Animadversions Upon the New England Anabaptists, Section 9
SECT. IX.
2. That we are Scandalous in three reſpects▪ 1. The Foundation was laid with Excommunicate perſons. 2. We called ſuch to Adminiſter holy things, who were juſtly for ſcandal caſt out of other Churches. 3. For receiving ſuch into our Society. Anſ. This is indeed the charge, from the juſt imputation whereof all their tergiverſations▪ excuſes, ſuppreſſions of the truth, and ſuggeſtions of ſalſhood, ſhall never acquit them. I find not that he denies the firſt propoſition, viz. that thoſe who do ſuch things (adding the word juſtly to the firſt part of the charge) are to be reputed ſcandalous. That they have ſo done remains to be proved.
1 Their Foundation was laid with perſons excommunicated and that for ſcandal: for this it may be conſidered.
1. Thomas Gold was not admoniſhed for his Opinion (nor doth it appear that ever he ſhould, if he had carried humbly) but for opprobrious words and carriages againſt an Ordinance which he himſelf had before profeſſedly reverenced and highly eſteem…d and which he knew that Church he walked with, had ſtill in the li…e eſteem. And Thomas Osborne, by relinquiſhing publick Worſhip d…rectly violated his Covenant, not ſo much as pretending (at firſt) any doubt about Inſant Baptiſme.
2. They both of them deſpiſed the Church, continued to abſent themſelves, laid falſe charges againſt them, ſeparated in a priva…e meeting, went off to the Anabaptiſts without asking leave, and ſo became (ſuppoſed) Members of one before they were regularly diſcharged of their obligation to another Church: all which things are againſt the Anabaptiſts own profeſſed Rules if they will ſtand to their confeſſion. Whereas he ſaith, their not hearing the Church was nothing elſe but their not coming when the Church ſent for them] it is a fooliſh pretence: their not hearing the Church was their appearing and proving themſelves impenitent▪ and that after many Treaties uſed with them many ſolemn Admonitions laid upon them. convictions ſ…fficiently offered▪ of ſins againſt the light of their Conſciences, and which (it's certain) they would have acknowledged, had it not been for fear of being reconciled to the Church, whoſe Excommunication they feared not, but impudently deſired▪ The truth is, they were weary of their Church Relation▪ and reſolved to get rid of it, and not knowing any regular way to obtain it, they choſe to ſin rather then ſuffer; and undergo a juſt Excommunication, that they might be by themſelves; preſuming that they could blind the World with a vain pre…e…ſe that they were ejected for no other reaſon but but becauſe they queſtioned the right of Infant Baptiſme. Hence Thomas Gold did particularly expreſs before the Church his deſire to be excommunicated, which yet they proceeded not to (till by a firſt and ſecond refuſal to appear at the Churches citing of them) they proved themſelves incorrigible: Beſides, it is to be obſerved that theſe men (having privately exerciſed their gifts in Meetings with applauſe) began to think themſelves wronged that their light was put under a buſhel; and finding no remedy in our Churches, threw on a cloak of Anabaptiſme, and ſo gained the thing they aimed at, in a diſguiſe.
2. They called ſuch to Adminiſter, &c.] againſt all his winding to get clear of this, I only ſay, Thomas Gola was thus imployed, concerning whom too much hath been ſaid, except we had better to ſay.
3. They have received ſuch as have (juſtly) for moral evils been caſt out of other Churches; adde, and never given Chriſtian ſatisfaction. Here he endeavours a ſalvo. The perſons inſtanced are Thomas Foſter, and John Farnham; the former ſometimes of the Church at Billerica the other of the ſecond gathered Church in Boſton. He acknowledgeth they have received them, but on juſt reaſons, or (at worſt) not very irregularly. Let the Records of theſe Churches be compared with this Narrative, and ſee if the Anabaptiſts have not good skill in painting, and putting a fair face on a foul matter.
1. For Thomas Foſter, let it be obſerved.
1. That he was not only a Member of the Church of Billerica, but of the Foundation, and at their gathering was full, free, and forward in owning Infant Baptiſme to be an Ordinance of Chriſts Inſtitution: and if he judged himſelf (that notwithſtanding) to have been then a true Chriſtian he ought to have extended more charity (then his after expreſſions ſhewed) to the Church ſtill remaining of the ſame perſwaſion.
