The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 3
CHAPT. I. Of the Title inſcribed to Mr. Baylie his Book, A Diſſwaſive from the Errors of the Time.
NOah gave it for a bleſſing to his ſon Japhet (in a word both of Prophecy and Prayer) God perſwade Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Shem, Gen. 9.27. And if a Perſwaſive to dwell in the Tents of Shem were a bleſſing; then a Diſſwaſive from the Errors of the Time (rightly ſo called) is a bleſſing alſo. But when Mr. Baylie is pleaſed amongſt the Errors of the time to reckon (that which he calleth) Independency; he may do well to conſider, whether he bring not upon his credulous Reader a curſe in ſtead of a bleſſing.
The ſuppoſed Errors found in thoſe who are called Independent Churches, are chiefly two, upon which all the reſt doe depend: and both of them ſuch as may well be cleared by Noah's bleſſing.
For, 1. they hold, that Cham and Chanaan, whilſt they are ſuch, (that is, graceleſſe perſons, and ſcorners at the falls and infirmities of the Saints) they are not to dwell in the Tents of Shem. Noah did not pray for ſuch a bleſſing to them; yea, i… had been a curſe both to them and Shem (if he had ſo prayed) and not a bleſſing.
2. They hold alſo, that Japhet himſelf ſhould not be brought to dwell in the Tents of Shem till God perſwade him. They would not have Shem to enlarge his Tents, to compaſſe or compell Japhet to live under his ſhadow. It is one thing for Japhet and Shem to dwell together by voluntary conſociation; another thing for Shem to rule over Japhet by undeſired and unallowed juriſdiction. Let Cham and Chanaan be as ſervants unto Shem and to Japhet too, (for ſo Noah prophecyed:) but let not Japhet be a ſervant to Shem, no more then Shem to Japhet. But though theſe bee the principall Tenents of Independents (as they are called;) and indeed bleſſed truths in the bleſſing of Noah: yet Mr. Baylie reckoneth theſe amongſt the Errors of the Times; and the Independents themſelves amongſt the wanderers on the right hand, together with Browniſts, (as he calleth them,) Anabaptiſts, Antinomians, Seekers: As on the left hand, he reckoneth Prelates, Papiſts, Arminians, Socinians, Eraſtians. And it ſhould ſeem, he taketh Independents to be one of the moſt dangerous Sects of them all, (at leaſt, as the ſtate of the times now ſtandeth:) or elſe he would not have addreſſed all the whole force of his Diſcourſe againſt them: OnelyOnly taking up Browniſts (as he ſtileth them) by the way, to uſher in the other with the greater prejudice. But for my part, I diſlike not Mr. Baylie's zeal againſt Errors where it is rightly placed: OnelyOnly let him allow the like liberty to us, which he taketh to himſelf, That as he publiſheth a Diſſwaſive againſt Errors; ſo we may have leave to bear witneſſe to the Truth.
CHAP. II. Of thoſe whom the Diſſwader ſtyleth Browniſts.
SECT. 1.
MAſter Baylie rightly obſerveth, That in our departure & flight from Rome, ſome took up their ſtand too ſoon, before they had paſſed the lines (he meaneth all the lines) of communication with the Whore: and others ran on too long (or too far) beyond the bounds of truth and love. The former of theſe ſorts he maketh the Lutherans, in reſpect of ſome defects in their Reformation. The latter, he maketh to be the Anabaptiſts in Germany. The ſucceſſors of the former, he maketh to be Cranmer, Ridley, and thoſe other Confeſſors and Martyrs who ſetled Epiſcopacy and Ceremonies in England. The ſucceſſo…s of the latter ſort, (the Anabaptiſts) he maketh to be thoſe whom he ſtyleth Browniſts.
But as there is a vaſt difference between the Epiſcopacy of England, and the Superintendency of Germany, (the one ruling by Monarchicall Power, the other by the conſent of the Ariſtocraticall Presbytery:) ſo neither is there ſuch correſpondency between the Germane Anabaptiſm, and the Engliſh Browniſm, as to make Browniſm a native branch of Anabaptiſm.
