A Defense of the Principles of Love, Part 2 · Postscript

A Defense of the Principles of Love · Part 2 · Postscript

p. 151POSTSCRIPT.

THat the Excepter may yet further be convinced that it is not any Party of men called Independents or Anabaptists as such, that I here speak against; As I did in my opposed Book declare that I thought them both, and all others that hold the foundation, and disclaim it not by Heresie, or wicked lives, to be such as the Churches should receive into their Communion; and that it is their duty to hold Communion in the same Assemblies, notwithstanding their difference; and that it is not the Opinions which denominate them, that I write against; but only the Love-killing and Dividing principles which are among them, which make them fly with censure and alienation from their brethren that are as meet for Church-Communion as they; and oft break them into pieces among themselves; so do I yet again here declare the same; And not only so, but that if it were in my power, when their Communion with others cannot be procured, they should yet be tolerated in their separation it self, and enjoy Communion with themselves alone, in their separated Congregations, under the Laws of Peace, being not tolerated to turn their preaching or worship into a reviling and reproaching of the Orthodox, to the destruction of Christian Love: And I should not doubt p. 152but the Communion of the Orthodox Churches maintained in Constant Synods, together with the special Countenance of the Christian Magistrate, and the daily experience of Believers (which would still make the aged sort forsake them) would suffice better than violent severities to repress the evil, and to give victorious Truth opportunity to do its proper work.

And to silence this calumny yet more, I do renew the Profession which I have often published, that my own opinion is so much for Independency, as that I think, no Church is made, by God, to be a Ruler to other Churches, under the name of a Mother Church, or a Metropolitane, or Patriarchal, but that all these are humane forms; And that Councils are not the proper Governours of the particular Pastors; but are for Communion of Pastors and Churches directly, by way of Consultation, Consent and Agreement; (As I have heretofore declared, that Bishop Usher professed his judgement to me.)

Though I confess that the Pastors in Council are still the Guides of the people, as well as singly at home, and by their Consent lay a stronger governing obligation on them; And that the General Law of Unity and Concord doth consequently bind the several Pastors, to concurr in all things Lawful, (Consideratis considerandis) with the Confenting Churches.

And even Dr. Hammond is for Independency p. 153so far as to say, that [every such regular assembly of Christians under a Bishop, (such as Timothy was) an Oeconomus set over them by Christ, was the Church of the Living God.] Though he adde [such again every larger circuit under the Metropolitane, &c.] Yet he confesseth, [And such all the particular Churches of the whole World, considered together under the supream head, Christ Iesus, dispensing them all by himself, and administring them severally, not by any one Oeconomus; but by the several Bishops, as inferiour heads of unity to the several bodies, so constituted by the several Apostles in their plantati…s each of them having an foreign, a several distinct commission from Christ immediately and subordinate to none but the supream Donor or plenepotentiary.] So far he; on 1 Tim. 3. 1…. e.

To this do but adde what Bishop Bilson of subjection largely sheweth, and other Bishops as well as he, that Metropolitanes and Patriarks are not of Divine but humane institution, ad accidental to the Divine constitution of Churches; And also what Ignatius saith, of the Unity of Churches, and description of a Bishop, that [To every Church there was one Altar, and one Bishop with the Presbyters and Deacons,] and so every communicating body, or Congregation that had an Altar, had a Bishop, (as Mr. M…de on this of Ignatius sheweth;) and then you will see how far Independency is owned by others as well as by me.

And for further silencing the calumny, p. 154let it be noted, that the Churches in New-England are commonly called, Independent, or Congregational, and yet they are against Separation, and do find by experience that Separation is as perillous a thing to Independent free Churches, as it is to Diocesane Churches, and somewhat more, Because they use not outward force to preserve their Unity, and because one single Congregation is sooner dissolved by division than such a thing as a Diocesane Church is. And therefore no men should be more willing to suppress Dividing Principles and Passions than the Independents, both because they are most charged with them, and with all our Sects and Confusio…, and because they are not the least in danger of them.

And that the New England Churches are against the Separation which hath been commonly known by the name of Brownisme, I will give you these following evidences.

