A Dissuasive from the Errors of the time, Chapter 6

A Dissuasive from the Errors of the time · Chapter 6

p. 101CHAP. VI. An Enumeration of the common Tenets of the Independents.

IT is not eaſie to ſet down with aſſurance the Independents poſitions,Why it is hard to ſet downe the Independents poſitions. both becauſe they have to this day declined to declare poſitively their minds; as alſo becauſe of their principle of mutability whereby they profeſſe their readineſſe to change any of their preſent Tenets.

How unwilling they are to declare their mind,They have declined to declare their Tenets, more then has ever been the cuſtome of any Orthodox Divines. may appeare by their obſtinate ſilence, and refuſing to anſwer any of theſe Books that put them moſt to it; alſo, by hiding of their opinions from their brethren, who moſt earneſtly have preſt their Declaration.

Theſe divers yeares the Miniſters of London have been dealing with them for ſatisfaction herein, and once by importunity obtained a promiſe under their hand of a full and free Declaration, but theſe foure yeares they have eluded that promiſe (a).

Mr. Apollonius in name of all the Churches of Zealand with all earneſtneſſe did intreat this duty of them (b), but all in vaine. When upon any occaſion they have been moved to make any kind of Narration of their way, it was ever with an expreſſe proviſo of their reſolution to keep up as yet from the World their poſitive Tenets; ſo they conclude their Apologetick (c), ſo they begin their Keyes (d).

And now when the indignation both of the Aſſembly and Parliament, and of many more, was likely to break out upon them for this, that after ſo long time no plaine dealing hath been ſeen in them,When they ſhal bee pleaſed to declare themſelves to the full, their principle of change will hinder thē to aſſure us that any thing is their ſettled, and firm Tenet wherein they will bee conſtant. at laſt they have engaged themſelves to declare their minds; and yet ſince that their publike engagement there are ſix Months paſt, and the Worlds expectation of underſtanding at laſt their mind, is ſtill ſuſpended.

And though that their Declaration ſhould come out to morrow, yet with what aſſurance can we take any thing therein for their conſtant and ſettled Tenet, ſo long as they profeſſe it to be one of their cheife principles to be ſo looſe and irreſolute in any thing they maintaine for the time, that they are ready to leave it, and upon occaſion to embrace the contrary (e)? So long as p. 102this skeptick irreſolution is avowed, there is no hope, there is no poſſibility of any fixed conſtancy.

The chief Tenets which hitherto they have given out, and not yet recal…ed, are theſe following.Theſe things conſidered no man is able to ſet down their full mind, nor any one of their poſitions whereto any dare aſſure they will firmely ſtand; only the chiefe of their ſingularities which they have been pleaſed to let come abroad, and have not to our knowledge as yet revoked, we ſhall ſet down as they come to our thoughts.

It hath been hitherto their earneſt deſire to decline the infamy of Browniſme, They reject the name of Independents unreaſonably, and for their own diſadvantage.and it was the charity of their Brethren to diſtinguiſh them from that Sect, under the new name of Independents: importing their chiefe difference from us to ſtand not in the point of ſeparation, which is our proper quarrell with the Browniſts, but alone in the point of Church-Government, which againſt all the Reformed Churches they ma…ntaine to be Independent, that is, not ſubject to the Authority and Juriſdiction of any Superiour Synod. This was thought to be their proper diſtinctive and characteriſticall Tenet, till of late we finde them paſſionately reject the name of Independents, and tell us, that the dependency or independency of their Congregations will bee found one of their leaſt differences and ſmalleſt controverſies.

In this our long miſtake, we are content to be rectified; albeit our charity ſhould not be reproved▪ who being ignorant of their willingneſſe to differ from us in any thing higher or deeper then the Dependency of Congregations upon the Authority of Superiour Aſſemblies, did put upon them no other name then that which implyed this difference alone.

It ſeemes that this Title is not only the moſt reaſonable, but the moſt innocent and inoffenſive note of diſtinction, which themſelves could have choſen: The terme not being invented by any of their ill-willers, but by their own cheife Leaders (f), who did think that word moſt proper to notifie their Tenet of Government;When it is laid aſide, the more infamous name of Browniſts and Separatiſts wil juſtly fall upon them. and ſince ſome name muſt be given to every eminently differing party, it ſeemes none leſſe irritative could bee fallen upon, then that which moſt properly did ſignifie the chiefe matter in Controverſie.

But now finding they avow their chiefe differences to lie elſewhere, for my part I could yeeld to them to have the name of Independents buried, did I not feare it behoved to be changed p. 103with another Title, which would much more diſpleaſe: For ſince they are gone beyond the queſtion of Independent Government, and now doe queſtion the conſtitution of our Churches ſo farre as puts them on a neceſſity of Separation, and in this doe place the chiefe of their Controverſies with us: If a Sect may be denominated either from the Author or principall matter, as they make no bones to Print us Calvinians (g) and Presbyterians (h): I cannot conceive why they ought not to take it in good part, if when the name of Independents is laid by, they have in place of it, the Title of Browniſts and Separatiſts faſtned upon them.

Of their owne accord they take upon them openly the halfe of the thing we alledge profeſſing themſelves to lie halfeway off us,They avow a Semi-Separation, but a Seſqui-Separation will bee proved upon them. towards Browniſme (i) avowing the truth to conſiſt in this their middle way: But whoſoever conſiders better of the matter, will find, that however in ſome things they incline to a middle way; yet in the chiefe and moſt, they come up cloſe to the outmoſt line of Browniſme, and in many things doe expatiate ſo much beyond it▪ that in place of the Semi-Separation they mention, they may be juſtly argued to have drawn upon themſelves the blot of Se…qui-Separation and more alſo: how true this is, it will appeare to any, who will be pleaſed to make a paralell of the forementioned Tenets of the Brownists with theſe of the Independents, which here are ſubjoyned.

Firſt, the worſt and uttermoſt Tenet of the Browniſts for which they cook to themſelves,The Independents doe ſeparate from all the Reformed Churches upon farre worſe grounds then the Browniſts were wont to ſeparate. and had beſtowed upon them by others the ſtile of Separatiſts, was their doctrine and practiſe accordingly, to Separate from the Churches of England: In this the Independents goe beyond them. For beſide that the practice of both is the ſame, both actually Separating from all the Congregations of England; the grounds of the Browniſts Separation were a great deale more reaſonable, then that of the Independents, albeit neither of them be good and ſufficient: For the Browniſts did build their Separation on the Tyranny of Biſhops, on the Superſtition of the Ceremonies and Service-Book; on the groſſe, avowed, and neglected profaneneſſe of the moſt in every Congregation: if theſe corruptions had been removed, ſo farre as I have read in any of their writings, they would no more have Separated. But the Independents having no ſuch ſtumbling blocks in their way, Biſhops p. 104and Books being aboliſhed, and a barre ſet up in every Congregation to keep off from the Sacrament, every ſcandalous and ignorant perſon, notwithſtanding they will yet Separate. The more unjuſt and leſſe cauſe they have ſo to doe, their ſeparation muſt bee ſo much the worſe, the groſſer and more inexcuſable Schiſme.

Their acknowledgment of the Reformed for true Churches doth not diminiſh, but encreaſe their Shiſme.What they ſay for the avoyding of this challenge, will not hold water; while they tell us that they are not Separatiſts, becauſe they avow the Church of England to be a true and gracious Church, That the Miniſtry of it, is true and ſaving. They ſhould conſider that the Browniſts, when the fit of charity commeth upon them, ſay large as much as all this, as before from their own words we have ſhown (k): alſo that ſome of the Independent Party have gone as farre as that which they confeſſe makes the Browniſts to be juſtly called Schiſmaticks (l); but however, ſuppoſe their allegation were true, it doth not excuſe and diminiſh, but much encreaſe the fault of their ſeparation: For it is a greater ſinne to depart from a Church which I profeſſe to bee true, and whoſe Miniſtry I acknowledge to be ſaving, then from a Church which I conceive to be falſe, and whoſe Miniſters I take to have no calling from God, nor any bleſſing from his hand.

