THE Independents Dream, OF A New-Nothing, CALLED A Church, without either Government, Doctrine or Manners, suitable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Zealously interpreted, by a Christian Brother, who is a professed enemy to confusion.  
Showing how the Independent-dreaming Teachers, through the spectacles of fantasy, discover strange New-Lights, and newborn Truths, wherewith they delude the hearts of the simple, and allure them into the Labyrinth of their innovated traditional form of godliness.  1 TIM. 4. 1. In the latter days some shall departed from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. 
Printed in the Year 1647.   

The INDEPENDENTS Dream of a New-Nothing, called, a Church without either Government, Doctrine or Manners, suitable to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Zealously interpreted by a Christian Brother, who is a professed enemy to confusion.  
THat the Spirit hath revealed in these latter days in the Church of England such strange new lights, that the Saints and godly of the Land, as they call them, can clearly see to distinguish themselves from the enemies of Jesus Christ, and separate their sanctified members into new moulded Congregations in purity to enjoy their newborn truths, with a supposed imitation of the Church of Jerusalem, Act. 1. 15. where the number of names were 120. from thence gathering, that every particular Independent Church must have the same authority that Assembly had, and none to be capable of their membership, until they have had sufficient trial of their conversation, and have heard the confession of their faith, and the evidences of of the truth of their conversion, and until they have entered into a solemn Covenant, and have the joint consent of the whole Congregation, proclaiming all that are not moulded up after their new model, to be people out of Covenant, and to have no right to the new Covenant, neither they nor their children, though believers time was when the old way, and the good way leading to eternal life was carefully and constantly walked in by all those who were Saints indeed, to justify their public profession of the faith in Jesus Christ: But in these last and perilous days, such brainsick humours have possessed the spirits of many men, that they are carried away with every wind of Doctrine, and like mere naturalists, are ever thirsting after some newborn truth, though the tradition of a mortal man, to tickle their itching ears, disobeying the commands of their Lord and Master specified in the Law and Gospel, which ought to be their rule of righteousness, and the perfect path to everlasting happiness.  
The Devil hath power to transform himself into an Angel of light, and being the God of this world blinding men's eyes, the Prince of the air ruling in the hearts of the children of disobedience, we may probably conjecture from whence the Independent seducing Teachers have their new lights, even from the father of lies, who was a liar from the beginning, he hath possessed their wavering and unstable thoughts with an Ignis fatuus, or a prodigious Comet, which presageth ruin to the Church and State: maintaining a faction clean contrary to the League and Covenant, which by Ordinance of Parliament hath been generally entered into: Good warrant have the Magistrates of England to suppress any innovated faction, from the practice of the Prophets and Elders of Israel, prescribed in holy Writ for their imitations who in all ages had the sword of justice in their hands to punish all seducers, as appears Deut. 13. 1, 2, 3 4, 5. 1 Kings 18. 21. judges 6. 30. 31.  
For their Church▪ Government after their separation into new-moulded Congregations, the better to imitate the whole College of Apostles and Presbyters they would grace every sucking Church of theirs with all ●he authority the grand Presbytery at Jerusalem could challenge to themselves, and additional innovations, more than they ever practised, as evidently appears, when contrary to the Scriptures they give authority to silly women to have voices in admitting members into their solely sanctified societies.  
But alas! in this they make themselves a derision to all intelligent people, who are well versed in the ways of godliness because they know by the testimony of holy Scriptures, that as at first our Grandmother Eve brought confusion upon all mankind, even so it would be now in our distracted Church and State, may their Hermophradite counsels be continued contrary to the Covenant: The great emoluments which do redound unto their seducing Teachers may move them in private to plead for this form of Government: Yet it being contrary to the express Word of God 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. 36. 1 Tim. 2. 9 12. there is neither sense or reason why such destructive practices should be tolerated. What more uncharitable, and nnchristian-like scribbling was ever produced, than the pens of these men have in frequent editions manifested. As that the Ministers of the Church of England, that are not of their fraternity, do deny, disclaim and preach against Christ's Kingly Government over men's consciences & Churches, and that all the people under their Ministry are men unconverted, or at least converted but in part, wanting the main things, to wit Christ's Kingly office: men visibly out of the Covenant of grace, who have not so much as an outward profession of faith, who deny Christ to be their King, to whose persons and infants, the very Sacraments, and Seals of grace which all Church Communion may and aught to be denied.  
In the foregoing words, our brethren the Independent Ministers, deserting the way, the truth, and the life, like the juggling Jesuits bring in their own traditions and inventions as newborn truths, never heard of before these distracted times: and under the notion of strange Revelations for their own profit and repute, this heresy both in pulpit and in press hath been published, though there is no precedent in sacred authority for their practice, nor have they the least colour for it in Christ's Commission: But because some illiterate mechanics are exalted with a stile of state, as learned Interpreters of the Scriptures, who have learned a flattering faculty to magnify their own Churches as the only Saints upon earth: And by this delusion are blind guides leading them to the pit of perdition, which clearly shows that the Independent Teachers generally resemble those the Apostle S. jude mentions in the 10. and 19 Verses, They speak evil of those things they know not, who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.  
S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians, Gal. 1. 8, 9 he chargeth them (though the Apostles themselves or an Angel from heaven should preach unto them otherwise then they had received) they should account him accursed, intimating unto them, that they must contain themselves within the limits and bounds of that Doctrine and manner of preaching prescribed and set down in the Word of God.  
How ridiculous then do the seduced Independents make themselves? who forgetting to search the Scriptures, as the Bereans did, do embrace with great applause, the innovation of brainsick fantasies, when in the whole current of the Scriptures there is no warrant, that after men believe and are baptised, they should walk with them some time, for a sufficient trial of their conversations, and make a public confession of their faith and produce evidences for the truth of their conversion, enter into a solemn Covenant, and have the joint-consent of the whole Congregation before they can be admitted Members of their Church; had these circumstances been necessary, Christ would have put them into the Apostles Commission, and the Holy Ghost Act. 1. would have suggested all these things into their memories: the new way, the new borne truth the new light, that they might have been recorded.  
But the Eunuch no sooner desires Baptism of Philip, that is admission into the Church, but Philip granted it, no mention made of the Church's approbation: the like admission you may find by Paul and Silas, Act. 16. 31, 32, 33. without the foregoing innovated formality.  
Therefore St. Paul's caution is seasonable, to take heed of false Teachers, whatsoever show of seeming Sanctity they make, abusing the simplicity of the people for their own advantage. And make their own traditions joined Members, with the Gospel, as if they had a more fine weal and elegant way of gathering Churches and admitting Members then Paul, and the other Apostles, having new and better lights revealed unto them.  
But that all real Saints on earth may still hear the voice of Christ, and persevers in the old and good way leading to eternal life. The same Apostles advice is like apples of gold in pictures of silver, Phil. 3. 17. Brethren be followers of me, and mark them which walk so as you have us for an example, for our conversation is in heaven: And in the 4. Chapter, Verse 8. He saith, Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, do, and the God of peace shall be with you.  
FINIS.