1. Even Mr. Robinson himself, a part of whose Church began the Plantation at Plimouth, though he was one of those that was called a Semi-separatist, yet hath written for the lawfulness of hearing in our English Conformable Parish▪Churches: And in his Letter to his people in New-England (in Mortons Memorial) he hath these honest observable passages.

[How imperfect and lame is the work of grace in that person who wants Charity to cover a multitude of offences?—Neither are p. 155you to be exhorted to this grace only upon the common grounds of Christianity, which are, that persons ready to take offence, either want Charity to cover offences, or wisdom duely to weigh humane frailties; or lastly, are gross, though close hypocrites, as Christ our Lord teacheth, Mat. 7. 1, 2, 3. As indeed in my own experience, few or none have been found which sooner give offence than such as easily take it, neither have they ever proved sound and profitable members in societies who have nourished this touchy hum…ur.] To these he addeth special Reasons from themselves.

Mr. Browne accusing the Ministers as being Separatists, and would be Anabapists, &c. The Ministers answered, that They were neither Separatists nor Anabaptists, they did not separate from the Church of England, nor from the ordinances of God there, but only from the corruptions and disorders there, &c.

Old Mr. Wilson Pastor of Boston, being desired by all the Elders of the Churches assembled at his house, that (on his dying bed) he would solemnly declare to them, what he conceived to be those sins, which provoked the displeasure of God against the Countrey, told them, that he had long feared these sins following as chief among others which God was greatly provoked by, 1. Separation. 2. Anabaptisme. 3. Corahisme; when people rise up, as Corah, against their Ministers and Elders, as if they took too p. 156much upon them, when indeed they do but Rule for Christ, and according to Christ; yet it is nothing for a brother to stand up and oppose without Scripture or reason, the doctrine and word of the Elder, saying, I am not satisfied, &c. And hence if he do not like the Administration, (be it Baptisme or the like) he will then turn his back upon God and his Ordinances, and go away, &c. And (saith he) for our neglect of baptizing the children of the Church, those that some call Grand-children, I think God is provoked by it. 4. Another I take to be the making light of, and not subjecting to the Authority of Synods, without which the Churches cannot long subsist. And so for the Magistrates being Gallio like, not caring for these things, or else not using their power and authority, for the maintenance of the Truth and Gospel, and Ordinances, &c. Morton, p. 133. 184. And among the Poems there recorded of him, this is part,

Firm stood he 'gainst the Familist

And Antinomian spirit strong;

He never lov'd the Separatist,

Nor yet the Anabaptists throng.

Neither the Tolerators strein,

Nor Quakers spirit could he brook,

Nor bow'd to the Morellian train;

Nor childrens right did over-look, p. 186.

p. 157And, Pag. 195. in the Poems on their famous Mitchell it followeth.

The Quaker trembling at his thunder, fled,

And with Caligula resum'd his bed:

He by the motions of a nobler spirit

Clear'd men, and made their Notions swine inherit.

The Munster Goblin by his holy flood

Exorcis'd, like a thin Phantasma stood:

Brown's Babel shatter'd by his lightning, fell,

And with confused horror pack'd to Hell.

Let not the brazen Schismatick aspire▪

Lot's leaving Sodom, left them to the fire.

But the fullest evidence is the work of the New-England Synod, 1662. who determined of two great points of Church-practice, so as greatly tendeth to reconcile them to all the moderate Presbyterians, and other peaceable Christians. The one is 2. ▪ That Members of the visible Church according to Scripture, are confederate visible believers, in particular Churches, and their Infant-seed; that is, Children in minority, whose next Parents, one or both, are in Covenant. ▪The Case of Christians that are of no particular Church is not here medled with). 3. And that [The Infant-seed of such when grown up, are personally under the Watch, Discipline, and p. 158Government of the Church]. 4. That these adult persons are not to be admitted to full Communion, meerly because they are and continue members, without such further qualifications as the Word of God requireth thereunto. 5. That Church-Members who were admitted in minority, understanding the doctrine of Faith, and publickly professing their Assent thereto, not scandalous in life, and solemnly owning the Covenant before the Church, wherein they give up themselves and their Children to the Lord, and subject themselves to the Government of Christ in his Church, their children are to be baptised.]

