the Will of God according to his Word KKKKK Bar. Disc p. 108. God will have his Laws and Statutes kept and not altered according to the State and Policy of times for these Laws were made not for the Jews estate as Master Calvin teaches but for all mankinde especially for all the Israel of God from which Laws it is not lawful in judgement to decline to the right hand or to the left By the neglect of these Laws the whole world overflows with sin Ibid. p. 212. In the Common-wealth they have abrogated all Gods Judicial Laws and cut them off at one blow as made for the Common-wealth of the Jews onely as if God had no regard of the conversation of other Christians or had left the Gentiles in greater liberty to make Laws and Customes to themselves LLLLL. Ibid. Hereby it cometh to passe that so many ungodly Laws are decreed and the whole course of Justice perverted that so many capital mischiefs as God punisheth by death such as blaspheme the Name of the Lord open Idolatry Disobedience to Parents are not by Law punished at all Incest and Adultery are either past over or punished by some light or triffling punishment Ibid. p. 155. The High-Commission punishes the most execrable Idolatries but with prisons or forfeitures making it a pecuniary matter contrary to Gods Word MMMMM 1. Vide HHHH MMMMM 2. Bar. Dis p. 211. Theft if above thirteen pence is punished by death NNNNN Bar. Dis p. 55. The Vniversity of Oxford and Cambridge have the same Popish and Idolatrous beginning with the Colledges of Monks Fryers and Nuns and these Vermin had and still do retain the same insufferable and incurable abuses therefore Queen Elizabeth ought by good right to abolish them as her Progenitors did the Abbeys OOOOO Ibid. p. 177. They repair to the Vniversities to be instructed in Heathen and vain Arts The Churches of Christ have not such Heathenish and Idolatrous customes they have no such prophane Arts vain Education and Literature Ibid. p. 56. We finde them all generally the Seed of Vnbeleevers nourished in all manner of Prophanenesse Heathenism vain and ungodly Sciences their Education from their cradle is ungodly in the common Schools where they must learn their Greek and Latin from lascivious Poets or Heathenish Philosophers With this Liquor are their Pitchers at first seasoned there are they trained up in Logick Rhetorick and Philosophy which Learning they draw from Aristotle Cicero and such like there they learn to speak by Art Syllogisms and Tropes Idem Refut p. 89. This I dare affirm that from the Book of God they never derived these their Colledges Schools Halls Orders and Degrees that I may not say Arts Authors Exercise use of Learning Disputations Commencements They fight with their School-Learning vain Arts Philosophy Rhetorick Logick against the Truth and Servants of God PPPPP Vide supra N O. QQQQQ Vide RRRRR 2. RRRRR 1. Bar. Dis p. 179. In the Church of Christ the name and offices of Chancelor Vice-Chancelor Dean of Faculty Masters of Colledges Fellows Beadels Bursours and all their several Statutes and Customes are strange as also their manner of Degrees Disputing for their Degrees and Order of Teaching Neither have any such Vniversities Colledges Society of Schollers any ground of the Word of God I see not why they should have any more toleration then their elder Brethren the Monks who every way had as great colour of Holinesse and shew of Vtility to the Church as they They have all one and the same Hellish Original they had and these still retain the same blasphemous incurable abuses which can no ways be reformed but by their utter dissolution RRRRR 2. Bar. Dis p. 177. The English of Christian Religion and Profession of the Gospel I can well away with but this English Romish abstract of Divinity I am assured came forth of this same Forge that the Title of the supreme Head of the Church and cannot by all the glosses they can devise be made other then most high blasphemy against the person of Christ who is the onely Vniversal Doctor of all his Disciples Ibid. p. 56. If they continue still and give their minde to the study of Divinity as they call it which is as much as to say The reading of mens writings with these Feathers they flee with these eyes they see which Books being taken from them they are as mute as fish as blinde as moles Ibid. Their Divinity is traditional wholly derived from other mens Books and Writings both for the understanding dividing and interpretation of all Scripture as also for all Questions Doctrines and Doubts that arise and not springing from the Fountain of Gods Spirit in themselves according to the measure of Knowledge Faith and Grace given unto them SSSSS Bar. Disc p. 146. It were much better for the whole Church that for Prophecy and Doctrine Preachers would lay aside all Authors and be take themselves wholly to the Book of God So should that Book be more soundly understood so should they see with their own eyes and not other mens TTTTT Bar. Disc p. 56. These Questions as also the whole Scripture must in these their Schools and Disputations be insufferably corrupted wrested blasphemed according to the lusts of these Philosophical and Heathen Disputers which here must handle divide discusse according to their vain affected Arts of Logick and Rhetorick All these prizes must be played in Latin that the Learning may the more and the Folly the lesse be perceived least even the common people should hisse them off the Stage if
of the Gentiles how much more their fullnesse Ans There is nothing here for the point in hand we grant willingly that the Nation of the Jewes shall be converted to the fayth of Christ and that the fullnesse of the Gentiles is to come in with them to the Christian Church also that the quickning of that dead and rotten member shall be a matter of exceeding joy to the whole Church But That the converted Jewes shall returne to Canaan to build Jerusalem That Christ shall come from the heaven to reigne among them for a thousand yeares there is no such thing intimated in the scriptures in hand Master Burrous fifth place is Acts 3.20 21. He shall send Iesus Christ whom the heavens must receive unto the times of the restitution of all things Ans That these words are to be understood of Christs comming to the last Judgement and not of his comming to any Temporall Kingdome on earth we did before prove His sixth place is 2 Pet. 3.10.13 But the day of the Lord will come as a Theife in the night in the which the heavens shall passe away with a great noyse and the Elements shall melt with fervent heate the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up neverthelesse we according to his promise looke for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Ans First it would be remembred that our Brethren do adde among many other things this also unto the Tenet of the old Chiliasts That before their golden age the earth and all things therein must be destroyed That the earth wherein they are to reigne that the Beasts Foules Fishes Trees and all other creatures they are to make use of in their thousand yeares are to be of new created all the old creatures in their whole kindes being burnt to ashes and destroyed We say secondly That this place