The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 7
SECT. 7. Of Cottons pretended ſudden change to the paſsionate affecting of the New-Engliſh way, and the converſi n of Mr. Goodwin to it.
It ſemeth to me a ſtrange ſpeech of the Diſſwader, and as far from Truth, as from ingenuity, that aſſoon as I had taſted of the New Engliſh aire, I fell into a paſſionate affection with the Religion I found there.
For I knew their Religion before I came into New-England, and himſelf ſaid above, that I came with a purpoſe to joyn with their Churches: Which argueth, I did not fall into an affection to their Religion, by taſting of New-Engliſh Aire. Nor hath his ſpeech any reaſonable conſtruction, that with taſting the new Engliſh aire, I ſoon fell into a paſſionate affection to their Religion, unleſſe he take me for one of thoſe children, who are toſſed to and fro, and carryed about with every winde (or aire) of doctrine, Epheſ. 4.14. Nor doe I yet underſtand why he ſhould account the Religion of New-England another Religion, then that of England and Scotland and other Reformed Churches. Difference in ſome externall form of Church adminiſtrations is not wont in the writings of judicious Divines, to make up the note and name of a different Religion.
Neither can I imagine what ſhould move him to ſay, that I fell into a paſſionate affection with the Religion here. A paſſionate affection, is a ſtrong, yea a violent, and inordinate affection. Did the Diſſwader ever reade, or hear me, to expreſſe any ſuch violent or inordinate affection to the Religion here profeſſed?
How Mr. Goodwin cometh to be accounted, and called of the Diſſwader, my Convert, I doe not know. It is not good to take liberty to uſe Scripture Idioms, but in Scripture ſenſe. The Scripture ſpeaketh not of converſion, but in the ſenſe of Regeneration begun, or renewed: neither doth it ſtyle one man, another mans Convert, but reſerveth that ſolely and ſolidly to the Lord.
But I marvail why the Diſſwader ſhould ſay, That M. Goodwin with little adoe was brought by my Letters from New-England to follow in this ſtep of my progreſſe.
For firſt, I doe not remember that ever I wrote Letter to him from New-England about our way. And my Letter, which Mr. Baylie quoteth amongſt his Teſtimonies (in G) was not written to him, but to a brother of mine (by Mariage) in Boſton. Men that have been bred and brought up under a form of Doctrine, or Worſhip, or Government, and never ſaw ground to ſcruple it, they may with little adoe receive it, and embrace, and follow it: which, it may be, hath been the caſe of many thouſands in England, and uſually falleth out in ſetled Churches. But for M. Goodwin to take up a way not onelyonly contrary to that wherein he hath been bred and brought up, but alſo diſcrepant from the judgements of ſo many godly learned Brethren, to the hazzard of his Miniſtery, and to the ſmothering of himſelf in a cloud of calumny and obloquy, beleeve it who will, I cannot eaſily beleeve it, that he took up ſuch a way with very little adoe. I cannot but beleeve, it coſt him many prayers, and ſighs, and grones, much ſtudy, meditation, and conference, before he could ſatisfie himſelf in ſuch a courſe; He being eſpecially (as Mr. Baylie reporteth him) a man of a fine and dainty Spirit, (and therefore loving and tender:) to which ſort of men, it is moſt unwelcome to offend Reverend Brethren by diſſenting from them: and with whom it is moſt uſuall to ſuſpect their own judgments and wayes, when they goe alone. Luther was not accounted a man of a fine and dainty ſpirit, but of a more reſolute and ſtern temper; and yet it was no ſmall temptation even to him. Nunquid tu ſolus ſapis? Quoties mihi palpitavit tremulum Cor, & reprehendens objecit fortiſſimum illud argumentum, Tu ſolus ſapis? tóine errant univerſi? &c. Luther. in Praefat. de Abrogandâ Miſſa privata, &c.