Yes, (ſaith the Diſſwader) That Browniſm is a native branch of Anabaptiſm, is evidenced, by the frequent tranſition of the one to the other. The diſſolution of ice and ſnow into water, argueth ſtrongly their originall from that element; ſo the ordinary running over of the Separatiſts to the Anabaptiſts.
Anſw. The diſſolution of ice and ſnow into water, doth indeed argue ſtrongly their originall from water, becauſe they are eaſily reſolved into it without putrefaction or corruption. But ſo i… not the Separatiſt reſolved into a German Anabaptiſt, without a further degree of corruption and putrefaction. It is no argument a man is bred of worms, becauſe he is next reſolved into worms; for he is not ſo reſolved without putrefaction. Say not, a man is reſolved at laſt into duſt from whence he was firſt taken; and yet the reſolution is not made without putrefaction. For a man is not made of duſt naturally, but by a tranſcendent creating power above Nature. But the Diſſwader maketh the Separation a native branch of Anabaptiſm.
Beſides, I ſuppoſe, it is not an obvious thing to hear of an Anabaptiſt turn Separatiſt, though ſome Separatiſts have turned Anabaptiſts; which argueth there is not ſuch a mutuall frequent tranſition from the one to the other, as is yearly found of ice and ſnow into water, and of water into ice or ſnow again.
SECT. II.
The firſt Separatiſt, which the Diſſwader ſaith he hath read of, was one Bolton, who was a Miniſter of an old ſeparate Congregation, and afterwards felt the ſenſe of his Errors ſo grievous to his ſoul, (by the finger of Gods Juſtice ſtirring in his conſcience) that he did not onelyonly publickly at Pauls-croſſe recant them, but thereafter was ſo dogged with a deſperate remorſe, that he reſted not till he had hanged himſelf.
Anſw. 1. Though Bolton may have been the firſt Separatiſt that the Diſſwader hath read of; yet he might have read of others before him. For in the Book called The Regiſter of memorable matters touching Reformation, there is recorded a ſtory of an hundred perſons, who refuſed the common Liturgie, and the Congregations attending thereunto, and uſed prayers and preachings, and Sacraments amongſt themſelves: whereof 14 or 15 were ſent to priſon: Of whom the chiefeſt was Mr. Smith, with Mr. Nixon, James Ireland, Robert Hawkins, Thomas Boweland, and Richard Morecroft. And theſe pleaded their ſeparation before the Lord Mayor, Biſhop Sands, and other Commiſſioners on June 20. in the year 1567. which is about fourſcore years agoe; and this as it ſeemeth was many years before Bolton; for Mr. Baylie reckoneth the wandring of the Separatiſts to be about 50 years ſtanding, (page 59.) but this Smith and his company was 30 years before.
Anſw. 2. Old Mr. Bruiſter (the reverend Elder of the Church of Plymouth, a man of long-approved piety, gravity, integrity) his teſtimony of this Bolton may take off the prejudice which the fearfull fall of Bolton ſeemeth to Mr. Baylie to caſt upon the Separation: Which I will recite, not to juſtifie that way of his ſeparation, but to take off unjuſt ſcandals. This Bolton (ſaith he) partly by the terrors of Biſhops, and partly by flattery, was brought indeed to recant. But afterwards they ſleighting him, the terrors of the Almighty fell upon him, and conſidering how he had ſinned againſt his conſcience, he (Judas-like) laid violent hands upon himſelf.
But the Diſſwader may be pleaſed to conſider, that Apoſtaſie from the way of Separation, and terror of conſcience even to deſperation, and ſelf-murder following thereupon, are no juſt exceptions againſt Separation: no more than Judas his apoſtaſie from Chriſt, and terror of conſcience even to deſperation and ſelf-hanging following thereupon, were any juſt exceptions againſt Chriſtianity.
SECT. III. Of Mr. Brown, and Barrow.