They refuſe all Church communion and memberſhip in all the Reformed Churches, they preach and pray in them as they would doe among P…gans, only as g…ft…d men to gather new Churches.Neither are they cleared from the blot of Schiſme by their countenancing the Engliſh Aſſemblies, by their preaching and praying therein: for beſide that they doe no more in this then Mr Robinſon hath taught them (m); They ſhould remember they teach their Schollars, that Preaching, Prayer, Pſalmes, and all things they doe in the Engliſh Congregation, are no acts of Church Fellowſhip (n): that none of them doth import any Church Memberſhip, nor any Eccleſiaſtick Communion: but are ſuch which without ſcruple they can diſpence to very Pagans.

But we would intreat them to declare if they would be willing to receive any Sacrament in the Engliſh Congregations, or if they will be content to bee under any part of their Diſcipline, if they will be either Members or Officers in any of our Churches.

I ſee indeed the Apologiſts profeſſe their participation of Baptiſme in our Congregations, but beſides that, the Browniſts will profeſſe ſo much of themſelves (o); yet how this is conſiſtent with the conſtant practice and Doctrine of the Independents, I confeſſe my underſtanding is too blunt to conceive.

p. 105For however in New-England, they give the right hand of Fellowſhip to the Browniſts Congregations (p); and at London they are ſaid to goe to the Browniſts Sacraments (q): and we did never heare that either in England or Holland, they refuſed any to be a Member for their beliefe of rigid ſeparation, or Anabaptiſme; nor cenſured any of their Members for falling into theſe errours: yet in formall termes, they doe deny the moſt gracious of their Brethren to live beſide them in New-England in the Presbyteriall way of the old Non-conformiſts (r): yea, in Print they avow that whoever refuſeth their Tenet of Independency, were they otherwiſe never ſo Orthodox and pious, they ought not to be admitted to the Sacraments, nor enjoy any Church Priviledge (s): as people who cannot be wholly, but at moſt are in part only converted: Yea, as ſuch who muſt be taken for Anti-chriſtian ſpirits, for enemies to Chriſt and his Kingdome (t): Neither have I heard that any of them now for many yeares▪ have either celebrated to others or received themſelves the Sacraments in any Engliſh Church.

And when it was propounded that they might take charge in ſome of the beſt Reformed Congregations of England; with a full aſſurance of a perſonall diſpenſation to them for their whole life, if they would leave but that one intollerable Tenet of Separation; to this day they have diſregarded that kind and brotherly Accommodation; ſhewing expreſly that in this point of ſeparate Congregations they would be tolerated, or nothing elſe would ſatisfie their conſciences; beyond this their beſt friends were not able by their long and earneſt endeavours for divers weeks together to draw them one haires-breadth (w):About the matter of the Church and qualification of members, they are large, as ſtrict as the Browniſts, admitting none but who convinces the whole Congregation of their reall regeneration. if this be not a more cleare and a more inexcuſable Separation then was ever yet laid to the charge of any Browniſts, I profeſſe my utter miſtake of the nature of Schiſme, and deſire to be rectified.

The next ſingularity of the Browniſts, their Doctrine of the conſtitution of the Church in matter and forme, the Independents have borrowed to the full: and not only enlarged it, but when all other grounds faile, upon this alone they build the neceſſity of their ſeparation.

Concerning the matter of the Church, the Independents have learned all their unjuſt ſcrupuloſity from the other; as the Browniſts require every Church member to be a Saint, really regenerate p. 104duplicate page p. 105duplicate page p. 106and juſtified, who at their admiſſion have publikely ſatisfied the whole Congregation by convincing ſignes of their true holineſſe: the other requires the ſame (x.) What ever indulgence here the Independents profeſſe to give, either to weak ones in whom they finde the leaſt of Chriſt, or to women whom they remit from the Congregation to ſpeak more privately in the Elderſhip (y …, this is no other then the preſent practiſe of the Brownists at Amsterdam.

Only we obſerve, that the Independents here go farther from the Reformed Churches, both in the ſtrictneſſe, and in the looſneſſe of their ſatisfactions.Beſides true grace they require a ſutableneſſe of ſpirit. The Browniſts are ſatisfied with the ſignes of perſonall grace, but the Independents require more; they proceed to a triall by a long converſation of the ſociable and complying diſpoſition of the perſon to be admitted, with the ſpirits of the whole Church whereof he is to be a member (z); without this ſutableneſſe of ſpirit they will reject them whom otherwiſe they finde to be Saints (aa).But in this they are laxer then the Browniſts, that they can take in without ſcruple Anabaptiſts, Antinomians, & others, who both in life & doctrine have evident blots, if ſo they bee zealous and ſerviceable for their way. But their chiefe exceſſe here is in looſneſſe. The Browniſts will not diſpence with known errours and ſinnes in the members; they will not admit of Anabaptists, of proud, luxurious, contentious people. If they finde any ſuch to have crept in among them, they profeſſe their judgement is for their caſting out by cenſures But the Independents will here be more wiſe for the encreaſe of their party: and however they will have nothing to do with Preſbyterians (bb), nor with ſuch people who can live in their confuſed Congregations; yet they make it their rule to hold out none for any errour that is not fundamentall, nor for any ſinne that is not continued in againſt conſcience (cc); walking according to this rule, they ſwallow down without trouble the ſmall gnats of Anabaptiſm, and all other Sects, who erre not fundamentally, and obſtinately, and againſt conſcience: how many Sectaries are thus farre guilty, who can determine? The little ſpot of luxury in apparell, in diet, and many fleſhly delights,About the forme of the Church, a Church Covenant they are more punctuall then the Browniſts. of ſtrife, of diſdainfull railing, and ſuch other faults (as are too common in their members) are of eaſy diſgeſtion (dd).

Concerning the other part of the Church eſſence, its forme, their Covenant: in this the Diſciples go much above their Maſter. Mr Cotton hath perfected by an expreſſe Treatiſe, this part of Browniſm (ee), as many others. The Covenants of New …ngland p. 107are much ſtraiter then any that ever we heard of at Amſterdam. It is true that of late both in Old and New England the Independents ſeem much to modify the rigour of their Covenant (ff); but whatever may be ſaid of their profeſſion, I never could learne of their practice, to admit any into their ſociety who gave not full aſſurance of embracing their whole way, and all their differences from the Reformed Churches. Sure I am, they did never admit any upon eaſier tearms then lately I my ſelf did hear Mr Can admit a member into his Church at Amsterdam; yet if Mr Prynnes information be well grounded, they are become at London more rigid in their Covenant then ever;They take the power of gathering and erecting of Churches both from Magiſtrates and Miniſters placing it only in the hands of a few private Chriſtians, who are willing to make among themſelves a Church covenant. he tells us that now it is their cuſtome to make it a part of their Oath to oppugne the Government of the Reformed Churches, and to defend Independency with armes and violence, ff. 2.

Unto the conſtitution we may referre the efficient of a Church, and the number of its members; in both the Schollars follow punctually their Maſters. As for the efficient, it is not only the Brownists, but the Independents alſo who put the power of gathering Churches, and joyning together by Covenant in a Church way, in the hand of private Chriſtians alone, without any Officer, or the authority of any Magiſtrate. It is preſumption in any Miniſter, if he aſſay to make up a Church, only people muſt aſſociate themſelves into a Church, and then create their Miniſters and other Officers (gg.)

In New England at the erection of a new Church,This power of erecting themſelves into a compleat and perfect church they give to any ſeven perſons, neither admit they more into a Church then can altogether in one place commodiouſly adminiſter the Sacraments & Diſcipline. they are content with the preſence both of the Magiſtrate and Miniſters of the neighbour Churches; but they declare that neither is neceſſary, and that the preſence of either gives no authority to the action, and the abſence of both detracts no authority from it (hh.) That the whole power to gather a Congregation and to erect a Church is alone in the covenanting perſons (ii.)

As for the number of the members, the Independents go as low as the Browniſts, avowing that ſeven perſons make a full miniſteriall and compleatly organized Church (kk): nor do they extend the number any farther then the Browniſts, avowing that no Church, except the univerſall, may have any more members then conveniently can meet and be accommodated in one place for the exerciſe of all holy duties (ll), not only preaching of the Word, whereat thouſands may be preſent, but celebration of the Sacraments, p. 108and adminiſtring all parts of Diſcipline; to which acts a few hundreds cannot commodiouſly meet.