Mr. Edwards his Antapology, I have not had the opportunity to come by, much leſſe to read: and therefore I cannot tell what ſenſe to make of thoſe words which Mr. Baylie quoteth out of him (in H:) and wherein he ſaith, Mr. Goodwin was bold to boaſt of me in terms beyond the bounds of moderation. Sure I am, Mr. Goodwin was not wont to be accounted, either a bold man, or a boaſter. I have many years known him and his modeſty, and abhorrency both from boldneſſe and boaſting: and if Mr. Baylie take up a report to the contrary from Mr. Edwards (who is but one witneſſe, and it may be prejudiced) I dare not follow Mr. Baylie herein, but muſt allow Mr. Goodwin the priviledge of an Elder, againſt whom no accuſation is to be received under two or three witneſſes, 1 Tim. 5.19. By what rule therefore Mr. Baylie receiveth this teſtimony againſt Mr. Goodwin, by one ſingle witneſſe, he may doe well to conſider. Sure I am, it agreeth not with the Rules either of Congregationall or Claſſicall Church-government.
But if Mr. Goodwin himſelf doe acknowledge ſuch a ſpeech, he knoweth beſt in what ſenſe he ſpake it. For my ſelf, I can own it onelyonly in the ſame ſenſe wherein Agur ſpake it of himſelf, Prov. 30.2, 3. Surely I am more brutiſh then man; I have not the underſtanding of a man: I have not learned wiſdome, nor know the holy.
The next teſtimony which Mr. Baylie quoteth out of Mr. Edwards to the ſame purpoſe, ſpeaketh not of Mr. Goodwin, but of ſome other whom Mr. Edwards nameth not. But ſuch Apocrypha teſtimonies with judicious and equall mindes, will never goe for authenticall evidences. For the matter of the teſtimony it ſelf, I conceive, the form of Church-government wherein we walk doth not differ in ſubſtance from that which Mr. Cartwright pleaded for. For two things chiefly there be wherein ſuch as are for a Congregationall way, do ſeem to differ from Presbyterians: 1 In the matter of their Churches; they would have none allowed but viſible Saints. 2 In the exerciſe of Church-cenſure, they leave that power to the Elders and Brethren of the ſame Church whereof the delinquent is a member. And in both theſe we find Mr. Cartwright's footſteps going plainly before us. For, 1. he taxeth in Biſhop Whitgift, that ſpeech of his; The Church is full of Drunkards and Whoremongers, &c. Whereas Mr. Cartwright would not have ſcandalous perſons born withall in the Church. And for the 2. he ſpeaketh fully, in 1 Cor. 5.4. Foraſmuch (ſaith he) as the Apoſtle reproveth the Church of Corinth, for that they had no… (before his Letters) excommunicated the Inceſtuous; It is evident that the Miniſters, and the reſt of the Church there had power and authority thereunto.
The next Teſtimony which Mr. Baylie alledgeth to prove Mr. Goodwin's boaſting of this new light (as he calleth it) beyond the lines of moderation, is from the words of Mr. Williams in his examination of a letter of mine. His words be, That ſome of the moſt eminent amongſt them have affirmed, That even the Apoſtles Churches were not ſo pure as the New-Engliſh Churches.
But what is this to M. Goodwin? M. Williams ſpeaketh of ſome of the moſt eminent in New-England, where Mr. Goodwin never came.
Beſides, Mr. Williams doth not aſcribe theſe words to any definite perſons in New-England. And, as I ſaid before, Apocrypha teſtimonies will never goe with equall mindes for authenticall evidences. It is no new thing for Mr. Williams to miſtake both himſelf and others, as hath appeared in the Reply both to his examination of that Letter, and to his Bloody Tenent. I never heard of any mans ſpeech in New-England ſo hyperbolicall in the praiſe of New-Engliſh Churches, nor coming nearer to the words in hand, then the words reported of Mr. Williams himſelf: That of all the Churches in the world, the Churches of New-England were the moſt pure; and of all New-Engliſh Churches, Salem (whereof himſelf was Teacher) was the pureſt. But ſuch arrogant compariſons are as ſmoke in Gods noſtrils, Eſay 65 5. the firſt born of vanity, and the firſt ſtep to apoſtaſie.