Of Mr. Brown and Mr. Barrow, it is farre from me to make any defence either of their perſons, or of their way of rigid Separation: the hand of God upon their ſpirit, giving them up, one to a ſpirit of inconſtancy and prophaneneſſe; the other to a ſpirit of bitterneſſe and raſhneſſe. Though it is no juſt conviction of the errors of their way of Separation: yet it is a ſhrewd argument that either their way was not right, or their hearts not upright in it.
But this let me ſay, be it ſo, that Brown did revolt from his way, and took a Parſonage from the Biſhop, and that in a Town by name called A-church in Northampton-ſhire, (a reall check to his error, who formerly counted every Church in England no Church:) yet this back ſliding of Brown from that way of Separation, is a juſt reaſon why the Separatiſts may diſclaim denomination from him, and refuſe to be called after his name, Browniſts. If Judas, or Julian, or Ecebolius doe apoſtate from Chriſtianity, no reaſon is there that all that profeſſe the way of Chriſtianity ſhould be called Judaites, or Julianiſts, or Ecebolians. In the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtory, though Photinus was the diſciple of Marcellus in an hereticall opinion touching Chriſt: yet the followers of them both, when Marcellus had revoked his error, were not called Marcellini but Photiniani. To ſpeak with reaſon, if any be juſtly to be called Browniſts, it is onelyonly ſuch as revolt from Separation to Formality, and from thence to prophaneneſſe. For Mr. Barrow, though I neither excuſe the unſoundneſſe of his judgment, nor the bitterneſſe of his ſtyle: yet I doubt the Diſſwader is deceived, when he ſaith, That Queen Elizabeth was ſo impatient of his contumelies, that ſhe cauſed him in a morning to be hanged on the Tower-hill. For there be grave Profeſſors (who lived nearer thoſe occurrences) who ſpeak of Queen Elizabeth as ignorant of Barrow's execution, and Greenwood's, and diſpleaſed at it, when ſhe heard of it afterwards: neither was their execution on Tower-hill, but at Tyburn, long after the ſentence of death paſſed againſt them.
SECT. IV. Of Mr. Johnſon, and Mr. Ainſworth.
The Diſſwader is deceived when he ſaith, Mr. Ainſworth with his half, did excommunicate Mr. Johnſon and his half. For, as I am informed by ſome judicious Profeſſors who lived in thoſe parts, Mr. Ainſworth and his company did not excommunicate Mr. Johnſon and his, but onelyonly withdrew from them, when they could no longer live peaceably with them. Mr. Johnſon his laſt Book, argueth he had learned more moderation of ſpirit, then he did put forth in his former times.
Mr. Ainſworth, a man of a more modeſt and humble ſpirit, and diligently ſtudious of the Hebrew Text, hath not beene unuſefull to the Church in his Expoſition of the Pentateuch, eſpecially of Moſes his Rituals, notwithſtanding ſome uncircumciſed, and ungrounded Rabbinicall obſervations recited, but not refuted.
But when the Diſſawder ſaith, that M. Ainſworths company after his death, remained long without all Officers;
There bee ſundry living that know the contrary. For when he dyed he left two Elders over the Church, Mr. Delacluſe, and Mr. May.
And therefore I doe not ſee any ground of that ſpeech,
That the weight and evidence of Gods hand againſt Ainſworth had ſo farre diſgraced that Sect, as the Diſſwader expreſſeth. For though in ſimplicity of heart, in ſome things he went aſtray: yet the way he walked in, did not ſuffer diſgrace by him, nor by the weight and evidence of Gods hand upon him, for ought I have ever heard or read of him, ſave in Mr. Baylie. The Lord knoweth how to bee mercifull to ſuch as ſeeke him in ſimplicity of heart, according to light revealed, though hee doe obſerve and chaſten ſome Errour in their way.
SECT. V. of Mr. Smith, and Mr. Robinſon.
