The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 18
SECT. 18. Of the third ſhamefull abſurdity ſaid to bee found in our way of Independency.
Come wee now to conſider of the third ſhamefull Abſurdity, which Mr. Baylie maketh the fruit of our Independency, breaking forth in the practiſes and profeſſion of the moſt, who have been admitted as very fit, if not the fitteſt Members of our Churches.
And theſe evill fruits hee brancheth out into five ſorts:
"1. (Saith he) in the vileneſſe of their Errors.
"2. In the multitude of the erring perſons.
"3. In the hypocriſie joyned with their Errors.
4. In malice againſt their Neighbors, and contempt of their ſuperiors, Magiſtrates and Miniſters for oppoſition to their evill way.
"5. In their ſingular obſtinacy, ſtiffly ſticking unto their errors, &c.
Anſw. 1. Suppoſe all this to bee true: yet this is ſo far from diſcrediting the way of Independency, or arguing the Tree to be bad by theſe bad fruits, that it doth rather juſtifie the way to be of God, which ſo eaſily hath either healed, or removed, ſo many, ſo vile, ſo generall, ſo ſubtle, ſo headſtrong corruptions, and them that maintained them. Non ſeclus, non ſcelerum varietas aut atr…citas, is dedecus Politiae, ſed ſcelerum impunitas. The Church of Epheſus was not blamed by Chriſt, becauſe falſe Apoſtles and Nicolaitans were found amongſt them: but commended, becauſe ſhe could not beare them, Rev. 2.2.6. Nor is Thyatira blamed, that Jezabell was found amongſt them, but that they ſuffered her, Rev. 2.20. What if ſo many, ſo hideous vile Errors were found in our Churches? What if the number of erring perſons were (as he ſpeaketh) incredible? Multitudes of men and women every where infected? almoſt no Society, nor Family in the Land free from the peſt? Boſton (which he is pleaſed to ſtyle, the beſt and moſt famous of our Churches) ſo far corrupted, that few were untainted? What if they accounted the late Governour their true friend, and thought no leſſe of Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Whelewright whom they adored? What if they had drawn to their ſides not onelyonly multitudes of the people, but the ableſt men for parts, in all Trades, eſpecially the Souldiers? What if all theſe evills were carryed forth with preſumptuous contumacy againſt godly Magiſtrates, and the Orthodox Miniſters? yea, what if to all the reſt, they added obſtinacy againſt al wholſome meanes of redreſſe and remedy?
Is it not therefore the more evident Demonſtration of the gratious preſence, and mighty power of God, in the Diſcipline of our Churches, that did ſo effectually, ſo ſpeedily, ſo ſafely, ſo eaſily, purge out all this Leaven, either out of the hearts of the people, out of their Families, and Churches, or elſe out of the Country?
Whence the argument ſeemeth to mee to ariſe unavoidably.
Thoſe evills, which Independency doth either heal, or remove, they are not the fruits of Independency.
But all theſe grievous and dangerous evils, Independency did either heal or remove.
Therefore theſe grievous and dangerous evills were not the fruits of Independency.
Again, That government, which by the bleſſing of Chriſt, doth ſafely, ſpeedily, and effectually purge out ſuch grievous and dangerous evills, as threaten the ruine of Church and State, that government is ſafely allowed, and juſtly and wiſely eſtabliſhed in any civill State.
But Independency by the bleſſing of Chriſt doth ſpeedily, ſafely, and effectually purge out ſuch grievous and dangerous evills, as threaten the ruine of Church and State: therefore Independency is ſafely allowed, and juſtly, and wiſely eſtabliſhed in any civill State.
Ob. 1. But this purging and healing of theſe grievous and dangerous evills was not the fruit of their Independent-Church-Government, but of their civill Government. We have oft marvelled, that the Elderſhip of Boſton did never ſo much, as call Ms. Hutchinſon before them, to be rebuked for any of her errors, though their generall Aſſembly had confuted them, and condemned them: yet ſtill ſhee was permitted to goe on, till the zeal of the new Governour, and the generall Court did condemne her to perpetuall baniſhment. Then, and not till then, ſo far as wee can perceive by the ſtory, did the Church of Boſton bring a proceſſe againſt her. And when the proceſſe was brought to an end, Mr. Cotton would by no meanes put it in execution; that burden was layed upon the back of Mr. Wilſon his Colleague, how ever not the fitteſt Inſtrument, being the perſon to whom Ms. Huthinſon had profeſſed greateſt oppoſition. And when the ſentence was pronounced againſt her, they tell us, that the great cauſe of it was none of her Errors or Hereſies, but her other practiſes, ſpecially her groſſe lying.