The Independents minde about the gathering and erecting of Congregations,The Independents will have all the ſtanding Churches in England diſſolved, and all their Miniſters to become meerly private men, and any three perſons of their way to bee a full Church. may be clearly perceived by their late practice in the Sommer Iſlands, wherein they are applauded by the Churches of New England, and defended by Maſter White againſt Maſter Prynnes Freſh Diſcovery, with a great deale of confidence and high language: there hee juſtifies the neceſſity of the diſſolution of all the Churches in the Barmudaes (which yet he profeſſes were among the beſt of all the Engliſh Plantations;) there were above 3000 people in the Iſle, who had lived without all controverſie with any of their Miniſters from their firſt planting till the yeare 1641, when their Miniſters perſwaded by ſome writs of the Brethren of New England, found it neceſſary to lay down their charges, and become meere private men, denying to adminiſter to their old flocks any Ordinance, till three of them entring in a Covenant, and thereby becomming a new Church, did perſwade of the 3000 Iſlanders ſome thirty or forty at moſt to joyn with them in their new Church Covenant; theſe covenanted perſons did chuſe one of their old Miniſters for their Paſtor, and two others of them for Ruling Elders, who as gifted men were content to joyne with the Paſtor in preaching, not only to the Church members, but to the whole Iſle, to fit them to be Church members; but all the three refuſed abſolutely to celebrate any Sacrament, or adminiſter any Diſcipline, or do any act of a Paſtor to any but to the forty named only. All this Mr White maintains as juſt and neceſſary, and petitions the Parliament in print for their countenance and approbation, whereby it ſeems it is the Independents avowed and cleare intention when they have power to diſſolve and annull all the Churches of England, yea of the world, to ſpoile all Miniſters living of their paſtorall charge, and all people of all Church priviledges, and to erect new Churches of their own framing,VntoUnto this Church of ſeven perſons they give all and the whole Church power and that independently. into which they are to admit at moſt not one of an hundred of thoſe who now do count themſelves Chriſtians: all this you may ſee at length in Mr Whites very peremptory Reply to Mr Prynnes Freſh Diſcovery.

Leaving the conſtitution, their chiefe Tenets concerne the power of the Congregation, ſo conſtitute as is ſaid: in this they come up fully to their Maſters ſide; for they give unto their p. 109Church, that is, their ſeven covenanted perſons, the whole Eccleſiaſtick power, and that independently upon any perſon under heaven.

Firſt, they put it in their hands to create all the Officers;VntoUnto this congregationall Church alone they give the full power of election and ordination, of depoſition and excommunication even of all their officers, and of the finall determination of all Eccleſiaſtick cauſes. they not only give them ſuffrages in their election, (mm) but the whole power of Ordination alſo (nn), the examination of their Paſtor in all the abilities requiſite for his charge (oo), the laying all the parts of his Office upon him, publique prayer, impoſition of hands, and what other acts are requiſite for a regular Ordination, are all performed by one of the people whom the reſt have appointed for that end (pp).

As they have power to make all their Officers, ſo they have power to unmake them, to depoſe, and excommunicate all their Miniſters (qq), to cognoſce and finally to determine, without any appeal, in all caſes, both in life and doctrine, of all Hereſies and Sciſmes, of all Truths and Errours, to order all things belonging to the worſhip of God, and to do all things elſe (rr), The difference of Iohnſon and Ainſworth about the power of the people and preſbytery diſtinct one from the other, is not yet compoſed among the Independents.which other Churches aſcribe to the moſt Generall Aſſemblies of the moſt learned Divines.

Upon this paſſage of Power come in the differences which divided the Browniſts among themſelves: whilſt Iohnſon would give all theſe acts of power to the Elderſhip, and Ainſworth would keep them for the Congregation; theſe ſame queſtions vex the Independents to this day, and are likely to divide the Children as they did the Fathers.

The moſt of the New Engliſh Divines, with Ainſworth, attribute the whole Eccleſiaſtick power to the body of the people: unto the Elderſhip they give the preparation of affaires (ſſ), The common Doctrine of New England is Ainſworths Tenet, that the people a…one have all the power, & may excommunicate when there is cauſe all their officers.but the judgement and determination of all doth paſſe by the plurality of the peoples voices (tt): the power of the keyes they put in the hand not of the Presbytery, but of the fraternity (ww), as they ſpeak. And in ſome places upon the peoples ſenſe of the Presbyteries encroaching and feare of their farther uſurpation, they have thought it expedient to have no Elderſhip at all, as in Amſterdam the Browniſts, ſo in Rotterdam the Independents, for theſe many yeares have had no ruling Elders, and ſo no Presbytery (xx); but have governed all their affaires by the voices of the people: and why might they not as well live without ruling Elders, p. 110as their Brethren at Arnem for divers yeares did live without a Paſtor (yy) the more neceſſary Officer.Mr Cotton the other year did fall much from them and himſelfe towards Iohnſon, that the whole power of authority is only in the Officers, and the people have no…hing but the power of liberty to concurre; that the Officers can doe nothing without the people, nor the people any thing but by the Officers. Mr Cotton and ſome others feeling to their ſmall contentment the great and intolerable power of the people over the Elderſhip have begun to fall from Ainſworth to Iohnſon, and to plead the Authority of the Elderſhip above the Brotherhood, and the neceſſity of their ſubjection by divine right to the Elders as to their Superiours (zz); yet to ſalve all, and to pleaſe both parties, he maketh the concurrence of the Elderſhip and Brotherhood to be both neceſſary, to be both ſine quo non (aaa): whatever Authority he gives to the Elderſhip, he maketh it all vaine and fruſtaneous without the conſent of the people (bbb): and notwithſtanding all the obedience and ſubjection he putteth upon the people, yet he giveth to them ſuch a power of Liberty, that their concurrence with the Elderſhip in every act of power is not only neceſſary but authoritative (ccc).

He goeth yet one ſtep further in caſe of the obſtinate and incorrigible aberration of the Presbytery; he gives power to the people, albeit not to execute any act of power, yet to ſeparate from the obſtinate Elderſhip (ddd),Yet that both officers & people or any one of them have power to ſeparate themſelvs from all the reſt when they find cauſe. and out of their own number to make new Elders, who will be willing to adminiſter cen…ures, and do all elſe that they conceive to be right.

For all this, ſo farre as we can learne, there is yet no full agreement among them, either in New or Old England, in ſetting the merch-ſtones of power betwixt the Elderſhip and Brotherhood: many Schoole diſtinctions they uſe, yet by them all they cannot come to concord. The Independents here confeſſe their agreement with Mr Cotton in the chiefe things wherein he differs from his Brethren in New England, and from his owne ſelfe in his late Book of the way of the Churches: they applaud much his new invented diſtinction of the power of Authority, and the power of Liberty (eee). Yet in other things they avow their diſſent from him (fff): what theſe other things may be, they yet have not had leiſure to informe us. I hope it be not the extent of Church power unto women, and the giving of a power to celebrate Sacraments unto private men, which yet are ſaid to be the Tenets of ſome of their friends.

It is true, the Synod of New England maketh not only the fraternity, p. 111but as they ſpeak,The London Independents give more power of Eccleſiaſtick Iuriſdiction then the Browniſts unto women. the ſorority alſo to be the ſubject of the private power of the Keyes of the Kingdom of heaven (ggg); alſo we have ſhewen how they have permitted women to be Leaders to their whole Churches, and chiefe Paſtors in Church actions of the higheſt nature: we have good witneſſes that a woman was the founder of Mr Simpſons Church at Rotterdam (hhh); that a woman, and that none of the beſt led away Mr Cotton, and with him great numbers of the beſt note in New England, towards the vileſt errours, and to the brink of a new ſeparation from all the Churches there (iii). Notwithſtanding all this, none of the Independents, either in New England or Holland, neither the Browniſts of Amſterdam, did ever give unto any women any publike Eccleſiaſtick power. In this, our London Independents exceed all their Brethren, who of late begin to give unto women power of debating in the face of the Congregation, and of determining Eccleſiaſtick cauſes by their ſuffrages, if Doctor Baſtwick be rightly informed (kkk).