As to the points themselves, having written a Treatise on the subject, (under the name of Confirmation) and therein distinctly shewed my Opinion in reconciling terms, (though it may seem stricter than these propositions, and more inclining to the dissenters in some things) I shall say nothing of it here. But by this it is visible, that the New-England Synod do not only exclude the practice of Gathering Churches out of Churches (which was the great contest in England between the Assembly and the Congregational party); but they provide that not so much as any particular persons that were Baptized in their Churches in Infancy, shall be made Church-members de novo (unless by removing from one Church to another), but shall be accounted members till they apostatize notoriously or are Excommunicated: And so p. 159shall their children after them succeed by the way of Baptism into the Church, and they will have no other ordinary Church-door but Baptism. And so gathering Churches of Baptized persons will cease, unless it be in a ravelled state, when the old Churches being dissolved, believers are to embody themselves anew. And Mr. Davenport and a few more, seeing that by this way their Churches would fall into the way of England and other Churches, by a succession of Members growing up from Infancy (and not by making them up of new Adult enterers, as the Anabaptists do,) did oppose himself by writing against the Synod, which by some of them is largely Answered: Wherein they tell us that there were n…t ten in a Synod of above seventy that did in any thing Vote on the Negative, and not above three against the third Proposition, which carryeth the Cause. They frequently disclaim Separation: They cite Allen and Shephard p. 33. as advising for the Reformation of such Churches as our Parishes, that they be acknowledged true Churches, and then called to Repentance and Reformation, and a select number of those that agree to it, being fit for the sacrament, &c. to be admitted, and go in the Congregational way, pag. 42. they cite Cotton, Holin. of Chur. Mem. p. 92. saying, [Neither among us doth irregeneration alone keep any from Church-fellowship with us, unless it be accompanied with such fruits as are openly scandalous, p. 160and de convincingly manifest irregeneration.] They prudently tell us, p. 45. that [The Lord hath not set up Churches only that a few old Christians may keep one another warm while they live, and then carry away the Church into the cold Grave with them when they die; but that they might with all care and advantages nurse up still successively another generation of subjects to Christ, &c.] And that [We may be very injurious to Christ as well as to the souls of men, by too much straitening and narrowing the bounds of his Kingdom, or visible Church on earth.] Citing Paraeus, (in Mat. 13.) saying, [In Church-Reformation it is an observable truth, that those that are for too much strictness, do more hurt than profit the Church.] Abundance more to the same purpose I might collect.

And seeing they take children growing up, to be members under Church-discipline according to their Capacities, Let it be considered soberly, whether this doth not intimate to us, that Discipline it self must not be exercised with the hurtful rigor that some expect? For I would intreat the ridgeder sort, if they are Parents, but to tell me, at what age, and for what faults, and for want of Grace, they would have their own children excommunicated? And when they have done, whether they will also proceed to a Family Excommunication of them for the same causes?

They adde a sixth Prop. for the Baptizing of the Children of those that by death or extraordinary p. 161providence have been inevitably hindered from publickly acting as aforesaid, and yet have given the Church cause in judgement of Charity to look at them, as so qualified, and such as had they been called thereto would have so acted.

And they adde a seventh Propos. that [The Members of Orthodox Churches being sound in the faith, and not scandalous in life, and presenting due testimony thereof; these occasionally coming from one Church to another, may have their children baptized in the Church whither they come, by virtue of Communion of Churches; But if they remove their habitation, they ought orderly to covenant and subject themselves to the Government of Christ, in his Church where they settle their abode, and so their children to be baptized: It being the Churches duty to receive such to Communion, so far as they are regularly capable of the same.]

So that they provide for the reception of all meet persons. But the chief thing observable is that in Propos. 5. Where the Qualifications or Description of a just entitleing Profession is laid down, as consisting in no more than these four things, 1. Understanding the doctrine of Faith. 2. The publick Profession of Assent thereto. 3. Not to be scandalous in life. 4. And solemnly owning the Covenant before the Church, wherein they give up themselves and their children before the Lord. They require no other proofs of Regeneration; no… any particular account p. 162how they were converted; nor what further signs of it they can shew.