Anſw. 1. What ever aſſiſtance the civill Government gave to the purging and healing of theſe evils, it was the fruit of Independent Church Government. For whether the Neighbour Churches ſuſpected our Church of Boſton might bee partiall, and indulgent to theſe erroneous perſons: or whether they ſaw, we wanted ſufficient witneſſes upon which wee might proceed againſt them in a Church way, they took a right courſe (according to the principles of the Independent Government) to gather into a Synod with the conſent of the civill Magiſtrates: and in the Synod to agitate, convince and condemne the Errors, and the offenſive carriages then ſtirring. Whereat the Magiſtrates being preſent, they ſaw juſt cauſe to proceed againſt the chief of thoſe whom they conceived to have bred any civill diſturbance: and the Churches ſaw cauſe to proceede againſt their Members, whom they found to bee broachers or maintainers of ſuch hereſies.
Anſw. 2. It hath been declared above, why the Elderſhip of Boſton did not call Ms. Hutchinſon before them to rebuke her for her Errors, or to reſtraine her from going on, though the generall Aſſembly had confuted and condemned her Errors and courſe.
For though the Errors were condemned, (and by the Elders of Boſton, as well as others:) yet the errors were not faſtened perſonally upon her: nor had we any two witneſſes, that would affirm it to us, that ſhee did broach or maintain ſuch errors or hereſies, till after her ſentence unto baniſhment by the generall Court; And then indeed, as ſhe was more bold and open in declaring her judgment before many witneſſes: ſo the Elders of the Church of Boſton called her to account before the Church, and convinced her of her Errors, and with the conſent of the Church, layed her, and one or two more of her abet…ors under the cenſure of an admonition even for thoſe corrupt opinions, which were charged upon her, and proved againſt her.
Ob. 1. Yea but Mr. Cotton would by no means put the cenſure in execution upon her, that burden muſt be layed upon the back of Mr. Wilſon, &c.
Anſw. The cenſure of admonition, becauſe it was for matter of Erroneous doctrine, it was thought meet to bee diſpenſed and adminiſtred by Mr. Cotton, who was their Teacher: which alſo (by the the help of Chriſt) hee did performe, ſetting before her both the corrupt cauſes of her errors, and the bitter fruits of them: and charging her ſolemnly before the Lord, and his Angells, and Churches then aſſembled, to return from the Error of her way.
Afterwards, when upon further ſerious debate and conference with her by Mr. Davenport, and my ſelfe, ſhe was convinced of all her errors in particular, ſhee being called againe before the Church, did openly recant every errour and hereſie, and profeſſed her repentance for every miſcarriage againſt Magiſtrates and Elders: which farre exceeded the expectation of the whole Congregation, which then conſiſted of many Churches, and ſtrangers. But when ſhee had done, ſhe added withall, That ſhe had never been of other judgement, howſoever her expreſſions might ſeem to vary. This ſounded ſo harſhly, and falſly in the eares of many witneſſes, that many roſe up to convince her of her falſhood and lying, in ſo ſaying. Which when ſhee did not hearken to, ſhee was eſteemed, by the judgement of the Elders, and our whole Church, to be juſtly ſubject to excommunication. Which though I did not think meet to bee diſpenſed by my ſelf (becauſe the offence was not in matter of Doctrin, but of practiſe, which more properly belonged to the Paſtours Office, or ruling Elders:) yet I declared to the whole Congregation the righteouſneſſe of the cenſure, and ſatisfyed the Scruples of ſome Brethren, who doubted of it. But yet if the Church, or other Elders had put that taske upon me, I ſhould no more have refuſed the diſpenſing of the cenſure of excommunication upon her, then I did before of admonition. Neither was her oppoſition againſt Mr. Wilſon any juſt reaſon of exempting him from that duty. For ſhee ſaw, wee all with one accord, concurred in that ſentence: it was no partiall act of his, but the common vote both of the Presbytery, and Fraternity. And what if ſhe had profeſſed her oppoſition againſt us all? had that been a juſt excuſe to exempt any of us from performing a ſervice due to God, and the Church, yea and to herſelf alſo?
Object. 2. But when the ſentence was propounded againſt her, they tell us, the great cauſe of it was none of her Errours, and Hereſies, but for other practiſes, eſpecially her groſſe lying.
Anſw. Wee could not juſtly pronounce the cauſe of her ſentence to be her errors and hereſies, which ſhe had openly recanted, and given her recantation under her handwriting. Neither did any of us ſay, That ſuch Hereſies did not deſerve the cenſure of excommunication, if ſhe had continued obſtinate in them: but wee thought it needfull to follow the rule of the Apoſtle, not to reject an Heretick till after once or twice admonition, Tit. 3.10. under which if the Heretick relent, the Church proceeding ſtayeth, unleſſe ſome other offence ſet it forward, as it did in her caſe.