is miserably misinterpreted for all that the Apostle is saying is in answer to the scoffers cavill verse 4. requiring in scorne the performance of the promise of Christs comming not unto this thousand yeares raigne but to the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men as the Apostle speaks expressely vers 7. Now all the Chiliasts confesse that this Judgement and that perdition is not till after the thousand yeares so the burning of necessity according to their owne grounds cannot precede but must follow them Thirdly the time whereof the Apostle speakes is called the day of the Lord the usuall discription of Christs comming to Judgement also the day that comes on the world as a theefe in the night which phrase oftentimes in scripture is attributed unto Christs comming unto Judgement but is not true of his comming to the Millenary reigne for the calculation of that time is so well knowne that it is preached and printed to be at such a yeare if not such a mounth or day Also this dissolving of the heavens and Elements with fire is a concomitant of Christ his comming to the last Judgement as is expressely intimated 2 Thes 1.8.9 As for the words whereupon alone they ground their argument the new Earth wherein dwells righteousnesse As if these words could not be true after the last Judgement no righteous man then dwelling upon the earth If they had looked upon the originall they would have seene the weakenesse of their collection for the words runne thus We in whom righteousnesse dwells looke for new Heavens and a new Earth The habitation of righteousnesse referring neither to the heavens not to the earth but to the godly and righteous persons who did waite for the performance of the promise of new heavens and a new earth as our late annotations doe observe And though you would reade them according to our English Translation yet that inhabitation needes not referre to the earth but to the heavens onely as Junius well observes For it is not in qua terra but in quibus coelis and our Brethren if they beleeve Mr. Archer must referre the Pronoune not to both the Substantives but onely to the one for he teaches That during the thousand yeares no righteous soule inhabites the heaven and thereafter that no righteous soule does inhabit either the earth or the heavens wherein now the soules of the godly are all these being turned into hell the habitation of unrighteous men and divells Mr. Burrows seventh place Isa 65.21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant Vinyeards and eate the fruit of them and ver 17. Behold I create new heavens and a new earth c. Hence concluding not onely a new heaven and a new earth for the Millenary reigne but a planting of Vinyeards a building of houses which cannot be after the day of Judgement Ans First Master Burrowes referres this place to the former passage of Peter if therefore Peters new heavens and new earth must be understood of the life to come Isaiahs new heavens and new earth must be understood of the same Secondly It s very new and harsh divinity to say that after the heavens have passed away with a noyse and the earth with all the workes thereof are burnt up that men shall plant Vineyards and build houses upon the new earth Therefore Master Burrows notwithstanding his argument and reference of Isaiah to Peter seemes in that same place to retract and acknowledge that the new heavens and the new earth must be expounded by a Metaphor and import no more then the doing of so glorious things by God for the Church in the latter days as shall manifest his glorious and creating power as if he did make new heavens and a new earth This is farre from the burning of the heavens and earth that now are It is no more then what the Apostle Peter brings from the Prophet Joel Acts. 2.19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above and signes in the earth beneath bloud and fiâ—â— and vapour of smoake the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into bloud All which Peter makes to be performed upon the day of the Pentecost It is no more then that of Haggay 2.6 Yet once it is a little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and all the dry land which the Apostle Heb. 12.26 27. makes to be performed at the first comming of Christ Thirdly That the matter of this 65. chap. of Isai v. 16. is to be referred to Christs first comming and the Apostles first prâ—â—ching unto the Gentiles is cleare by comparing the first verse of this chap. I am found of them that sought me not with the 20 verse of the tenth to the Romanes But Isaiah was very bold and sayth I was found c. Fourthly to expound the Prophets in this fashion were to stumble the Jewes and to give them too great an excuse for their long misbeliefe and too pregnant arguments for to delay their fayth while the Messias come to performe
in matters of Civill Iustice as of devotion and holinesse mmmmmm 2 and if so then they must make it as unlawfull and contrary to the Scriptures perfection for any man to make Lawes in matters of Righteousnesse and of the State as in matters of Holinesse and of the Church That beside things in themselves good or evill which Scripture determines by its Lawes expresly things of an indifferent nature whereupon the most of civill Laws are made must be regulated according to the Scripture rules of Piety Charity and Conscience so farre that the expediency and reason of the Law must ever carry and convince the conscience of the Subject that no man is obliged to the obedience of a civill Law in a thing never so indifferent by the authority of the Law-giver but every man whose conscience is not convinced of the piety and charity of that Law is free from all obedience and subjection thereto Thus farre Mr Cotton mmmmmm 3. Eightly what men besides them have made so bold with Kings and Parliaments as not only to break in pieces their old Lawes and to divest them of all power to make new ones but also under the pretext of a divine right to put upon their necks that unsupportable yoak of the Iudiciall Law of the â—ewes for peace and for warre without any power to dispence either in addition or substraction nnnnnn 1 I grant this principle of Barrow is limited by Mr Cotton to such Iudicials as do containe in them a morall equity nnnnnn 2 but this morall equity is extended by him to so many particulars as Williams confesses the whole Iudiciall Law to be brought back again thereby no lesse then by the plaine simple and unlimited Tenet of the rigidest Brownists nnnnnn 3. Ninthly doth any Reformed Church appoint their Ministers to be members of the highest civill Courts with power of voiceing in the election of the supream Magistrate oooooo Do any Divines but theirs since the Bishops were abolished joyne themselves as companions with the Magistrates to draw out of Scripture a body of civill Lawes for the Government of the State pppppp Tenthly did ever any Divines but theirs so evidently mock the Magistrate by instructing him according to their own interest as it were from heaven to contradictory practises in New-England where the Magistrate is in their way to perswade him the necessity under paine of sinne and judgement to kill all Idolaters and