And, for my own part, I never dissented from those called Congregational, in England, in the two great points from which their Churches are denominated, viz. 1. That regularly they should consist but of so many as are capable of Personal Communion, which they call a Congregation. 2. And that this Congregation is not jure Divino under the spiritual Government of any superior Church, as Metropolitane, Patriarchal, &c. But my chief dissent from them hath been, in their going beyond Independency, and too many of them coming too neer to Separation, 1. By making other tearms of mens title to Churchmember-ship, than these here recited by the New-England Synod, and then the understanding, sober profession of Assent and Consent to the Baptismal Covenant is. 2. And for their gathering new Churches in the several Parishes, as if there had been no Churches there before, and the members not gathered by them, were not the subjects of any Church-Discipline; neither the Children nor Adult.

And the reasons why I have ever dissented from them in these points, have been these.

1. Because I find that the contrary was the way of Scripture-times and all antiquity. And that the Apostles still received members, upon a sudden and bare profession p. 163of belief and consent to the Baptismal Covenant, with the penitent renunciation of the Flesh, the World, and the Devil. And all Ages since have held this course, and made Baptisme the Church-door.

But I shall heartily joyn with any Brethren that will endeavour herein to save the Church, from that state of Imagery and dead Formality, which Papists and all Carnal Hypocrites have mortified Gods ordinances, and unspeakably injured the Churches by, and are still working every ordinance of God that way: All good men should labour to recover Religion and Christian profession to an understanding seriousness.

I will here insert the words of a most Learned and High Prelatist, to shew you that whoever is against this Course in Practice, no sober men can deny it in principles: Eldersfield of Bapt. pag. 48. marg. [Upon score of like reason whereto, and for such after-tryal, may have been taken up in the Christian Church that examination which did sift the Constancy or rather Consistency of those that had been taken in young, to their presumed grounds, that if they wavered, they might be known and discharged; Or if they remained constant, they might by Imposition of hands receive what the common name of that Ceremony did import, of their Faith (at least a sign of) Confirmation: Vasques hath from Erasmus (in the Preface to his Paraphrase on the Gospels) a word of most wholsome, grave, and p. 164prudent advice, that those who were baptized young, when they begin to write Man, should be examined, An ratum habeant id quod in Catechismo ipsorum nomine promissum fuit? Quod si ratum non habeant, ab Ecclesiae jurisdictione liberos manere, in 3 part. Thom. Disp. 154. To. 2. C. 1. 2. If they did then stand to what their Sureties had presumed for them, If not, they should be discarded: Most necessary! and of unimaginable benefit; (But not if it be turned into cursory Imagery,) Such a scrutiny would shake off thousands of rotten hypocrites, and purge the Church of many such Infidel-believers (or professors,) upon whose dirty faces a little holy water was sprinkled when they knew not what it was; but they no more mind the true Sanctification appertaining, than Turks or Saracens, (who shall rise up in judgement against their washed filthyness,) Or than those of whom St. Peter, [It is happened unto them according to the true Proverb, The dog to his vomit, and the washed swine to wallow in the mire;] Such Discipline of awakened Reason is that which the World groans for, (And groan it may for any remedy that the formal Hypocrites will either apply or endure.) That men would become Christians! O that the truth of faith, and the power of true Christian belief might be seen in the hearts and lives of those, that knowingly put the neck in Christs yoak.] So far Eldersfield. See also Dr. Patrick of Baptisme. Dr. Hammonds words I have recited after my Treat. of Confirmation; They p. 165are very worthy of consideration. But to leave this digression,

2. My second reason why I dissent from them that will have other Tearms of Church-entrance than Baptisme, and a stricter exaction of a Title to membership than a professed Affent and Consent to the tearms of that Covenant; is because, if in our very Church-title and Constitution we forsake the Scriptural and primitive tearms, we are liable to the exceptions of all dissenters, and cannot justifie our selves against their accusations; nor well answer them that say, It is long of us, and not of them, that they communicate not with us.

3. Because we shall unavoidably injure many of Christs members, and keep those out whom he will own, and would have us own; to the great injury of him and them.