The fall indeed of Mr. Smith, and the Spirit of errors and inſtability that fell upon him, was more obſervable: and a dreadfull warning from heaven, againſt foreign ſelfe-fulneſſe, and ſelf-pleaſing. For though the tyranny of the Eccleſiaſticall Courts was harſh towards him, and the yokes put upon him in his Miniſtery, too grievous to bee borne: yet neither was hee alone in ſuffering: Nor were thoſe that ſuffered with him at that time, (Mr. Clifton, and Mr. Robinſon) ſuch inconſiderable Perſons, that hee ſhould affect to goe alone from them. It is true, he had found helpe by the conference (which himſelf had requeſted) with Mr. Dod, Mr. Hilderſon, and Mr. Barbon, before he left England: yea and ſuch helpe, that he thought he could have gained his Tutor Iohnſon, from the Errors of his Rigid Separation. But hee had promiſed them, not to goe over to him, without their conſents: and they utterly diſſwaded him there-from, as fearing his inſtability. And yet contrary to his Promiſe he went over to him, yea, and that contrary to his owne pretence and offer of another conference with them before his going. Though the way of Rigid Separation had been leſſe Heterodoxall, then it is, yet to venture upon it in ſuch breach of manifeſt Rules, no marvell, if it led him into manifeſt temptations and Abberations.
The Diſſwader is miſ-informed, when hee ſaith (page 16) he moved a great company to follow him to Ley in Holland. For as I underſtand by ſuch as lived in thoſe parts at that time, hee lived at Amſterdam, and there dyed, and at Ley in Holland he never came.
Of Mr. Robinſon, the Diſſwader doth rightly obſerve, tha… hee was a man of the moſt learned, poliſhed, and modeſt ſpirit of that way, and withall hee might have ſaid, ſo piouſly ſtudious, and conſcientiouſly inquiſitive after the Truth, that (as the Diſſwader rightly obſerveth) it had beene truely a marvell, if ſuch a man as hee, had gone on to the end a rigid Separatiſt.
As a fruit of his ſtudious inquiſition after the Truth, hee reſorted (as I have underſtood) to many judicious Divines in England for the clearing of his Scruples, which inclined him to ſeparation: and when hee came into Holland, hee addreſſed himſelfe to Doctor Ames, and Mr. Parker: rather preventing them with ſeeking counſell and ſatisfaction, then waiting for their compaſſion. But as they excelled in learning and godlineſſe, ſo in compaſſion and brotherly love alſo; and therefore as they diſcerned his weanedneſſe from ſelfe-fulneſſe, ſo did they more freely communicate light to him, and received alſo ſomethings from him. The fruit of which was (through the Grace of Chriſt) that the Diſſwader himſelfe confeſſeth, hee came backe indeed the one halfe of the way: Acknowledging the lawfulneſſe of communicating with the Church of England, in the Word and Prayer: but not in the Sacraments and Diſcipline, which was (ſaith hee) a faire Bridge, at leaſt a faire Arch of a Bridge for union. But when he ſaith, hee came on to communicate with the Church of England in the Word and Prayer, it muſt not bee underſtood of the Common-Prayer-Book, but of the Prayers conceived by the Preacher before and after Sermon: And yet in comming on ſo far as he did, he came more then halfe way of any juſt diſtance.
For though hee ſtuck at the Common Liturgy, Sacraments and Diſcipline: yet ſince then it hath appeared, there was no juſt ground of comming on to them. The Honourable Parliament, and Reverend Aſſembly of Divines have (by the grace of Chriſt) ſeen juſt cauſe to remove the Liturgy, to aboliſh the Hierarchy (which was the Diſcipline hee chiefly ſtuck at) and to give order for reſtraint of ignorant and ſcandalous Perſons from the Sacrament, which may well make up two or three Arches more (as Mr. Baylie calleth it) of that faire bridge for union, farre more then the halfe way.