false Prophets to destroy whole Cities men women and children who are seduced by a false Prophet qqqqqq Making a path-way by this meanes to the slaughter not only of all Papists and Hereticall Sects but also of many good Protestants who to the Brownists are Idolaters for the reading of Prayer and obstinate enemies of the Kingdom of Christ for their mislike of Independency according to the open profession of the prime Independents rrrrrr Their Doctrine in Old England where the Magistrate is out of their way is diametrally opposite to this for here they make it a Theomachy ssssss a fighting with God to deny a free liberty to Papists to the worst Heresies and Schisms to Iudaism Turcism Paganism or if any errour can be imagined to bee more pernicious I beleeve that few prudent Magistrates when they have well ruminated these and the like principles of the Independents will esteem them much more conducible for their ends then the principles of the Reformed Churches In the point of Schools and Learning how farre they will follow the Brownists I cannot say divers of them have as good a share in learning as their neighbours yet whatever they have of that kinde they got it all before they entred into their new way and whatever learning all of them do possesse it is no more then what was among the Brownists when they did most cry down learning The most of their erudition this day dwels in New-England that any reall course hath ever there been taken for its entertainment and propagation I have not heard much though the Magistrate and the whole Land have beene and are at their Devotion and till of late they had no apparant hope of supplying their way from the Schools of other parts of the world Were we not weary we might go on yet farther in the paralell especially in the doctrinall Tenets of the Independents wherein already they have gone farre beyond the Brownists you had a touch of the Arminianism of some in the reall Sanctification of all baptised Infants of the enthusiasms of others in their contemplations of God without Scripture of the Libertinism of a third blaspheming God as the Authour of the sinfulnesse of sin of the Arminian reprobation the Antinomian Montanistâ—ck and Familistick Tenets of a fourth for which I doubt if to this day they have given any satisfaction The whole City hath been filled these many yeares with the noise of the Socinianism of the fifth many of them are passionate for a full liberty of all Religions in every State The Apologists declare that they will have none cast out of the Church for any errours which are not fundamentall and how farre they will extend this principle who can know only it would seem that all the named errours which do lodge or have lodged as is alledged in their prime Leaders without any censure to this day must be taken within the compasse of errours tolerable not only in the State but in the purest Churches And if Arminian Socinian Anabaptistick Antinomian Familistick Enthusiastick errours be declared not fundamentall and tolerable in a Church what shall we say of Prelaticall Cassandrian and the most of the Popish Tenets that are no wayes so grosse Spalato and others have been at great paines to prove that none of all the Popish errours are fundamentall The Remonstrant Apologists labour to free the greatest Heresies that ever were in the Church such as Arrianism of old and Vorstianism of late from that infamy Certainly though our Brethren had kept in their principle of change and not declared their full resolution to go on farther then themselves or others have yet thought what already they have positively delivered giveth to the world just reason of doubt whither they may go and where at last they will stop their very swift and volant progresse The Testimonies of the sixth Chapter a ANtap p. 243. It was agreed upon that they out of hand should bring in a Narrative of their opinions wherein they differed from us and then should joyne with us in preaching against the Brownists and Anabaptists they never brought in their Narrative untill this day and though at full meetings of the Ministers they have been spoken unto and some Ministers have been sent from the Company to some of them and the Narrative was promised at such a time and then at such a time yet it was never performed and whereas the agreement in writing for our side was left in Mr Calamies hand Mr Nye comes after some
time to Mr Calamy and pretends some reasons to borrow it for awhile but after he had it he carries it away into Yorkshire that so upon occasion of complaints of the breach of the agreement when we would have consulted with that paper it was gone and Mr Nye keeps it to this day and having been moved to restore it His answer is it is at Hull amongst other papers b Apollonius Letter to the 5 Apologists the 3 of May 1644. Hasce quaestiones ad vos reverendi viri transmitto de iisdem sententias vestras quaerens ob mutuam nostram fidem charitatem serio vos oro ut non detrectetis sincere dilucide accurate absque Rhetorici apparatus diverticulis declarare quid vos fratres illi quibuscum societatem vestram Ecclesiasticam colitis de hisce sentiant quoniam meae fidei ab Ecclesiis Christi id commissum est Spero vos ex timore dei charitate erga nos fratres vestros absque ullo pretextu sententias vestras hac de re declaraturos idque quam cito fieri potest urgent enim Ecclesiae nostrae ut opus hoc maturem This zealous adjuration hath not to this day drawn from any of them any declaration c Apol. Nar. p 30. A relation of our judgments in the points of difference about Church-Government we reserve unto the more proper season d Keyes Preface p. 6. Only we crave leave of the reverend Author to declare that we assent not to all expressions scattered up and down or to all and every assertion interwoven in it yea nor to all the grounds or allegations of Scriptures nor should we in all things perhaps have used the same termes to expresse the same materialls by e Apol. Nar. p. 10. A second principle we carried along with us in all our resolution was not to make our present judgement and practice a binding law unto our selves for the future and therefore in a jealousie of our selves wee kept this reseâ—ve to alâ—er and retract though not lightly what ever should be discovered to be taken up out of a misunderstanding of the rule which principle we wish were next to that most supreame enacted as the most sacred Law of all others f Cottons Keyes published by Goodwin and Nye p. 49. In what sence the Church of a particular Congregation is the first subject of the power of the Keyes in the same sence it is Independent and none other we taking the first subject and the Independent subject to be all one Answer to the 32 questions p. 46. For the matter of Independency we confesse the Church is not so Independent but it ought to depend upon â—hrist But for Dependency upon men or other Churches or other Subordination unto them in regard of Church-Government and power we know not of any such appointed by Christ and his Word The Churches were not Dependent and Subordinate to others but all of them absolutely free and Independent Burtons Vindication p. 42. We are not so ashamed of the Title