The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 14
SECT. 14. Of Cottons humiliation upon his former fall, as is reported by Mr. Baylie.
But yet let me adde a word more, to a word of Mr. Baylies in his entrance of this diſcourſe of my Antinomianiſm, and Familiſm, which may elſe leave an inpreſſion upon the minds of ſome Reader, as if I had acknowledged this my dangerous fal, and had been much humbled for it.
This other more dangerous fall (ſaith hee) as it hath already much humbled his Spirit, and opened his eare to inſtruction, and I truſt will not leave working, till it have brought him yet nearer to his Brethren: ſo to the worlds end, it cannot but be a matter of fear and trembling to all, who ſhall know it, and of abundant caution, to bee very wary of receiving any ſingularity from his hand, without due tryall.
Anſw. 1. Suppoſe all this were true in terminis, as Mr. Baylie hath expreſſed it, yet this were no impeachment at all to the doctrin and practice of that (which hee calleth) our Independent Church way; nor is it any juſt ground of caution to bee wary of receiving my teſtimony to it. Peters dangerous and dreadfull fall into the denyall of Chriſt, (though hee ſeemed to be a pillar) was no impeachment, but advancement to Chriſtianity. And if my fall were ſo dangerous, walking in this Church-way, and ſtumbling ſo foully in it, the greater Grace and witneſſe from heaven was upon his Churches in this way, who by the bleſſing of God were inſtruments of recovering me out of this fall, even by a conſultatory conference in a Synod, which did not aſſume to themſelves any power of Church-cenſures. Let mee be accounted to have fallen, and to have fallen (as Mr. Baylie repreſenteth it) horribly, ſo that the truth and wayes of Chriſt may ſtand and find free paſſage.
Neither is this fall of mine ſuch a juſt ground of caution (as he would make it) unto any, to bee very wary of receiving my teſtimony to this Church way. For the way is no way of ſingularity from my hand, but that which the body of the reſt of my Brethren, and of the Churches in this Country doe walk in with mee.
Anſw. 2. But yet, let not Mr. Baily make further ſpeech or uſe of my humiliation, then was performed, or intended by me. For God hath not given mee to this day (upon my beſt ſearch) to diſcerne any ſuch dangerous fall into Antinomianiſme, or Familiſme, as either hath, or might much humble my ſpirit.
It is true, my ſpirit had much cauſe to be humbled, (and ſo through mercy it was) upon many juſt occaſions at that time. As firſt, that ſo many Erroneous and Hereticall opinions ſhould be broached in the Country, and carried on with ſuch Arrogancy, and Cenſoriouſneſſe, and guile of ſpirit.
Secondly, That the principall offenders in this kind were members of our own Church, and ſome of them ſuch as had neer relation to my ſelf.
Thirdly, that my ſelf ſhould be ſo ſleepy and invigilant, as that theſe (not Tares onelyonly, but Bryers) ſhould be ſowen in our Field, and my ſelf not diſcerne them, till ſundry perſons up and down the Countrey were leavened by them.
Fourthly, that ſuch as endeavoured the healing of theſe diſtempers, did ſeeme to me to be tranſported with more jealouſies, and heates, and paroxyſmes of ſpirit, then would well ſtand with brotherly love, or the rule of the Goſpel.
The bitter fruits whereof doe remaine to this day, in the Letters ſent over that year from hence to England. Whence alſo it came to paſſe finally, that in the courſe taken for the clenſing of Gods Field, it ſeemed to me, that ſome good Wheat was pluckt up with the Tares, ſome ſimple hearted honeſt men, and ſome truths of God, fared the worſe for the reſemblance which the tares bare to them.
Upon all which grounds, my ſelf with our whole Church thought it needfull to ſet a day apart for publick humiliation before the Lord, wherein theſe and the like, both in Prayer and Preaching, were opened more at large before the Lord and his people.
But all this will not amount to make good Mr. Baylies word, That my dangerous fall into Antinomianiſme and Familiſme hath much humbled my Spirit.
Nor can I ſay (as he doth) that it hath opened mine eares to inſtruction. For I doe not know, that they have been ſhut to it, when I diſcerned the Spirit, and Word of truth breathing in it.
Nor can I ſay after him, That the humbling of my ſpirit for thoſe dangerous errours, will not leave working till it have brought me yet nearer to my brethren.