Concerning the power of the Sacraments,Some of them permit private men to celebrate the Sacraments. Miſtris Chidley is permitted to print in defence of the Independent cauſe, without the reproofe of any of that party, ſo farre as I have heard, that not only Paſtors but private men out of all office, may lawfully celebrate both the Sacraments (lll).

However,Browniſts and Independents do perfectly agree in the point of Independency. in theſe and other things there may be great difference among them in the point of Church power, yet that which is the principall point in this head of power, the matter of Independency, in it there is a full and perfect agreement among them all. Whatever power, whether of Liberty or Authority, be in the Congregation, organicall, or homogeneous▪ radically or habitually, in the Brothehood or Elderſhip, conjunctly or ſeverally; whatever power it be, or whereſover it be, all of them place it in the Congregation, without any ſubjection to any other Superiour (mmm). The word of Independency, ſome of them do much abominate, and yet but ſome; for there are of their chiefe Leaders this day, who do not miſlike it (nnn): but what ever wee ſpeak of the word, the matter which every man did underſtand by it, is ſtifly maintayned by them all. In nothing there is greater concord among them then that in the ſmalleſt Congregations, even of ſeven perſons, the whole Eccleſiaſtick power doth reſide p. 112abſolutely without any dependence upon or ſubjection to any or all the creatures on earth (ooo).If a corrupt or negligent Preſbytery doe not cenſure their own members, all the Aſſemblies in the world may not attempt to cenſure any of them, though moſt apparently they did corrupt a whole Nation with the groſſeſt Hereſies or moſt ſcandalous vices.

Whatever may be ſayd of a charitable advice or friendly counſell, or brotherly rebuke, yet if you ſpeak of any authoritative power to cenſure, all of them avow that the offer of this from all aſſemblies of a nation, or of the world, is Antichriſtian Tyranny (ppp): and for any perſon in the ſmalleſt Congregation to receive, or ſubmit themſelves to any ſuch cenſure, were to betray and caſt away the liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made them free (qqq). So that it is utterly unlawfull for all the Churches of the World to inflict the leaſt cenſure, or to give the ſmalleſt admonition in order to any cenſure, not only to any Congregation, but to any one man therein, ſuppoſe he were never ſo erroneous, never ſo ſcandalous; although he did infect and deſtroy, not only all the ſoules of that Congregation, but as a common peſt did corrupt the Churches of a whole Nation, or if it were poſſible, of the whole World (rrr).

The point of Independency is either the root or the fruit of many errors.This ſtrange Tenet ſeemeth to be either the root or the fruit, either the mother or the daughter of all the reſt of their errors: the mother and root, becauſe a few perſons having locked themſelves up within the narrow walls of one Congregation, with an Independent power, having made themſelves uncontroulable by any or all upon earth; they open a wide doore to any erroneous ſpirit, to miſlead them towards what ever fancy can enter into any cracked braine, without all poſſibility of any effectuall remedy; the daughter and fruit, becauſe men who are conſcious to themſelves of ſingularities, which they feare will not be liked nor tolerated by others, upon their fond love towards theſe errours, doe affect ſuch a liberty which may exempt them from all danger to bee ordained by any cenſure to relinquiſh theſe darlings, which they have reſolved to keep ſtill in their boſome.

To temper the crudity of this Tenet, they adde to it three moderating poſitions, but for little purpoſe.The fatuity of this Tenet they uſe to ſeaſon with the graines of three more ſapid poſitions: Firſt, they grant the being of Claſſicall Psesbyteries and Synods (ſſſ). Secondly, they aſcribe to them the cenſure of Non-Communion (ttt). Thirdly, they allow the Magiſtrate to correct Hereticall and Shiſmaticall perſons (www). But if they will conſider, they ſhall finde that in none of thoſe poſitions, they goe beyond the Browniſts and by them all they p. 113doe not any whit cure the diſeaſe of Independency.

For the firſt, they admit not of any Claſſicall Presbytery differing from a Synod;They grant the being of Synods, but not of Claſſicall Presbyteries. for what ever they ſpeak of their granting gladly unto us all the degrees and Subordinations of Aſſemblies which we could wiſh: yet betwixt a Congregationall Elderſhip and a Synod, they grant not any interpoſition of a Claſſis; or compounded Presbytery over more Congregations then one (xxx), which kinde of Presbytery the Reformed Churches make the firſt and ordinary ſubject of Ordination, and of ſundry acts of Juriſdiction: eſteeming it a Iudicatory ſpecifically different both from the inferiour Elderſhip of a ſingle Congregation and the Superiour Synod, whither of a Shire or a Province, or a Nation, or of more, or of all Nations.

Beſides▪ that Synod whereof they approve, is only a Browniſticall one, ſuch as needeth not to be moderated by any Preacher (yyy);Their Synods are meerely Browniſticall without all Iuriſdiction, wherein every one of the people may vote; alſo meerely elective and only occaſionall. at the which any man who pleaſeth may be preſent to debate, and vote deciſively (zzz). Yea, they goe here much beyond the Browniſts and their Brethren of New-England alſo; for they deny that the 15 of the Acts, is either a pattern or ground for any Synod (aaaa), expreſly contrary to Mr Cottons lateſt Doctrine; neither will they have any ordinary or ſet Synods, but only occaſionall, and when the occaſion of a Synod commeth, they will have it to be meerely elective (bbbb 1.): conſiſting of ſuch perſons alone as themſelves pleaſe to chuſe, not only of the Churches of their own Independent way alone, but alſo of ſuch only among theſe as themſelves think meet to pitch upon (bbbb 2): if a Claſſis or Synod bee of any other temper, they count it ſo corrupt and ſo tyrannicall a Court, that they could not countenance it with their preſence; yea, not ſo much as they would doe an Epiſcopall Sea (cccc): the one being much worſe then the other: that the Browniſts Independency went ever thus farre I doe not know.

As for their ſentence of Non-Communion,The ſentence of Non-Communion, is Mr Cottons invention to ſupply that defect which themſelves make in the Ordinances of God. it is one of Mr Cottons new additions to old Browniſme (dddd); which it ſeemes rather to embitter then ſweeten; for it is a meer humane invention to ſupply the ordinances of God, which men injuriouſly have caſt away: when they have denied to Synods the power of theſe cenſures which God hath appointed, and finde themſelves ſtraightned by the abſolute neceſſity of the matter, to take up againe p. 114either them or their equivalent: they will not be ſo changeable as to reſume the cenſures whereof God is the Author, having once caſt them away: but in their place they are forced to finde out ſome of their own, theſe their new declarations and abſtentions from fellowſhip and ſuch like new cenſures of their owne.

It puts in the hand of every man a power to ſentence all the Churches of the world.But which is worſt of all, theſe their new cenſures if there be any force in them, advance their Independency to the higheſt degree of power: or rather lift it up highly in the aire, and by a repugnancy and contradiction, make it evaporate to nothing; for this Non-Communion giveth power to every one, even the ſmalleſt Congregation, over all the Churches in the World it pleaſeth to deale with, ſo farre as to admoniſh, rebuke, declare againſt them all, and caſt them all out of her Communion (eeee). The Reformed Churches contend only for a power to a great Aſſembly, for cenſuring a faulty member of a ſmall Congregation; but this Non-Communion gives to the ſmalleſt Congregation of any ſeven perſons, the power of ſentencing the whole Churches and all the Aſſemblies in the World.

Howbeit, this Non-Communion, ſeemes to be contradictory and deſtructive of that Independency which it was invented to ſalve: For if every Congregation bee Independent, how ſhall all Congregations be ſo dependent upon every one, that any the leaſt may inflict this high cenſure upon the greateſt, yea upon all.

It carries to the higheſt degree of Separation.Beſide, this Non-Communion is nothing but the higheſt ſtraine of ſeparation that ever any Browniſt aimed at; it giveth a power for any Church to deny Communion to all Churches, and to live ſeparate without all Communion with any Church for ever.