4. Because we shall lessen and weaken the Church of Christ, which is already so small, and so be injurious to it.

5. Because we shall be alwaies at uncertainty, on what tearms to go: For if once we leave Gods prescribed tearms, we shall never know where to fix: But every Pastor will examine as he please, and form such Covenant-tearms as are agreeable to the measure of his own private judgement and Charity: And even among Congregational men, we see already that the tearms of mens Titles do vary, as the Pastors p. 166(or Congregations) differ in point of strictness.

6. And this layeth a certain foundation for perpetual dissentions and divisions; when there are no certain tearms of Concord: And there is no Union when we depart from Christs authority. And it is not in vain that Christ himself prescribed a form of Baptizing; And if all his Churches since the Apostles daies, have brought us down that Creed or those Articles of Faith, and form of Baptizing used universally among them, New waies, and various waies, (even as various as mens degrees of prudence and charity) will never be the tearms of the Churches Unity.

7. And I am very much the more confirm'd against this extream by my long experience. Having made it much of my work to know the minds and lives of all the people of the great Parish where I lived, and since that, having conversed with many of the inferior rank, both for estate, and profession of piety, I have found that there is much more good in a great number of those, that are not noted openly for special Professors of Religiousness, than I did before believe. For no man is usually noted now for Religious, in this stricter sense, 1. Whose knowledge hath not some readiness of expression, in conference, and in prayer. 2. And who doth not come to private meetings, and associate himself with the stricter and forwarder sort of Professors. p. 167But there are abundance of things which may hinder some serious weak Christians from both these. Dulness of natural parts, and want of good education, and use, and teaching, and company, may keep mens parts and utterance very low. And some young Christians for want of former use, at their first true Conversion, cannot speak sense, in the very fundamentals, which yet they have a saving sense and knowledge of, (but are like Infants,) and their prayers have little better expressions, than Abba Father, and the unutterable groans of the spirit.

And some never had the opportunity of profitable company; And some are hindered from such converse by bashfulness; And some by poverty and business, or distance; And some by the restraint of Parents, Husbands, Masters, &c. And some by ill company, and scandall, may have a prejudice against those Religious people who are neerest to them; who yet may be real lovers of Christ. Having found in many called common people more knowledge (though not beter utterance) than I expected, and more trust in Christ, and more desire to be better, and love to those that are better, and more willingness to be taught (crowding in publick or private when they have a full opportunity, and affectionately hearing the closest preaching,) I am grown the more fearful of wronging Christ, his Church and them, by numbering p. 168such with those that are without, when they are Baptized persons, that never were proved to have apostatized, nor to have lived impenitently in any sin so gross, as the back-bitings, proud-censoriousness and divisions of too many Religiouser people are.

8. To which may be added the sad experience of this age of the dreadful miscarriages of the more noted sort of Professors, turning Infidels, Ranters, Quakers, Socinians, Antinomians, and too many scandalous in life; and such as have destroyed Order, Government, Unity, & Reformation, when there was scarce an enemie able to hurt it much besides themselves: Which is no dishonour to the Profession of Holyness, much less to Christ and Holyness it self; But it seemeth to me a notable rebuke of our common over-valuing the meer Parts and utterance, and extemporate performances of the people, and of Ministers flattering such Professors, and over-looking all of Christ which is in many, that have had no such helps for gifts and utterance as they.

2. The second Point in which the New-England Synod agreed was, the stated Consociation of Churches, and use of Synods, And herein, saith the Defence, p. 99. there appeared no Dissent or dissatisfaction in the Synod. Where they adde also (as to the point of Separation,) [We never said nor thought, that there should be a withdrawing p. 169from other Churches upon differences, errors or offences of an inferiour and dubious nature, yea, though continued in: We are far enough from hastyness or harshness in that matter, being professed adversaries to a spirit of sinful and rigid separation.]

And that Apostolical man Mr. Iohn Eliot, hath printed a draught for stated Synods, (for Counsel and Concord, which is their proper use,) which will go far enough to satisfie moderate men in that point, and saith more for such Synods than ever I said.

