The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 3
SECT. III. Touching the Line of the Pedegree of the Independents in New-England.
The Separatiſts (ſaith the Diſſwader) were their Fathers. This is demonſtrable not onelyonly by the conſanguinity of their Tenents, (the one having borrowed all their chief Doctrines and practiſes from the other:) but alſo by deduction of their Pedegree in this clear Line. Mr Robinſon did derive his way to his Separate Congregation at Leyden; a part of them did carry it over to Plymmouth in New-England: Here Mr. Cotton took it up, and did tranſmit it to Mr. Goodwin, who did helpe to propagate it to ſundry others in Old-England firſt, and after to more in Holland; till now by many hands it is ſown thick in divers parts of the Kingdom.
Anſw. That the Separatiſts were our Fathers, we have juſtly denyed it above; ſeeing they neither begat us to God, nor to the Church, nor to their Schiſm. That we are (through grace) begotten to God, and to his Church, we received (many of us) from the bleſſing of Chriſt upon the Miniſtery of England. That we grew weary of the burden of Epiſcopacy and Conformity, we received from the Word of God by the help of the Non-conformiſts there. That we laid aſide the Book of Common-prayer, we received from the ſerious meditation of the ſecond Commandement, and not from the Writings of the Separatiſts, though they alſo had taken up the ſame Concluſion upon other premiſes. The particular viſible Church of a Congregation to be the firſt ſubject of the power of the Keyes, we received by the light of the Word from Mr. Parker, Mr. Baynes, and Dr. Ames: from whom alſo, (from two of them at leaſt) we received light out of the Word, for the matter of the viſible Church to be viſible Saints; and for th… Form of it, to be a mutuall Covenant, whether an explicite or implicite Profeſſion of Faith, and ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt in the ſociety of the Church, or Presbytery thereof. And theſe be the chief Doctrines and practiſes of our way, ſo far as it differeth from other Reformed Churches. And having received theſe, not from the Separatiſts, but from the Lord Jeſus, by gracious Saints, and faithfull witneſſes of Jeſus; the conſanguinity of our Tenents with any the like found amongſt the Separatiſts, will not demonſtrate the Separatiſts to be our Fathers.
It is very likely (and by the fruits of ſome of them, it is very evident) that the Church of Plymmouth in New-England received very much light and life, by the bleſſing of Chriſt upon Mr. Robinſon his Miniſtry, whilſt he lived with them in Holland: nor need we to be aſhamed, to learn any truth of God from him, or them, or from any other Saints of God, of farre meaner gifts, then he or they had received. But I muſt confeſſe ingenuouſly, that his denyall of the Pariſhionall Congregations in England to be true Churches, (either by reaſon of their mixt and corrupt matter, or for defect in their Covenant, or for exceſſe of their Epiſcopall Government) was never received into any heart, from thence to inferre a nullity of their Church-eſtate. Neither was our departure from them even in thoſe evill times, a Separation from them as no Churches, but rather a Seceſſion from the corruptions found amongſt them, unto which alſo we muſt have beene forced to conforme, even in our owne Practiſe through the Rigour of the times, unleſſe wee had timely departed from them. In which caſe, Doctor Ames will excuſe us (yea and the Holy Ghoſt alſo) from aſperſion of ſchiſm or any other ſin, in ſo doing, De Conſcientia, lib. 4. cap. 24. Numero 16. in Reſponſione 7. ad quaeſt. 3.
The Diſſwader is miſtaken (when he ſaith Page 54.) That after the death of Ainſworth, there remained onelyonly a ſmall handfull of Separatiſts at Amſterdam, and another ſmall company at Leyden, under Mr. Robinſons Miniſtery, and beſides them, no other at that time were knowen in the world of that Religion.
For Mr. Iacob, whom Mr. Lothrop ſucceeded and after him Mr. Barbon being an Elder governed the ſame Separate Church in Leyden which held Communion with Mr. Robinſons Church, as appeareth by their Letters publiſhed in Print. And that Church as it began before Mr. Robinſon, ſo it continued after him, and ſtil doth. And it is no leſſe a miſtake, when the Diſſwader maketh the Diviſions in Mr. Robinſons Church, or his deſertion of many of their Principles to be an occaſion of well-neare bringing that Church to nought: till ſome of them went over to New-England, and perſwaded their neighbours who ſate down with them in New-Plymmouth to erect with them a Congregation after their Separate way.
For the Church at Leyden was in peace, and free from any diviſion, when they tooke up thoughts of tranſporting themſelves into America with common conſent. Themſelves doe declare it, That the propoſition of Removall, was ſet on foote and proſecuted by the Elders upon juſt and weighty grounds. For (to uſe their owne words)
though they did quietly and ſweetly enjoy their Chriſtian & Church-liberties under the States: yet they foreſaw Holland would be no place for their Church, and their poſterity to continue there comfortably: at leaſt in that meaſure, which they hoped to finde abroad, and that for theſe reaſons, which I ſhall recite, as I received them from themſelves.
1. Becauſe themſelves were of a different language from the Dutch where they lived, and the Dutch were ſetled in their way; in ſo much that in ten yeares ſpace, whilſt their Church ſojourned amongſt them, they could not bring them to reform the neglect of the Lords D…y, or any other thing amiſſe amongſt them.