This produceth an other power of a farther ſeparation, to wit, a power to every member of that ſeparate Church upon any grievance not ſatisfied to ſeparate himſelfe, and either live there alone as many do, or to gather a new Church, of any whom they finde willing to aſſociate with them: theſe things are brought not ſo much for reaſons to evert the poſitions in hand; as to ſhew how unfit limitations they are of the extravagancy which appeareth in Independency, and how much they runne out beyond the bounds which they pretend to hem in.

p. 115As for their third Tenet of the Magiſtrates concurrence,Their ſupply of the defects of Independency by the power o… the Magiſtrate, was a remedy which they learned from the Browniſts, but now they have caſt it aſide, denying to the Magiſtrate all power in matters of Religion. to ſecond their ſentence of Non-Cummunion, beſides that the Browniſts goe as farre as ever any of them did in this (ffff): we ſee now that the chiefe of them have recalled the Tenet: though all the Proteſtant Churches, and none more then they of New-England, doe maintaine the Mag…ſtrates power to ſuppreſſe errours; yet this unhappy love towards liberty, whereinto the Independent party here among us have lately fallen, makes them to entreat the Magiſtrate to let alone the affaires of Religion, though they runne into all the confuſion whither Satan and his Inſtruments are able to carry them (gggg). If the Magiſtrates feare of God doth ſtop his eare to ſuch impious petitions, then they flee up very high even to the deniall and decrying of all the Magiſtrates power in matters of Religion (hhhh); which yet the Papiſts in England and the Arminians in Holland, who have been the greateſt pleaders hitherto for liberty, were never bold to impugne; but of this more hereafter.

I hope I have demonſtrated that in the point of Separation and of the conſtitution and government of the Church,The Independents doe advance their fancies to as high a pitch of glory as the Browniſts. the great and only intended Articles of the Browniſts, our brethren the Independents come nothing behind them: Sure, in theſe their conceits they applaud themſelves no leſſe then the former; they put in theſe things the very Kingdome of Chriſt: all their oppoſites, in theſe fancies, they make them enemies to Chriſts Kingdome (iiii): they avow Independency to be a beginning,They are the Browniſts ſcholars in many more things beſide the Conſtitution and Government of the Church. and a part of that glorious Kingdome which Chriſt for a thouſand yeares is to enjoy upon earth (kkkk).

Concerning the worſhip of God and other heads of Divinity, whatever crotchets the Browniſts have fallen into, the Independents punctually doe follow the moſt and worſt of them: and if in any they come ſhort, they are ſure to exceed in other things more dangerous.

Firſt, for the marriage bleſſing,They give to the Magiſtrate the Celebration of marriage. they applaud the Browniſts Doctrine, they ſend it from the Church to the Town-houſe, making its ſolemnization the duty of the Magiſtrate (llll …; this is the conſtant practice of all in New-England: the prime of the Independent Miniſters now at London, have been married by the Magiſtrate, and all that can bee obtained of any of them, is to be content p. 116that a Miniſter in the name of the Magiſtrate and as his Commiſſioner may ſolemnize that holy band.

Mr Milton permits any man to put away his wife upon his meer pleaſure, without fault and without the cogniſance of any Iudge.Concerning Divorces, ſome of them goe farre beyond any of the Browniſts, not to ſpeak of Mr Milton, who in a large Treatiſe hath pleaded for a full liberty for any man to put away his wife, when ever hee pleaſeth, without any fault in her at all, but for any diſlike or dyſpathy of humour (mmmm); for I doe not know certainely whither this man profeſſeth Independency (albeit all the Hereticks here, whereof ever I heard, avow themſelves Independents);Mr Gorting teaches the wife to put away her huſband, if he will not follow her in any new Church way which ſhe is pleaſed to embrace. what ever therefore may be ſaid of Mr Milton, yet Mr Gorting and his Company were men of renown among the New-Engliſh Independents, before Miſtriſſe Hutchinſons diſgrace: and all of them do maintaine, that it is lawfull for every woman to deſert her husband, when he is not willing to follow her in her Church way, and to take her ſelfe for a widow, looſed from the bond of obedience to him, only becauſe he lives without that Church whereof ſhe is become a member (nnnn).

Concerning the circumſtances of the worſhip of God, they will have nothing determined, but all which Scripture hath not determined,They are againſt all determinations of the circumſtances of worſhip, and therfore all church Directories are againſt their ſtomacks. to be left ſo free, that all Directories are much againſt their ſtomacks. How much they did croſſe that gracious and excellent work of the Directory for the three Kingdoms, and when it was begunne, how long they did retard it; and after it was brought to an end, through all the mountaines of impediments which they did caſt up in its way; how earneſt they were by ſlight of hand to have put in its Preface ſuch phraſes as might have altogether made fruſtrate the uſe of it, is well known to many: yea, when a Directory for the three Nations is eſtabliſhed by the Aſſemblies and Parliaments of both Kingdoms, they are bold ſo farre to ſlight it,The common names of the dayes of the week, the months of the year, of many Churches and Cities of the Land, are as unlawfull to them as to the Browniſts. as to write unto the very Parliament, that uniformity is but a matter of forme, in the which for peace ſake men will come up ſo farre as conſcience can permit, intimating that all our covenanted uniformity muſt be reſolved into the free-will or erroneous conſcience of every private man.

In the aboliſhing of the monuments of Idolatry, they agree ſo farre with the Browniſts, that they will not name the dayes of the week, the months of the yeare, the places of meeting after the ordinary manner (oooo); yet they make no ſcruple to uſe p. 117the Churches builded in the time of Popery, nor of Bels though invented by a Pope, and baptized with all the Popiſh Superſtitions▪ how this doth ſtand with their principles, I doe not well know, eſpecially with their practice about another circumſtance, the Church-maintenance.

For, the ancient way of maintenance by Tythes, or Lands,All tithes and ſet maintenance of Miniſters they cry down; but a voluntary contribution for the maintenance of all their Officers, they preſſe to a high proportion, with the evident prejudice of the poore. or ſet Stipends, they do refuſe, (pppp) and require here the reduction of the Apoſtolique practice. They count it neceſſary that all the Church Officers ſhould live upon the charge of the Congregation, the Ruling Elders and Deacons as well as the Paſtors and Doctors (qqqq); but all they will have them to receive, is a meer Almes, a voluntary Contribution, layd down as an offring at the Deacons feet every Lords Day, and by him diſtributed to all the Officers and the poore of the Congregation according as they have need (rrrr). This is their Doctrin, but it ſeemes they are weary long ago of its practice. The Browniſts (as I heare) are yet conſtant to practiſe what they teach, allowing their Miniſters for their better ſupply, and that they may not be too burthenſom to the Congregation, the uſe of handy Trades. but the Independents of New-England have a better proviſion, not only a proportion of Land, but a certayn Tax of money layd on by the Magiſtrate, both upon the members of the Congregation, and upon all the neighbours, though not received members of any Church. (ſſſſ) Theſe alſo of London, Arnheim, and Roterdam, have been famous for a ſufficient care of a ſet proviſion, above the ordinary, to the rate of two or three hundred pounds a year (tttt.) And leſt their Income ſhould decreaſe with too large deduction for the ſupply of the poore, it hath been their providence to admit none or few poore members of their Congregations (wwww. In their ſolemn worſhip oft times they make one to pray, another to preach, a third to propheſie, a fourth to direct the Pſalm, and another to bleſs the people.)

Concerning other circumſtances, the form of their Church, and Pulpit, and ſuch like, I have not obſerved any difference in the Meeting-houſes of the one at Roterdam, and the other at Amſterdam.

For the parts of the worſhip, as I take it, there is little difference; only the Independents ſeem in their adminiſtration more to vary the perſons; ſometimes they make one to pray, and another to preach, a third to propheſie, and a fourth to diſmiſſe with a bleſſing (xxxx).

p. 118In the ordering of the parts of their worſhip after Mr Cottons invention,They make it a divine inſtitution, without any word of preface, to begin the publike worſhip with ſolemne prayer for the King and Church. they take it for an Apoſtolick injunction, to begin firſt of all with a large ſolemne Prayer for the King and the Church, applying the words of the Apoſtle againſt the cleare ſcope of the Text, and all the writers which I have conſulted upon it, to this very method of the ordinances, and to this matter of the firſt Prayer (yyyy).