of Independency as utterly to disclame it and that for two reasons first for distinction sake between us and that which you call Presbyteriall Government The second is because this word Independent is to signifie that wee hold all particular Churches of Christ to be of equall authority and none to have Iurisdiction over another but each Church is under Christs Goverments as the sole head King Lord Law-Giver thereof g Apol. Nar. p. 22. We doe professedly judge the Calvinian Reformed Churches of the first Reformation from out of Popery to stand in need of a further Reformation themselves h Ibid. p. 19. Wee think we give more to the Magistrate then the principles of the Presbyteriall Government will suffer them to yeeld i Ibid. p. 24. Wee doe here publikely professe we believe the truth to lie and consist in a middle way betwixt that which is falsely charged on us Brownisme and that which is the contention of these times the Authoritative Presbyteriall Government Preface to the Keyes p. 5. We are yet neither afraid nor ashamed to make profession that the substance of this briefe extract is that very middle way betwixt that which is called Brownisme and the Presbyteriall Government k Vide supra Chap. 2. B and R 2. l Prynnes Discovery p. 29. Iohn Lilbourn in his Answer to 9 Arguments p. 4. writes the Church of England is a true whoorish mother and you are one of her base begotten and bastardly children I say the Church of England neither is nor never was truly married to Christ in that espousall band which his true Churches are and ought to be but is one of Anti-christs Nationall whâ—orish Churches your Church is false and Anti-christian the Ministers of the Church of England are not true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Anti-christ ibid. p. 31. This language and opinion of his concerning our English Church and Ministry is seconded by most Independents in their late Pamphlâ—ts m Mr Robinson hath written a whole Treatise upon this subject n Answer to the 32 questions p. 27. If we were in England we should willingly joyne in some parts of Gods true worship and namely in hearing the Word where it is truly preached yea though wee doe not know them to be true Churches For some worship as prayer and preaching and hearing the Word is not peculiar to Church-Assemblies but may bee performed in other meetings Cottons letter examined p. 43. The second thing which Mr Cotton himselfe hath professed concerning English Preachers is that although the Word yet not the Seales may be received from them because saith he there is no Communion in hearing and the Word is to be preached to all but the Seales c. o Vide supra Chap. 3. G. p Cottons Letter examined p. 37. Cotton here confesseth these two things first if any reproach the Church of Salem for Separation it is a sin meet to be censured secondly the Churches themselves may be separated from who tolerate their members in such causlesse reproachings which I leave to himselfe to reconcile with his former profession against Separation q Vide supra Chap. 4. R r Vide supra Chap. 5. E 1 s Burtons Vindication p. 45. We esteeme the Government of Christs Church so holy as we cannot think them fit to be admitted be they never so good that think so slightly of the way and of them that walk in it that they refuse to agree to walk in this way with the people of God Ibid. p. 62. Doe you not know that no Infants have any title to Baptisme but by vertue of their Parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith in the Parents that refuse Christ for their only King If therefore the Parents refuse thus to be in visible Covenant can the children be said to be in visible Covenant and so to have a right to baptisme If then the Parents by refusing Christ as their King doe hereby cut
unlawfull it is a prerogative proper to God to require obedience of the sons of men because of his Authority and Will It is an evill speech in some that in some things the will of the Law not the reason of it must be the rule of Conscience to walk by and that Princes may forbid men to seek any other reason but their authority yea when they command men frivola dura and therefore it is the duty of the Magistrate in all Lawes about indifferent things to shew the reasons not only the will to shew the expediency as well as the indifferency of things of that nature and because the judgement of expedient and inexpedient things is often difficult and diverse it is meet that such Lawes should not proceed without due consideration of the rules of expediency set downe in the Word which are these three First the rule of Piety that they may make for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Secondly the rule of charity that no scandall come thereby to any weak Brother 1 Cor. 8.13 Thirdly the rule of Charity that no man be forced to submit against his Conscience Rom. 14 14 23. nnnnnn 1 Vide supra Chap. 2. KKKKK nnnnnn 2 Cottons Modell in the Bloody Tenet p. 140. The Magistrate hath power to publish and apply such civill Lawes in a State as either are exprest in the Word of God in Moses Judicials to wit so farre as they are of generall and morall equity and so binding all Nations in all ages or else to be deducted by way of generall consequence and proportion from the Word of God nnnnnn 3 Ibid. p. 118. A strange modell of a Church and Common-wealth after the Mosaicall and Jewish patterne framed by many able learned and Godly hands which wakens Moses from his unknown grave and denies Iesus yet to have seen the earth oooooo Plaine Dealing p. 23. The Ministers give their votes in all elections of Magistrates pppppp Ibid. p. 25. The Ministers advise in making of Laws especially Ecclesiastick and are present in Courts and advise in some cases criminall and in framing of fundamentall Lawes Ibid. p. 27. A draught of a body of fundamentall Lawes according to the Iudiciall lawes of the Iewes hath been contrived by the Ministers and Magistrates and offered to the Generall Court to be established and published to the people qqqqqq Cottons third viall p. 8. In old time if a man playd the false Prophet the Lord judged him to death and so in the New Testament as in the Old he condemnes all such to death it is a Law Deut. 13. That false Prophets who did fundamentally pervert Religion should not live if high Treason against Princes on earth justly be punished by death verily this is as dishonourable to the Prince of all Princes that whole 13 of Deut. is spent about the seducing of false Prophets and he puts a threefold gradation if he be a Prophet Therfore never so seemingly holy by his place and gifts he shall surely be put to death if there be never so many that shall joyne if a whole City shall joyne together in such a course thou shalt rise against it and destroy the City and burne it with fire and leave not a stone upon a stone Ibid. p. 12. The third reason is taken from the just desert of soule-murther there is none of all these Priests or Iesuites or Hereticks but they worry and devoure the soules of Gods people and this murther of souls is justly a capitall crime as Moses said before if they thrust thee from thy God let not thine eye spare such kind of corrupters