The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of the pretended danger of the New-Engliſh way unto the world, after Cotton and others cloſing with it.
But to proceed, why ſhould the Diſſwader conceive, That our coming over into theſe parts, and joyning with theſe American Churches, ſhould cauſe this New-way (as he calleth it) to begin to grow dangerous to the reſt of the world?
To which world (I pray you) hath this way grown dangerous? to the Chriſtian world? or to the Antichriſtian world? or to the Pagan world?
The Pagan world of Indians here will acknowledg our ſitting down by them, hath prevented the danger either of their diſſolution or ſervitude. For the Indians in theſe parts being by the hand of God ſwept away (many multitudes of them) by the Plague, the manner of the Neighbor-Indians is either to deſtroy the weaker Countreys, or to make them Tributary: which danger ready to fall upon their heads in theſe parts, the coming of the Engliſh hither prevented. And of late (through the grace of Chriſt) one of our fellow-Elders, Mr. Eliot, Teacher of Rocksbury, having gotten the knowledg of the Indian language preacheth to them every week one week to one Congregation on the fourth day, to the other on the ſixt the week following. And to him they willingly give eare, and reform their vicious living according to his Doctrine; and ſome of them offer themſelves to be trained up in Engliſh Families, and in our Schools: and there be of them that give good hope of coming on to the acknowledgment of the grace of Chriſt. To them therefore our way is not dangerous.
To the Antichriſtian world, the more dangerous it is; I doubt not, it is the more acceptabl… to God, and I hope, it is not the leſſe ſafe in Mr. Baylie's eye. Some of the Jeſuites at Lisborn, and others in the Weſtern Iſlands have profeſſed to ſome of our Merchants and Mariners, they look at our Plantations, (and at ſome of us by name) as dangerous ſupplanters of the Catholick cauſe. If that be the greateſt danger, I preſume Mr. Baylie will not ab hoc dicto ſecundum quid, pronounce us dangerous (ſimplicitèr) to the reſt of the world.
To the Chriſtian world, what danger hath accrewed by our means? many that knew both our Magiſtrates and Elders, and the chief ſort of our people, and knew how little we affected to travell into foraign Countreys to ſee faſhions; they upon our departure grew more inquiſitive into the cauſe of our voluntary exile; and thereupon, more jealous of corruptions at home in the Worſhip of God, and in Church-Diſcipline; more ſenſible of the burden and danger of Epiſcopall tyranny, and conſequently more ready to follow the good example of the Churches and Commonwealth of Scotland, in rejecting and ſhaking off Epiſcopall uſurpations and intruſions of Liturgies. And hath this been ſo dangerous to the reſt of the world?
Beſides, if Books and Letters doe not delude us with falſe intelligence, the great ſalvation, and glorious Victories which the Lord hath wrought for England theſe late years by any Engliſh power, his own right hand hath brought to paſſe chiefly by ſuch deſpiſed inſtruments as are ſirnamed Independents. And are then the witneſſes of that way ſo dangerous to the reſt of the world?
Wherein then lyeth the danger of this way?
It ſeemeth the Diſſwader conceiveth (as ſome others have done) that this way hath bin a double danger to thoſe Churches: 1 In becomming a dangerous inlet to all kinde of Sects, who ſhrowd themſelves under the name of Independents, and claim impunity under their ſhadow. 2 In retarding the eſtabliſhment and free paſſage of the work of Reformation.
But for the former, if the devill come and ſow Tares, yea Bryars and Thornes, where Chriſt hath ſowen Wheate, is therefore the wheate a dangerous graine? And if thereupon not onelyonly tares, but bryers and thornes plead for freedome from eradication, muſt therefore the wheat be plucked up, to root out the reſt? Surely the way which is practiſed in New-England cannot juſtly be taxed for too much connivence to all kinde of Sects: wee here doe rather heare ill for too much rigour, which evidently argueth, our way is of it ſelfe no inlet at all to all kinde of Sects, unleſſe it be meerely by accident: as Chriſtianity hath been an inlet to all kinds of hereſie; for where there is no Chriſtianity, there is no hereſie.
As for the latter, the retarding of the worke of Reformation, Surely we find it here the readieſt way to a ſpeedy Reformation. The common diſorders obvious and ordinary in other Plantations are here either not found, or ſoone Reformed. The Retarding of Reformation in England ſpringeth rather, partly from ſuch as would have no Reformation at all, but affect elbow-roomth to their owne luſts: partly from ſuch as will have no Reformation, but in their owne way. But if it might pleaſe the Lord to bow the hearts, both of the Presbyterians, and of the Congregationalls, ſo farre as both of them are come, to walke by the ſame rule, and minde the ſame thing, (both of them to minde Reformation according to the rule of the Word, as they conceive it; both of them to redreſſe abaſes, the Presbyterians, the abuſes found in their Churches, and the Congregationalls in theirs,) doubtleſſe, it need not to bee feared the worke of Reformation will ſpeedily find (by the bleſſing of Chriſt) a free and mighty paſſage through out the three Kingdomes.