2. Having said thus much of the Iudgement of Congregational men in New-England against Separation, I shall adde somewhat of the second Assertion, That it concerneth the Congregational Party, as much in point of Interest, to be against it, as any sort of men whatsoever. 1. Because their Churches have no other bond of Concord (here) but voluntary Consent; And if that break, they are dissolved. 2. Because their members being usually neither, so low as to be ignorant of matters of Controversie, nor so high as to be able solidly to Resolve them, are most like to be quarrelsome, and fall into divisions. And honest people that have a zeal of God, and for Truth and Unity, and not knowledge enough to guide it steadily, are likey to contend and trouble one another, than either they that are more careless, and have less zeal, (and therefore like swine will leave such pearls to any that p. 170will take them up,) or they that have sound knowledge to guide their zeal. 3. And the power which too many of them give the people, over the Pastors and themselves, will do much to increase these divisions, and cause their dissolution.

And that this is the sense of New-England, appeareth, 1. In their banishing Lyford first, and the two Brownes after, lest they should be divided about the Prelacy and Liturgie. 2. By their common judgement against dangerous Toleration. 3. By the History of Mrs. Hutchinsons business in Sir Henry Uane's daies. 4. By the History of Mr. Williams business. 5. And of Gorton's. 6. And of the Quakers of late; All which I shall say no more of, but only transcribe some of the words of Morton's Memorial, about Mr. Williams, p. 78, &c:

[In the year 1634. Mr. Roger Williams removed from Plimouth to Salem, He had lived about three years at Plimouth, where he was well accepted as an assistant to Mr. Ralph Smith then Pastor there; But by degrees venting of divers of his own singular opinions, and seeking to impose them upon others, he not finding such a concurrence as he expected, des…red his dismission—foreseeing that he would run the same course of rigid Separation and Anabaptistry as Mr. John Smith the Separatist at Amsterdam had done, the Church consented to his dismission; and such as did adhere to him were also dismissed, or removed with him, or not long after him, to Salem.—But he having p. 171in one years time filled that place with principles of rigid Separation, and tending to Anabaptistry; the prudent Magistrates of the Massachusets jurisdiction, sent to the Church of Salem, desiring them to forbear calling him to Office; which they not hearkening to, was a cause of much disturbance.—He being in Office, proceeded more vigorously to vent many dangerous Opinions, as, That it is not lawful for an Unregenerate man to pray; nor to take an Oath; and in special, not the Oath of Fidelity to the Civil Government; Nor was it lawful for a godly man to have Communion, either in Family-Prayer, or in an Oath, with such as they judged unregenerate. And therefore he himself refused the Oath of Fidelity, and taught others so to do. Also that it was not lawful so much as to hear the godly Ministers of England, when any occasionally went thither; and therefore he admonished any Church-members that had done so, as of heynous sin. Also he spake dangerous words against the Patent which was the foundation of the Government of the Massachusets Colony. Also he affirmed that the Magistrate had nothing to do in matters of the First Table, but only the Second: And that there should be a general and unlimited Toleration of all Religions: And for any man to be punished for any matters of his Conscience, was Persecution.—Staying at home in his own house, he sent a Letter, which was read in the publick Church-Assembly, to give them notice, That if the Church of Salem would not separate, not only p. 172from the Churches of England, but the Churches of New-England too, he would separate from them. The more prudent and sober part of the Church being amazed at his way, could not yield to him: Whereupon he never came to the Church-Assembly more, professing separation from them as Antichristian: And not only so, but he withdrew all private Religious communion from any that would hold Communion with the Church there. Insomuch as that he would not pray, nor give thanks at meals with his own Wife, nor any of his Family, because they went to the Church-Assemblies. Divers of the weaker sort of the Church-members, that Had not this man brought the Catholick-Church into a little room.had been throughly levened with his Opinions, of which number were divers Women that were zealous in their way, did by degrees fall off to him: Insomuch as that he kept a Meeting in his own house, unto which a numerous company did resort, both on the Sabbath day and at other times, by way of Separation from, and opposition to the Church-Assembly there: Which the prudent Magistrates understanding, and seeing things grow more and more towards a general division and disturbance; after all other means used in vain, they passed a Sentence of Banishment against him, out of the Massachusets Colony, as against a disturber of the Peace of the Church and Commonwealth. After which Mr. Williams sate down in a place called Providence—and was followed by many of the Members of the Church of Salem, who did zealously adhere to him, and cryed out of the Persecution that was against him: Some others p. 173also resorted to him from other parts. They had not been there long together, but from rigid Separation they fell to Anabaptistry, renouncing the Baptism which they had received in their Infancy, and taking up another Baptism, and so began a Church in that way. But Mr. Williams stopped not there long; For after some time he told the people that had followed him, that he was out of the way himself, and had misled them; For he did not find that there was any upon earth, that could administer Baptisme, and therefore their last Baptisme was a nullity as well as their first: And therefore they must lay down all, and wait for the coming of new Apostles: And so they dissolved themselves, and turned Seekers; keeping that one Principle, That every one should have liberty to worship God, according to the light of their own Consciences; but otherwise not owning any Churches or Ordinances of God, any where upon earth.] So far the History.