Ibid. p. 16. Are not Moses morall Lawes of perpetuall equity and therfore to be observed in all ages Is not murther of soules as damnable now as then a wonder that such fâ—ivolous interpretations should come in the hearts of men to hinder the free passage of the Justice of God on such notorious offenders Cottons third viall p. 8. on the 22 of Joshua when the two Tribes and an half set up an Altar by Iordan although they thought not to bring in an other object of worship but another manner of worship yet the other Tribes would have cut them off if they had found another Altar for worship he is the same God and hâ—s zeale is as deeply provoked against the like kinde of vitiousnesse now as ever he was then Ibid. p. 17. A soule that sinneth of ignorance may be pardoned but if he shall continue obstinate were it a City or a Tribe they shall not suffer such in a Countrey but you will say that the tares and wheat may grow together grant but it is not said that briers and thornes should grow up with them Ibid. p. 19. You see the first use is to justifie the equity of such capitall punishments upon Priests and Iesuites and consequently on such who bring in other Gods or another way of worshiping the true God then that wherein we may enjoy fellowship with the true God Cottons third Viall p. 19.20 For a second use it may serve to reprove the carnall and sinfull foolish pity that is found in any estate that shall bee sparing to spill such blood of the Priests and Iesuites the Lord loatheth this kind of lenity and indulgency cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently and cursed is he that keepeth back his sword from blood when the Lord calls us to sheath the sword of Authority on such kinde of Delinquents a State shall be separate from God for these tolerations rrrrrr Vide supra Chap. 6. s ssssss Goodwins Theomachy also Chap. 5 G H and Chap. 6. kkkkkk 2 also Chap. 6. bbbb hhhh CHAP. VII It is unjust scrupulosity to require satisfaction of the true grace of every Church-Member HAving set down the Proceedings and Tenets of the Brownists and Independents so farre as my slender reading of some of their writings and observation of their wayes have brought to my memory at this time Before I leave them it will not bee unfit to examine the truth of their chiefe principles whereby they have disturb'd the Church and will continue so to doe untill they have changed their minde For shortnesse I will pitch but upon foure grounds which the Independents have learned in the Brownists schoole The first concerning the members of a Congregation The next three concerning their power We will first consider whither the members of every particular Church bee obliged at their first admission to shew to the whole Congregation convincing signs of their Regeneration and true grace Secondly whether the people of a Congregation have a power of voycing in every Ecclesiastick affaire Thirdly whether the power of the Congregation be absolute and Independent Fourthly whither every man who hath a gift though not an office hath power to preach and prophesie publickly The first question is of the grearest importance The Independents would gladly dissemble their minde therein to this day they have declined all
when they proceeded with censure against those who deserved it and are dispraysed when they held in the sword of excommunication and did not cast out Hereticks and prophane Persons Answ Both the Propositions are vitious The Major because the Churches in Asia were Presbyteriall not Congregationall This we proved of Ephesus and we know no reason why the rest should not be of that same condition Secondly Albeit the Churches of Asia at that time in the first preaching of the Gospell and so in the great paucity of Churches should have had no Neighbours with whom commodiously and ordinarily they could keepe society what is that unto the Churches of our dayes who live in the midst of many Sisters The Minor also may not be granted for that which the Text ascribeth to the Angell may not by and by be applyed to every Member of the Church We grant that great reason and many authorities doe prove and evince that the Angells in those places cannot be expounded of the single persons of Bishops but of the whole Body of the Presbytery in the which there was one man chosen by the Suffrages of the rest President for a time but that by the name of Angell should be understood every Member of the Church no reason will carry it Beside there is no consequence from one act of reproofe to the whole right of Ecclesiasticke government even in every case for a common cause and an appearance of errour and many other things will inforce a necessity of subordination Their fourth argument The right of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse belongs to every Church But the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse had right to exercise every part of Ecclesiasticke discipline within their owne bounds Of the first see 2 Thessalonians 3.6 Withdraw your selves from every Brother which walketh disorderly and ver 24. Note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Of the second see Col. 2.5 Joying and beholding your Order Ans Let the Maior be true of all the Churches of the same Species and Nature with these of Thessalonica and Colosse that is of all Presbyteriall That the Church of Thessalonica was such that it had moe Pastors it is proved from the 1 to the Thessalonians 5.12 Know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you that these were Pastors it is the minde of the best Interpreters Also that in Colosse beside others Epaphras and Archippus did labour in the word and doctrine is manifest from chap. 1. ver 7. and chap. 4.17 Further let the Maior be true of all Churches of that same state and condition with those named to wit when it falls out that few or no Neighbour Churches can be had with which such a society may be kept Concerning the Minor suppose that both the right and the exercise of all Ecclesiasticke acts were granted to the foresaid Churches yet the question is not touched except you adde independently and in every cause and case even of aberration and that without all remedy of appeale to any Synode Vpon this hinge the Question depends and of this the argument hath nothing Their fifth argument That which abolishes our liberty purchased by Christs blood and puts upon out necke a yoke equall to the Antichristian tyranny of Bishops is intolerable But the dependence of Congregations upon Presbyteries and Synods doth so Ans The Minor is false for the subordination of Churches imports no slavery taketh away no liberty which God hath granted it is Gods Discipline and Order it is the easie yoake of Christ not to be compared with the cruell bands of Bishops since the one is humane the other divine by the meanes of the one one man commandeth either according to his free will or according to the Canon-Law of the Pope but by the meanes of the other moe men advise in common according to the acts of the Reformed Churches grounded upon the Word of God The judgement seates of Bishops are meerely externall to the Church which they governe But Presbyteries and Synods are Courts internall