After the Paſtors prayer the Doctor reads and expounds.After the Prayer the Doctor proceeds to read and expound: their ordinary practice here agrees with the other, but their Doctrine differeth; for the Independents at London grant, that reading by it ſelfe without expoſition, is a divine Ordinance, however in their practice they conjoyne both.

In preaching they will bee free to take a Text or not, as they find it expedient.In preaching they differ from the Browniſts and us, and joyn with the Popiſh Monks; they will not be tyed to a Text of Scripture, for the ground of their diſcourſe, but will be at liberty to run out on whatſoever matter they think moſt fit and expedient for their hearers (zzzz).

After Sermon any of the people whom they think able, are permitted to propheſie.About propheſying after Sermon, they are at a full agreement, permitting to any private man of the flock, or to any ſtranger whom they take to be gifted, publikly to expound and apply the Scripture, to pray and to bleſſe the people. They permit two or three of theſe after the end of the Sermon to exerciſe their gifts (aaaaa).

All are permitted to propound in the face of the Congregation what queſtions upon the Sermon they think meet.When the exerciſe of the Prophets is ended, they uſe another Ordinance of queſtioning the Preachers and Prophets by any member of the Congregation, about any point of the Doctrine (bbbbb); but this exerciſe, as alſo the former, hath proved ſo unhappy in New England, that gladly there they would be quit of both (ccccc).

In the Pſalms the Independents wander wider then their Teachers; ſome of them will have no ſongs in the time of publike Iudgements (ddddd):About the Pſalms they have divers ſtrange conceits; but the ſpeciall is their new Ordinance of a ſinging Prophet, who in place of the Pſalms ſingeth Hymnes of his own making in the midſt of the ſilent Congregation. others will not permit women to ſing in the Church (eeeee): but the greateſt difference is, that the Independents of Arnheim did ſtop the mouthes of all but one, who p. 119did ſing the Hymne which himſelfe had compoſed, in the midſt of the Congregation for their edification (fffff).

In Prayer they fall ſhort of their maſters;They grant the lawfulneſſe of read prayer in divers caſes. for however they uſe no ſet Prayer, yet they are ſo farre from eſteeming of it Idolatry, that they profeſſe both ſet and read Prayer to be lawfull (ggggg):They will have none to be baptized, but the children of their owne members; ſo at one daſh they put all England except a very few of their way, into the ſtate of Pagans turning them all out of the Chriſtian Church, denying to them Sacraments, Diſcipline, Church-Officers, and all that they would deny to the Pagans of America. The Lords Prayer they commend to be ſaid even in publike, and they permit private men to read prayer in their families (hhhhh); in this they have Mr Robinſon for their guide; yet at London their pactice is conſtantly to forget the Lords Prayer.

In the Sacrament of Baptiſm the Independents lay a path-way to Anabaptiſm; for firſt they come cloſe up to the moſt rigid Browniſts, denying Baptiſm to the moſt part of Chriſtian Infants; yea they will grant it to a very few; to theſe alone whoſe immediate parents are members of their Congregation (iiiii), who are a wonderfull poor handfull: all other Infants they will have unbaptized till they come to the yeares of underſtanding, and declare not only their actuall faith and holineſſe, but their ſubjection to the Kingdom of Chriſt, that is to their Independency: they will have no ſtipulation made for the Infants education; they diſpute much for dipping, though they deny not the lawfulneſſe of ſprinkling (kkkkk).

But that which maketh men moſt afraid for their Anabaptiſm, is their open deſerting all the Reformed Churches, and the Browniſts themſelves, in three grounds.

Firſt, they deny the federall holineſſe of Chriſtian children; againſt this Tho. Goodwin did preach, and deny openly that common diſtinction of Proteſtants of reall and federall holineſſe,They open a door to Anabaptiſm by 3 farther poſitions. requiring in every Infant to be baptized a reall and inherent ſanctity. If this ground be maintained, I ſee not how Anabaptiſm, or elſe Arminianiſm, will be avoyded; for if this reall holineſſe above foederall, be the great ground of Baptiſm,1. They require in all to bee baptiſed a real holineſs above a foederall, which in no Infant with any certainty can be found. and this cannot be aſſerted in the judgement of verity of any Infant; for whatever we ſay of the judgement of charity, yet in the judgement of truth, and with the certainty of faith wherewith we muſt aſſent to every Scripture, who can ſay that any particular Infant is holy, and ſo that any Infant ſhould be baptized? or if we can ſay in the judgement of truth, that every baptized Infant is really ſanctified, as p. 120it ſeems Mr Robinſon hath taught Mr Goodwin, if Mr Rathband underſtand right the 309 p. of Rob. juſtification (kkkkk 2), the Arminians have wonne the field; for no man doubts but many baptized Infants, even in their way, do fall away totally and finally from whatſoever holineſſe can be ſuppoſed to be in them. If theſe inextricable difficulties did move Mr Goodwin to ſtop the Preſſe that it went not on with his Sermons againſt the Anabaptiſts,2. They eſteem none for their Baptiſm and Chriſtian education a member of their Church, till they have entred themſelvs in their church covenant. himſelfe doth know.

Secondly, they eſteem not baptized Infants to be members of their Church before they have entred into their Covenant; till then they hold them from the Lords Table and all the acts of Diſcipline, as people without the Church and not members of it (lllll): If it be ſo, their Baptiſm was of ſo ſmall uſe that well they might have wanted it to the time of their admiſſion to be members.

3. They call none of their members to any account before their Presbytery for obſtinate rejecting of Paedo-baptiſm, although the Browniſts doe excommunicate for that ſinne.Thirdly, they account Anabaptiſm a very tolerable errour; ſo farre as ever we heard to this day, they did never ſo much as rebuke any of their members for it, much contrary to the practice of the Browniſts, and of their Brethren in New England, who ever have removed the Anabaptiſts from their Churches, as Sectaries of a ſpeciall evill note. We have long obſerved the great affection of Independents here towards them who profeſſed oppoſition to Paedo-Baptiſm, but did never expect to have heard them declare any thing towards the Arminian errours of the Anabaptiſts.

The Lords Supper they deſire to celebrate at night after all other Ordinances are ended (mmmmm); albeit the Browniſts now take it in the forenoon.

They participate with none of the Reformed Churches in the Lords Supper, yet they ſcruple not to communicate with Browniſts and Anabaptiſts.In the perſons who do communicate, they are as ſtrict as any of the Browniſts; for notwithſtanding all that their Brethren of New England, and themſelves alſo, and their Apology do profeſſe, of their communicating of the Sacrament with the reſt of the Reformed Churches, which ſometimes alſo is the Browniſts profeſſion; yet it is told them without reply to this day, that in London, however they have admitted Browniſts and Anabaptiſts to their Sacrament, and they have communicated in the Browniſts Congregations (nnnnn); yet that none of them have ever offered to participate of the holy Communion in any other Congregation, nor have admitted any to communicate with p. 121them who were not of their owne way (ooooo).

For the manner of their celebration, they who have ſeen it,Their way of celebrating the Lords Supper is more dead and comfortleſſe then any where elſe. profeſſe it to be in a very dead and comfortleſſe way: it is not as in New England, once in the month, but as at Amsterdam, once every Lords day (ppppp), which makes the action much leſſe ſolemn then in any other of the Reformed Churches, and in this too much like the daily Maſſes of the Church of Rome.

They have no preparation of their flock before:They have no Catechiſing, no preparation, nor thankſgiving ſermōs, ordinarily they ſpeak no word of the Sacrament in their Sermons and prayers either before or after. they are ſo happy as to have all their members prepared alwayes ſufficiently for the Lords Table, from their firſt entrance into their Church to their dying day; for all this time there is no catechiſing among them, this exerciſe is below their condition, & altogether needleſſe in any of their Congregations. They will have no Sermon in the week before, nor ſo much as any warning of the Communion. This practice of New England, to give warning the Sabbath before, is diſliked now at London: nor muſt there be any Sermon of Thankſgiving after that Sacrament:They have only a little diſcourſe & ſhort prayer in the conſecration of both the Elements; there after in the action nothing but dumb ſilence▪ no exhortation, no reading, no Pſalme. They uſe not ſo much as a little application of the Doctrine in the Sermon before it to that occaſion (qqqqq).