To which I adde, that this man was one of the great instruments after all this, of sublimating the English Separation to the same height, and gratifying the Papists by raising up the sect of Seekers, who said, that both Scripture, Ministry, Church and Ordinances were lost. And had they not now broken the Church sufficiently, and made it small enough, when they had made it none?

God forbid that I should transcribe any of this with a desire to bring reproach on any mens persons, but only to help our p. 174dear brethren that are in danger, to prof… by the warning of other mens falls.

For to this end was the Scripture written historically, with the falls of the Saints inserted in it.

The same History, pag. 139, 140. thus describeth Mr. Thomas Dudley a Principal Founder and Pillar of the Massachussets, and often Governour, dying 77 years old, that [His zeal to order appeared in contriving good Laws, and faithfully executing them on Criminal Offenders, Hereticks and Underminers of Religion: He had a piercing judgement to discover the Wolf, though cloathed with a Sheep-skin,—] These following are the conclusion of a pious Copy of Verses found in his pocket when he was dead.

Let men of God in Courts and Churches watch,

O're such as do a Toleration hatch,

Lest that ill egg bring forth a Cockatrice,

To poyson all with Heresie and Vice.

If men be left, and otherwise Combine,

My Epitaph's, I dy'd no Libertine.

(But this is no excuse to them, that Tolerate not men to obey the Laws of Christ.)

To these I may adde that (though many Prelatists utterly mistake, and think that it is the Ministers every where that are the chief Leaders of the people to Separation, yet) both in New-England and in Old, the p. 175people are so much proner to it than the Ministers, (except a very few,) that if it were not for the wisdom, gravity, stability and authority of the Ministers restreining them, the matter would be otherwise than it is. As this Synod of New-England sheweth you their stability and moderation, so do the choicest of their Pastors still stand firm against all extreams, and hold the people in that Concord which they have. The excellent service of Mr. Mitchell in this kind before he died is predicated by all. I will not recite all the complaints I heard from Mr. Nortons mouth, against the separating humour of many people, and their danger thereupon; nor the many Letters to the same purpose, which many worthy men thence have sent over to their friends, and their particular lamentations of the case of Hartford, Boston, &c. which I have had the sight of; which fully testifie that they are no promoters of those waies.

The sad case of the Bermuda's I before mentioned: Sad indeed, when in so disciplin'd a Plantation, one Minister shall turn away the greater part from Church-Communion, till they become aliens,—And the rest whom he gathered as the only worthy persons, shall so many turn Quakers and such like, till Religion between both is,—alas, how low (as their late worthy Minister fore-named testifyeth.)

The dissolution of the separated Churches p. 176of the English in the Low Countreys by their own divisions, is a thing too well known to be concealed.

From all which I gather, that it is the Interest of the Congregational Churches themselves, as much as of any others, to joyn with us for the Principles of Christian Love, forbearance and Unity; and against the Principles of alienation and division: which is all that I am driving at.

Obj. But the Churches of New-England would not joyn with a Church that should use the Common-prayer in that worship, nor in the Sacrament.