It is true, Mr. Robinſon did not acknowledge a Nationall Church governed by the Epiſcopacy to be a Church of Divine Inſtitution. But though hee acknowledged the ſtile and priviledges of a Church in the New Teſtament to belong to a particular Congregation of viſible Saints: yet ſuch Nationall Churches, French or Dutch, as were governed by Presbyters, and ſeparate from the world at the Lords Table, he did not diſclaime Communion with them, I have beene given to underſtand, that when a Reverend and godly Scottiſh Miniſter came that way, (it ſeemeth to have been Mr. Iohn Tarbes) he offered him Communion at the Lords Table: though the other for feare of offence to the Scottiſh Churches at home, excuſed himſelfe. Yea when ſome Engliſh men that offered themſelves to become Members of his Church, would ſometimes in their confeſſions profeſſe their Separation from the Church of England, Mr. Robinſon would beare witneſſe againſt ſuch profeſſion: Avouching, they required no ſuch profeſſions of Separation from this or that, or any Church, but onelyonly from the world. All which doe argue, that his comming on to Proteſtant Churches, was more then the half way. But (ſaith the Diſſwader) this new Doctrine (or way) of Mr. Robinſon, though it was deſtructive to his old Sect; yet it became an occaſion of a new one, not very good. It was the womb and ſeed of that lamentable Independency in Old and New-England, which hath been the fountain of many evils already though no more ſhould enſue, as anon ſhall be declared.
Anſw. When this commeth to be declared, I hope it will come to be declared alſo, that the way of Independency hath been bred in the womb of the New-Teſtament of the immortall ſeed of the Word of Truth, and received in the times of pureſt Primitive antiquity, many hundreths of years before M. Robinſon was born: and that it hath not been the fountain of any evils at all, much leſſe of ſuch evils, as to deſerve the ſtyle of lamentable Independency.
SECT. VI. Of the contempt and contumelie ſaid to be put upon the old Browniſts by the Independents.
TO ſhut up this Chapter, the Diſſwader telleth us, That the way of the old Browniſts is become contemptible not onelyonly to all the reſt of the world, but to their own children alſo; even they begin to heap coals of contumelies upon their Parents heads; as may be ſeen in the Elogies which both Mr. Cotton, and the five Apologiſts are pleaſed to give them in Print; yea, ſo much are theſe Children aſhamed of their Fathers, that they uſually take it for a contumelie to be called after their name. No Independent will take it well at any mans hand to be called a Browniſt either in whole, or in the ſmalleſt part.
Anſw. 1. No marvail, if Independents take it ill to bee called Browniſts, in whole, or in part. For neither in whole, nor in part doe we partake in his Schiſm. He ſeparated from Churches and from Saints: we, onelyonly from the world, and that which is of the world. He turned apoſtate from the Separation which he had profeſſed: and it is abſurd to denominate either Sect or right way, from ſuch as apoſtate from it. If he had ſtood conſtant in his way, and his way had been the ſame with ours, yet we were not baptized into his Name; and why ſhould we then be called after his Name? If ſchiſm be a manifeſt fruit of the fleſh, then they that give Nick-names tending to the reproach and diviſion of Brethren, they walk after the fleſh; for they ſow variance and ſchiſm amongſt Brethren.
2. It is an unjuſt and unworthy calumny, to call either Cotton or the Apologers, the children of their Fathers, whom he ſtyleth Browniſts. They never begot us, either to God, or to the Church, or to their Schiſm: a Schiſm, which as we have lamented in them, (as a fruit of miſguided ignorant zeal:) ſo we have ever born witneſſe againſt it, ſince our firſt knowledg of it.
3. Though we put not ſuch Honor upon thoſe he calleth Browniſts, as to own them for our Fathers; yet neither doe we put ſo much diſhonor upon them, as to heap coals of contumely upon their heads. We look not at them with contempt, but compaſſion: Neither doe we bear witneſſe againſt their Schiſm in any words of contempt and reproach, (which are the characters of contumelie) but in words of ſpirituall and juſt reproof; even in ſuch terms, not which ſcornfull wit, but which holy Scripture ſuggeſteth.