When they come to the action, there is no more but one little diſcourſe, and one ſhort prayer of the Miniſter; all the time of the participation, there is nothing in the Congregation but a dumb ſilence: no reading, no exhortation, no Pſalmes, their people need no ſuch meanes to furniſh them in their Sacramentall meditations; they have alſo learned from the Browniſts, a double and diſtinct conſecration, one for every element apart.

They have another difference from all the Reformed, and in a part alſo from their Brethren of New-England.

That their Conformity with the Browniſts may bee full,They require none of their members. to come out of their Pewes to the Table. the New-Engliſh doe count ſitting at a Table, not only to bee neceſſary, but to be a part of our imitation of Chriſt, and a Rite ſignificant of divers heavenly Priviledges and Comforts (rrrrr); but as the Browniſts at Amſterdam this day have no Table at all,And they acknowledge no more uſe of a Table then the Browniſts at Amſterdam who have none at all. as they ſend the Elements from the Pulpit (the place where the Miniſter preacheth, and celebrateth the Sacrament) by the hand of the Deacon to all the Congregation, where in their meeting houſe they ſit up and down in their ſeverall places: So the Independents at London, doe vehemently contend for the needleſneſſe of any p. 122to come to the Table, what ever be the practice of all the reſt of the Reformed Churches: But they will have the holy Seales carried from the place where the Miniſter preaches to the people in their Pews, or where ever elſe they have their ordinary places for hearing of the Word; although moſt eaſily in their ſmall Congregations without any diſturbance all might bee brought to the Table (ſſſſſ).

They teach the expediency of covering the head at the Lords Table.But their maine difference from all the Reformed, and greateſt conſonancy with the Browniſts, is in this, that as they teach all outward ſignes of Worſhip in the time of the Celebration to be Idolatry, and hereupon declare the neceſſity of all men who will follow the example of the firſt Communicants, to keep on their Hats, all the time of this holy action; ſo likewiſe the Independents begin to teach their diſciples; for however at Amſterdam this day the named Doctrine bee not fully practiſed, the men there covering their heads in the time of the Celebration; but every one uncovering, during the time of their own perſonall participation of the Elements; yet we are now taught at London that covering is moſt requiſite at the time of participation. That this act is a Rite ſignificant to the Communicants of their Table-honor, and fellowſhip with Chriſt, alſo that the Miniſter in all his Celebration muſt be uncovered, and that in ſign of his ſervice to the Communicants, as the Lords much honoured children, ſitting covered when they eat of their Fathers meat (ttttt).

They are as much for the popular Government as the Browniſts.After all the Worſhip is ended, the Congregation may not yet be diſmiſſed, but one ordinance more in the end of the day muſt be attended, the exerciſe of Diſcipline; in this the Independents come up fully to their maſters; the whole people muſt be preſent to heare, judge, and voyce at every act of Diſcipline (wwwww).

In any Congregation the acts of diſcipline, when beſt managed, are very tedious and long, but with them more then anywhere elſe; for their contentions are more and more tough, as we may ſee in the beſt ruled Congregations that ever they had; That of Arnheim and Roterdam: if the praiſe given by the Apologiſts to them be juſt; there the exerciſe of diſcipline hath bin very tedious: the whole Congregation to their extreme wearineſſe and fretting, have been forced to lay aſide the works of their ordinary calling for many dayes of the week, to attend the Iudging of theſe cauſes p. 123which on the Sabbath dayes could not be ended (xxxxx).

In the Cognition of theſe cauſes,All Diſcipline muſt be executed in the preſence and with the conſent of the whole people, & all muſt paſſe by the expreſſe ſuffrage of every one. every member of the Congregation muſt be ſatisfied in his own minde concerning every paſſage of every action; for they doe not proceed by the plurality of numbred voyces, but with the harmonious conſent of all who have right to voyce (yyyyy).

And if it fall out that any doe diſſent from the moſt, they appoint in that caſe paines to be taken for the information of the diſſenters that they may conſent; but if theſe paines prove fruitleſſe, and the Diſſenters refuſe to joyn with their brethren,Diſſenters not only loſe their right of ſuffrage for the time, but are ſubjected to cenſure if they continue in their diſſent. they are declared obſtinate, and to have loſt the right of voycing for that time (zzzzz). Yea, which is worſt of all, and which puts theſe Congregations upon the ſmalleſt occaſions upon unavoydable and remedileſſe diviſions, they appoint all who continue in their diſſent in any matter of weight, to be farther proceeded with for their contumacy (aaaaaa).

The publike meetings of the Browniſts are ſo long and tedious, that we doe not heare of their ſtomack for any private;They are much for private meetings, for it is in them that they uſually frame the members of other mens Congregations into their new mould, but the Browniſts and they of New-England having felt the bitter fruits of ſuch meetings, have relinquiſhed, if not diſcharged them. but the Independents are yet for private meetings; how long they will be in love with them, we cannot ſay; for in New-England where they were moſt in requeſt, their fruits have been very bitter; theſe meetings of a middle ſort betwixt Congregationall and Domeſtick, were the occaſion very neere to ruine both that Church and State; for in theſe it was where under the pretence of religious conference, and re-petition of Sermons, falſe doctrine and wicked calumnies againſt the moſt Orthodox of the Miniſters and Magiſtrates, were ſpread for the renting and (had not God prevented it) the deſtroying of the State both Civill and Eccleſiaſtick (bbbbbb).

For the preſent, where they are in gathering of their Congregations, theſe meetings in private houſes (of all who will) are a very pregnant meanes to ſteale away men and women from their own Paſtors; but if once their gathering of Churches were at an end, and their greateſt care were for the keeping and edifying of what they had gotten, it is like that then they would be as cautious as now all other Churches are, even the Browniſts and theſe of New-England, of ſuch meetings which except well moderated and limited, under faire pretences, are exceeding fit to make new diviſions, p. 124and ever to frame new Societies of ſome, as it were, more ſelect and eminent Chriſtians out of the common Congregation.

They flatter the Magiſtrate and ſlander the Reformed Churches without cauſe.Concerning the Magiſtrate, the Tenets of the Independents would bee well conſidered, becauſe of their open proclamation of their loyalty beyond and above all which the principles of any Reformed Church will permit them (cccccc).

Had they magnified never ſo much their own vertues, without the expreſſe diſparagement of others; had they put in the ballance with themſelves an equall or a double number of the greateſt men in any of the Reformed Churches, who yet would be very ponderous when they lie in the Scales againſt five particular men the Authors of that compariſon, had they preferred themſelves before all the Reformed Churches, in a caſuall & contingent action, not in a maine duty, which their very principles are alledged to diminiſh; had they whiſpered all this in the eares of their friends, and not made a Proclamation of it to both the Houſes of Parliament, and that in print to be trumpeted out in the eares of all the world; it might have been paſt over with the leſſe either obſervation or offence: But ſince in ſo publike a manner they have required the Magiſtrate to believe their great deferences to him and the ſmaller reſpect he can expect from any out of their way: it ſeemeth very neceſſary to produce, not theſe particular reſpects which the Reformed Churches profeſſe, according to their principles to give unto the Magiſtrate & continually have given according to their profeſſions (for theſe are well known to the world long before any of our new Cenſors were in being) but what theſe ſingular duties may be, which the Independents above all other men by their principles are forced to performe to Magiſtrates, while they may be at leiſure to publiſh them to the world, I will here preſent unto them the materialls of ſome few ſhort obſervations for that purpoſe.

Some of them are for the abolition of all Magiſtracy.Firſt, that divers of their party, and thoſe of very eminent note, though miſcarrying in other things, yet keeping faſt to the way of Independency, have denyed to the Magiſtrate all power over any of the Godly (dddddd).