for the onely members whereof they consist are the Comissioners of the Churches which they govern these Churches they represent the minde and desire of these Churches they doe propose unto these Churches they give account of all their administration they confirme and establish the rights of Congregations they doe not abolish nor labefactate any of them Sixthly These who have power to chuse the Pastor have also the right of the whole Ecclesiastick Discipline But every Parish hath that power Answ The Major is not necessary for there is a great difference betwixt the Election of Ministers and Ministers Ordination Deposition Excommunication and many other acts of Discipline Election is no act of Authority or Jurisdiction The Minor also is not true if you understand it of all the members of the Congregation for it is not needfull that Ministers should be chosen by the expresse voyce of every man muchlesse of every woman of the flocke Yea that Election doth not alwayes belong to the whole flocke except yee take election as many seeme to doe for a consent with reason to the which is opposed not every but a rationall dissent grounded upon cleare equity and justice certainely it is needfull at sometimes to misregard the peoples consent in chusing of a Pastor for why should not a flocke infected with heresie be set under an wholesome and Orthodox Shepheard whether it will or not and be rent from under the Ministrie of an hereticall Shepheard how much soever against its owne minde Their seventh argument That is not of God which maketh Pastors Bishops of other mens Diocesses and layes upon them the care of other Congregations then those to which the holy Ghost hath made them Overseers But the subordination of Parishes to Presbyteries and Synods doth this Answ The Minor is false for neither doth every member of a Presbytery become a Pastor to every Congregation subordinate to that Presbytery neither are Congregations consociated and conjoyned in a Presbytery altogether without the reach of the care and inspection of neighbour Pastors This is cleare not onely by the arguments formerly deduced from Scripture but by the daily practice of the Adversaries for themselves professe their care to oversee and admonish and rebuke and to use many other gracious actions as they have occasion towards neighbouring Churches without any blame of busie Bishops There is almost no difference at all of their acts and ours toward neighbouring Churches so farre as concernes the matter the onely question is concerning the fountaines and grounds of these acts they ascribing their actions onely to charity we not to charity alone but to authority grounded upon the former reasons This difference belongs not to the present plea. Their eight argument Onely Christ hath authority over the Kingdome of God the House of God the holy Jerusalem his owne Spouse his owne
to a beleever Ans not so but as to an Apostle and Elder of the Church 2. Till the Church replies that the people have power of Excommunication Anser The Church here to be told is the Presbytery and not the people according to our Brethrens own grounds 3. The people of Corinth did Judge and Excommunicate the incestuous man Answer Tbe Text will prove no such matter 4. The people of Colosse might censure Archippus their Minister Answer there is no Word in this Text of the peoples censure 5. The whole Church of Pergamus is rebuked for not censuring the Hereticks Answer The power of Censure was in the Angells but the whole Church might be faulty in not incouraging the Angels to doe their duty 6. The twenty foure Elders sit on Thrones with Crownes on their heads Answer This will not prove a regall power of judging in every one of the people 7. The Galatians must stand fast to their Liberty Anser By Liberty hereinothing lesse is understood then a power of presence and concurrence in judgement without all power of Authority 8. The whole Congregation of Israel had power to punish malefactors Answer What the people under the Law did in the State is not a warrant for the people under the Gospell to doe the same in the Church 9. The people elects their Officers Ergo. they may depose and Excommunicate them Answer Election is no act of power or of Jurisdiction 10. The people must be present and consent to every act of Judgement Answer It is not so and if it were yet it inferres not their power of Jurisdiction God is the Author of the union and dependencie of particular Churches From them Morellius and Grotius learned the Tenet Laying aside all prejudice we will reason the matter The state of the Question cleared That single Congregations are not Independent is proved first from the 1 Tim 4.14 because they have not the right of Ordination Ordination belongs to the Presbytery No Congregation is a Presbytery No Congretion hath within it selfe necessarily a Presbytery No single Congregation ought to have within it selfe Pauls Presbytery Onely Pastors lay hands on Pastors The second Argument from the Apostolicke Churches which exercised full jurisdiction the chiefe whereof if not all were Presbyteriall and not Parochiall Such was the Church at Jerusalem How the Church commeth together The Church of Samaria also was Presbyteriall So that of Rome And of Corinth And of Ephesus Also of Antioch and the rest Our third argument from the subordination of the Church of Antioch to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Answer to the Replies The meeting of Jerusalem was a true Synod It doth not onely advise but command The Decrees of that Synod at their first making had onely Ecclesiastick authority Our fourth argument from the subordination of fewer to moe appointed by Christ Matth. 18. Christs subordination is to be extended to the utmost bounds of the Church universall Our fifth argument from the evill consequents which reason and experience demonstrate to follow Independency necessarily and naturally Neither the duties of charity nor the authority of the Magistrate can remedy these evills Our last Argument Independency is contrary to all the discipline that ever was knowne in Christendome before the Anabapâ—ists The first Objection or Argument for Independency from Matth. 18. The second Objection is taken from the practise of the Corinthians excommunicating the incestuous man The third Objection from the example of the seven Churches of Asia Their fourth Objection from the practise of the Church of Thessalonica and Colosse Their fifth objection from the Episcopall tyranny of the Presbyterie Their sixt Objection from the Congregations right to elect their Pastor Their seventh Objection from pluralitie of cures cast upon one Pastor Their eight Objection from Christs immediate government of his Church The Originall and progresse of Chiliasme The minde of the Independent Chiliasts Our first reason against the Chiliasts is that Christ from his ascention to the last judgement abides in the heaven Our second reason is builded on Christs sitting at the right hand of God till the day of judgement Our third reason is grounded on the resurrection of the dead the godly and ungodly doe all rise together at the last day Our fourth reason is builded on Christs Kingdome which is Spirituall and not earthly Our fift reason is taken from the nature of the Church Which ever on earth is mixt of good and evill And subject to crosses Having neede of Ordinances Because of her sinfull infirmities A Sixt reason from the secresie of the time of Christs comming A Seventh from the heavenly and eternall reward of the Martyrs An eight reason the restoration of an earthly Jerusalem brings backe the abolisht figures of the Lgw. A ninth Antichrist is not abolisht till the day of Judgement The Chiliasts first reason is from Reâ—â—l 20.4 Answer Our new Chiliasts are inventors of a new heaven and of a new hâ—ll Their second reason from Daniel 12. We Answer Their third argument Answer Their fourth place Answer Their fifth place Answer Their sixth place Answer Their seventh place Answer Their eight place Answer The ninth place Answer Their tenth place Answer Their eleventh place Answer The twelfth place Answer Their last place Answer