2. Becauſe their Counttrey-men who came over to joyne with them, by reaſon of the hardneſſe, and chargeableneſſe of the Countrey, ſoone ſpent their eſtates, and then were forced either to returne backe for England, or to live very meanely.
3. Becauſe the Countrey was a place of ſo great liberty to children, that they could not educate their children, as their Parents had educated them: nor could they give them due correction, without reproof and reproach from their Neighbours.
4. Becauſe their poſterity would in a few generations become Dutch, and ſo loſe their intereſt in the Engliſh Nation, name and language.
Theſe being debated at firſt in private, and thought weighty, were afterwards propounded in publike, and after Solemne Dayes of Humiliation both in publike and private, it was agreed, that part of the Church ſhould go before their Brethren into America to prepare for the reſt: And in caſe the major part of the Church did chooſe to goe over with the firſt, then the Paſtor to goe along with them. But if the major part ſtayed, then hee to ſtay with them: and to follow afterwards, when they ſhould heare out of America of their ſafety and health, and poſſibility of ſubſiſtence: But the Lord tranſlated him to himſelfe, before the reſt could prepare to goe along to their Brethren. Notwithſtanding when the firſt company Embarqued themſelves for America, their Brethren accompanied them to the Sea, and tooke their leaves with ſuch abundant expreſſions of Brotherly Love, as drew the neighbour Dutch to much obſervation, yea and ſome Admiration of them, at Delph-Shoven in Holland.
Their departure therefore was not in a way of diviſion among themſelves, but with mutuall conſent, and common intendment of peaceable cohabitation.
Neither did that company which came over to Plymmouth, erect here a New-Church (as the Diſſwader taketh it,) for by conſent of the Church which they left, they came over in Church-eſtate, and onelyonly renewed their Covenant when they came hither.
Neither did the Church of Plymmouth (as the Diſſwader reporteth them) incontinently leaven all the vicinity.
For (as themſelves ſay) at the firſt comming there was no vicinity of Chriſtian habitation. They came over in the yeare 1620. Mr. Endicot, (the Captaine with his Company) came not over till the yeare 1628. and ſat downe at Salem, 8. yeares after Plymmouth. The yeare following, Mr. Skelton, and Mr. Higginſon came over, and ſitting downe with Mr. Endicot at Salem, entered into a Church there. How far they of Salem tooke up any practice from them at Plymmouth, I doe not know: ſure I am, Mr. Skelton (their Paſtor) was ſtudious of that way, before he left Holland in Lincolnſhire.
Nor was there any other Church planted after Salem till Mr. Winthrop, and ſome other godly gentlemen, and many good Chriſtians came over together with Mr. Wilſon, and Mr. Philips, (Miniſters of the Word:) whereof the one gathered a Church at Boſton, the other at Water-Towne, in the yeare 1630. The next yeare followed Mr. Eliot, and the yeare after Mr. Weld, who gathered into a Church at Rocksbury, as old Mr. Naverisk, and Mr. Warham had done the ſame before at Dorcheſter.
It was in the yeare 1633. when Mr. Hooker, Mr. Stone, with my ſelf arrived in the ſame Ship together: and being come, we found ſeverall Churches gathered, and ſtanding in the ſame Order, and way, wherein they now walke: at Salem, at Boſton, at Water-Towne, at Charle-Towne, (which iſſued out of Boſton) at Dorcheſter and Rockesbury. So that the Diſſwader is much miſtaken, when hee ſaith, the Congregagation of Plymouth did incontinently leaven all the vicinity: ſeeing for many yeares there was no vicinity to bee leavened. And Salem it ſelfe that was gathered into Church-Order ſeven or eight yeares after them, was above 40. miles diſtant from them. And though it bee very likely, that ſome of the firſt commers might helpe their Theory by hearing and diſcerning their practice at Plymmouth: yet therein the Scripture is fulfilled, The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three meaſures of Meal, till all was leavened, Matth. 13.13.
But yet if the Diſſwader knew the ſpirit of thoſe men who firſt came over hither, after Plymmoth, (though before us) hee would eaſily diſcern, they were not ſuch as would be leavened by vicinity of neighbours, but by the Divinity of the Truth of God ſhining forth from the Word. The body of the people at that time was not of ſuch a carnall ſpirit, as ſo many of them to leave ſo faire accommodations, and dear relations in our native Countrey, to come over into a wilderneſſe, to take up a Forme of Government, upon any ſuch ground as the Diſſwader conceiteth, becauſe it holdeth out ſo much liberty, and honour to the people.
This were indeed not to ſeek out for Liberty of Conſcience, but Elbow-roomth of luſt; and not to attend the honour, but the humor of the people. To paſſe ſuch a judgment upon ſtrangers, had need to ariſe from Divine Revelation, or elſe it will fall under the note of humane temerity.
But (ſaith the Diſſwader) howſoever it was in a few years, the moſt who ſetled their habitations in the Land, did agree to modell themſelves after Robinſons pattern.
Anſw. I do not know, that they agreed upon it by any common conſultation: But it is true, they did as if they had agreed (by the ſame Spirit of Truth and unity) ſet up (by the help of Chriſt) the ſame modell of Churches, one like to another. But whether it was after Mr. Robinſons pattern, is ſpoken gratis: for I beleeve moſt of them knew not what it was, if any at all. And if any did know it, the men were ſuch, as were not wont to attend to the patterns of men in matters of Religion, (for againſt that many of them had ſuffered in our native Countrey) but to the pattern of the Scriptures.