And others of them with the groſſeſt Anabaptiſts have denyed the lawfulneſſe of any Magiſtrate at all (eeeeee).

p. 125Secondly, doe not their principles hold out of the Church,All of them are for caſting out and keeping out of the Chriſtian Church all Princes, all Members of Parliament, all Magiſtrates of the Counties & Burroughes that now are, and that ever have been and are ever like to be hereafter, except a very few. and deprive of all Chriſtian conſolation which flowes from any Church priviledge, the farre greater part, if not abſolutely all Kings, and Princes that are this day in the Chriſtian world, and have been ſince the dayes of the Goſpel, or ever are likely to be upon earth to the worlds end? how exceeding few of all that are, or have been Members of Parliament of either Houſe, of all that have been or are Magiſtrates in England, if their principles might be put in practice, would be admitted to the Lords Table, or yet their children be baptiſed, or themſelves be reputed Chriſtians and Members of any lawfull Church?

Thirdly, of theſe exceeding few Kings, Princes, Peeres, Commoners and Magiſtrates of the Land, which they could take into their Congregations; how many could have aſſurance to live any long time in a Chriſtian condition as Members of a Church according to their principles? Since they tell us that they are to Excommunicate without any delay,Theſe few Magiſtrates whom they would admit, have no ſecurity, but by the errour or malice of a few, to be quickly caſt out of the Church without any poſſibility of remedy. the greateſt Kings for any fault either in beliefe or life, which doth ſubject the pooreſt ſervants to cenſure; how many and frequent theſe faults may be, it is hard to judge; but the worſt is, when the greateſt Kings and the chiefe Members of Parliament without any reſpect to their dignity, are caſt out of the Church for themſelves and their children, by the peeviſhneſſe or errour, or malice of a few in a ſmall Congregation, they have no meanes under heaven to redreſſe themſelves of their injury; they and theirs muſt live as Pagans out of the Church, till they who did caſt them out, be perſwaded and become willing to take them in; ſhould all the Divines all the Aſſemblies, all the Churches of their Dominions, ſee cleerly as the light their notorious wrong; yet there were no poſſibility to helpe it by any mortall hand till the injurious Congregation it ſelfe, of its own accord, ſhould be pleaſed to repaire it.

Fourthly,When they have put all out of the places of Magiſtracy, yea out of all civill courts who are not of their mind, the greateſt Magiſtrates they admit of, bee they Kings or Parliaments, they ſubject them all to the free-wil of the promiſcuous multitude. they permit none to be Magiſtrates where they have power, not ſo much as to be a member of their ſmalleſt civill Courts, except they be fully for their way, and be admitted members of their Church, as it hath ever been their practice in New-England to this day; but the Magiſtrates they admit of, who are of their minde, they debaſe their power ſo low as to ſuſpend it all on the will and pleaſure of the promiſcuous multitude, not p. 126only to limit the Soveraignty of Princes within the bounds of their juſt Lawes, and to confine them unto the Counſell of their Parliaments, but to bring both them and Parliaments and all Magiſtrates to their firſt originall and Makers, to the free will of theſe whom they uſe to ſtile the prophane multitude (ffffff).

Fifthly, have any of the Reformed Churches now for an h…ndred yeares and above, given to Magiſtrates ſuch occaſion to feare an unjuſt inſurrection,When Magiſtrates wil not follow their new erro…s they have bin very ready to make inſurrections to the great hazard of the whole State. as they in the few yeares of their being have already furniſhed?

To paſſe by all their threatnings in this time of confuſion (gggggg) (while their ſtrength is yet inconſiderable) and their mighty endeavours to get Armes into their hand to enable themſelves with the evident hazard of the whole Iſle, to doe what they pleaſe by force (hhhhhh).

Let men only look over to the fruits of their principles in New-England, not many yeares agoe there, upon a very ſmall, and ſo farre as I know very groundleſſe ſuſpition, to have ſomewhat of their Government altered by the King contrary to their Patent, they did quickly purchaſe and diſtribute Armes among all their people, and exact of every one an Oath for the defence of their Patent againſt all impugners whoſoever; Mr Williams oppoſition to this Oath as he alledgeth, was the cheife cauſe of his baniſhment (iiiiii).

What principles could theſe be, that moved the ſame people a little after to doe and ſay ſuch things for which their Magiſtrates did diſarme ſo many of their Church members, not only elſewhere, but even at Boſton, upon fear of an apparent inſurrection for the killing of the principall Magiſtrates, and overturning the whole ſtate of that Countrey (kkkkkk 1.)

Few Magiſtrates will hereafter confide in theſe principles which ſaved not the Governour and generall Court of New-England, from extreme danger by the members of Mr Cottons Congregation at New Boſton.

Many of them deny to the Magiſtrate any power at all in the matters of Religion.Sixthly, doe the Independents principles give to the Magiſtrate any Eccleſiaſtick power at all? will they ſubmit to his civill power in any Eccleſiaſtick affaires? will they be hindered by the Magiſtrates ſentence, unleſſe it be executed with violence to erect Congregations p. 127within his Dominions at their own pleaſure? will their principles permit them upon the command of King and Parliament, to refuſe to take into their Congregations the members of other Pariſh Churches without a diſmiſion, or take and admit upon the Magiſtrates command within their number, any whom they account unfit for memberſhip, or to recall for the Magiſtrates pleaſure any of their Church cenſures? have they not very lately declared to the Parliament, that they eſteem all matters of Religion free and exempt from their ſword and power? That all matters both of worſhip and doctrine, that all things of the mind as they ſpeak, or matters of opinion, and all matters of outward forme wherein uniformity is required according to our Covenant, are ſo farre to be ruled by every mans own conſcience his own light and reaſon▪ that the Parliament is not in any ſuch matters to interpo…e their power? whither this bee the true ſence of their openly avowed and repeated letters to the Parliament it ſelfe, let every intelligent man conſider who reads the words (kkkkkk 2).

Seventhly,Their principles do ſpoile Princes and Parliaments of their whole …egiſlative power; they aboliſh all humane Lawes that are made, and hinder any more to be made. are any of the Reformed Churches or any Churches or perſons of the whole world ſo injurious to Magiſtrates as their principles force them to be, who …poyl Chriſtian Kings and Parliaments of their whole Legiſlative power? they will have us to beleeve, as good Divinity, that it is not only unlawfull for Church-aſſemblies to make Eccleſiaſtick Canons, but that it is alike unlawfull for any Prince or State to make a Civill Law, (llllll)

That the placing of a Legiſlative power in Kings or Parliaments, is to uſurp the property and prerogative of God. (mmmmmm 1)

Theſe Principles cannot be very favourable to the State, which at one ſtroke annihilate all the Acts of Parliament that now are in force, either in this or any other Kingdom, and make it impoſſible (if they were beleeved) to have any more in any place of the earth, to the worlds end. Look back upon what I have cited from the chiefe of the Browniſts writings. I grant the New Engliſh poliſhers of Browniſm doe not expreſſe their Tenets in tearms ſo hugely groſſe; yet ſee how neare they come to them in ſubſtance, when they tell us that no Magiſtrate may make any Lawes about the Bodies, Lands, Goods, Liberties of the Subject, which are not according to the Lawes and Rules of Scripture, Scripture being p. 128given to men for a perfect rule, as well 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.

The Civill Lawes which Mr Cotton permits men to make, bind, no man any further then his own minde is led by the reaſon of the Law to obedience.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.)

They put the yoak of the judiciall Law of Moſes on the neck of the Magiſtrate.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 …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.)

They give to their Miniſters a power to ſit in civill Courts & to voyce in the Election of the Magiſtrats, and to draw from Scripture Civill Lawes for the government of the State.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.)

p. 129Tenthly, did ever any Divines but theirs,They offer …o perſwade the Magiſtrate contradictory principles, according to their own intereſt. In New England they perſwade the Magiſtrats to kill all Idolaters and Hereticks, even whole Cities, men, women, and children. 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:But here they deny the Magiſtrate all power to lay the leaſt reſtraint upon the g…oſſeſt Idolaters, Apoſtats, Blaſphemers, Seducers or the greateſt enemies of Religion. 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,No great appearance of their reſpect to ſecular learning and Schools. 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,Independency much more dangerous then Browni… 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 p. 130touch 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, Montaniſt…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.