which they do belong neither do we know any such thing to be appointed by Christ our Lord for the maintenance of the Ministry in these dayes the bringing in of settled endowments and eminent Preferments into the Church hath been the corruption and to some the destruction of such as lived by them both Church-Officers and Church-members qqqq Cottons Way p. 38. The Deacons were elected and ordained for the serving at Tables to wit the serving of all these Tables which pertained to the Church to provide for which are the Lords Table the Tables of the Ministers or Elders of the Church and the Tables of the poore Brethren whither of their own body or strangers for the maintaining whereof we doe not appoint them to goe up and down to collect the benevolences of abler brethren but as the Apostles received the oblations of the brethren brought and laid down at their feet and thereby made distribution as the use of the Church required so the Deacons receive the oblations of the brethren every Lords day brought unto them and laid down before them and distribute the same as the need of the Church doth require rrrr Ibid. ssss Plaine-dealing p. 19. At some other places they make a rate upon every man as well within as not of the Church residing with them towards the Churches occasions and others are beholding now and then to the generall Court to study wayes to enforce the mantenance of the Ministry tttt Antap. p. 276. Have you not carried a greater port then most of the godly Ministers in the City or Countrey have not some of you the prime Lectures of the City and other good places of advantage and profit besides what some of you have from your own Churches Vide supra Chap. 4. wwww Bastwicks Independency p. 142.143 It is well known and can sufficiently be proved that godly Christians of holy conversation against whom they had no exception either for doctrine or manners and who offered themselves to be admitted members upon their own conditions and yet were not suffered to be joyned members onely because they were poore and this very reason was given them for their not-admission that they would not have their Church over-burdened with poore Ibid. It was replyed that the Congregation of which he was Pastor consisted of great Personages Knights Ladies and rich Merchants and such people as they being but poore could not walk so sutably with them wherefore he perswaded them to joyn themselves with some other Congregation among poore people where they might better walk and more confortably in fellowship with them xxxx Plaine-dealing p. 16. The Pastor begins with solemn prayer continuâ—ing about a quarter of an houre the Teacher then readeth and expoundeth a Chapter then a Psalme is sung which ever one of the ruling Elders dictates after that the Pastor preacheth a Sermon and sometimes ex tempore exhortes then the Teacher concludes with prayer and a blessing yyyy Cottons Way p. 66. First then when we come into the Church according to the Apostles direction 1 Tim. 1. We make prayers and intercessions and thanksgivings for our selves and all men zzzz I have heard the chiefe of our Brethren maintaine this publikely and I understand it is the practice of some of them in the City aaaaa Cottons Catechisme p. 6. Where there bee more Prophets besides the Elders they may Prophesie two or three if the time permit the Elders calling to them whither in the same Church or others if they have any word of exhortation to the people to say on bbbbb Ibid. And for the bettering of a mans selfe or others it may be lawfull for either young or old save only for women to aske questions from the mouth of the Prophets ccccc Answer to the 32 quest p. 78. Some think the people have a liberty to aske their questions publikely for their better satisfaction upon very urgent and weighty cause though even this is doubted of by others and all judge the ordinary practice of it not necessary but if it be not meekly and wisely carried to be inconvenient if not utterly unlawfull and therfore such asking of questions is seldom used in any Church among us and in most Churches never ddddd Anatom p. 26. In the matter of singing of Psalms they differ not only from us but are also at variance among themselves some thinking it unlawfull for any to sing but he who preacheth and this hath been the late practice at Arnheim others thinking it unlawfull for women to sing in the Congregation hence some women at Rotterdam doe not sing I heare also they think it unfit for any at all in such times of the Churches trouble as this eeeee Ibid. fffff Vide supra Chap. 4. SS 1. ggggg If the question be of joyning in some few selected prayers read by an able and faithfull Minister out of the book as of the one side we are tender of imputing sinnes to these that so joyne Vide infra hhhhh hhhhh To that part of the Directory which recommends the use of the Lords Prayer they did enter no dissent an Answer to the 32 Questions p. 55. By a Liturgie and forme of prayer we suppose you meane not a forme of private prayer composed for the help of the weaker as for a forme of prayer in generall we conceive your meaning cannot be of that for it is evident that many Preachers constantly use a set forme of prayer of their owne making before their Sermons with whom the people refuse not to joyne ibid. p. 59. Wee acknowledge the Lords Prayer and other formes set downe in Scripture may be lawfully used as prayers due cautions being observed Cottons pouring out of the spirit p. 10. Not that I would discourage any poore soule from praying on a Book for I think as we may sing Psalms on a Book so we may in some cases pray on a Book iiiii Vide supra s Also see the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Colony of the Sommer Islands p. 2. Our children die unbaptized our selves are deprived of the Lords Supper our daughters cannot be given in marriage kkkkk Plain Dealing p. 40. At New Plymouth Mr Chancey stands for dipping in Baptism only necessary lllll Cottons Catechism p. 4. What manner of men hath God appointed to be received as members of his Church Answ Such as doe willingly offer themselves first to the Lord and then to the Church by confessing of their sins c. mmmmm This wee heare is their ordinary practice at London nnnnn Vide supra Chap. 4. Q R ooooo Vide supra ibid. ppppp This is the Apologists common profession qqqqq This also they professe as a cleare consequent of the former rrrrr Cottons way p. 68. The Lords Supper we administer for the gesture to the people sitting according as Christ administred it to his Disciples sitting Matth. 20.26 who also made a symbolicall use of it to teach the Church their majority over their Ministers in some cases and their Iudiciall