For though I bleſſe the Lord, who hath brought me nearer to my brethren, and them alſo nearer to me, which I truſt will ſtill grow whilſt our ſelves grow (in all the duties of brotherly love, wherein we have much ſweet and frequent intercourſe:) yet I doe not interpret this as the fruit of my ſpirits humiliation for my Antinomy, and Familiſme: but as the fruit of our clearer apprehenſion, both of the cauſe and of the ſtate of our differences, and of our joynt conſent and concurrence in bearing witneſſe againſt the common hereſies, and errors of Antinomianiſme, and Familiſme, which diſturbed us all.
But Mr. Baily as he began his diſcourſe of my dangerous fall with relation of my humiliation for it: ſo hee ſhutteth it up, pag. 58. with a like cloſe of my griefe of mind, and confuſion for it.
I have been informed (ſaith he) by a gratious Preacher who was preſent at the Synod in New-England, that all the Brethren there, being exceedingly ſcandalized with Mr. Cottons carriage, in Miſtris Hutchinſons proceſſe, did ſo farre diſcountenance, and ſo ſeverely admoniſh him, that hee was thereby brought to the greateſt ſhame, confuſion and griefe of mind, that ever in all his life he had endured.
Anſw. 1. I conceive it is not allowable in Presbyteriall diſcipline, (ſure I am, not in Congregationall) that an accuſation ſhall be received againſt an Elder under one witneſſe, though he gratious and a Preacher: eſpecially when this gratious Preacher is nameleſſe, and his teſtimony hovereth in generalities, without inſtance in particular offences: as That all the Brethren were exceedingly ſcandalized with Mr. Cottons carriage in Miſtris Hutchinſons proceſſe, but not expreſſing what carriage, nor what proceſſe, nor wherein they were ſcandalized.
And that all the Brethren did ſo far diſcountenance him, and ſeverely admoniſh him, as that he was thereby brought to the greateſt ſhame, and confuſion, and grief of minde, that ever in all his life he endured. But no mention for what offence they did ſo ſeverely admoniſh him, nor wherein they did ſo farre diſcountenance him.
Such words of infamy, and reproach may paſſe for Table talke, (which yet morall Philoſophy would not approve:) but ſurely in orderly Church-Diſcipline, ſuch dealing could not paſſe without juſt reproof, unleſſe there were too much prejudice or partiality, the rule is plain and obvious, and not now the firſt time violated in the Diſſwaſive, 2 Tim. 5.19.
Anſw. 2. I muſt (as juſtly I may) proteſt againſt that teſtimony, not onelyonly as violating the rule of Love, but of Truth alſo. For,
1. It is untrue, that all the Brethren were ſcandalized with my carriage, much leſſe exceedingly ſcandalized at the Synod, or in any proceſſe about Ms. Hutchinſon. There were ſundry godly brethren otherwiſe minded, and otherwiſe affected.
2. It is untrue alſo, that ſuch as were ſcandalized, did ſo ſeverely admoniſh me, or diſcountenance me; for I can neither call to mind any ſuch deep diſcountenance, nor any ſuch ſevere admonition of Brethren, and yet I had reaſon to know it, and to remember it well, as well as any Brother at the Synod: the matter ſo neerly concerning my ſelf, and more neerly and deeply, then any man elſe.
3. It is moſt untrue, that I was ſo far diſcountenanced, and ſo ſeverely admoniſhed, as that I was brought to the greateſt ſhame, confuſion and grief of mind, that ever in all my life I had endured.
I ſhould have little comfort in my own ſpirit, to look either God or man in the face, if the diſcountenance or admonition of men (eſpecially for ſuch carriage) were the greateſt ſhame, and confuſion, and grief of mind, that ever in all my life I had endured. The rebukes of God upon the ſoule for ſin will put a man to far greater ſhame, and confuſion and grief of mind, then any diſcountenance, or admonition from Brethren, (eſpecially for ſuch offences) Pſal. 76.7. But whatſoever diſcountenance, or diſ-reſpect I met withall, from one hand or other, till the true ſtate of my judgment, and car…iage was clearly manifeſted, I have long agoe left with the Lord: But I conceive I have met with more hard meaſure in Letters to England, and in ungrounded reports there, then ever I found from the admonition, or diſcountenance of any brethren here.