Answ. Nor I neither ordinarily if I were with them, and in their case; who have liberty to worship God in the most edifying and serious, and orderly manner that they can. And yet were I in Armenia, Abassia, or among the Greeks, I would joyn in a much more defective form than our Liturgie, rather than in none. And that this is the judgement of many New-England Ministers, (to joyn with the English Liturgie rather than have no Church-worship;) I have reason to conjecture, because in their foresaid Defence of the Synod, Pref. pag. 4, 5. They profess themselves to receive their principles not from the Separatists, but from the good old non-Conformists, to whom they adhere, naming Cartwright, Ames, Paraeus, Parker, Baines, Fox, Dearing, Greenham, &c. And I need not tell those that have read their writings, that the old non-Conformists p. 177did some of them read the Common-prayer, and the most of them judge i… lawful to jo… Or else Mr. Hildersham, Mr. Rich. Rogers, &c. would not write so earnestly to men to come to the beginning, and prefer it before all private duties: And Perkins was for kneeling at the Sacrament: And Mr. Baines his successor in his Letters writes for Communicating kneeling at the Sacrament, and answereth the objections.

But though I write this to give them the due honour of their moderation and sober judgement, yet not as making them or any men our Rule, in faith or worship.

Obj. Therefore the Churches of New-England reprove not separation from a Common-prayer Church, though they would have none separate among themselves, because there is no just Cause.

Ans. 1. The former answer may serve to make it probable, that they would joyn with them as Churches, in case they had not better to joyn with on lawful tearms. 2. And their own expressions signifie that they take the English Parishes that have godly Ministers, for true Churches, though faulty. 3. And those that I now write for cannot forget, that they gathered their Churches by separation out of our Parish-Churches, when there was no Commonprayer nor Ceremonies used, nor any difference in worship found among us, that I p. 178know of; And that in New-England it self, the Principles which I deny, do too of procure separation from those Churches, that have nothing which moderation and peaceableness will think a sufficient cause of such disjunction.

4. And it is well known that the name of a Separatist and Brownist was first taken up here in England, with relation to these Parish-Churches where they had the Liturgie and Ceremonies as now. Therefore they would speak equivocally in disclaiming Separatists and Brownists, if they meant not such as the word is first and commonly used to signifie. 5. And if that were not the sense, a Separatist might be said to be against Separation as well as they in New-England. For Canne or Iohnson would be against separating from their own Churches, or from any which they judged as faultless. 6. It was the Parish-Churches that had the Liturgie, and were accused to have 91 Antichristian Errors (in them and the Church of England which they belonged to) which Mr. H. Iacob the Father of the Congregational Party, wrote for Communion with against Francis Iohnson, and in respect to which he called those Separatists against whom he wrote; The same I may say of Mr. Bradshaw, Dr. Ames, and other non-Conformists, whom the Congregational brethren think were favourable to their way. And if the old Independents (as well as the rest of the non-Conformists) accounted p. 179them Culpable Separatists that then wrote for separation from the Parish-Churches (for Diocesane Churches I I… meddle not with,) then we have small reason to think that those New-England Brethren that disclaim the Separatists, were of the mind of these Separatists themselves, or that they differed from the old Independents herein, when they seem rather to be of such healing principles and temper towards the Presbyterians, (as in my opinion) they have in their Synodical Conclusions made …p almost all the breach: And therefore are not to be accounted more for separation than the old Congregational Divines.

And that you may see that the Magistrates of New-England are of the mind of their Pastors in the Synod, and take the youth to be under the Ministers Charge, or at least that I may hereby express my gladness for this work of their great prudence and Christian zeal, and call those my brethren of the Ministry to Repentance, who did neglect this work of personal Instruction, while we had liberty to exercise the Pastoral office; and also that I may yet remember them that are silenced, what abundance of good the Law yet alloweth them to do, by this course of going from house to house, and of Catechizing the youth, (seeing we are restrained to no members under 16 years of age,) I say for these reasons, I shall give you as my Conclusion, the Order p. 180of the Governour and Council of the Massachusets in New-England to all the Elders and Ministers in their Jurisdiction, for Catechizing, and private labours with all the Families under their Charge; Dated at Boston, Mar. 10. 1668.