authority as Cosessors with him at the last Iudgement Luk. 22.27 to 30. sssss For this the Apologists did plead as much and as sharply as any ttttt I have heard some of their chiefe men discourse publikely enough to this purpose wwwww Cottons Catechism p. 10. The body of the Church hath power from Christ to enquire and heare and assist in the judgement of all publike scandals xxxxx Vide supra Chap. 4. TT yyyyy Vide supra Chap. 6. tt zzzzz Answer to the 32 Quest p. 61. If it appeare they who dissent from the major part are factiously or partially carried the rest labour to convince them of their errour by the rule if they yeeld the consent of all comfortably concurreth in the matter if they still continue obstinate they are admonished and so standing under censure their vote is nullified aaaaaa Ibid. If the difference still continue the sentence is still demurred even till other Churches have beene consulted with if the Church or the Elders should refuse the Testimâ—ny of other Churches according to God they will deny them the right hand of Fellowship c. bbbbbb Short story p. 32. Then Mâ—stris Hutchinson kept open house for all commers and set up two Lecture dayes in the week when they usually met at her house three or fourscore persons the pretence was to repeat Sermons but when that was done she would comment upon the Doctrines and interpret all passages at her pleasure she did lay all that opposed her being neare all the Elders and most of the faithfull Christians in this Countrey under a Covenant of works to advance her Master-piece of immediate revelations wherin she had not failed of her aime to the utter subversion both of Churches and civill State if the Lord had not prevented it Ibid. p. 34. What say you to your weekly publike meetings Answ There were such meetings in use before I came we began it with five or six and though it grew to more in future time yet being tolerated at the first I knew not why it might not continue The Courts reply There were private meetings indeed and are still in many places of some few neâ—ghbours we allow you to teach younger women privately and upon occasion but that gives no warrant for such set meetings for that purpose neither do yee teach them that which the Apostle commands to keep at home cccccc Apologet. Nar. p. 19. To the Magistrate we give as much and aâ— we think more then the principles of the Presbyteriall Government will suffer them to yeeld dddddd Williams paper Prop. 2. That the Saints are not to submit to the powers of the world or worldly powers and that the powers and governments of the world have nothing to doe with them for civill misdemeanors these Governours must keep in their owne spheare as Whales not to govern Whales but other fishes Lions not to governe Lions but the beasts of the forrest Eagles not to governe Eagles but the other foules of the ayre eeeeee Mr Williams related to me that Mistris Hutchinson with whom he was familiarly acquainted and of whom he spake much good after she had come to Rid Island and her husband had beene made Governour there she perswaded him to lay downe his Office upon the opinion which newly she had taken up of the unlawfulnesse of Magistracy ffffff Bloody Tenet p. 135. Williams sets down these words of Cottons modell The proper meanes whereby the civill power may and should attaine its end are only politicall and principally these five First the erecting and establishing what forme of civill Government may seem in wisedome most meet according to the generall rules of the Word and state of the people upon these words Williams comments thus from this grant I inferre that the Soveraign originall and foundation of civill power lies in the people whom they must needs meane by the civill power distinct from the Government set up and if so that a people may erect and establish what forme of Government seems to them most meet for their civill condition it is evident that such Governments as are by them erected and established have no more power nor for no longer time then the civill power or people consenting and agreeing shall betrust them with This is cleare not only in reason but in the experience of all Common-weals where the people are not deprived of their naturall freedome by the power of Tyrants How right this Commentary is Mr Cottons own words will declare set downe p. 140. In a free State no Magistrate hath power over the Bodies Goods Lands Liberties of a free people but by their free consent and because free men are not free Lords of their owne estates but are only stewards under God therefore they may not give their free consents to any Magistrate to dispose upon their Bodies Lands and Liberties at large as themselves please but as God the Soveraigne Lord of all pleases and because the Word is a perfect rule as well of righteousnesse as of holinesse it will be therefore necessary that neither the people give consent nor that the Magistrate take power but according to the lawes of the Word gggggg Vide supra Chap. 5. E. hhhhhh Bastwicks Independency second part Postscript p. 65. It may evidently appeare that all the projects of the Independents in getting prime places by Sea and Land and in the Armies and in the Townes Cities Forts and Castles and all other places and in all Committees is only for the advancement and fomenting of their Faction and this I conceive to be the only cause of all the linsie-woolsie Committees through the Kingdom iiiiii Williams Examination pag. 4. After my publike triall one of the most eminent Magistrates stood up and spoke Mr Williams said he holds forth that it is not lawfull to call a wicked person to sweare to pray as being actions of Gods worship kkkkkk Vide supra Chap. 3. TT WW AAA kkkkkk 2 Lieutenant Generall Cromwells Letter to the Parliament from Bristoll As for being united in formes commonly called uniformity every Christian for peace sake would study and doe as farre as Conscience would permit and from Brethren in things of the minde we look for no compulsion but that of Light and Reason in other things God has put the sword into the Parliaments hands for the terrour of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well if any plead exemption from it he knowes not the Gospell llllll Vide supra Chap. 2. HHHHH IIIII KKKKK mmmmmm 1 Vide supra ibid. mmmmmm 2 Vide infra mmmmmm 3. mmmmmm 3 Cottons Modell of power in the Bloody Tenet p. 140. The Magistrate in making Lawes about civill and indifferent things in the Common-wealth First he hath no power given him of God to make what Lawes he pleases either in restraining from or constraining to the use of indifferent things because that which is indifferent in its nature may sometimes be inexpedient in its use and consequently