2. That he firſt diſcovered his receding from that (formerly received) judgement, by diſorderly carriage at the time of Adminiſtration of that Ordinance, and being reproved for it, he confeſſed he had carried unbecoming any perſon in any Chriſtian Aſſembly; which gave ſatisfaction to the Church.
3. Though, (when about three months after this, he began, and thence continued to leave the meeting at the celebration of Baptiſm,) he was, at a private Church meeting given to underſtand that it grieved the Brethren, and that he had receded from his Covenant; and was adviſed ſolemnly and ſeriouſly to conſider of it, yet he was not (as the Narrator aſſerts) laid under Admonition, or prohibited Communion: nor did the Church ever do any ſuch thing in private to any, (which he knew) nor did they intend for this, to have debarred him of Communion.
4. That after this, he neglected the Church Aſſemblies; and frequented the Anabaptiſt meetings, and was there rebaptized: and being called by the Church at a meeting, at the Paſtors houſe, to give an account of theſe proceedings; though at firſt he diſſembled, yet at length acknowledged, and juſtified his actions, (if falſe charges may be accounted a juſtification:) For he told them;
1. That they had laid him under ſin, whereas he thought he had not done amiſs; but they had not ſo done judicially; though they told him his carriage was a grief to his Brethren: nor (as I have ſaid before) had intended it; ſo far is the Narration from ſpeaking truth, when it ſaith nothing but matter of Conſcience was (or could be) laid to his charge.
2. That they denied him Baptiſme: whereas they owned him for Baptized, and if he was not it was wickedneſs in him (an unbaptized perſon) to come to the Lords Table.
3. That they yoked him with Ʋnbelievers: which was, becauſe they extended Church watch to a Child (or children) of the Church: and yet, for this, he judged his ſeparation lawful, and produced for it 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15, 17. therein (implicitly at leaſt) pronouncing the Church a company of Belialiſts and Infidels.
4. That they had preſented him to the Court] The truth is, one of the Brethren of the Church, had made complaint of him to the Grand-jury, which occaſioned his preſentment, judging his Freemans oath engaged him ſo to do, when other due means to reclaim him from his turbulent carriages had been uſed; and this he makes the Churches fault, becauſe they did not lay that Brother under a cenſure, for not daring to violate his Oath, and betray hia Fidelity to the Civil Authority.
5. That they had dealt injuriouſly by one of his Brethren, in laying him under Admonition] In juſtification of which act there needs no account be given here; only, let any judge whither it be a juſt ground to ſeparate from a Church, becauſe I am not fully of their mind in every act of Adminiſtration: and alſo, it ſeems a thing not warrantable for a private Member of a Church (in pretence of ſelfvindication) to vilifie and aſperſe a Church of Chriſt: if this be humility, what is pride? But yet,
5. The Church ſtill continued to labour his conviction: and when they could not obtain it, after much patience, they called him forth in publick, charged him with offenſive departing, and rending away from the Church; denying himſelf a ſubject of Diſcipline, and viliſying the Church by falſe charges: he, obſerving one ready to write his Anſwer, refuſed to ſpeak any thing, unleſs he were forbidden: and not obteining it, eſſayed to depart; yea, though required by the Officer to ſtay, and hear the Church, he wil…ully withdrew: on the following Sabbath, he was for theſe carriages admoniſhed, and debarred Communion, and not till then: and after ſome patience uſed, being called forth again, to ſee if it repented him, he remained obſtinate, and was therefore Excommunicated: and now compare notes, and ſee what will become of John Ruſſel's conſectaries: As for his retaining the reſpect of a very Godly man where he is known (which is ſo boaſted of) it muſt be only among men void of reaſon, for (though we will not ſay but he may have the root in him; yet) he hath blaſted profeſſion, by wicked wayes impenitently perſiſted in, and thereby wounded ſuch mens charity, who judge (as they ought) of the tree by the fruit.