Animadversions Upon the New England Anabaptists, Section 8
SECT. VIII.
2. Their great ſufferings in their Name; and (it ſhould ſeem) there are many terms of Reproach caſt upon them: pardon them then if they are very tender of their Reputation. Only they ſhould have gone orderly to work, firſt to have got a good name, and then to have kept it by walking worthy of it. Here we have a file of ſcandalous things laid to their charge) they might have done well to have told us where, and by whom, that we might have compared them▪ but (I ſee) we muſt do what we can and conſider what is charged, and how juſtly, and whither they are wiped away in their deſenſe. Theſe are no ſewer then eight: let us examine them.
1. They are a Schiſmatical company who have rent themſelves from the Churches of Chriſt, and received into their ſociety ſuch as have diſorderly left the Churches.)
Anſ. This charge (in termes) was never made againſt them by us, and ſo part of their vindication is ſuperfluous; for we never ſaid all of them rent from theſe Churches: ſome were ſtrangers to us till their turbulency made them too well known; and others were never joyned to other Churches, but had l…ved without Communion. But that they are a ſociety of ſchiſmaticks, (if Schiſme be an unjuſt ren…ing from a Church of Chriſt) we aſſert. Three things they (in words) grant. 1. That our Churches are Churches of Chriſt (page 14.) 2. That fome of them were once Members of them (page 4.) 3. That ſome of theirs did depart from theſe Churches and joyn in this new combination (page 5.) now to prove them hence, a company of Schiſmaticks: Obſerve,
1. That whoſoever combine with, and encourage Schiſmaticks, have fellowſhip with them in their ſin.
2. That Thomas Gold, and Thomas Osborn (the perſons in diſpute) were Schiſmaticks, or did unjuſtly rend from the Church whereof they were before Members will appear by a true Relation of matters of fact (for this ſtory of the Narrative, and Truth are Strangers) whereof there is ſufficient Teſtimony to be found in the Records of the Church at Charlſtown (whereof they were Members) and there are many ſaithful witneſſes yet alive, who were preſent at theſe tranſactions and can ſay, if theſe things be not ſo; which ought to outweigh the ſtory of a prejudiced perſon, who hath all by hearſay, whoſe very buſineſs is to palliate and lick over matter… to ſhape them to his own turn: Here,
1, For Goodman Gold: Let the Reader conſider theſe things: and let the Anabaptiſts diſpro…e them, if they can.
1. That though he was firſt called to an account about withholding his childe from Baptiſme, yet that was not the reaſon of his being admoniſhed (as the Pamphlet aſſerts) nor becauſe he could not be convinced of Error; nor yet did the Church proceed to Admonition, till ſuch time as he (not only ſpake contemptuouſly and irreligiouſly of the emptineſs & nullity of that Ordinance, but alſo) uſed unbecoming geſtures in the time of Adminiſtration, of which (being asked the reaſon) he (before the Congregation) acknowledged they were to caſt di…reſpect upon it: nor then neither till after much patience Now let Anabaptiſts themſelves judge, whither there be not a vaſt difference, between doubting about an Ordinance, and profeſſedly viliſying of it by unhandſome words and carriages; and whither they will bear with any Member of theirs, that will ſo contemn any of thoſe things which are to them ſacred, and acknowledged as Chriſts Inſtitutions.
2, That at his firſt Admonition he was not ſententially ſuſpended, but only deſired, for the preventing of the offence of ſome, to abſtain from coming to the other Sacrament.
3. That upon this, Thomas Gold took up a trade of abſenting himſelf from the Meetings of the Church to worſhip God on the Sabbath, which made a new offence.
4. That the Church in much tenderneſs waited upon him, and (after many provocations) proceeded not to Excommunication, but tried with Admonition upon Admonition, and that by the ſpace of ſeven or eight years: nor was he Excommunicated, till (having left his own) he joyned to another Society, without the churches leave, or once asking it: and now alſo being twice ſent for by the Churc… ▪ he diſclaimed their authority over him.
5. That Thom is Gold did not leave the Church at Charlſtown on the account of the Anabaptiſts new Church (as is pretended) but had many years before renounced his ſubmiſſion to that Church.
6. That he did (while under Admonition) neglect publick worſhip, and gather a private meeting on the Sabbath to his houſe.
7. That he did (contrary to the judgement of Anabaptiſts themſelves) wickedly ſlight the Admonition of the Church, declaring that they had by it diſcharged him of all relation to them.
2. For Thomas Osb…rn…; the Churches proceedings with him were with the like patience as to Thomas Gold: only it is to be obſerved, that his firſt offence (which this diſſembling Pamphlet, finding it diſadvantagious, wilfully paſſeth over) was this: whereas it is one thing which Church-members engage to upon Admiſſion, to walk with the Church in conſtant attendance upon publick worſhip, he (without notifying any offence) did withdraw and ſeparate, frequenting thoſe Schiſmatick Meetings at Golds on the Sabbath: this was the offence (where was the Narrators Conſcience mean while?) nor did he (when firſt dealt with) pretend any diſlike of Infant Baptiſme, but that the Church gave no liberty to private Brethren to Propheſie▪ that they limited the Miniſtry to learned men, and that he did not find his own ſpirit free to come: though afterwards he ſpake both of that, and of their ſeverity to the Quakers, though that Church medled not with them, but only to preach againſt their Errors. In this practice he contumaciouſly perſiſted many years, denying himſelf to be ſubject to that Church▪ or bound to aſſemble with them (though he had ſolemnly given himſelf up to them in Covenant) ſlighting many Admonitions; and afterwards (with Thomas Gold) went off to, and became a worthy Pillar of an Anabaptiſt Church. And whereas he inſiſts ſo upon a bitter ſpirit in the Church againſt diſſenters let ſeven years patience, with ſerious endeavours (in all tenderneſs) to reclaim them, ſpeak whither it be not an audacious Slander. And now (Reader) judge, are theſe a Church of Schiſmaticks or no?